Fracking Gas Leaks More Accurately Quantified

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Energy, Environment, Oil, Pollution

Although there remain many unanswered questions about the environmental impacts of fracking, new data from the EPA suggest that at least their loss of natural gas into the atmosphere is not as dramatic as some observations had suggested. Recent analysis of NOAA data on atmospheric methane in the vicinity of a few fracking wells had given cause for concern. This new, broader study by the EPA suggests that the wells used in the NOAA-data study were leakier because they were older and weren’t using newer, less leak-prone technology, and because the nature of those well’s oil and gas deposits require different, leakier processing than most. The new data suggests that previous EPA estimates, substantially lower than the NOAA-data results, are in line with the actual leakage. Ars Technica has the story: http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/02/how-leaky-is-shale-gas-production/

Iron: Why Beavers Don’t Need Dentists

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Animals, Wildlife

It’s hard to be a paddler in the Northwest and not have warm feelings toward the North American beaver, (Castor canadensis), Oregon’s state animal. While beavers are most active at night, most paddlers catch at least an occasional glimpse of the well-furred rodents. Now comes reassuring news for those who may have worried about beaver dental hygiene; iron in beavers’ teeth provides powerful protection against decay. That’s probably pretty handy, since a beaver is surely dependent on his or her teeth, and while the clever rodents are well-known for their dam-building acumen, dental clinics appear not to be in their architectural repertoire. The Oregonian expands: http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2015/02/beaver_teeth.html#incart_river

Lake Superior Still Mercury-laced After Two Centuries

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Pollution

As the Industrial Revolution took hold, so too did one of the first iterations of a global economy. In the late 18th and early 19th Centuries North American trappers and fur traders built a thriving economy providing furs to Europe. As has often been the case, decades of prosperity have delivered a toxic legacy of much longer duration. Mercury, used at the time in the tanning process, is still found in Superior and contaminates the animals and people in the region. One recent study found that, among 1,400 babies in the region, 1 in 10 were born with potentially dangerous levels of mercury in their systems. The Smithsonian reports: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/historical-fur-trade-blame-high-mercury-levels-lake-superior-shore-180954388/

The Dirt on Snirt

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Agriculture, Conservation, Environment, Pollution

Mary Turck has penned an insightful and well-reasoned essay on the destructive effects American agricultural practices have on the environment and, in turn, the damage that does to agriculture, itself. She focuses on topsoil and its ongoing depletion from America’s farmlands. “Snirt” is the dirty mixture of snow and soil which results from eroded dust contaminating the snow, and it serves as mute testimony to the problem. You can find her article, here: http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/2/the-failure-of-us-farm-policy-its-in-the-snirt.html

Climate Change Denier: Doubt for Dollars

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Climate, Conservation, Environment, Politics

Roughly half-a-century ago many Americans were faced with a startling revelation on scientific integrity: Testimony by industry-paid scientists repeatedly touted that there was no correlation between smoking tobacco and developing cancer. That made it official; scientists could be paid to lie.

Now, anthropogenic climate change threatens the health of the planet, but interests profiting from the status quo are fighting any efforts to meaningfully combat the problem. As with the tobacco industry’s apologist doctors, the climate change deniers have their own brand of cynically-mercenary, hired guns. Take as an example, Wei-Hock Soon. The New York Times will familiarize you with his case: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/22/us/ties-to-corporate-cash-for-climate-change-researcher-Wei-Hock-Soon.html?_r=0

Oceans on Acid: A Really Bad Trip for Shellfish

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Climate, Conservation, Environment, Oceans

While carbon dioxide is probably best known for its contribution to anthropogenic climate warming, it is also a major contributor to acid rain and, in turn, lower pH in all the world’s surface waters, including its oceans. Shellfish, with their easily dissolved shells of calcium carbonate, are particularly susceptible to the depredations of acidic waters. Besides the threat to the species and ecosystems themselves, the ramifications of this for the Pacific Northwest’s shellfish industry are broad and troubling. The Oregonian elaborates: http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/02/national_ocean_acidification_s.html

Oregon Chub Said to be Saved From Extinction

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Animals, Conservation, Wildlife

Twenty-two years after being listed in danger of extinction, the little 3-inch fish has been taken off the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Endangered Species List. The minnow, exclusively found in the Willamette River basin, was a victim of habitat loss from loss of wetlands, channelization of the river and the damming of feeder creeks and streams. Habitat restoration efforts appear to have turned the tide, however, and the little piscines have become the first fish species to ever be taken off the ESL. The Oregonian provides details: http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/02/oregon_chub_becomes_first_fish.html

Is Drought the New Normal?

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Climate, Environment, Weather

In recent years, drought has hit much of the Western United States. While recently California has gotten the lion’s share of media attention, it is hardly the only western state short on water. Now NASA is warning that things may get a whole lot worse. Rather than a year, or handful of years without adequate rainfall, NASA is predicting that anthropogenic climate effects may well lead to droughts of historic intensity that last decades. NASA’s announcement can be found here: http://www.nasa.gov/press/2015/february/nasa-study-finds-carbon-emissions-could-dramatically-increase-risk-of-us/index.html#.VOaDejXq2JC

Lest one come away with the impression that climate-change-fueled drought is mainly a North American problem, let me point out the situation in Brazil, known for its lush Amazon basin, where reservoirs are running dry, and the people are getting desperate: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sao-paulo-running-low-water-180954294/

Sea Turtle Named Solstice Closer to Release

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Animals, Conservation, Endangered Species, Wildlife

Solstice, the female olive ridley sea turtle found near death in Oregon waters late last year, is well on the road to recovery and will be moved to San Diego for the final stages of her rehabilitation, prior to release back into the wild. While another olive ridley since found in Washington did not fare as well as Solstice, she is thriving after her care at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and her move to Seaworld is a final step toward her full recovery. The announcement of her move can be found here: http://aquarium.org/posts/833820046-Media-Advisory-Solstice-the-turtle-to-be-transferred

Aleksander Doba Wins “Adventurer of the Year”

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Kayaking, Oceans, Paddling

National Geographic has announced the People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year for 2015 as 68-year-old, Polish kayaker Aleksander Doba. From October 5, 2013 to April 19, 2014 Doba (then 67) paddled on a record-setting 7,716-mile odyssey across the Atlantic. You can find the announcement of the award here: http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/adventurers-of-the-year/2015/vote/

More interestingly, you can find the story of Doba’s epic journey, here: http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/adventurers-of-the-year/2015/aleksander-doba/