H2oradio

Trump’s Border Wall Is Sucking Up Desert Water. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Water is needed to construct Trump's border wall with Mexico—and they're using precious groundwater. The Trump administration rescinded a rule that was intended to protect drinking water and the environment. The Trump administration will seek to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas exploration. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California approved a $5 million pilot project that will capture stormwater before it flows to the ocean. This airline encourages you to BYOB.

The Feds Plan to Rip Out Trees in a National Monument. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Crude oil may be leaking into aquifers and coastal ecosystems, adding to the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian. The BLM will remove trees in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by using bulldozers to drag a chain that upends everything in its path. There's a new "blob" in the Pacific Ocean. The agency responsible for generating and transmitting hydropower along the Columbia River is in serious trouble. This plant could be the next superfood, power our cars, clean wastewater, and help treat disease.

Algae Are Changing the Weather. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas as the strongest storm to hit the island region in modern records. This Asian capital is sinking—so the country's president decided to move it. Cloud seeding bacteria from the ocean have implications for the climate. Beavers build biodiversity. When you’re done wearing this shirt, you can bury it in your garden.

Harvard Helps a Tree to Tweet. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Brazil's space research agency rejected claims by president Jair Bolsonaro that dry conditions were responsible for the Amazon fires. Russia launched a floating nuclear power station. What could go wrong? Climate change could make waves go wacky. As sea levels rise, the question is no longer whether some communities will have to move out of harm's way, but when, and how. If trees could express their feelings about climate change, what would they say?

Elephants Are Helping to Fight the Climate Crisis. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. The EPA ordered Newark, New Jersey, to begin distributing bottled water to residents facing high levels of lead in their tap water. Dogs are dying across the U.S. from these warm weather toxins. Tidal wetlands along the coast of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California are disappearing. The African forest elephant is an endangered species—and its extinction could worsen the climate crisis. On your next trip to Paris, don't miss the "aeroponics."

Solar Panels Throw Shade...in a Good Way. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Further degradation of the earth's land must be stopped to prevent catastrophic global warming. According to a new report, 17 countries face extremely high water stress such as taps running dry. A ubiquitous shrub in British Columbia may be declining because of the recent drought along the Pacific Coast. Melting glaciers in the Himalayas are releasing decades of accumulated pollutants into downstream ecosystems. The outlook is sunny for "agrivoltaics."

Cigarette Butts Are a Bigger Problem Than Just Litter. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. There's a disturbing weather pattern playing out across the nation—and it's likely to continue. If you want to see the iconic Joshua trees in southern California, time is running out. Cigarettes are damaging more than hearts and lungs. Snowmaking might be helpful beyond the ski industry. In August, there will be a memorial marker placed with the numbers "415ppm."

A study in 2016 showed that lawns are the largest irrigated crop in America. There are over 40 million grassy acres in the continental U.S., and they take a lot of water to thrive. But in the West, where rainfall is less plentiful, many water providers have been offering rebates to residents willing to tear out turf and replace it with drought tolerant plants. The programs are working and thousands of gallons of water are being saved. So why are two major cities punting on the idea?

How Did a Mule Save a Fish? That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. The heavy rains brought by Hurricane Barry can be directly connected to manmade climate change. Several countries are making travel plans to go to the moon—and one reason is water. A new cruise ship is heading to the Arctic—and is akin to a Prius. Prospectors are digging up ancient woolly mammoths for their tusks as the permafrost melts in Russia. These mules had live fish in their saddlebags.

Could Deep-Sea Mining Lead to Deep Trouble? That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. A new study says that covering an area with trees equivalent to the size of the U.S. might be a solution to global warming. If plans move forward for deep-sea mining, they would not only destroy habitats and pollute areas that have been undisturbed for millennia—it could also exacerbate the climate crisis. Scientists have measured a seaweed bloom—perhaps the largest ever—stretching almost 5,500 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to West Africa. There's a massive problem plaguing our oceans—and the U.S. Army will dive in to help solve it.

Should We Worry About Contrails After All? That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Contrails form when water vapor condenses around soot from an airplane’s exhaust and freezes to form cirrus clouds. Researchers have discovered a new form of plastic pollution—"plasticrust." A new study shows that atmospheric rivers have become much warmer during the past 36 years, and that could reduce water supplies. During drought, are trees frugal with their water? There's new technology that can "unprint" a piece of paper—and it saves a lot of water.

Are Nitrates in Water Causing Cancer? That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. An enormous aquifer has been discovered off the U.S. East Coast roughly between Massachusetts and New Jersey. The drinking water standard for nitrates was set in 1962. It needs to be revisited. Boaty McBoatface goes into the abyss and makes an amazing discovery. Eight U.S. senators from both parties have written to the premier of British Columbia, Canada, complaining about mining pollution. Want to save North America's monarch butterflies? If you live in a city you can help. Researchers trained seals to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has said a changing climate is predicted to affect drinking water treatment and distribution systems in a negative way. Disturbances like wildfires, hurricanes, and floods are being exacerbated by global warming, and those who operate treatment facilities to ensure safe water comes out of our faucets are going to need to meet the challenge. Monica Emelko, a professor of engineering and environmental science at Waterloo University in Ontario, Canada, is one of many scientists and engineers who recognize that uncertain conditions are going to require water providers to be resilient. Dr. Emelko spoke with H2O Radio in June 2019 following a presentation at the American Water Works Association Conference in Denver, and likened water treatment in the future to Formula 1 racing—it will require drivers who can anticipate curves in the road ahead—and, of course, a good pit crew.

How the Zebra Got Its Stripes. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Nearly 60 years ago, Rachel Carson warned about the dangers of DDT, and although the pesticide was banned, the effects may still be with us. As climate change brings more droughts, there are increased efforts to conserve water. But conservation has some surprising consequences. In Greenland, highly unusual events occurred Wednesday and Thursday last week. Global warming may lead to a shift in the time of day that thunderstorms happen. Why do zebras have stripes? New research says the answer's not black and white.

”Ghost Forests" Are the New Face of the Climate Crisis and They’re as Frightening as They Sound.” That story and more on H2O Radio’s news report about water. A new study reveals that heat waves in the South are strongly associated with declining sea ice in the Arctic. Which aspect of climate change will be more threatening to U.S. agriculture—heat or drought? "Day Zero" has hit India. There's a lifestyle habit you can control that might reduce your risk of Alzheimer's.

Eco-Friendly Containers? Not So Friendly. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. The Midwest continues to be plagued by severe weather with numerous tornadoes and major flooding. Momentum is building across the country for something once considered a fringe movement. A new study describes how insecticides are not only failing to control mosquitoes, they're killing off their predators instead. PFAS chemicals are being used in compostable food containers thought to be eco-friendly alternatives. Pohoiki Beach, on the Big Island of Hawaii, formed after the Kilauea volcano erupted—and although it's brand new, it has an old problem. A case in U.S. federal court next week could decide the fate of the climate crisis in our country.

It’s Raining...Plastics. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. A researcher was looking for what was causing nitrogen pollution in Rocky Mountain NP—and instead found plastic. Have you ever wondered about date labels on food that say "Use Before..." or "Sell By..." They could be changing. Nearly 300 scientists disagree with the U.S. Forest Service about how to manage forests after wildfires. Which would you prefer when you die? Cremation..? Burial..? Or,...being composted? Trees throw shade on climate change.

A massive oil shale project is being planned on the border between Colorado and Utah that would take a lot of water out of the Colorado River Basin. The proposal by a European company, was authorized to proceed by the federal government; however, it may now find itself between a rock and a hard place because of a lawsuit recently filed by eight environmental organizations.

A Radioactive Coffin May Be Leaking in the Pacific. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. The spring flooding of 2019—already the most damaging in 25 years—is not like your grandfather's floods—or even your father's. What happened to all the material that made up the city of Hiroshima, after the atomic bomb was dropped? The Marshall Islands has a kind of coffin built in the 1970s—and it's leaking. Plastic pollution in the oceans may have an effect on the air we breathe. Jumping in a pool without first showering affects its chemistry—and not in a good way. You can clean up the Chicago River—from the comfort of your couch.

The Key to Stopping Climate Denial? Middle Schoolers. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. More rain has fallen in the lower 48 states over the last 12 months than during any similar period in over 120 years of record keeping. About one in eight animal and plant species on Earth is threatened with extinction, many within decades. The search for lithium in the U.S. may be leading to a battle in Death Valley, California. "Bomb carbon" has been found in crustaceans in the deepest ocean trenches. Daughters might be more persuasive in changing their dads' minds about the climate crisis.