H2oradio

Are Banks Banking on Climate Chaos? That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Headlines: One major U.S. bank stands to lose billions of dollars if countries take immediate steps to curb greenhouse gas emissions. A major dispute between the U.S. and Mexico is brewing—not over drugs or immigration—but over water. This plant can be used to make a flame-retardant, smoke-suppressing, and water-repellant glass. How to safely kill pests on crops? Stick it to them.

Oil Giants May Have to Pay for Climate Damage. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: Vermont is about to become the first state to enact a law forcing fossil fuel companies to pay for damages caused by climate change. A pesticide banned in 1972 continues to plague the Southern California coast. Why were there so many tornadoes this spring? A new tool can predict how weather will affect pollen concentrations—and how pollen could influence the weather.

Sacking Sackett? Biden Moves to Protect Wetlands. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: The outlook for the Colorado River could be better than previously thought. In response to the Supreme Court's Sackett decision, the Biden administration moves to protect wetlands. A new study proves that conservation works—and that we’re getting better at it. An orangutan reaches for a natural first aid kit after a brawl.

Good news is sometimes hard to come by, so this week we have assembled a few recent positive stories from H2O Radio that you might have missed. Coral reefs that have been degraded by human activity and climate change can be restored fast—in just four years. How swimming pools could be heated with your data. If extraterrestrials do try to make contact, whales could help us speak their language. Flower power! Scientists find a novel way to clean rivers.

Fool’s Gold May Turn Out to Be Golden. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: The Biden administration made 13 million acres of wilderness in Alaska off limits to oil drilling and mineral mining. Manufacturers of toxic “forever chemicals” may now be on the hook to clean them up. A lab accident has revealed an amazing superpower of queen bees. The next “gold” rush? Head to oil and gas waste sites.

How Taking a Walk Can Clean Water. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: The EPA has taken its first step to regulate “forever chemicals” in drinking water. “Archaic plumbing” inside the Glen Canyon Dam is aggravating Colorado River Basin woes. An environmental crisis has been averted following the Baltimore bridge collapse...so far. A ten-minute walk could deliver clean water—and faster if you pick up the pace.

Women make up half the population, so the cars they choose to drive matters—especially if they’re electric vehicles that can wean us off fossil fuels. Moms could help save the planet from climate change. Is anybody listening? Story: https://h2oradio.org/this-week-in-water/women-could-drive-the-electric-vehicle-revolutionwhats-stopping-them

Cyberattacks Are Striking Water Systems. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: Cyberhackers have targeted and disabled water and wastewater systems throughout the country. For Mexico City, “day zero” is a possibility. In Johannesburg and Barcelona, things aren't much better. We are choking on “e-waste” from discarded electronics like computers, cell phones, microwaves, and photovoltaic panels, with no end in sight. Zoning out—some plants that used to grow in a region will no longer thrive there.

The Benefits of Noisy Neighborhoods. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Headlines: Two men are going to prison for tampering with rain gauges to get crop insurance payments. Drought causes the release of greenhouse gases, new study shows. Sounds that to us might resemble sizzling bacon or the grunts of pigs are pitch perfect for restoring these degraded habitats. Snakes—the new, high-protein superfood.

A Man Was Indicted for Smuggling Greenhouse Gases. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: The seven states negotiating water use on the Colorado River hope the impasse will pass. Coral reefs that have been degraded by human activity and climate change can be restored fast—in just four years. A man was arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border last week on suspicion of smuggling, not drugs or weapons, but greenhouse gases. Springing forward to Daylight Saving Time bug you? Blame a guy who was looking for bugs.

The European Union Moves to Criminalize Ecocide. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Headlines: Record-setting heat fueled the largest wildfire in Texas history. The EU passed a law requiring member states to restore degraded ecosystems—and to criminalize ecocide. Want a way to have fewer microplastics in your tap water? Boil it, a new study says. Expectant mothers know to supplement their diets for the health of their babies—musk oxen moms are no different.

Despite the War, Ukraine Plans to Be a Green Energy Hub. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report. Headlines: Despite Russia’s destroying half of its electricity infrastructure, Ukraine is building a lot of renewable energy. Botanic gardens are among the best ways to cool cities during heat waves. To tackle space junk, Japan is making satellites out of...trees. A cure for snoring—that’s also good for the planet.

The Lies of the Plastics Industry—Exposed. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Headlines: The plastics industry lied when it promoted recycling, knowing it wasn’t technically or economically viable. There’s a wrinkle in the negotiations around how to allocate the Colorado River. Greenland is turning green—and that’s not a good thing. Flower power! Scientists find a novel way to clean rivers.

It’s Getting Harder for Some Trees to Breathe. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Headlines: Ocean sponges are like tree rings and might be showing us that we've warmed the planet more than we thought. A new study says the Atlantic Ocean circulation pattern is nearing a tipping point, where it shuts down completely and irreversibly. According to a new study, some trees are struggling to “breathe” as the Earth warms. On this Valentine’s Day, Utah is playing Cupid for anglers, offering “speed baiting.”

We study history to learn from the past. But what if the pages in a history book melted away? A library just west of Denver is trying to preserve clues of antiquity before they become “cold cases” that could never be solved.

A Beverage That Slows Aging. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Headlines: The Biden administration is pausing the approval process for new exports of liquefied natural gas or LNG. A dormant uranium mine just south of Grand Canyon National Park is restarting operations, raising concerns about water contamination. How one tiny ant species can cause an ecological chain reaction that makes life difficult for lions. Skip looking for the fountain of youth. An anti-aging beverage might already be in your kitchen.

Your Next Email Could Heat a Swimming Pool. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Headlines: Was global warming responsible for last week’s freezing temperatures? Bottom trawling fishing boats are releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Perhaps leopards can’t change their spots, but butterflies can when it gets too hot. How swimming pools are being heated with your data.

How Boxed Wine Is Better Than Bottled. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Headlines: Flows in Colorado rivers will shrink by up to 30 percent because of climate change. Shippers avoiding attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea are diverting around Africa, adding time and carbon emissions. A single bottle of water contains, on average, some 240,000 plastic fragments small enough to pass into blood, cells, and the brain. How to box in the wine industry's carbon emissions.

How Whales Might Help Us Communicate with Extraterrestrials. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Headlines: What is a “snow drought”? You’ve probably already experienced one. The new “industrial revolution” has a map, and it could help protect the world’s oceans. El Niño has a sweet tooth. If extraterrestrials do try to make contact, whales will help us speak their language.

Was This Year’s COP Half Full or Half Empty? That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Headlines: COP28 was, according to one expert, “the fossil fuel industry’s dream outcome, because it looks like progress, but it isn’t.” A new study suggests boosting beaver populations could have toxic consequences. How seaweed can help heal wounds. What if you could invest in nature—and make money by protecting it?