Environment
KQED News
U.S. Gets Middling Marks On 2014 'State Of Birds' Report Card
All is not well with the nation's birds. The most comprehensive study ever of birds in America is out today, and it says many populations are in steep decline, even as others are doing well. The report, called "The State of the Birds," comes from the federal government, universities and ...Read More
KQED News
More Than Half of U.S. Bird Species Threatened by Climate Change
People in Maryland love their Baltimore orioles — so much so that their major league baseball team bears the name of the migrating bird. Yet, by 2080, there may not be any orioles left in Maryland. They migrate each year and, according to a new report, could soon be forced ...Read More
KQED Science
How to Drive Home the Drought Message: Make It a Game
As the drought continues, efforts to spur action include an online game that puts users in charge of California's water supply.
KQED Science
California Aquaculture Companies Explore Sustainable Fish Farming
Most of the farm-produced seafood consumed in this country is imported, much of it from Asia, and that has raised concerns about environmental and public health regulation at overseas fish farms. Now some California aquaculture businesses are pitching environmentally friendly ways to bring more business here.
News Fix
Yosemite Fire Flares Up, Forces Helicopter Evacuations
Associated Press A smoke plume from the Meadow Fire in Yosemite National Park prompted helicopter evacuations of about 100 hikers near iconic Half Dome. (Yosemite National Park via Twitter) A wildfire burning for weeks in the Yosemite National Park backcountry grew unexpectedly on Sunday, forcing the helicopter evacuation of about 100 park ...Read More
The Lowdown
Burned Out: Why Wildfires in the West Have Gotten So Much Worse
The 2014 fire season was predicted to be a doozy, and so far it hasn't failed to disappoint. Prolonged drought conditions throughout the West, felt particularly hard across the Golden State, have resulted in a string of large, destructive and extremely costly blazes, charring huge swaths of forest in Northern ...Read More
KQED Science
Why You Might Want to Wait Until January to Buy a New Sofa
Two new California laws aim to keep flame-retardant chemicals out of furniture. But how can consumers know for sure?
KQED Science
West Coast Fish Upgraded to Sustainable Seafood Choice
One of the key fisheries on the West Coast is coming back after years of decline.
KQED Science
Landmark Groundwater Reform Headed to Governor’s Desk
The era of unlimited groundwater pumping in California could be ending. A package of bills would require local agencies to restore over-pumped aquifers.
KQED Science
Feds Will Allow Logging in Some Areas Burned by Rim Fire
A U.S. Forest Service decision will allow loggers to remove dead trees from 52 square miles of forests blackened last year in a massive central California wildfire, a move contested by environmentalists.
KQED Science
After Record-Breaking Rim Fire, Log Trees or Leave Them?
Later this week, the U.S. Forest Service will release plans to allow logging companies to harvest some of the dead trees. Some environmental groups say it would destroy important wildlife habitat.
The Lowdown
Interactive Earthquake Map: Get to Know Your Neighborhood Fault Lines
Source: USGS A 6.0 magnitude earthquake that rattled Napa and surrounding communities early Sunday morning was the largest to hit the Bay Area since the devastating 6.9 Loma Prieta quake in 1989. The South Napa Earthquake, as it's being called, struck at 3:20 a.m., causing significant damage and injuries ...Read More
KQED Science
San Francisco Wants to Know: Is Your Living Room Window Killing Migratory Birds?
Between 100 million and one billion birds die each year from colliding with glass windows of commercial or residential buildings. San Francisco is launching a program to track the damage caused by windows in homes.
KQED Science
A Year After Rim Fire, Debate Sparks Over Replanting Trees
Reforestation is common after large fires in the West, but some scientists say it’s time to rethink how forests are replanted.
KQED Science
Gardening in the Drought: What Makes a Plant ‘Drought-Tolerant’
Plants have evolved all sorts of ways to survive the dry times in California.
KQED Science
Parks Attract Affluent Homeowners to Earthquake Fault Zones Despite Risks
The Alquist-Priolo law keeps new homes away from active earthquake faults. But a study finds that the resulting 'fault zone parks' attract wealthy residents despite the seismic hazard.
KQED Science
California Isn’t Just Dry — It’s Hot
California's average temperature for January through July was the highest on record.
KQED Science
Been to Martins Beach? The California Coastal Commission Wants to Hear From You
The popular San Mateo County beach was open to the public for almost a century. Then in 2008, a Silicon Valley billionaire bought the property and closed the only road leading to the beach.
KQED Science
There’s a New Bird Species in California, Sort Of
When is a clapper rail not a clapper rail? Answer: when it's in California, as it turns out.
The Lowdown
The Chilling Effect: Why San Francisco Gets So Foggy in the Summer
Note: This post was originally published on May 20, 2014 “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” Mark Twain may never have actually said it himself, but that doesn't make the statement any less true. As any naive tourist shivering miserably in a tank top and Bermuda ...Read More
