Sydney Harbour’s Plastic Pollution At Alarming Levels, Scientists Find
Researchers have found alarming level of plastic pollution in Sydney harbour, with fibres from clothing and toiletries causing a widespread impact upon the marine ecosystem.
The ‘State of the World’s Rivers’ Project Documents Decline In Rivers From Dams
International Rivers launched “The State of the World’s Rivers,” a first-of-its-kind interactive online database that illustrates the role that dams have played in impoverishing the health of the world’s river basins.
NOAA Lists 20 Coral Species As Threatened
NOAA announced it will afford Endangered Species Act protections to 20 coral species. All 20 species will be listed as threatened. Fifteen of the newly listed species occur in the Indo-Pacific and five in the Caribbean.
Do Not Buy Oceanfront Property: Beach House TV Shows Are Selling A Lie
Recent TV series about beach living are some of the most unreal reality shows, and have capitalized on people’s fantasies of beach living encouraging them to buy waterside. Avoiding reality is perilous when it comes to the sea. The beach is one of the most reckless places to invest in property.
Green And Golden Seaweed Tides On The Rise, By Victor Smetacek & Adriana Zingone
Green, brown and red seaweeds lying on the beach are part and parcel of life in many coastal regions. The amount of beached seaweed biomass started to increase along the shores of industrialized countries in the 1970s, and by the 1990s had become a nuisance along many beaches when mass-stranding events of macroalgae became known as green tides.
Renewable Energy Capacity Grows At Fastest Ever Pace
Wind, solar and other renewable power capacity grew at its strongest ever pace last year and now produces 22% of the world’s electricity, the International Energy Agency said in a new report.
World’s Largest Dam Removal Unleashes U.S. River
A construction crew on Tuesday detonated a large charge of dynamite, destroying the last remaining portion of Glines Canyon Dam and hastening the restoration of the Elwha River in the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest. Part of the largest dam-removal project in the nation, the $325 million undertaking represents the beginning of a new era for the river.
NASA Sees Massive Marie Close Enough to Affect Southern California Coast
Because of hurricane Marie’s large size and its movement to the north, it is creating rough surf that is now reaching southern California’s shoreline. Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are likely as a result of these swells as well as minor coastal flooding.
Demand for Sand Takes Off Because Off Fracking
Frackers are expected to use nearly 95 billion pounds of sand this year, up nearly 30% from 2013. There are growing restraints on sand supplies and oil companies’ insatiable appetite has generated renewed interest in second-tier deposits of lower-quality brown sand in places like Texas.