Blowing In The Wind? Spending Millions On Disappearing San Diego Beach Sand

All up and down the San Diego coast, sand, particularly in North County, has disappeared from the beaches. A radio interview of Gary Griggs, Director, Institute of Marine Sciences, UC Santa Cruz, on KPBS News.
Taiwan 6.4 earthquake hits city of Tainan

A 6.4 magnitude struck southern Taiwan in the early hours of Saturday morning. The quake was shallow, so its effects would have been amplified, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
No One Knows Why Sperm Whales Are Stranding On Europe’s North Sea Beaches

A sixth sperm whale has died on a British beach, the latest of nearly 30 to have become stranded in shallow waters on the coastline of Europe’s North Sea over the past month.
Antarctic study identifies melting ice sheet’s role in sea level rise

Loss of ice in Antarctica caused by a warming ocean could raise global sea levels by three meters, research suggests.
Illegal sand-miners flourish in unguarded coastal areas, Malabar Coast, India

Cashing in on scarcity and the high price of river sand in the open market, illegal sand-mining gangs have turned their attention to the coastal areas of Kozhikode – the second largest city and urban agglomeration in Kerala State – and supply salty sand to the construction industry.
Ship noise in coastal habitats could interfere with orca’s communication

The study is unique because it estimates the source levels of larger populations and more classes of ships than in previous studies. Overall, container ships exhibited the highest median source levels.
Disappearing sand forcing swimmers off Mornington beach, near Melbourne

It was once a popular summer swim spot, but now beachgoers are shunning a Mornington beach. That’s the view of those living near Shire Hall Beach, who say sand along the stretch of coast has vanished, leaving a rocky surface beneath the water. Resident suspects work on sea walls along the beach in Mornington could be to blame.
Funding problems hit plan to clean Rio’s polluted waterways ahead of Olympics

With the Olympic Games just months away, Rio de Janeiro has a problem with rubbish. Hundreds of tonnes of unprocessed waste flow into the Guanabara Bay every year. Previous promises from Rio officials to regenerate Rio’s waterways through investment in sanitation have not delivered results.
More than a Billion People Depend on Wetlands

It is estimated that more than a billion people around the world make their living directly from wetlands. And yet some 64 per cent of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900; many of them converted for agricultural use or urban development. Approximately 40 per cent have been degraded in just over 40 years