To clean up ocean plastics, increase focus on coasts
The most efficient way to clean up ocean plastics and avoid harming ecosystems is to place plastic collectors near coasts, according to a new study.
More plastic than fish in the sea by 2050
One refuse truck’s-worth of plastic is dumped into the sea every minute, and the situation is getting worse, according to a new report launched at the World Economic Forum today. New plastics will consume 20% of all oil production within 35 years, up from an estimated 5% today.
Innovative Project to Provide Renewable Energy 24/7, Chile
To provide a steady supply of clean energy, a novel energy project in Chile will harness the natural attributes that Chile has in abundance: seawater, coastal cliffs, and the Atacama Desert’s solar radiation.
Negril Chamber Outraged Over Sand-Mining Operations, Jamaica
The Negril Chamber of Commerce has expressed outrage at what it says appears to be shady sand mining activities connected to major hotel developments in Negril and elsewhere on the North Coast.
Fairhope continues to fight beach erosion, AL
After a major beach replenishment effort in 2014, the city of Fairhope continues to fight erosion problems. The beach near the Pier Street boat ramp is losing about 10 percent of its sand each year. For the second year in a row, tons of sand have been lost at the public beach south of Pier Street. It’s an ongoing battle with Mother Nature.
NOAA-led research identifies areas of global ocean most vulnerable to ocean acidification
Ocean acidification is caused by humankind’s release of carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere. Excess carbon dioxide enters the ocean, reacts with water, decreases ocean pH and lowers carbonate ion concentrations, making waters more corrosive to marine species
Cemex mine reflects human hunger for sand, California
The disappearance of the beach reflects an alarming reality: Southern Monterey Bay, Marina in particular, has the highest coastal erosion rate in the state of California. For more than 20 years, scientists have speculated about the sand mine’s contribution to that erosion rate, and a 2008 study concluded it was the primary cause. The Cemex mine in Marina is the only remaining coastal sand mine in the entire United States. Which leads to new questions.
PCB chemical threat to Europe’s killer whales and dolphins
A pollutant is present at “dangerously high levels” in Europe’s killer whales and dolphins, scientists say.
Ocean current in Gulf of Mexico linked to red tide, study
A major ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico plays an important role in sustaining Florida red tide blooms, a new study indicates. Researchers suggest that the position of the Loop Current can serve as an indicator of whether the algal bloom will be sustained, and provide warning of possible hazardous red tide conditions in coastal areas.