The Not-So-Natural Beach – Ryan Anderson

Groin in Oceanside California, built in 1961. © 2019 Ryan Anderson.

Growing up, I always imagined the beach to be a natural place. I think it’s safe to say that this sentiment may be pretty common among many beachgoers. It’s easy to think of the beach as being somewhat “natural,” or at least close to that thing some people call “nature.” This is a short piece, so I won’t go down the what is nature!? rabbit hole for now. By natural I mean something along the lines of “not caused or created by human intervention.” So here’s the thing: many beaches are actually far less “natural” than many people assume or know…

California Against the Sea: Visions for our Vanishing Coastline – by Rosanna Xia

Book Cover, California Against the Sea: Visions for our Vanishing Coastline, by Rosanna Xia 2023 via Heyday Press.

Along California’s 1,200-mile coastline, the overheated Pacific Ocean is rising and pressing in, imperiling both wildlife and the maritime towns and cities that 27 million people call home. In California Against the Sea, Los Angeles Times coastal reporter Rosanna Xia asks: As climate chaos threatens the places we love so fiercely, will we finally grasp our collective capacity for change?

Up to 70% of California beaches could disappear by end of the century – the Guardian

"What! Another Photo of Morro Rock?"(by loren chipman CC BY-NC 2.0 via Flickr).

A new study uses satellites to predict what California’s famous coastline could look like by 2100.

California is known for golden sands and endless waves, but much of the state’s famous shoreline could vanish in the future. That’s according to a new study, which found that between 25% and 70% of California beaches might be washed away by the end of the century, leaving only cliffs or coastal infrastructure in their wake…