Super Typhoon Surigae exploded into a high-end category 5 typhoon with 180 mph winds and a central pressure of 905 mb at 8 a.m. EDT (8 p.m. Philippines time) Saturday, April 17, 2021, in the waters about 200 miles east of the Philippines. UPDATE: At 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 17, the Japan Meteorological Agency […]
Posted inArts & Culture
12 books on repairing our relationship with our only planet
For April’s bookshelf we take a cue from Earth Day and step back to look at the bigger picture. It wasn’t climate change that motivated people to attend the teach-ins and protests that marked that first observance in 1970; it was pollution, the destruction of wild lands and habitats, and the consequent deaths of species. […]
Posted inCommentary
Why scientists shouldn’t heed calls to ‘stay in our lane’
It’s hard to lose a long-term friendship. That happened to me last year. My friendship did not survive my unwillingness to “stay in my lane.” I met my friend – let’s call him T – while I was a student at Cornwall School in Dortmund. Back in 1966, our family moved from suburban Maryland to […]
Posted inHealth
How addressing climate change can also improve public health
Picture yourself at an event and the presenter asks audience members to raise their hands if they believe climate change is a threat that needs to be addressed. In this moment not everyone in the audience raises their hands. But then the presenter asks the crowd to raise their hands if they want to drink […]
Posted inAudio
Online tool helps people make their homes energy efficient
Most utilities offer rebates and programs to help people make their homes more energy efficient. Taking advantage of these offers can save customers money on their bills and reduce their impact on the climate. But many people are unsure where to start. To figure out what would work in his home, Nishaant Sangaavi says he […]
Posted inThis Is Not Cool
Video: ‘Disinformation ecosystem’ – in broader context beyond climate
This edition of Yale Climate Connections’ “This Is Not Cool” video explores the “disinformation ecosystem” in and beyond the issue of global climate change. “How did we get here?” independent videographer Peter Sinclair asks rhetorically at the start of the video. He points to Americans seeming to routinely disagree not solely on priorities, but also […]
Posted inAudio
Managers of Assateague Island prepare for more sea-level rise, worsening storms
Assateague Island is known for its beaches, hiking, birdwatching, and wild horses. The uninhabited island, off of Maryland and Virginia’s coast, drew almost 2.5 million visitors last year. But Assateague Island’s sands are shifting underfoot. When a storm hits, strong winds and waves can carve inlets into the island and change the shape of beaches. […]
Posted inSnow & Ice
Researchers examine how world-apart ice sheets influence each other
The ice sheets on the northern and southern ends of the world are separated by almost an entire Earth, yet they are more closely interconnected than previously thought, according to a new study. Researchers from McGill University and other institutions teamed up to examine how the world’s ice sheets influence each other, publishing their findings […]
Posted inAudio
What can you do with old wind turbine blades? One option: Upcycle them
Wind energy is good for the climate. But when a wind turbine reaches the end of its lifespan, its blades are hard to recycle. Wind turbine blades are huge and strong, so they’re difficult to grind up and reuse. And they’re made of a mix of glass and plastic fibers that are tough to separate, […]
Posted inEye on the Storm
March 2021 was eighth-warmest March on record, NOAA reports
March 2021 was the eighth-warmest March since global record-keeping began in 1880, 0.85 degrees Celsius (1.53°F) above the 20th-century average, NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, NCEI, reported April 13. NASA also rated March 2021 as the eighth warmest March on record. While it was the eighth-warmest March since 1880, March 2021 was Earth’s coolest […]
Posted inAudio
Trees planted along Colorado’s Yampa River will help protect it in hot, dry weather
In Steamboat Springs, Colorado, people are planting trees along the Yampa River, which winds through the Rocky Mountain town. The trees provide attractive green space. And Tim Sullivan of the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council says they also help the river adapt to increasingly hot and dry summers. “Last summer, 2020, the month of August was […]
Posted inAudio
New York City group retrofits apartments without displacing residents
To meet New York City’s climate goals, tens of thousands of existing apartment buildings need to be retrofitted with new energy-efficient technologies. But it can be disruptive to make these improvements while people are living inside. Ryan Cassidy is with the nonprofit Riseboro Community Partnership, which owns and manages affordable housing developments in the city. […]