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PRI's Environmental News Magazine

Maine Island Struggles to Stay Afloat

 

Cliff Island residents are worried: rising property taxes, as well as a dwindling population and services, threaten their small island’s social structure. In this photo: The Maquoit II ferries passengers from Cliff Island to Portland. (Jack Rodolico)

 

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Brazil’s New Forest Code

 

Brazil's congress recently passed a controversial new forest code that many scientists believe could increase deforestation in the Amazon. In this photo: cattle and soybeans are by far the largest drivers of deforestation in the Amazon. (Bobby Bascomb)

 

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EPA Red Lights Palm Oil

 

The EPA says that palm oil is not environmentally clean enough to use as bio-diesel. In this photo, oil palm seedlings, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. (Flickr CC/Yayan Indriatmoko, CIFOR)

 

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Deciphering Mayan Calendar Records

 

Excavations at the ancient Maya city of Xultun in Guatemala have revealed a remarkable find; centuries old calendar calculations. In this photo: William Saturno’s excavation site in Xultun. (Tyrone Turner © 2012 National Geographic)

 

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Eron King of Blachly, Oregon says herbicide sprayed on forested ridge tops makes its way down to people and animals below. (Serene Fang–Center for Investigative Reporting)

Clearcut Chemicals
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Oregon residents who live near big timber are asking whether an industry practice may be the source of herbicide in their urine.

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A Maine Island Struggles to Stay Afloat
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Cliff Island residents are worried: rising property taxes, as well as a dwindling population and services, threaten their small island’s social structure.

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Microsoft Seeks Carbon Neutrality
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Software giant plans to track and tax its carbon output.

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This Week’s Show
May 11, 2012
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Brazil’s New Forest Code Under Fire

listen / download
Brazil's congress recently passed a controversial new forest code that many scientists believe could increase deforestation in the Amazon.

EPA Red Lights Palm Oil

listen / download
The EPA says that palm oil is not environmentally clean enough to use as bio-diesel.

Microsoft Seeks Carbon Neutrality

listen / download
Software giant plans to track and tax its carbon output.

Note on Emerging Science / Ants’ Social Immunity

listen / download
By tending to infected nestmates, ants protect the entire colony from disease.

A Maine Island Struggles to Stay Afloat

listen / download
Cliff Island residents are worried: rising property taxes, as well as a dwindling population and services, threaten their small island’s social structure.

Deciphering Mayan Calendar Records

listen / download
Excavations at the ancient Maya city of Xultun in Guatemala have revealed a remarkable find; centuries old calendar calculations.

BirdNote® Swainson’s Thrush “Micro Napper”

listen / download
When this nighttime traveller wants to take a break from migrating, it sleeps for moments at a time, with one eye closed and the other open to watch for predators.

Paper Made

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Don't recycle, upcycle! A new book explains how to create fun and functional projects from scrap paper.

LOE in Hot Water

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Here’s the back-story on our recent flood.


Other Stories and Features

Clearcut Chemicals

listen / download
Oregon residents who live near big timber are asking whether an industry practice may be the source of herbicide in their urine.
Blog Series: Living on Earth

Were the Witch Trials a Result of Climate Change?

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Researchers believe frigid temperatures in the late 1600's made it difficult to grow crops, and some farmers blamed their problems on witchcraft.
Blog Series: Living on Earth Today

Web Extra: Cuts to Environmental Education

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The Administration’s proposed budget eliminates most funding for environmental education.
Blog Series: Living on Earth

BirdNote® Why Are Bluebirds Blue?

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The gorgeous blue of the Bluebird is produced by the unusual structure of the bird’s feather which reflects light.(Photo: © Tom Grey)
Blog Series: Living on Earth

Notes from Senegal: Tea Time
Attempts to record goat sounds led Living on Earth's Bobby Bascomb to be invited to tea and dinner with a Peuhl family outside their hut.
Blog Series: Africa's Great Green Wall of Trees


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Lewis and Clarke collected phenology datasets across the Western U.S. There’s great records from Mt. Vernon that Washington was holding, and some of your listeners actually have datasets that they’re holding because they keep track of when they planted bulbs and when the daffodils came up, or when the combines arrived to harvest the wheat out on the back 40.

-- - Jake Weltzin is executive director of the U.S.-National Phenology Network

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