Environment
Sam Evans-Brown Talks Behind-The-Meter Solar’s Impact On The Region’s Grid
Our growing need for energy – and our desire to make more of it renewable – has set up other tensions, beyond where to put big power lines. There’s long been a dispute over how to account for so called “Behind-the-Meter” solar – the kind you might put on your home or business to try and get “off the grid.” Energy analysts are seeing that – especially during heat waves like the one that’s gripped New England for much of the summer – this rooftop solar can actually have a big impact on our energy needs.
Read MoreReady Or Not: As Storms Become Stronger, What’s In Store For Coastal Drinking Wells?
Hurricanes can push extra sea water toward the shore. And that water, called storm surge, can flood streets and basements. But scientists at the University of Rhode Island are wondering, how can that water impact coastal drinking wells?
Read MoreChanges In Global Markets Mean Higher Recycling Costs In Vermont
Upheavals in global markets will soon be felt in Vermonters’ pocketbooks. The international market for some recyclable material has crashed, and that has forced some municipalities and solid waste companies to start charging for recycling.
Read MoreAuthor Ben Goldfarb Discusses The History Of Beavers In New England
Ben Goldfarb tracks the environmental effect that beavers have on the world around them, as well as their unique history, in his new book, Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter. He joined us to tell us all about the animals and why we should prioritize beaver restoration as a key to creating healthy ecosystems.
Read MorePilgrim Nuclear Power Plant Is Up For Sale
The owner of the Pilgrim nuclear power plant is selling it at a bargain price. In fact, it’s practically giving away the plant and its $1 billion trust fund.
Read MoreTo Catch A Pigeon
Ever try to shoo a group of pigeons that crossed your path? Tired of dodging close flyovers of those pesky gray birds? The urban pigeon may feel like just another city nuisance, but there’s a lot they can teach us about how wildlife is adapting to co-exist with us. How are pigeons in New York related to pigeons in Boston, or Washington D.C.? Why are pigeons thriving compared to other birds? How is their gene pool changing in response to the daily stresses of city living?
Read MoreFinding Quiet in the White Mountains is Hard to Do, But One Man’s Trying to Crack the Code
Dennis Follensbee took a hike in the White Mountains about a month ago. He wanted to get away, to find some peace and quiet. Or, as he puts it, “nature sounds and not people sounds.”
Read MoreProposal To Turn Rock Quarry Into Reservoir Faces Mountain Of Opposition
In Connecticut, a debate is underway about what to do with a protected stretch of watershed land between a public drinking water supply and an old stone quarry.
Read MoreProtecting Land And Storing Carbon: Nature Conservancy Taps A New Market For Conservation Projects
A Nature Conservancy project in northern Vermont will store carbon to meet California’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. The group says proceeds from the sale of these “carbon credits” will pay for future land protection projects.
Read MoreConnecticut Town Ponders Plastic Bag, Straw Ban
The town of Stonington is considering a move to ban all single-use plastic bags and straws. It wouldn’t be the first Connecticut town to contemplate bagging the bag — Greenwich recently passed a ban and Westport did away with them years ago.
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