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Keyword search: Environment

By CASSIE CUNNIFF

Dear EarthTalk: Are the famous Joshua trees of the California desert really going extinct? What can we do to preserve them? — Bill Alexander, Tempe, AZThe Joshua tree is an iconic species of the Mojave Desert that stretches across parts of...

By BILL DANIELSON

As the days continue to lengthen and the birds outside start ramping up their activities for the breeding season it is time for some of our resident species to start house hunting. A large number of the species that we see at our wintertime feeders...

By BELLA LEVAVI

TURNERS FALLS — With Friday marking the deadline, FirstLight Hydro Generating Co. has filed its Flows and Fish Passage Settlement Agreement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).FirstLight, which previously submitted its Amended Final...

By JIM THORNLEY

Johanna Newman’s March 22 column in the Recorder [“White House must take older trees off cut list”], a call to protect older trees from logging nationally, was a commendable piece; however, I would like to point out that some of the worst cutting of...

By CHRIS LARABEE

Thanks to a state grant, the Franklin Conservation District is partnering with three towns to support pollinators, improve soil health and beautify the region by converting mowed spaces into native plant gardens and meadows.For its first year working...

By COLIN A. YOUNG

BOSTON — From fish being reeled in by anglers in Taunton to the drinking water at an elementary school in New Salem, so-called forever chemicals known as PFAS are everywhere, the questions and comments from lawmakers at Monday’s Joint Committee on...

By MARY BYRNE

NORTHFIELD — A Pioneer Valley Regional School senior was recently recognized by town officials with the 2022 Citizen Stewardship Award for his contributions to preserving natural resources. Cooper Bullock received the award at a Selectboard meeting...

By GRACE LYONS

Dear EarthTalk: What can we do to save dying coral reefs? — B.H. Jackson, Tullahoma, TNCoral reefs around the world are indeed still at great risk. A comprehensive survey by Canadian researchers in 2021 shows that the world’s oceans have lost about...

By BILL DANIELSON

One thing that I must remember to be mindful of is that my readers live in different places. Some weather events can be quite localized and others express themselves in different ways depending on latitude and elevation. Thus, what happens in...

By MICKEY RATHBUN

One of the many casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic was the series of annual spring gardening symposiums hosted by the Western Massachusetts Master Gardeners Association (WMMGA). These popular events helped gardeners of all abilities expand their...

By JULIAN MENDOZA

TURNERS FALLS — Three local legislators are imploring FirstLight Hydro Generating Co. to “do better” after failing pistons at the Turners Falls dam allowed oil to leak into the Connecticut River earlier this month.The leak, reported to FirstLight by...

By JULIAN MENDOZA

TURNERS FALLS — An oil sheen that was reported on the Connecticut River has raised concerns from environmental advocacy organizations, though FirstLight Hydro Generating Co. reported that no sheen was visible upon inspection on Monday.According to...

By JULIAN MENDOZA

GREENFIELD — Despite being among the youngest in the room, a group of teenage environmentalists were turned to for guidance during a climate action panel at the Episcopal Church of Saints James and Andrew. Their generation, after all, will be most...

By BILL DANIELSON

In the year 1500, just a blink of an eye before Europeans started migrating into North America in large numbers, the ecology of the “New World” was relatively stable. Forests of various types dominated the eastern third of the continent, forests of...

Dear EarthTalk: What’s new with the de-extinction movement that’s trying to bring back extinct wildlife species? — P.L., Danbury, ConnecticutDe-extinction, the concept of resurrecting extinct species, has long been a topic of debate among scientists...

By DOMENIC POLI

WARWICK — State Sen. Jo Comerford, attending Monday’s Selectboard meeting remotely, shared members’ concerns about the detection of forever chemicals in a test well on a property the town seized due to failure to pay property taxes.The Northampton...

By ANNIE GRAY

Dear EarthTalk: What is former president Jimmy Carter’s environmental legacy? – A.J., via emailStanding at the presidential lectern, in front of what looked like a series of oversized plastic deckchairs, Jimmy Carter prophesied that “[a] generation...

By BILL DANIELSON

So far, this winter has been remarkably average. Some areas might be a little low on snowfall levels, but the temperature has been about average for most days. I’d say it has been a cloudy, gray winter, but nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to...

By BELLA LEVAVI

The Ashfield Agricultural Commission plans on planting a pollinator garden this spring in honor of beloved late resident Nancy Garvin.“She was a real advocate for bees. She was a beekeeper and always looking out for pollinators,” said Barbara Miller,...

Dear EarthTalk: Is it really bad for the planet to upgrade my phone every two years? – A.J., Darien, ConnecticutSmartphones have certainly become ubiquitous, with some 85% of Americans and 67% of adults worldwide possessing one. Manufacturers sell...