climate change Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Tropical Dolphins Are Appearing In Pacific Northwest Waters

By NWPB News April 20, 2018

A pod of bottlenose dolphins and false killer whales was spotted off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. CREDIT: LUKE HALPIN/HAPLIN WILDLIFE PRESERVE

While searching for seabirds in July of 2017, biologist Luke Halpin instead saw a sea bubbling with about 200 bottlenose dolphins and 70 false killer whales. It would be an unusual sight anywhere — bottlenose generally travel in much smaller groups — but Halpin’s sighting was made more remarkable by where it happened. These usually tropical animals were off the west coast Read More

Good News For Fishing Industry: Pacific Heat Wave ‘The Blob’ Appears To Be In Retreat

By Jes Burns March 19, 2018

Unusual ocean and climate conditions have significantly harmed several Washington fisheries. Six fisheries in the state could now seek federal assistance to help bring things back to normal. CREDIT: SEAN O'CONNOR

Ocean conditions off the Pacific Northwest seem to be returning to normal after a three-year spike in water temperature. It’s promising long-term news for fishermen who are looking ahead in the short term to yet another year of low salmon returns. Read More

Snowpack Has Drastically Declined In The West This Century

By Courtney Flatt March 2, 2018

A snow-machine rider takes a snowpack reading as part of Community Snow Observations, a NASA-sponsored citizen science project. CREDIT: OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

There’s a lot less snow in the western U.S. than there was a century ago. That’s according to new research that found dramatic declines in snowpack as the seasons have gotten warmer. Continue Reading Snowpack Has Drastically Declined In The West This CenturyRead More

Idaho Senate Committee Keeps Climate Change In New Science Standards

By NWPB News February 23, 2018

An Idaho Senate panel voted February 22 to retain all references to man-made climate change in proposed science standards for K-12 education, which could end a three-year fight over the rules. Continue Reading Idaho Senate Read More

Northwest Coastal Wetlands Won’t Survive High Sea Level Rise, Scientists Say

By Jes Burns February 22, 2018

Tess Forstner (USGS) up the measuring tool as part of a study to determine the effect of sea level rise on coastal wetlands in the West. CREDIT: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Over the next century, sea level rise is expected to wreak havoc on the U.S. coastlines – and a new analysis shows that the Northwest is not immune. Nearly all coastal wetlands in Oregon, Washington and California will be swamped at the highest predicted sea level change. Read More

Climate Activists Protest Puget Sound Energy Plan To Keep Using Coal

By Eilís O'Neil February 22, 2018

Activists gather outside the Renton Community Center to protest Puget Sound Energy's plan to continue using electricity from coal.

About 100 activists gathered Wednesday, Feb. 21 to protest Puget Sound Energy’s plan to keep producing electricity from coal until 2035. PSE is the company that likely keeps your lights and Wifi on if you live in the Puget Sound area but not in Seattle. Their main concern was climate change. Read More

With Less Snow, Can Color-Changing Northwest Hares Adapt To Avoid Predators?

By Tom Banse February 22, 2018

Snowshoe hares at a University of Montana research facility.

While you may be able to easily change your coat when the snow melts, it’s not so simple for animals whose fur turns white in winter for camouflage. A new study finds they'll need to rapidly evolve to match a climate with less snow. Continue Read More

How A Grassroots Effort In Vancouver Fought Big Oil — And Won

By Molly Solomon February 16, 2018

East Vancouver residents Alona and Don Steinke have been protesting the Vancouver Energy oil terminal since 2013. CREDIT: MOLLY SOLOMON

Early this year, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said no to a massive oil-by-rail terminal proposed in Vancouver, Wash. The $210 million Vancouver Energy project, a joint venture from Tesoro and Savage, would have brought up to 360,000 gallons of crude oil a day on trains traveling along the Columbia River. Read More

Climate Change Could Mean Less Maple Syrup For Your Pancakes

By NPR News February 12, 2018

New technologies that replace the traditional bucket and tap method of getting sap from sugar maples may help combat climate change's effect on the trees CREDIT: BRIANNA SOUKUP/PORTLAND PRESS HERALD/GETTY IMAGES

As the climate gets warmer, sugar maple trees will have a harder time producing enough sap to meet demand. Luckily, scientists and maple syrup-makers are on the case. Continue Reading Climate Change Could Mean Less Maple Syrup For Your PancakesRead More

What Amazon Doesn’t Want You To Know About The Cloud

By John Ryan February 12, 2018

Pedestrians crossing the street in front of Amazon's headquarters in Seattle. CREDIT: MEGAN FARMER

Carbon emissions by the tech giants that dominate cloud computing are surging, even as companies like Amazon and Microsoft take steps to tame their climate impact. Continue Reading What Amazon Doesn’t Want You To Know About The CloudRead More

Scientists Say Long-Buried Ice Age Forest Offers Climate Change Clues

By NPR News February 9, 2018

Ben Raines, an environmental reporter for AL.com, holds pieces of wood he collected from a cypress forest discovered in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico. A scientist says having an intact forest from the ice age is rare. CREDIT: DEBBIE ELLIOTT/ NPR

The remarkable discovery of an intact ancient cypress forest in the Gulf of Mexico may reveal a lot about climate change — the past and the future. Continue Reading Scientists Say Long-Buried Ice Age Forest Offers Climate Change CluesRead More

Washington ‘Valve Turner’ Sentenced To Prison For Shutting Down Oil Pipeline

By Courtney Flatt February 7, 2018

The five climate activists arrested after shutting down Canada-to-U.S. pipelines pose for a photo. They were identified by Climate Direct Action as (left to right): Emily Johnston, Annette Klapstein, Leonard Higgins, Ken Ward, and Michael Foster.

A Washington climate activist is the first “valve turner” to go to prison for shutting off the flow of oil from Canada’s tar sands region into the U.S. Continue Reading Washington ‘Valve Turner’ Sentenced To Prison For Shutting Down Read More

Young People Delayed In Federal Climate Suit, But They’d Rather Be In Court

By Rachael McDonald February 5, 2018

Youth plaintiff Hazel V., 13, of Eugene, Ore., speaks during a news conference outside of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, December 11, 2017. CREDIT: ERIC RISBERG/AP PHOTO

The 21 young people who are suing the federal government over climate change are waiting for an appeals court in Oregon to rule on whether their case can go forward. Continue Reading Young People Delayed In Federal Climate Suit, But They’d Read More

Can Kelp And Seagrass Help The Northwest Adapt To Ocean Change?

By Jes Burns January 31, 2018

The oceans off Oregon and Washington are ground zero for acidification, and Northwest scientists are working on new ways to adapt. Continue Reading Can Kelp And Seagrass Help The Northwest Adapt To Ocean Change?Read More

As Seattle Booms, A New Reality: The Carbon-Concrete Conundrum

By Eilís O'Neil January 24, 2018

As the Pacific Northwest economy booms, it’s using a lot of concrete to build buildings, roads, and other infrastructure. Making all that concrete is a big part of our carbon footprint, and it all comes from one plant: Ash Grove in south Seattle. Continue Read More

‘Climate Leader’ Seattle: Lots Of Promises, Lots Of Pollution

By John Ryan January 11, 2018

For more than 10 years, Seattle leaders have said the city will lead the nation in fighting climate change. But the lofty words have been matched by continuing clouds of carbon emissions. Seattle dumps as much carbon dioxide into the sky as it did 25 years ago. Read More

Climate Activists Urge Washington Lawmakers To Take Action In 2018

By Enrique Pérez de la Rosa January 8, 2018

Climate activists rallied today at the state capitol, the first day of the legislative session. They want Washington state to be powered exclusively by renewable energy within 10 years. Continue Reading Climate Activists Urge Washington Lawmakers Read More

Can Migratory Birds Survive Rapid Climate Change? The Answer May Be In Their Genes

By PBS Newshour January 8, 2018

By: Teresa Carey, PBS Newshour A migratory bird can predict its own future, and this crystal ball-like indicator can be found in its genes. In a study published Thursday in Science, biologists at the Center for Tropical Research found certain genetic traits in yellow warblers can gauge how well they will keep up with the pace of… Read More

Western Seedling Shortage: Your Future Christmas Tree Might Be Hard To Find

By Anna King December 14, 2017

Christmas trees could be in shorter supply in about eight years. That’s because the nation is going through an evergreen seedling shortage now. Listen You might be in the market for a Christmas tree right about now, but have you thought about what type of Christmas tree you want in eight years? Believe it… Read More