Environment
California's Farm Belt Didn't Dodge the Summer Heat Wave
Autumn is here, so says the calendar. Living on the coast, it might be easy to think that California escaped the heat wave suffered by much of the nation this summer. While that may be true for most of the large coastal population centers, it was a different story for much of the state's interior farm belt.
Post on Sep 24, 2012 by Craig Miller from KQED Science
Heat and Harvest: Calif. Farms on a Climate Collision Course
New pests, a shrinking water supply and rising temperatures will alter agriculture in California.
Post on Sep 24, 2012 by Molly Samuel from KQED Science
Heat, Salt and Pests Threaten California Fields
California's warming climate is having a big impact on farmers. Find out more from our multimedia series, "Heat and Harvest."
Audio Report on Sep 23, 2012 by Craig Miller from KQED Science
Culture Clash: Of Cats, Birds and Conservation
Feral cats threaten native wildlife, from reptiles to birds, and often lead a miserable life. By better understanding the concerns of cat colony caretakers, wildlife biologists hope to find enough common ground to benefit both cats and wildlife.
Post on Sep 19, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
Coastal Cleanup by the Numbers
The annual cleanup is the largest, international volunteer event. How much trash has been collected and why is it important?
Post on Sep 14, 2012 by Sharol Nelson-Embry from QUEST Northern California
Expanding Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary – Round Table Discussion on Google+
KQED SCIENCE is hosting its first Google+ Hangout On Air round table discussion about the proposed expansion of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary from 1-2PM PDT.
Post on Sep 12, 2012 by Jenny Oh from QUEST Northern California
Braking for Beetles: When Recreation and Conservation Converge
The endangered Ohlone tiger beetle, found only in Santa Cruz County, depends on disturbed landscapes to hunt and breed. Migrating woolly mammoths and more recently grazing elk helped maintain that habitat. Recreational trails might prove a good replacement–as long as mountain bikers follow rules to reduce beetle casualties.
Post on Sep 05, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
Facebook and Frank Gehry: Will the New Building Be A Marriage of Sustainability?
Facebook hired Frank Gehry to design its new building. Why? If the 'book wanted a green building (and who'd dare to build in the Bay Area without "a big emphasis on being eco-friendly"?), Gehry is a less than obvious choice.
Post on Sep 04, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
The Heat is On For California Wines
You’ve probably heard of the wines that made Napa and Sonoma famous, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay. But what about Negroamaro or Nero d’Avola? They’re wine grapes that are well-adapted to hotter temperatures — the kind of conditions that California may be facing as the climate continues to warm.
Audio Report on Sep 04, 2012 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Waterways of the Largest Estuary on the West Coast
San Francisco Bay's watershed extends to the Sierras. Ponder the waterways of the largest estuary in western North America.
Post on Aug 31, 2012 by Sharol Nelson-Embry from QUEST Northern California
Starbucks' Food Waste Fuels Experimental Biorefinery
Most of our plastics come from petroleum-based chemicals. Now, thanks to engineered microbes, similar materials might be made using food waste from Starbucks.
Post on Aug 29, 2012 by Melissae Fellet from QUEST Northern California
Energy Geeks Converge at ACEEE's Boot Camp
Every two years the staff of the magazine I edit, Home Energy, is invited down to the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California, to publish a daily newsletter for the biennial ACEEE Summer Study of Energy Efficiency in Buildings.
Post on Aug 23, 2012 by Jim Gunshinan from QUEST Northern California
Building a Better, Tastier Tomato
Many tomatoes have been bred to travel well and look appealing, but now researchers are focusing on making them more nutritious and better tasting.
Audio Report on Aug 17, 2012 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
What Is That Unusual Smell In Walnut Creek?
The city's hospital sits at the site of an ancient sulfur spring.
Post on Aug 09, 2012 by Andrew Alden from QUEST Northern California
Fracking Gives Hydrogen Fuel Cells New Life
In 2009, U.S. Secretary of the Department of Energy Steven Chu dismissed zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as an impractical alternative to electric cars. Now an abundant supply of natural gas, from which hydrogen can be extracted, is changing Chu's mind, but that natural gas comes from the controversial hydraulic fracturing process.
Post on Aug 08, 2012 by C.K. Hickey from QUEST Northern California
Doubt and Denialism: Vaccine Myths Persist in the Face of Science
Many people continue to doubt the evidence for climate change, evolution, and vaccine safety, even though the scientific consensus on these issues is rock solid. Among the most troubling evidence-resistant theories is the long-debunked yet persistent myth that vaccines cause autism—a completely unfounded belief–leading to general doubts about vaccine safety, with dangerous public health consequences.
Post on Aug 08, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
We Are the Desert: Tackling California's Water and Electricity Woes
As we approach the limits of our power and water, we will face some wrenching decisions with geological dimensions.
Post on Aug 02, 2012 by Andrew Alden from QUEST Northern California
Prescription Drug Disposal: Who Should Foot the Bill?
A new ordinance in Alameda County requires the pharmaceutical industry to pay for disposal of extra medicine. The regulation is part of a larger movement to shift responsibility for waste disposal from local governments to companies that make products like paint, medicine and batteries.
Post on Aug 01, 2012 by Melissae Fellet from QUEST Northern California
California Considers Banning Dogs in Bear Hunts
The legislature is considering a bill that would ban the use of hounds in both bear and bobcat hunting in the state.
Audio Report on Jul 27, 2012 by Lauren Sommer from QUEST Northern California
Picturing Biodiversity: Cultivating an Eye for Conservation
Environmentalists have long relied on spectacular photography to show people why wilderness is worth preserving. The nonprofit ARKive builds on that tradition, using the power of wildlife imagery, from photos to film, to promote conservation of the world's threatened species, now approaching 17,000 plants and animals, based on the latest IUCN estimates.
Post on Jul 25, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
