Stories

Cross-country skiers take advantage of great conditions - which have been the minority this winter - at Windblown ski area in New Ipswich in late February. Photo by Annie Ropeik for NHPR

Old-School Snow Sports Push Through ‘Winter Whiplash’ of Climate Change

March 20, 2019

The melty weather in New Hampshire this winter has been a big problem for some kinds of seasonal recreation — and it’s all part of a long-term warming trend.

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Sandbags hold back water at the entrance to the Aquarium MBTA station during the March 2 nor'easter. Photo by Robin Lubbock for WBUR

5 Takeaways For New England From The U.S. Climate Report

November 26, 2018

Climate change will hit the Northeast hard and soon, bringing threats to our health — and to fruit crops, ski resorts and the Atlantic cod.

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Chelsie Lent and Carole Clarke are co-owners of Scenic View Campground in Warren, NH. The Baker River, which runs along the back of their property, has flooded multiple times in recent years. Photo by Britta Greene for NHPR

Climate Change Isn’t Leading This Election Season, But Some Voters Say It Should Be

October 29, 2018

Last Halloween was not a great one for Chelsie Lent. A bad storm blew across New Hampshire, flooding part of a campground she owns in Warren, along the Baker River.

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Photo by Sam Evans-Brown for NHPR

Gubernatorial Candidates Explore Energy Policy, Economy And Environment

October 19, 2018

How are gubernatorial candidates around our region talking about climate change? Annie Ropeik and Bruce Gellerman join John Dankosky to discuss how the candidates for Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire are discussing environmental issues. 

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Powerlines in Medway, MA. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR

How The Two Candidates For Massachusetts Governor Compare On Environmental Issues

October 11, 2018

Massachusetts environmental politics and policies take center stage this week at Boston’s Museum of Science. There, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and Democratic nominee Jay Gonzalez will take turns discussing their environmental records and plans for the state’s future.

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Central Bridge washout. Photo courtesy of the Rhode Island State Archives

Remembering The 1938 Hurricane, 80 Years Later

September 21, 2018

In the afternoon of September 21, 1938 without warning, winds more than 100 miles an hour whipped the region and tidal waves about 30 feet high destroyed homes and cottages. Hundreds of people lost their lives, and when it was all over, millions of dollars worth of damage was left behind.

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A 4-year-old right whale entangled in heavy fishing rope 40 miles east of Jacksonville, Florida, in Feb. 2014. Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, taken under NOAA Research Permit #15488

As Right Whale Population Plummets, Focus Turns To Their Falling Birth Rates

August 21, 2018

For many decades, the North Atlantic right whale was a conservation success story. After being hunted to near extinction, a series of protective actions that began in the 1930s, and accelerated in the 1960s, helped the population begin to rebound.

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Water well. Photo by Juan Rodriguez for RIPR

As Storms Become Stronger, What’s In Store For Coastal Drinking Wells?

August 3, 2018

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?

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Alexandra Kosiba and Paul Schaberg teamed up to study red spruce recovery. Photo by John Dillon for VPR

Researchers: Acid Rain Success Story Shows Value Of Science Informing Public Policy

July 6, 2018

Remember acid rain? In the 1970s and ‘80s, scientists found that rain 100 times more acidic than normal was harming the mountain forests of New England and New York. The pollution was linked to fossil fuel plants in the Midwest. Now, a new study shows red spruce trees are recovering thanks to tighter pollution laws.

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Plum Island. Photo by Robin Lubbock for WBUR

Plum Island Residents Weigh ‘Green’ Or ‘Gray’ Infrastructure In Struggle Against Erosion

June 28, 2018

On the northern tip of an island surrounded by river, marsh and sea, a few dozen volunteers sink shovels into a mound of sand, digging 10,000 holes to plant 20,000 stalks of beach grass.

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