The Sierra Nevada mountains are among the ranges most at-risk for early snowpack melt. CampPhoto / Getty Images
As the planet warms, mountain snowpack is increasingly melting. But "global warming isn't affecting everywhere the same," Climate Scientist Amato Evan told the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego.
<p>In a recent study, a team of researchers examined if snowpack melted faster in the Western U.S. than in other areas. Their <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-00996-w" target="_blank">findings</a> were published Monday in the journal <em>Nature Climate Change.</em></p><p>Snowpack disappearance is occurring most rapidly in coastal regions and the south, according to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/scientists" target="_blank">scientists</a>. This means that the Sierra Nevadas, Cascades and Southern Arizona mountains are at most risk for melting compared to the Rockies or Utah mountains. </p><p>"As you get closer to the ocean or further south in the U.S., the snowpack is more vulnerable, or more at-risk, due to increasing temperature, whereas in the interior of the continent, the snowpack seems much more impervious, or resilient to rising temperatures," Evan, the study's lead author, told Scripps Oceanography. </p><p>Funded by NOAA's Climate Program Office, the study analyzed regional variations in snowpack melt with temperature increases. Using four decades of observations, the scientists created a new model to understand the "discrepancy in the timing of snowpack disappearance," according to Scripps Oceanography.</p>
<p>They found shorter winters and early springs changed the amount of time snow had to accumulate and cover the ground. "Our theory tells us why that's happening, and it's basically showing that spring is coming a lot earlier in the year if you're in Oregon, California, Washington, and down south, but not if you're in Colorado or Utah," Evan told Scripps Oceanography.</p><p>For example, California's snowpack is not only melting faster but also accumulating less, threatening the state's <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/the-california-drought-who-gets-water-and-whos-hung-out-to-dry-1881866570.html" target="_blank">water</a> supply — one-third of which comes from the Sierras, <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/climate-in-crisis/sierra-snowpack-has-major-drop-over-the-past-decade/2475777/" target="_blank">NBC Bay Area reported</a>. Rapid melting could also have "adverse societal effects because it contributes to a longer fire season," Scripps Oceanography wrote.</p><p>During a typical summer, gradual snowpack runoff keeps soil and plants moist. Yet in early spring 2020, the West experienced a warm and dry climate, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/05/08/california-snowpack-fire-season/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Washington Post reported</a>.</p><p>"The magnitude we're seeing right now is pretty startling," Bryan Henry, a meteorologist with the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, told The Washington Post last spring. By September, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildfires" target="_blank">wildfires</a> had burned more than five million acres in California, Oregon and Washington, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/09/24/climate/fires-worst-year-california-oregon-washington.html#:~:text=With%20more%20than%20a%20month,the%20largest%20fires%20ever%20recorded." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The New York Times reported</a>.</p>
<p>Understanding the threats limited snowpack had on regions, researchers were also able to use their models to make global projections. Coastal regions, the Arctic, Central Europe and South America will experience rapid snowpack melts sooner than the northern interiors of North America and Eurasia, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-00996-w" target="_blank">the scientists wrote</a>.</p><p>While their findings offer a dire warning, they could also help climate leaders focus on areas where action is most needed.</p><p>"I was excited by the simplicity of the explanation that we ultimately arrived at," Climate Scientist Ian Eisenman told Scripps Oceanography. "Our theoretical model provides a mechanism to explain why the observed snowmelt dates change so much more at some locations than at others, and it also predicts how snowmelt dates will change in the future under further warming."</p>
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OR-93 traveled hundreds of miles from Oregon to California. Austin Smith Jr. / Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs / California Department of Fish and Wildlife
An Oregon-born wolf named OR-93 has sparked conservation hopes with a historic journey into California.
<p>A young male, OR-93 traveled hundreds of miles from an area southeast of Mount Hood, Oregon, to California's central Sierra Nevada mountain range, the <a href="https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2021/02/25/dispersing-gray-wolf-travels-from-oregon-to-the-central-sierra-nevada/" target="_blank">California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced Friday</a>. The agency said he traveled farther south into California than any previous collared wolf. His trek is also the longest tracked journey of any gray wolf during the last century, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/27/oregon-wolf-journey-california-wolves" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>.</p><p>"OR-93's historic trek so far south into California's central Sierra Nevada is thrilling news for wolf recovery throughout the West – and underscores that species recovery is not isolated to separate states; what happens in the Northwest greatly affects the success of wolves in other states, and vice versa," California Program Director at Defenders of Wildlife Pamela Flick said in a statement emailed to EcoWatch.</p><p>OR-93 hails from Oregon's White River pack, according to the CDFW. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs fitted him with a tracking collar in June 2020 within his home territory. At some point he left the area, likely in search of new territory and a mate. He reached California's Modoc County by the beginning of February; by the end of the month, he had traveled to Alpine County, between trans-Sierra State Highways 4 and 108. He then passed into Mono County. This put him just east of Yosemite National Park and marks the first time a wolf has been known to approach the park in more than 100 years, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-national-parks-california-animals-parks-143167309e434e3b26702550f9c4b1c3" target="_blank">The Associated Press reported</a>.</p><p>The wolf is the 16th one to travel into California, and most have hailed from Oregon. However, this journey is notable from a conservation standpoint for two reasons. For starters, OR-93 is the first wolf from the White River pack to enter the state, which is important for the population's diversity.</p>
<p>"As the first known member of the White River Pack from western Oregon to disperse into California, OR-93 also importantly brings the potential for increased genetic diversity to our state," Flick said. "We look forward to watching the journey of California's newest wolf, and we will continue to welcome gray wolves back to their historical home in the Golden State."</p><p>OR-93's epic journey also places him in a habitat with enormous potential for wolves.</p><p>"We're thrilled to learn this wolf is exploring deep into the Sierra Nevada, since scientists have said all along this is great wolf habitat," Amaroq Weiss, senior West Coast wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), said in an email to EcoWatch. "He's another beacon of hope, showing that wolves can return here and flourish as long as they remain legally protected."</p><p>California's wolves were eradicated in the early 20th century following a concerted campaign by the livestock industry. The first wolf to return to the state in 2011 included another Oregon wolf, named OR-7. There are now fewer than a dozen wolves living in California, including the Lassen pack, which has produced pups every year between 2017 and 2020, according to CDFW. Another pair of wolves has also been spotted in Siskiyou County, and scientists think they will produce pups this spring.</p>
<p>While the Trump administration <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/gray-wolves-endangered-trump-2649746799.html" target="_self">removed federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves</a>, they remain listed as an <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species" target="_self">endangered species</a> within California. CDFW Spokeswoman Jordan Traverso told the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Oregon-wolf-has-traveled-deeper-into-California-15984246.php" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle</a> that OR-93's incredible journey proved the protections were working.</p><p>"We have a burgeoning population," she told the Chronicle. "It's exciting."</p><p>However, not everyone shares her excitement. The presence of wolves in the state has concerned ranchers.</p><p>"There are diverse constituencies with varying viewpoints — we do our best to walk that tight rope," Traverso told the San Francisco Chronicle.</p><p>There have been some wobbles on that walk. The seven-member Shasta pack, the first wolf pack to be discovered in California in almost 100 years, disappeared months after being found in 2015, the CBD said. The disappearance followed the pack's implication in two livestock casualties, and there are concerns they may have been poached.</p><p>Defenders of Wildlife called for more strategies to reduce livestock and wolf conflicts as wolves' California presence increases. Meanwhile, OR-93's success in the state will likely depend on more personal matters.</p><p>"Given the time of year, we assume OR-93 has traveled such a long way in search of a mate," CBD's Weiss said. "I hope he can find one."</p>
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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Gavin Newsom Sued for 'Completely Unacceptable' Approval of Oil and Gas Projects in California
25 February
Politics
California Gov. Gavin Newsom tours the Chevron oil field west of Bakersfield, where a spill of more than 900,000 gallons flowed into a dry creek bed, on July 24, 2019. Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
By Brett Wilkins
Accusing California regulators of "reckless disregard" for public "health and safety," the environmental advocacy group Center for Biological Diversity on Wednesday sued the administration of Gov. Gavin Newsom for approving thousands of oil and gas drilling and fracking projects without the required environmental review.
<p>The <a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/climate_law_institute/pdfs/Center-v-CalGEM-Complaint.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lawsuit</a> claims that the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) failed to adequately analyze environmental and health risks before issuing fossil fuel extraction permits, as required by law. According to the suit, California regulators approved nearly 2,000 new oil and gas permits without proper environmental review.</p><p>"CalGEM routinely violates its duty to conduct an initial study and further environmental review for any new oil and gas well drilling, well stimulation, or injection permits and approvals," the suit alleges. "Instead, CalGEM repeatedly and consistently issues permits and approvals for oil and gas drilling, well stimulation, and injection projects without properly disclosing, analyzing, or mitigating the significant environmental impacts of these projects."</p>
<div id="18713" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2a09e4b10fa749c78e24fe406333d693"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1364658901313060865" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">We took Gov. Newsom to court for granting new oil and gas permits w/o environmental review.
"The governor is openl… https://t.co/AAShi3a1rm</div> — Center for Bio Div (@Center for Bio Div)<a href="https://twitter.com/CenterForBioDiv/statuses/1364658901313060865">1614195010.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The center noted that "despite Gov. Newsom's progressive rhetoric on climate change, he has failed to curb California's dirty and carbon-intensive oil and gas production."</p><p>"His regulators continue to issue thousands of permits without review, and the governor has refused to act on his stated desire to ban fracking," the group said in a <a href="https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/newsom-administration-sued-over-thousands-of-unlawful-oil-gas-projects-2021-02-24/" target="_blank">statement</a>. "Newsom's regulators also failed to meet the governor's deadline to publish a draft health-and-safety rule after vowing to do so before the end of 2020."</p><p>Last September, as deadly climate-driven wildfires <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/09/08/what-climate-crisis-looks-fires-have-now-burned-record-2-million-acres-california" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ravaged</a> large swaths of California and turned skies in the San Francisco Bay Area an <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/09/10/green-new-deal-or-blood-red-apocalypse-your-choice-dems-urged-embrace-bold-climate" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">apocalyptic shade of orange</a>, Newsom <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/09/23/ban-fracking-calif-now-not-2024-say-climate-groups-following-newsom-order-phase-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">called on</a> the Democrat-controlled state legislature to stop issuing new fracking permits by 2024, drawing widespread rebuke from climate campaigners who argued that now is the time to act.</p>
<p>Hollin Kretzmann, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity's Climate Law Institute, said Wednesday that "it is completely unacceptable for Gov. Newsom to continue to ignore our flagship environmental law that's meant to protect people from oil industry pollution."</p><p>"Newsom can't protect our health and climate while giving thousands of illegal permits each year to this dirty and dangerous industry," Kretzmann added. "We need the courts to step in and stop this."</p><p>Deborah Sivas, director of the Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford Law School and an attorney representing the Center for Biological Diversity in the lawsuit, said that "state laws are designed to protect communities and minimize pollution."</p><p>"The state can't continue to pretend these fundamental protections don't apply to one of the most polluting and dangerous industries on the planet," added Sivas.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/02/24/avowed-climate-champion-gavin-newsom-sued-completely-unacceptable-approval-oil-and" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
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Trending
Pump jacks are seen at the Belridge Oil Field and hydraulic fracking site in 2014, California's fourth-largest oil field. Citizens of the Planet / Education Images / Universal Images Group / Getty Images
California state senators introduced a bill Wednesday that would ban fracking and other controversial oil and gas extraction techniques in the state by 2027.
<p><br>The bill, <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB467#:~:text=SB%20467%2C%20as%20introduced%2C%20Wiener,steaming%3A%20prohibition%3A%20job%20relocation.&text=This%20bill%20would%2C%20until%20January,stimulation%20treatments%20within%20its%20jurisdiction" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SB467</a>, would prohibit the government from issuing new fracking permits or renewing old ones as of Jan. 1, 2022, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/17/fracking-california-senate-bill-ban" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>. The bill's authors also plan to amend it to outlaw any new oil or gas production within 2,500 feet of a school, home, healthcare facility or any form of long-term accommodation, including prisons, by Jan. 1, the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Scott-Wiener-introduces-bill-to-ban-California-15955300.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle reported</a>.</p><p>"Fracking & other destructive oil extraction methods are deeply harmful to our environment & public health," Sen. Scott Wiener, who introduced the bill with fellow Democratic Senator Monique Limón, wrote on <a href="https://twitter.com/Scott_Wiener/status/1362090518625218560" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. "They contaminate water, increase particulate in the air, & make people sick. And oil is at the heart of climate change. California must lead on climate & public health."</p><p>The new bill also promotes <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/environmental-justice" target="_self">environmental justice</a> with the pending addition restricting oil and gas production near schools and homes.<span></span></p><p>"Overwhelmingly, it's happening in communities of color and low-income communities," Wiener told the San Francisco Chronicle concerning oil production. "Communities that are already struggling with health outcomes — we're allowing them to be poisoned, and that's just not OK."</p>
<p>California possesses a progressive reputation on environmental issues, but it also contains a powerful <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_self">fossil fuel</a> industry that has successfully lobbied against legislation that would limit its operations, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-hydraulic-fracturing-legislation-environment-oil-and-gas-industry-de0729eb3dfcea56dcdc11a83322e4d3" target="_blank">The Associated Press reported</a>. However, the state's oil production has declined since the 1980s, partly because the oil that remains requires measures such as fracking, cyclic steaming, acid well stimulation and water and steam flooding to extract it from deeply buried rock.</p><p>"It's some of the dirtiest oil in the world," Hollin Kretzmann, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity's Climate Law Institute, told The Associated Press.</p><p>The new bill would ban all of these methods, which its authors view as environmental and public health threats, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Cyclic steaming in particular has been linked to oil spills that harm wildlife, the <a href="https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2021/02/17/fracking-steaming-and-other-california-oil-production-could-banned-2027/6767162002/" target="_blank">Palm Springs Desert Sun reported</a>.</p><p>The new bill comes as the state increases efforts to curb fossil fuel use. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order in 2020 to<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/california-gas-cars-ban-2647786886.html" target="_blank"> ban the sale of new gas-powered cars </a>by 2035. He also called on lawmakers to phase out new fracking permits by 2024, the <a href="https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2020/09/23/newsom-aims-phase-out-new-hydraulic-fracking-permits-california-2024/3506908001/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Palm Springs Desert Sun</a> reported. However, the newly introduced bill is even more ambitious. Newsom's request, for example, did not mention cyclic steaming.</p>
<p>Newsom told reporters he hasn't reviewed the new bill. The oil and gas industry, meanwhile, quickly pushed back. </p><p>The bill would "virtually ban all oil production in California, killing thousands of quality highly skilled, union careers that cannot be replaced by low-skilled and temporary jobs in the renewable industry," Rock Zierman, California Independent Petroleum Association chief executive officer, said in a statement reported by the Palm Springs Desert Sun.</p><p>However, the bill does account for job loss. It includes a provision that would require the California Geologic Energy Management division to identify oil workers who have lost their jobs. A companion bill would incentivize contractors cleaning old oil wells to hire them.</p><p>Furthermore, Limón argued that the bill would initiate an important dialogue about the future of oil and gas production in the state.</p><p>"If there's not a bill, there's not a conversation," Limón said in a statement reported by The Guardian, "and it is necessary to have these conversations at the state level about environmental impacts and public health as oil production continues near our homes and schools. This bill continues robust policy conversations on fossil fuels and alternative energy production that have been going on for decades."</p>
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Freeway traffic around Los Angeles, California. A new study warns drivers of exposure to dangerous chemicals inside their cars. Ron and Patty Thomas / E+ / Getty Images
Californians with long commutes may be inhaling chemicals that put them at risk for cancer and birth defects, a new study has found.
<p>Led by UC Riverside, a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202100026X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank">study published in<em> Environment International</em></a> found that up to 90 percent of the population with 30-minute commutes in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Santa Clara and Alameda counties have at least a 10 percent exceeded risk of cancer due to inhaling unhealthy levels of chemicals stitched into the fabric of their cars.</p><p>Long periods spent in cars expose commuters to unsustainable levels of two carcinogens known as benzene and formaldehyde, the study found. "These chemicals are very volatile, moving easily from plastics and textiles to the air that you breathe," David Volz, a UCR professor of environmental toxicology, <a href="https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2021/02/15/commuters-are-inhaling-unacceptably-high-levels-carcinogens" target="_blank">told UCR.</a></p>
<p>While benzene and formaldehyde are listed under California's <a href="https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/about-proposition-65#:~:text=Proposition%2065%20requires%20businesses%20to,defects%20or%20other%20reproductive%20harm.&text=Proposition%2065%20requires%20California%20to,defects%20or%20other%20reproductive%20harm." target="_blank">Proposition 65</a>, which requires workplaces to post warnings of exposure to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chemicals" target="_self">chemicals</a> that could cause cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm, how they infiltrate private spaces, like the inside of someone's car, is less recognized and therefore less regulated, UCR reported.</p><p>The average commute time for Californians is 30 minutes, <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/databases/article238667598.html" target="_blank">The Sacramento Bee reported</a>. This time spent is expected to grow as cities become more crowded and expensive.</p>
<p>"Of course, there is a range of exposure that depends on how long you're in the car, and how much of the compounds your car is emitting," Aalekhya Reddam, a graduate student and lead author of the study, told UCR. Keeping windows down during a long commute could allow "some air flow," diluting "the concentration of these chemicals inside your car," Reddam added.</p><p>But chemicals inside their cars are not the only toxins harming Californians. Heavy pollution, caused by on-road sources, on average disproportionately harm African American and Latino Californians compared to white Californians, <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/inequitable-exposure-air-pollution-vehicles-california-2019" target="_blank">according to a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists</a>. This exposure comes with a heavy cost, causing lung and heart ailments, asthma and premature death.</p>
<p>In response, plans to reduce emissions and pollution from passenger vehicles are underway. In September, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order, requiring the end of sales of all new passenger vehicles to be zero-emission by 2035, <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/09/23/governor-newsom-announces-california-will-phase-out-gasoline-powered-cars-drastically-reduce-demand-for-fossil-fuel-in-californias-fight-against-climate-change/#:~:text=SACRAMENTO%20%E2%80%93%20Governor%20Gavin%20Newsom%20today,passenger%20vehicles%20to%20be%20zero%2D" target="_blank">according to a statement</a>.</p><p>Yet while California is often celebrated for its climate policy, its high emissions from cars persist. "Passenger vehicles alone produce nearly a third of California's emissions, more than all of the electric plants, livestock, and oil refineries in the state put together," <a href="https://grist.org/article/whats-driving-californias-emissions-you-guessed-it-cars/" target="_blank">Grist reported</a>.</p><p>But increases in emissions, from car tailpipes, for example, have less to do with the lack of environmental policies and more to do with urban-planning decisions. In Los Angeles, the city's layout creates sprawling neighborhoods, causing longer commutes, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-climatechange-california-insight/a-climate-problem-even-california-cant-fix-tailpipe-pollution-idUSKCN1PQ4MJ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters reported</a>.</p>
<p>Long commutes are also a problem for Californians living in the Bay Area. "There's simply not enough housing to live in the Bay Area, and even housing units are very expensive," transportation researcher Giovanni Circella <a href="https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/abc10-originals/the-future-of-super-commuters/103-e1017771-6910-49cf-a56b-a40e005c4c3a" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told ABC10</a>. "So, a lot of lower-income workers cannot afford to live in San Francisco and they need to commute long distances."</p><p>As the state becomes more crowded and more expensive, highlighting how the transportation sector in California harms its citizens could inform policymakers and auto manufacturers to safeguard commuters from the risks coming from both inside and outside of their cars.</p><p>"There should be alternatives to these chemicals to achieve the same goals during vehicle manufacturing," Volz told UCR. "If so, these should be used."</p>
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Chevron and fire-agency crews respond to a five-gallon-per-minute petroleum product leak in the waters of Point Richmond next to the Chevron Richmond Long Wharf in Richmond, California on Feb. 9, 2021. Ray Chavez / MediaNews Group / The Mercury News via Getty Images
A Chevron oil refinery in Richmond, California dumped an estimated 600 gallons of petroleum into San Francisco Bay Tuesday.
<p>The leak was not detected until an oil sheen on the water near the refinery was noticed around 3 p.m. Many local residents complained of the fumes from the spill, which eventually washed up on shore.</p><p>"It smelled like somebody spilled gasoline in front of my house. It smelled very very badly for [the] whole day," Margaret Berczynski, told ABC7-KGO. "I'm really devastated. I cannot take my kids to the water... I'm really scared," she added. </p>
<p>Officials warned the fumes could cause ear, nose, and throat irritation. Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia harshly criticized the refinery. "It is unacceptable to have this happen in our community," he said. "It causes harm to people's health. It causes harm to bird life, <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife">wildlife</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/marine-life">marine life</a>." The cause of the spill is still unknown. </p>
<p>As reported by the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Oil-spill-reported-at-Chevron-Refinery-in-East-Bay-15938053.php?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--nES86otAhw5OlygFMY6Ib11HD-KgkY0DH7skfB8bR_kEAcbs3VlfWqdWPI_4iWVrNamr_j4d-0GPg2MNFYhBLj39NGA&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle</a>:</p><blockquote>The investigation into the spill is a multi-agency effort involving Chevron, the U.S. Coast Guard, California Office of Spill Prevention and Response, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Contra Costa County, Chevron officials told The Chronicle. Other state and federal agencies "may elect to join the investigation," said Tyler Kruzich, a Chevron spokesperson.</blockquote><blockquote>Kruzich told The Chronicle that Chevron officials are "developing an estimate of how much hydrocarbon was released, in addition to testing the hydrocarbon to determine its composition."</blockquote><blockquote>County Supervisor John Gioia — who <a href="https://www.facebook.com/supervisorgioia/posts/10224816732470780" target="_blank">said on Facebook</a> that there was a 5 gallon-per-minute leak of a petroleum product at the Chevron Richmond Long Wharf — said the leak started around 2:40 p.m. and continued until about 4:30 p.m.</blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:<br/></strong></p><p><a href="https://abc7news.com/live-health-advisory-issued-amid-chevron-oil-spill-in-richmond/10324620/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Qh1TzUghsy6Xc0-CCHU828w5NBdr_t9SWi2PVqcgIUnvMgKlO57FmhT0CNv3itWQ4zUhhlQIVjDWNhNv7fleWNKoJJQ&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">ABC-7 KGO News</a>, <a href="https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/02/09/richmond-chevron-refinery-oil-spill-prompts-county-alert/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9UEkT77Q68ryf6p8-TD501PsMp76d_vEWEqkWI5PNV-joHp3r_WgI6n0xqI9TDF80H7wA8PSdP0m8k56HeZLNuX_7iPg&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">East Bay Times</a>, <a href="https://www.ktvu.com/news/leak-at-richmond-chevron-refinery-contained-following-a-public-health-advisory?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9E1olAfp7nDB683u9pGV3joAmI5HWfozIF5tB0gKXi7X6i3T1Cu-q0SsWOt48Oj2dkNbnieLe1RRtfqnnwqUrGPsX98w&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KTU</a>, <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Oil-spill-Richmond-Chevron-San-Francisco-Bay-15938107.php?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-89zbhvQ7tUiQhHucB1LABbDfLWNGCX-76q0c_aiVM_O4skkVtD6RoUc3aP5aYkLrqNzXEcQjJqGgakmRWqoShUWbgdzw&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SFGate</a>, <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/crews-work-contain-oil-spill-richmond-refinery/35465030?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--6-7m1ws4-GYduryMBdEmkgyOfBcIwXE3X44r9onzK2dRALtznbGskoT9TfO7f4plJE5ShAogTLFWjLFtRmrpxxV-KHg&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KCRA Sacramento</a>, <a href="https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/02/09/incident-at-chevron-richmond-refinery-prompts-health-alert/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Lpl7F6nfeehVZts76z33eynA639fng-bLYSOy41IsTS_OqmltALJFPCzNO9KRdlj8jG1Dw5SYTILILo5bbsaGXG_LYg&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KPIX-CBS5</a>, <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Oil-spill-reported-at-Chevron-Refinery-in-East-Bay-15938053.php?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=110420018&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_RdbhH1TS74jiRKdF4DSixH0ALaTqmwm8C3ggxGvQulmvfx7UdfU6kh9ccXhIfTOfDKVi6VCcOXPp87SACoZke9gqkPg&utm_content=110420018&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) have one of the highest rates of cancer of all mammals, and scientists have long wondered why.
<p>The answer, <a href="https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/storage/app/media/Misc/PDF/Research%20Publications/2020/Gulland_et_al_2020_CSL_Cancer_Herpesvirus_FMS.pdf" target="_blank">published in Frontiers in Marine Science in December 2020</a>, is complex. But a key component is exposure to toxic <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chemicals" target="_self">chemicals</a>, from when the California coast was an industrial dumping ground.</p><p>"It is extraordinary, the level of pollutants in these animals in California. It is a big factor in why we're seeing this level of cancer," study coauthor and Marine Mammal Center pathologist Dr. Pádraig Duignan told the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2021-01-31/california-sea-lions-cancer-ddt" target="_blank">Los Angeles Times</a>.</p>
<p>In the past 40 years, 18 to 23 percent of the sea lions treated at the Marine Mammal Center hospital in Sausalito, California died of a particular type of cancer, the center wrote in a <a href="https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/news/significant-cancer-rates-in-california-sea-lions-have-major-human-health-implications" target="_blank">press release</a>. This is unusual, as wild mammals tend not to develop this disease. In fact, the California sea lions have the highest rate of a single type of cancer of any mammal, including humans.</p><p>This shocked study lead author Frances Gulland when she first started to work at the Marine Mammal Center 26 years ago.</p><p>"<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife" target="_self">Wildlife</a> should not be getting cancer like this, that's crazy!" Gulland told the Los Angeles Times. "How can that be?"</p>
<p>But the 250,000 or so California sea lions breed on islands off the Central California coast, the study authors noted. This is the same area that saw dumping of DDT in the 1960s, and pollution from industrialization and urbanization in the following decades. Industrial trash, radioactive material and waste from oil refineries was also dumped into the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/ocean" target="_self">ocean</a>, the Los Angeles Times reported.</p><p>"With all the dumping since the Second World War, right up to the 1970s, that's a lot of stuff out there," Duignan told the Los Angeles Times. "These legacy chemicals haven't broken down anything appreciable in intervening years, and nobody knows if they ever will. This is something that they're going to have to be exposed to for who knows how long."</p>
<p>To find out if the chemical dumping was to blame for the cancer, researchers examined 394 dead sea lions over a more than 20-year period. They found that the sea lions were infected with a herpes virus that was partly responsible for triggering the cancer. At the same time, the sea lions with higher concentrations of DDT, PCBs and other toxic chemicals in their blubber were more likely to see the cancer spread.</p><p>What's more, the sea lions in the study had some of the highest concentrations of organic pollutants in their blubber of any marine mammal, the press release noted.</p><p>The results show the dangers that toxins can pose to wildlife long after they are phased out of use. They also have troubling implications for human health.</p>
<p>"Even though some of the pollutants we're finding in the blubber have been out of use for years, these cancer-causing elements remain in the environment for a very long time and wreak havoc on opportunistic coastal feeders like sea lions," Duignan said in the press release. "It concerns me knowing that we consume very similar seafood as these cancer victims and that the ocean is raising a loud and clear alarm in the sick bodies of a sentinel species."</p><p>Gulland agreed.</p><p>"While there is more to be learned about the complex factors that play into the development of this disease, what we learn from these animals contributes to research that underpins the threat to human health from pollutants in the ocean," she said in the press release.</p>
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Examples of sugar pines are seen in California's San Gabriel Mountains. Wolterk / Getty Images
Three of the world's largest sugar pine trees have been discovered in California's Sierra Nevada mountains.
<p>More specifically, the trees clock in as the planet's second, third and sixth largest known sugar pines. Michael Taylor, a professional tree hunter who has been seeking large trees for more than 30 years, found the green giants in October 2020.</p><p><span></span>"I want to document these <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/trees" target="_self">trees</a> before they're all gone," Taylor told <a href="https://sugarpinefoundation.org/record-sugar-pines-discovered-in-the-sierra-nevada" target="_blank">The Sugar Pine Foundation</a> (SPF).</p><p>Taylor recorded the second and third largest sugar pines in Tahoe National Forest west of Lake Tahoe, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nevada-forests-south-lake-tahoe-17501dc8cb094fc7ffb1543426631bc6" target="_blank">The Associated Press reported</a>. The two trees are slightly shorter than the length of a football field. The largest of the two stretches 267 feet and six inches tall and is appropriately dubbed "Redonkulous." Its diameter at 4.5 feet from the ground — known as its diameter breast height — is 10.5 feet. The second tallest of the two, and the third tallest known sugar pine, is 267 feet and 1.8 inches.</p><p>The third pine is located in Stanislaus National Forest, near Yosemite National Park. As the world's sixth-largest sugar pine, it rises 253 feet and two inches above the ground.</p>
<p>Sugar pines are the world's largest species of pine tree, <a href="https://sugarpinefoundation.org/our-work/background/about-white-pines" target="_blank">the SPF explained</a>. They are native to the mountains of California and Oregon, <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/pinlam/all.html" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)</a>. They can live up to 500 years and are second only to giant sequoias in total volume.</p><p>The tallest known sugar pine in the world measures 273.74 feet, according to the SPF. Taylor also discovered that giant, named "Tioga Tower," in Yosemite National Park in 2015.</p><p>Taylor has been tree hunting since the 1990s. He started searching as a hobby, but switched to full time in 2019. Taylor uses a special method to track down mammoth trees, he explained to the <a href="https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/big-trees-hunter-discovers-3-of-the-tallest-sugar-pines/" target="_blank">Tahoe Daily Tribune</a>.</p><p>First, he accesses Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data from NOAA, NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. LiDAR uses light in the form of pulsed lasers to measure distance from the Earth.</p>
<p>"In my case, I'm looking for the tallest trees but also doing digital terrain models," Taylor said. "I'm doing really accurate topographical or gray shade models for roads, landslides, basically mapping the geology."</p><p>Taylor uses the LiDAR data to determine where tall trees may reside, overlays it on Google Maps and then visits the sites with partner Duncan Kennedy.</p><p>Kennedy, who studies environmental studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, has been helping Taylor since the age of 13. He described the moment of finding record-setting trees.</p><p>"On one hand, there's a definite sense of accomplishment there. You've found a tree that probably hasn't been seen by human eyes in a very, very, very long time, if ever," Kennedy told the Tahoe Daily Tribune. "But on the other hand, you're just still humbled by how big that tree is, how long you can feel it's been there, how it's been there through storms and fires and generations upon generations."</p>
<p>Large tree hunting also has important scientific and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation" target="_self">conservation</a> implications.</p><p>"Given that we know the climate is changing, what can we learn from these trees that have been around for literally hundreds of years, about previous such shifts in the air temperature or the water cycle, or any other information we need to know?" Kennedy offered as an example.</p><p>However, sugar pines are vulnerable to the twin scourges of mountain pine beetle and white pine blister rust, the USDA said. The <a href="https://sugarpinefoundation.org/our-work/what-we-do" target="_blank">SPF</a> works to find trees resistant to blister rust and send their cones to the U.S. Forest Service for study. The foundation has partnered with Taylor for years, and explained how finding the species' tallest trees helps to protect the rest.</p><p>"Finding the tallest, longest-lived specimens helps us understand what types of environmental conditions may favor optimal growth and longevity," SPF Program Manager Tressa Gibbard told the Tahoe Daily Tribune. "Just as we take interest in how octogenarians have thrived and what type of diet and lifestyle they have led to yield such robust health and longevity in our fellow humans, foresters and conservationists want to know what conditions produce the healthiest, most robust trees and ecosystems."</p><p><em>Correction: A previous version of this article referred to a tree's diameter taken 4.5 feet from the ground as diameter breadth height. The correct term is diameter breast height.</em></p>
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17-year-old Shreya Ramachandran has already won awards for her research into reusing "grey water." Shreya Ramachandran
By Jeremy Deaton
Shreya Ramachandran, 17, remembers witnessing California's water crisis firsthand on a visit to Tulare County in 2014, when she was still a preteen. Tulare spans a large swath of farmland in California's Central Valley, and at that time, locals were facing dire water shortages amid an ongoing drought made worse by climate change.
<p>"I was talking to some of the people in the area whose wells completely ran dry, and they were left without water because they weren't connected to the central water grid. They were trucking water in for even basic needs," she said. "I was really affected by their stories, and I wanted to do something to help."</p><p>The experience spurred Ramachandran, who lives in Fremont, California, to find ways to reuse water from sinks, showers and laundry machines, what's known as grey water, to help people better cope with intense drought. She has won <a href="https://www.thegreywaterproject.org/awards-honors" target="_blank">numerous awards</a> for her research, was named a global finalist in the 2019 Google Science Fair, and is featured in the forthcoming PBS Peril and Promise climate change documentary, <em><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-power-of-us-confronting-our-climate-change-crisis-registration-136632434289" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Power of Us</a></em>.</p><p>Ramachandran said that after she returned home from Tulare she made every effort to conserve water in her life. She took shorter showers and turned off the tap when brushing her teeth, but it had little effect on how much her house consumed.</p><p>Around that time, Ramachandran's grandmother was visiting from India, and she had brought with her a handful of soap nuts. A soap nut, also known as a soap berry, is a small yellow or brown fruit encased in a hard, brown shell. Soap nuts are native to India, where they are used for bathing. Massage one in a bowl of water, and it will begin to lather and smell of apples, Ramachandran said.</p>
<p>"I was using them as a shampoo, and I was thinking, 'Okay, if they can be used for this purpose, maybe soap nuts can be used as an alternative laundry detergent as well. And then we can reuse the water because soap nuts are all-natural,'" she said. "The best ideas come to you when you're in the shower."</p><p>Ramachandran said that soap nuts, which are often sold as a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eco-Nuts-Organic-Laundry-Detergent/dp/B003OUALB6?th=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">detergent</a>, make for an effective cleaning agent. One only needs to put four or five nuts in a cloth bag and toss it in with their laundry, and they can reuse that bag of nuts as many as 10 times, making soap nuts significantly cheaper than organic detergent. Ramachandran wanted to see if the leftover water could be used to nourish plants.</p><p>"I read a ton of papers. I developed a project plan. And I contacted universities up and down in California. I sent so many cold emails, did so many cold calls until, finally, a really wonderful professor at UC Berkeley agreed to look over my project plan and greenlight it," she said.</p><p>That professor was environmental scientist Céline Pallud, who studies soil. She said that Ramachandran's experiments were comparable to the work of a college student, which she said was "extremely impressive," given that she was only 12 when she undertook the research.</p>
<p>Ramachandran tested the laundry water on tall fescue, a type of turfgrass, and an assortment of vegetables, comparing the effect of soap nuts with organic and conventional soaps and detergents. That would mean setting up dozens of pots in a highly controlled space.</p><p>"I kicked my parents out of the master bedroom because I needed a space that was as close to a greenhouse as possible, and the master bedroom had ideal—and I mean, seriously, ideal—lighting and temperature conditions," she said. Fortunately, her parents, both computer engineers, were willing to accommodate her.</p><p>"I didn't take her seriously at first and tried to talk her into considering alternate places," said her mother, Hiran Rajagopalan. "Ultimately, I didn't want to disappoint her. After all, she was only trying to do science." </p><p>Ramachandran tracked nutrients and bacteria in the soil and kept a close eye on the health of the grass. She looked for traces of E. coli, which can make people severely ill if consumed. She worked continuously, even on Christmas and New Year's Day, and she took advanced classes in statistics to learn how to analyze all the data collected.</p>
<p>"I found that grey water from soap nuts, as well as several organic detergents, could be reused safely for non-potable uses," she said. "But grey water that was generated from [conventional] soaps that had things like soluble salts and boron, that became very detrimental because those ingredients accumulated in the grey water and then made it unusable for crop irrigation."</p><p>Ramachandran went on to found her own nonprofit, <a href="https://www.thegreywaterproject.org/" target="_blank">The Grey Water Project</a>, which teaches people how to recycle grey water in their own homes. She does workshops at schools, libraries and corporate events, and she developed a grey water science curriculum that has been implemented in more than 90 schools so far.</p><p>"I tell people what the best practices are for grey water reuse. And I let them know, 'These are the detergents you should be using," she said. "My ultimate goal is essentially for grey water reuse to be just as common as paper or plastic recycling."</p><p>Ramachandran, now a senior in high school, is applying to colleges and has already been accepted to Stanford. She wants to study biology and environmental science to continue the kind of work she is already doing. But she also wants to study public policy to help make use of good science.</p><p>"I've learned a lot about what it means to be a scientist," she said. "You can use science to develop the solutions, but it's equally important to implement them."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from Nexus Media.</em></p>
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27 June 2016
NOAA GOES Image Viewer on Jan. 28, 2021
Exceptionally heavy rain caused debris flows and flash flooding that damaged as many as two dozen homes and buildings in California's Salinas Valley on Wednesday.
<p>In Paso Robles, unhoused people living in the Salinas Riverbed are especially in danger and local officials were working to alert them to the potential 20-25-foot rise in water levels. The heavy rains produced by an atmospheric river also caused flooding and knocked out power for thousands in the Bay Area and the threat of landslides and debris flows remains across the state after the state's record-smashing 2020 <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildfires">wildfire</a> season.</p><p>The landslides are an example of the compound disasters made more frequent as human caused <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">climate change</a> makes wildfires more extreme and extreme precipitation more frequent.</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/01/27/atmospheric-river-storm-batters-monterey-county-mudslide-near-river-fire-burn-scar/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_xldErs3ZBocSj4Xl1VWbQpliQOFDOuibIMv1aDYEqHxZnWud83TBWGdjI7MD5Sde3SP7o8OZGEU6uaTuYibLA1KLiZQ&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">KPIX</a>:</p><blockquote>The heavy rain triggered a mudslide in the River Road area near the Salinas River and Highway 101 south of Salinas. KSBW reported an estimated 50 large animals that were stuck in mud that had to be rescued.<br></blockquote><blockquote>The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Monterey County confirmed Wednesday afternoon that it had taken in 41 animals for shelter due to people having to evacuate the area.</blockquote><blockquote>As of Wednesday afternoon, SPCA Monterey County had taken in nine dogs, 14 cats, 17 horses and a donkey for residents who did not have anywhere else to take the animals.</blockquote><blockquote>Anyone in the county who needs assistance with sheltering animals is asked to call the organization at (831) 373-2631 during day hours and (831) 264-5424 at night.</blockquote><blockquote>River Road has been closed by the California Highway Patrol from Chualar River Road north to Parker Canyon Road due to flooding and mud.</blockquote>
<div id="ac2d7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0a83cee4042a513ae0e8559660a0cb4c"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1354496134950002688" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">MCRFD working with local property owners on damage assessment In the River Rd area. Thank you to all the local ranc… https://t.co/7PgkagcJsV</div> — Mont. Co. Regional Fire (@Mont. Co. Regional Fire)<a href="https://twitter.com/mcrfd/statuses/1354496134950002688">1611772018.0</a></blockquote></div>
<blockquote>The weather service said its tracking has the Big Sur coastline as the 'bullseye' for the storm front that has been intensified by the moisture from an atmospheric river.</blockquote><blockquote>"Our local in-house model is showing extensive storm totals in the Big Sur hills in excess of 20 inches with a bullseye amount in excess of 31 inches," the weather service said.</blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p>Mudslides: <a href="https://www.ksby.com/homepage-showcase/authorities-in-paso-robles-concerned-about-people-in-salinas-riverbed-as-waters-rise?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--ix5NlloJfOkhxfoT36jCROfWetD-WvyFqKLBlu6WaK6a24MMKdVVstoDYxgpyO0ZVeJa-p5T25_tXL2d7OpAW6BqAPQ&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">King City Rustler</a>, <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/River-Fire-mudslide-Salinas-atmospheric-river-15903126.php?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--NyDox3e6DVYka-dONev4rEjTJeSG4CDOFqbGKxm5w0uPI3z4OCTpmDXugKVV_qQv3O7t4idksy62LQU6nVA12XC2mmw&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SFGate</a>, <a href="https://weather.com/news/news/2021-01-27-california-debris-flow-flooding-snow-winter-storm?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz---xHi8TafuJUiYFcWikbAthu1mshT7zfxvCemI02DYZL_D9OyCnOfYopnZJaTk4FPKemyRonrQRgcdzxwV1Qw1XAK4tw&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Weather Channel</a>, <a href="https://kion546.com/news/2021/01/27/homes-and-outbuildings-damaged-by-mud-flows-in-monterey-county/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9ZimM5Ym8rRDrpq4ahR8TxOX9PFQTfJ-4G4F5rkhzfiK0rECGsYNji632mRJl6ThBkB7z3L1ZerPqooCQ5zHzl3Xkz3Q&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KION</a>, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/california-mudslides-trap-residents-damage-homes/story?id=75520975&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_o1X6ng8WSaRpXboCSBYRDOpEL6WePWtrinEF9fSxzvCY-_S4OwrTQCywoRCFu2LMYlhXkOoawnrFhCSkS5qUcijLEkw&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ABC</a>, <a href="https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/01/27/atmospheric-river-storm-batters-monterey-county-mudslide-near-river-fire-burn-scar/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_xldErs3ZBocSj4Xl1VWbQpliQOFDOuibIMv1aDYEqHxZnWud83TBWGdjI7MD5Sde3SP7o8OZGEU6uaTuYibLA1KLiZQ&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KPIX</a>, <a href="https://www.ksbw.com/article/animals-being-rescued-people-trapped-in-their-homes-from-mudslide-near-river-fire-burn-scar/35337056?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8c3CuNa3acYAY1vjZTLIRj1JRkluYwLc3ndqgCsrnciJB6Ut-yF9oE-strxYbG3nn6W_fiB5oPUSUWGLqY2hnJLDOn5g&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KSBW</a>, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-27/winter-storm-threatens-mudslides-in-southern-california-closes-highways?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--q3FVTNgKCEimLb1cfQufiJ0wgij_VX99pWmVyynIp4-NvP_6vh1QBRFS9O71aNTyMseq8toy3YqnQFKaCOzACZlA8_Q&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Los Angeles Times</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-san-francisco-san-mateo-storms-evacuations-598e580f5167ecf26b0dac627296c457" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AP</a>, Unhoused people: <a href="https://www.ksby.com/homepage-showcase/authorities-in-paso-robles-concerned-about-people-in-salinas-riverbed-as-waters-rise?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9b7EQl7Zh9-tAeDYJ_MlQ6uUJXHnfmLaShrQii_In8RzUuzc0x9lRUt_HiN9h8pN56YaFDAVhagTKl4tcmWwOzGxdqVQ&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KSBY</a>; Outages: <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Area-Weather-Live-Updates-15899456.php?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8yIupPo28H570KorI7-aT1CkqqINY0S6YOKHgVIwb0sqWi5LsRgMl6SDYzHw21epZzx9UtebILhZQMjYPRK8XJDI7Gjg&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle</a>, Atmospheric river: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/01/27/california-winter-storm-flooding-blizzard/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8o77w99xnJru-9tFa__E340VkQ8UyJ8Au-5OK5y_Nwrwi_VoPtx-JacEgJhhA_pexRruYD5SaH45ABCjhmJry8JKxV_w&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-san-francisco-floods-storms-blizzards-cac68c84cc1586a50b6b1c76cf843c62?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9r3rix4-v8f4mf_Yg572P5bEl-_Nj2TV0CLWQ-FgtXmBswZKBZnAE5iUh13D-kBpgS5LHPpBgs_GrLVV5lya_gB_LmvQ&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">AP</a>; Climate Signals background: <a href="https://www.climatesignals.org/events/western-wildfire-season-2020?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-914njc6bkanRXzBlVYDxZWypgUnI8zAmq-ct-nIiyIPF81R4V58c95fC7FQxvgHc36YeDaNuFDBsDL8uzHh1wBt8JNpQ&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">2020 Western wildfire season</a>, <a href="https://www.climatesignals.org/climate-signals/extreme-precipitation-increase?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8dsVwcUFvE5zLo3eSa2Se-jH7QWscm5uvhz4DkT0M-6rDcyUCUTmkCiORLdw3xxyDylgwbhBWBo-MELl7fRgqRYLAtGA&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Extreme precipitation</a>, <a href="https://www.climatesignals.org/climate-signals/runoff-and-flood-risk-increase?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=108492583&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9C0TvpmSczWlIzrLWnWy2-wIEehhCu6vY_hYy92vEJABh456kQAVhlsshMVToyklTVvSAzGFioFSsAJwoPeGt0PDJJXw&utm_content=108492583&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Runoff and flood risk</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>
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A plume of smoke from wildfires burning in the Angeles National Forest is seen from downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 29, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images
California is bracing for rare January wildfires this week amid damaging Santa Ana winds coupled with unusually hot and dry winter weather.
<p>High winds, gusting up to 80- to 90 miles per hour in some parts of the state, are expected to last through Wednesday evening. Nearly the entire state has been in a <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drought">drought</a> for months, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, which, alongside summerlike temperatures, has left vegetation dry and flammable.</p>
<p>Utilities Southern California Edison and PG&E, which serves the central and northern portions of the state, warned it may preemptively shut off power to <a href="https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/video/5210115-windy-day-leads-to-power-outages-across-socal/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9JllK1SZVMaOyTcSPMtz2yTJMEzjA1-ewH0jlXS8ErQfBGoYoUQzLkgsQ2XdiSXPB__KPOEPr6jKlzvPlIHE-DRQks1w&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hundreds of thousands of customers</a> to reduce the risk of electrical fires sparked by trees and branches falling on live power lines. The rare January fire conditions come on the heels of the <a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/top_story/us-wildfire-record/?swcfpc=1&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8J34_XzeF9edIHUyWCob9FzH21HcdNtnGEzKe57FhbzP1j06o2GW8tHYO1xN1bTsoE4CtXCt9eZX9OTs0VazLQF-EdXw&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">worst wildfire season ever recorded in California</a>, as climate change exacerbates the factors causing fires to be more frequent and severe.</p>
<p>California is also experiencing the most severe surge of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, with hospitals and ICUs over capacity and a stay-at-home order in place. Wildfire smoke can <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/covid-19/reduce_exposure_to_wildfire_smoke_covid-19.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8pwsakJDXRpqNUYp2rUNBxpRo6yWEGZWgqUDq0B3umewiF90tjbzeY8jzM7OGOp3JavCAnHMGKSiwcLSzXisrxrDvNSA&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">increase the risk</a> of adverse health effects due to COVID, and evacuations forcing people to crowd into shelters could further spread the virus. </p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/widespread-high-winds-to-rattle-california-raise-wildfire-danger/884509?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Eax-LVSHD77m31Q-7Uuc8YeOXmdnOVHbYcDVQEHXlJj0O_xrW2EyGYPCtTbzR77x96FRkz9ZfUcFKg0fKaniMj94SJA&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">AccuWeather</a>:</p><blockquote>In the atmosphere, air flows from high to low pressure. The setup into Wednesday is like having two giant atmospheric fans working as a team with one pulling and the other pushing the air in the same direction.<br></blockquote><blockquote>Normally, mountains to the north and east of Los Angeles would protect the downtown which sits in a basin. However, with the assistance of the offshore storm, there will be areas of gusty winds even in the L.A. Basin. The winds may get strong enough in parts of the basin to break tree limbs and lead to sporadic power outages and sparks that could ignite fires.</blockquote><blockquote>"Typically, Santa Ana winds stay out of downtown Los Angeles and the L.A. Basin, but this time, conditions may set up just right to bring 30- to 40-mph wind gusts even in those typically calm condition areas," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike Doll.</blockquote>
<p> <strong>For a deeper dive:</strong></p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/mountains-fires-california-wildfires-8ba368f1df8f3b8b86cd4383fb07d3e2?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_2TsBvEuOAjOUeIXd5QR7BG1qL_yPgPNfHrgmk1VzhBRLtsAY0SxGZofngcMaFvqzffLIkaA_Y5DqRkmXeYqVU_FKVyQ&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AP</a>, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-16/strong-potentially-damaging-winds-possible-for-l-a-region-early-next-week-forecasters-say?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9UI-jgYPhwU5v-5DrnU5pOlW3eMYXNzTE5NEqI7vFqstbf8QHFdViaothnL4Mygy9w_j-qHEwqNAjicAzbotGbguPB9w&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LA Times</a>, <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Fire-weather-in-January-Red-flag-warning-coming-15879766.php?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8-1w5paD4uknirx8pjc5dFWN0wwlFwy3JAA1K0JzJpgQbaDFWAxz7LkSRHD9YJPFuAnBar3w1sxgdqHsreRk8qgvfzWg&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle</a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/01/18/los-angeles-high-winds-wildfires/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8HEUcGj2kafFgLH0pfa_nZcE2SfFK81KjUTDmZFX5Ula889Ce3j7wPMGbwjzpspDzFxHeOo6fMlCGV3wPQIONKox0pyA&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>, <a href="https://weather.com/news/news/2021-01-18-california-high-winds-impacts-power-shutoffs?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8am47ZGT4AXeHDSux4Qe5BYM0CPpYZUUu9o4umO9MwD-FeAhgda_Z3wpikOFfZ-AHKreYOneNPaa1kCR09tjgzkXWSDg&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Weather Channel</a>, <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/widespread-high-winds-to-rattle-california-raise-wildfire-danger/884509?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Eax-LVSHD77m31Q-7Uuc8YeOXmdnOVHbYcDVQEHXlJj0O_xrW2EyGYPCtTbzR77x96FRkz9ZfUcFKg0fKaniMj94SJA&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AccuWeather</a>, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/15/realestate/california-wildfires-rebuild.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--7pE4Jx7sSztHhqcJfdQkj7RR25etHYD7zb8PaTYkfNTpmF6w4E5Ze8hkm64Pk7kPTVt9jXUSg2FXnf0JCTkrOYMosEA&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, Slideshow: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2021/01/15/realestate/california-wildfires-housing.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9uC-_9KXNyR0mHuU2fz6-EwNsNTmRwH0ULGVFeXjtbQxTbLI6lXG5HKOqhhSdp9zwd_yE2r52o6n0_FMC2Qi9PAHSzsQ&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New York Times</a>; Climate Signals Background: <a href="https://www.climatesignals.org/climate-change-wildfires?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8osQfRMRxXDwJ3trP4wTKPA-Zk7vfEugJXrCJZ2g2rdaxsUYl75_F-t27gOEEobPTTPR2dQnUt9Se3KdPrCUtv5lapLg&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Wildfires</a>, <a href="https://www.climatesignals.org/node/10048?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=107179902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Xo0epd5mwYleW7xliwO7gmsg7yA6dHJNBJfmINkX2Edh4XQ-oMAhx-xrgNKq9d_B31Xl3j5uTWMKH2LRxDU5jawBP9Q&utm_content=107179902&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2020 Western wildfire season</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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The iconic giant sequoia trees are seen at Sequoia National Park. lucky-photographer / Getty Images
By Emily Lin
Editor's note: As wildfires came dangerously close to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in September 2020, the curator of the archives there worked with Emily Lin, librarian and head of digital curation at the University of California Merced, to evacuate the archives to keep them safe. In this interview, Lin explains how they evacuated the records, what's in them and why they're worth preserving.
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<h2>Why were the archives of Sequoia and King's Canyon National Parks evacuated?</h2><p><a href="http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/herbarium-details/?irn=125890" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ward Eldredge</a>, the curator of the archives of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and I had been talking about the potential partnership around digitization of collections that had been housed there for a couple of years now. There's been a concern about the safety of these records because <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/why-does-california-have-wildfires.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wildfires in the past few years</a> have been an annual threat. So the long-term safekeeping of the records was very much on Eldredge's mind. And he pointed out that the UC Merced campus is located in one of the few areas in California that are outside of a high-risk fire zone and also outside of the risk of earthquakes. There was just no question that we would do whatever we could to bring them here for safekeeping.</p><p>In September, when the fires got really close to the park, Eldredge was trying really hard to find a way to move the materials. He just couldn't find a van or a truck because the residents in the area were also being called to evacuate, and there was a shortage. So in the course of a day, we managed to make arrangements to take our moving truck from campus, and he was able to secure a U-Haul truck. We were able to pack everything and move it out of the mountains to the UC Merced campus, which is two and a half hours away.</p>
<h2>What's in these archives?</h2><p>There were hundreds of boxes of collections, about 600 linear feet, and also cabinets of plant specimens and artifacts.</p><p>It's a complete record of the administrative history of the park. Sequoia was the second-oldest national park in the U.S., established in 1890. So there are records related to its founding and through to the 20th century. In letters written by the park directors to the U.S. president and the secretaries of the Department of the Interior, one can see how the thinking around managing public lands, conservation, fire and forest management changed over the last century.</p><p>Before the park was established, people would cut the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/cook/sec9.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sequoias down for timber</a>. The city of Los Angeles wanted to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/dilsaver-tweed/chap7a.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">build a dam</a> in Kings Canyon up until 1965. So you can see how the thinking changed and how we got from that way of thinking to really establishing the National Park Service and protecting these unique environments.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTA0NjQ1Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDczOTg5MH0.qWtdBz64OwBfBwgTvag4W2Rno5RyuTlkYrHR_6hQqWI/img.jpg?width=980" id="f295e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="257f5d01186768bf31e0d94f5a829df1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="900" />
Kings Canyon is a rugged glacier-carved valley more than a mile deep. Crd637 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
<p>There's an incredible photographic record – tens of thousands of photographs that cover pretty much every place within the park. There are maps of the sequoia groves, maps related to how trails and roads and other buildings were constructed. We take these trails for granted, but they were huge undertakings involving hundreds of workers breaking rocks, cutting trees and excavating for years. They worked through the winter sometimes to do it within schedule. These projects also provided jobs during <a href="https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/dilsaver-tweed/chap6a.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Great Depression</a>.</p><h2>Who will find them useful?</h2><p>Anyone, from those within the parks who want to better understand the history of the park, to the rangers and the interpreters who want to provide and present that history to the general public. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWrNMyR30GM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ken Burns</a>, the acclaimed documentary filmmaker, accessed these records while he was making his television series about the national parks.</p><p>They'll also be more widely available for students to use. There's plenty of material in there for lots of Ph.D. students working on dissertations and for those who want to really investigate how best to manage public lands and determine what's effective. That knowledge is going to benefit the broader public and help conserve these national parks for all of us. There's a rich record that can help us understand what is unique about the environment that allows these trees to survive.</p><h2>What are the plans for keeping the archives at UC Merced?</h2><p>When the records were kept in the park, it was just one person, Ward Eldredge, maintaining the records. That's a lot of work. You could make an appointment and he could provide access if you wanted to come to the park, but it's in a very small space within the park headquarters, so the accessibility was definitely limited. Now that these collections are at the library at UC Merced, it will be easier for people to be able to access them.</p><p>Our vision is to be able to digitize much of this material. Once it's online, it will be a lot easier for people to at least see and maybe answer some of their immediate questions. And if there's a need for them to see the physical material, they can still make arrangements to do that.</p><p>There's still a long way to go, because normally, we would have to make a plan with the National Park Service, raise funds, build the facilities to store them safely and so on. Because we had to evacuate them, we still have to work on formalizing an agreement, but our goal is eventually to make sure that these records will be safe.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/152367/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation"></p>
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<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-lin-1189924" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Emily Lin</a> is Head of Digital Curation and Scholarship, UC Merced, <em>University of California, Merced.</em><br/>
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<em>Disclosure statement: </em><em>Emily Lin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</em>
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<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-curators-transferred-sequoia-and-kings-canyon-national-parks-archives-to-escape-wildfires-152367" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
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