California condors accidentally eat fragments of lead ammunition in carcasses and gutpiles.

The battle over lead bullets is heating up in the US as those for and against their use both aim to settle the matter with pre-emptive strikes. On one side, 100 environmental groups petitioned the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in March 2012 to regulate the lead in recreational ammunition as a toxic substance. On the other side, a bill to prevent the EPA from doing so recently passed the US House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources… (more)

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2012

What’s your number?

A recent survey shows that about half of all non-commercial drivers in California change their vehicles’ motor oil far too often, thereby wasting resources and increasing pollution. “Most people don’t even think about it”, says Mark Oldfield, spokesman for the state’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recover… (more)

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2012

In September, California lawmakers passed a bill aimed at tapping a surprising source of green energy: traffic on the state’s busy freeways. Cars and trucks compress asphalt, and piezoelectric generators installed under road surfaces convert this compression into electricity. “The heavier the load, the better the electricity returns”, explains Randy Copperman… (more)

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2011

Would you swim through this? California officials hope young salmon won’t.

California officials are testing a new way to keep young salmon out of the massive pumps that divert water from the state’s wet north to its thirsty south: a “barrier” made of tiny bubbles, flashing lights, and low-frequency sounds (up to 170 decibels, which is louder than a jet engine at takeoff)… (more, see p. 4)

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2011

California wind power is lowest during the day, when demand is highest

Green power is great when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing – but what about when they’re not? Currently, there is no way to store masses of excess energy produced from renewable sources for future use.

But that may change soon…(more, see p.5)

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2010

California state representatives have launched a November 2010 ballot initiative to gut AB 32, the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act, requiring a 25% cut in carbon emissions by 2020. Dubbed the California Jobs Initiative by supporters, the measure would keep AB 32 from kicking in until the state’s jobless rate falls to 5.5% or less… (more—see p.3)

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2010

These days, green jobs are a bright spot in California’s economic gloom. Statewide, green jobs grew more than twice as fast as jobs overall during the past decade, and continued to increase by 5%, even as the total number of jobs dipped by 1% in 2008… (more—see p.4)

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2010

Tahoe is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, with such clear blue water that you could once see to depths of more than 100 feet. But Lake Tahoe’s extraordinary clarity has declined for half a century and today you can usually only see to depths of about 70 feet… (more)

California Agriculture, 2006