storms

OCEAN 60

In Bird Safe Glass, Catie Urquhart, shares the importance of smart bird safe glass.

Editor’s Comments: OCEAN 60 is published for you, our readers, curious about innovative problem solving and interested in the environmental issues we share. Healthy communities need healthy resources, especially coastal towns. Right here on Cape Cod we are about to begin an extraordinary estuary restoration (See Tess Holland’s article on the Herring River). Abigail Eilar writes about a troubling (for me anyway), mysterious and a bit spooky, dolls washing onto Gulf Coast beaches. I am reachable for your comments at gordonpeabody@gmail.com. Advertising-free OCEAN is the environmental education publication of Safe Harbor Environmental, a small inter-disciplinary consulting group in Wellfleet on Cape Cod. Please feel free to share this issue with friends and colleagues. Thank you to our readers for your continuing support.

Innovative Bike Paths

Plant Plankton Changes?

Herring River Estuary

Bird Safe Glass

The Calm Before The Storm

OCEAN 60 Articles

Recycled Sports

Grass Bans

Washed Up Dolls

Foam in Polluted Waters

OCEAN 54

OCEAN is happy to share some good news: Purdue University researchers have invented a white paint with cooling properties.

OCEAN is happy to share some good news: Purdue University researchers have invented a white paint with cooling properties.

Welcome to our 54th issue. OCEAN is your Environmental Newsletter, to be read and shared. Thank you to researcher Rae Taylor-Burns, for her article integrating complex, hemispheric energy systems to provide us with a simple explanation of why we had so many Hurricanes this season. We also have our continuing series of “Safe Suggestions During COVID”. One of the most upsetting articles we debated sharing: an aggressive, water borne amoeba that deteriorates brain tissue. Perhaps this can be balanced by some good news: Purdue University researchers have invented a white paint with cooling properties. Please enjoy this issue, we wrote it for you.

Regards, Gordon Peabody, Editor.

OCEAN 54 ARTICLES

Alternatives to Animal Products 

Getting Paid for Plastic 

Cool Paint Has Even Cooler Purpose 

Kelp Species Surprising Scientists 

Helpful Heat Powered Fans 

Safe Suggestions During COVID (Part 4) 

How Did We Lose 350 Elephants 

Another Broken Record 

Close to Home: Cape Cod 

Unwelcome Amoeba in Our Waters 

OCEAN 47

Jenifer Wilcox, the author of a new book on capturing carbon from the atmosphere. She also has a 14-min TED talk about the topic.

Jenifer Wilcox, the author of a new book on capturing carbon from the atmosphere. She also has a 14-min TED talk about the topic.

Editor’s Comments:

This 47th issue offers some of our research on close to home and far away issues, including insights into unexpected mysteries and some unique innovations. We have also included a section on “CHASING ZERO”, tracking sometimes mysterious changes in Carbon news. We are also grateful for recent dispatches: from Dr. Robert Mayer Arzuaga, from the University of Puerto Rico, who is restoring Hurricane ravaged beaches in Puerto Rico and had some great news about the Biomimicry sand restoration system they were using, which was developed on Cape Cod; and from Keegan Burke, previous Safe Harbor Intern, who is now waking up at 3:30 AM and carrying Bear Spray, in Legendary Yellowstone National Park.

~Gordon Peabody, Editor

Ocean 47 Articles

Carbon Sequestration

Trash wheel in Baltimore

Human plastic consumption through filter feeders

EU bans single-use plastics

Warming water off Maine

“Avocado plastic” innovation

Hydrogen powered trains

Seabird and dolphin deaths in Peru

Disappearing baby penguins

Hurricanes relocating

OCEAN 46

Magellanic penguins are becoming stuck in their southern feeding grounds, and losing a disproportionate number of females because of it.

Magellanic penguins are becoming stuck in their southern feeding grounds, and losing a disproportionate number of females because of it.

Editor’s Comments:

Though it seems we may not need any more climate records to be broken in the near future, they are appearing nonetheless. Our readers are entitled to the truth about events happening on this tiny planet, yet we still debated sharing the Australia Weather article by OCEAN Researcher Rae Taylor Burns. Another article featured in this issue describes Pacific crab Fishermen asking 30 fossil fuel companies to bear consequences of changes in their fishery. We are also glad to share some good ideas of making plastic bags from sea weed and using nets over outfall culverts to trap plastic before it reaches our Oceans.

~Gordon Peabody, Editor

OCEAN 46 Articles

Sea Level Rise

Flooding and fires in Australia

Kelp Farming

Economic cost of storms

LED low energy boat lights

Fishermen sue over climate change

Changing penguin habitats

Invasive trees in Arizona

Catching plastic in drainage pipes

Plastic bags from seaweed

OCEAN 45

The Mid-Atlantic coast after Hurricane Florence, a thousand year hurricane, whipped through the area.

The Mid-Atlantic coast after Hurricane Florence, a thousand year hurricane, whipped through the area.

Editor’s Comments:

Our original goal in publishing OCEAN newsletter, was to share solutions for shared environmental problems. Our "Close to Home" article on page 3 is a successful example of our initial goal. We were pleasantly surprised this fall, when our NOAA contact informed us that the successful "Biomimicry" sand restoration system we developed on the Ocean beaches of Truro, Cape Cod, was now being used to restore Hurricane ravaged dunes in Puerto Rico! Other articles share intriguing reuse of once problematic waste in the Almond industry, why some algae becomes toxic, an in depth look at our larger storms and how to "de-orbit" space junk.

~Gordon Peabody, Editor.

Ocean 45 Articles

Manmade space debris

Puffin decline

New use for almond product waste

Storms in Venice

Biomimicry on Cape Cod dune

Harmful algal blooms in Pacific

14-year oil leak in the Gulf

1000-year hurricane on East Coast, USA

Storm surges

OCEAN 42

Oyster farmer on Martha’s Vineyard begins to farm kelp as a sustainable addition to his farm

Oyster farmer on Martha’s Vineyard begins to farm kelp as a sustainable addition to his farm

Editor’s Comments:

In OCEAN 42, we recommend our “CLOSE TO HOME” article, as we continue to investigate the emerging, Regional, economic potential for Sugar Kelp farming. Along with OCEAN Research Coordinator Jess Hillman, we visited a working, Sugar Kelp farm on Martha’s Vineyard. We agreed it was a “fluke” that three ferry boats broke down that day (fortunately the sea farmers were patient). This issue also introduces our OCEAN 2018 Environmental Invention Award: Making electricity from raindrops. Also in this issue, while Palm Oil agriculture has been growing at 20% annually, no one it seems, has been minding the externalities, such as pesticides.

~Gordon Peabody, Editor.

Ocean 42 Articles

Drilling for energy causing radioactive rivers

Palm oil destroying forests

Flooding in Paris

Invasive flower in Iceland

Cape Town in South Africa running low on water

Preventing bird deaths on windows

Warming winters in Russia

Electricity from raindrops

Kelp added to oyster farm in Martha’s Vineyard

OCEAN 41

Transparent solar panels developed at the University of Michigan may allow solar energy to be gathered from the sides of buildings

Transparent solar panels developed at the University of Michigan may allow solar energy to be gathered from the sides of buildings

Editor’s Comments:

In our very large world, juvenile salmon in the Puget Sound are reminding us that we live in a closed system. Over 80 drugs and health care products have been found in their flesh; a sobering article by Rae Taylor-Burns. We also look at transparent solar cells; and a “Boots on the Ground” first person report from SoCal, where they thought wild fires were the worst of their problems. Coastal Communities share the same challenges and should be sharing solutions. Our article on Living Shorelines introduces a sustainable coastal erosion alternative.

~Gordon Peabody, Editor

OCEAN 41 Articles

Warm seas turn Green Sea Turtles female

California wildfires

Drugs Found in Seattle Salmon

Antelopes mysteriously die-off

"iRecycle" APP

Climate Change Altering Arctic Food Chain

Shore Lines Protect U.S. Naval Bases

 Microbeads Banned in U.K.

 Transpartent Solar Panels

OCEAN 40

In New York City, the roof of the old Brooklyn Naval Base has been turned into two and a half acres of green rooftop farms

In New York City, the roof of the old Brooklyn Naval Base has been turned into two and a half acres of green rooftop farms

Editor’s Comments:

Our first issue of OCEAN was published in 2006. This 40th issue begins our 12th year of maintaining our core values of creating an advertising free, educational platform for environmental issues. OCEAN 40 investigates an inspirational, multi-acre, “Organic Farm In The Sky”, on huge rooftops in Brooklyn N.Y. We take a new look at defining the term “Bad Egg”. We also explore recent meso-scale firestorm and hurricane events, which will directly and indirectly, impact our lives. And cold shocked FL has had to endure the specter of lizards falling out of trees.

~Gordon Peabody, Editor

Ocean 40 Articles

“Living” shorelines on Martha’s Vinyard

Severe storm in Poland

Salt marsh restoration on Cape Cod

Green roof farms in NYC

Hurricane Harvey & Irma

Air freshener chemicals cause explosion

Insecticide in eggs

California wildfires

Abnormal freeze destroys peach crop in Georgia

OCEAN 38

An “edible water bottle” designed by the Skipping Rocks Lab in London

An “edible water bottle” designed by the Skipping Rocks Lab in London

Editor’s comments:

OCEAN 38 explores an extraordinary concept we all wish we had thought of: Edible water containers. We are also sharing an innovative technology we had never thought of, which grows vegetables from trash. We are continuing to track the Pacific Ocean's incredible thermal energy near Peru and updating our readers on how the neonicitinoid pesticides we were concerned about with Bees, seem to be appearing in some of our drinking water.

~Gordon Peabody, Editor.

Ocean 38 Articles

Carbon capture to enhance vegetable growth

Flooding in Peru

Edible water container

Neonicotinonids found in US drinking water

Conserving water: tips

Drinking seawater

New law in France requiring green roofs

OCEAN 36

U.K. currency has caused a stir, due to the fact that its bank notes include tallow, which is derived from animal fat. One business in Camebridge has refused to accept any currency using this material.

U.K. currency has caused a stir, due to the fact that its bank notes include tallow, which is derived from animal fat. One business in Camebridge has refused to accept any currency using this material.

Editor’s Comments:

OCEAN 36 shares an intriguing collection of environmental topics: A nation's changeover to longer lasting currency hits a speed bump when bills are rejected by a Vegetarian cafe; A good idea for recycling used water from oil companies to farmers has unintended results; We finally have edible bags and in the UK, which we consider the Canary in the Climate Change coal mine, they once again experience flooding of historic proportions. The success of this e newsletter would not be possible without our readers, who share it with their friends.

~ Gordon Peabody, Editor

Ocean 36 Articles

New “attractive” wind turbines

Mass mortality of frogs

Edible plastic bags

100-year flood in UK

Vegetarian-friendly currency

“Wastewater” clementines in California

Curious loss of sea ice

Pumped-storage hydropower using gravity

OCEAN 35

Fisheries in Maine are attempting to create a new fishery out of the invasive Green Crab

Fisheries in Maine are attempting to create a new fishery out of the invasive Green Crab

Editor’s Comments:

OCEAN 35 shares some intriguing environmental concepts: People in Maine are starting to eat invasive crabs; NYC is experimenting with old toilets to grow oysters; someone developed a thermal powered piston for controlling greenhouse ventilation and why has it taken so long to come up with edible six pack rings? You will also find breaking updates on previous articles: Bees; Hand Sanitizers and Plastic Microbeads. And we also took a closer look at the 1,000 year rainfall event in Louisiana.

~Gordon Peabody, Editor of OCEAN

Ocean 35 Articles

Edible six pack rings

Oyster habitat restoration in New York

Greener Greenhouses

Invasive Green Crabs in Maine

CO2 increasing in atmosphere

Triclosan update

France ban on disposable plates

Microbeads

Oklahoma earthquakes

Louisiana 1,000 year flood

Bee-kind update

OCEAN 34

The California Sand Fire destroyed thousands of homes and acres of land this summer

The California Sand Fire destroyed thousands of homes and acres of land this summer

Editor’s comments:

OCEAN 34 celebrates 10 years of publishing OCEAN environmental e-newsletter. This is your newsletter and our success has only been possible through your support and sharing of each issue. Our main article on African Dust may seem an eccentric indulgence of research, until some surprising pieces begin falling together. Using foot power to do your laundry and generating electricity by flushing your toilet, showcase innovative energy developments. Water is a defining element in our World, especially when it vanishes and we take a closer look at two drought events: One contributed to the unprecedented CA wildfires and the other generated ecological stress in the Amazon.

~Gordon Peabody, Editor

Ocean 34 Articles

Amazon Carbon Sink

Hydroelectric power innovation

California Sand Fire

Foot-powered laundry

Unmanned aerial vehicles in wildlife research

Toxic Algae Blooms in Florida

Summer heat on Cape Cod

Traveling African dust