Viewer Tip: If just 10 percent of the estimated 65 million garage-owners in the United States cut idling by five minutes per day, we’d save about 84.5 million gallons of gas in a year! Remember that driving your car is the best way to warm it up. Excessive idling can actually damage your car’s engine, but frequently restarting the engine has little impact. Cut-down on idling even more by turning off the engine if you are sitting in a drive-through or school pick-up line for more than 10 seconds – 10 seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting the engine.

This information is provided by Living Lands and Waters.  Learn more at www.livinglandsandwaters.org.

(Sources: California Energy Commission Consumer Energy Center: Should I Shut off the Motor When I’m Idling my Car? 2006-2011.  http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/myths/idling.html; Rogers, Elizabeth and Thomas M. Kostigen. The Green Book. 2007.)

Viewer Tip: Apply a two- to three-inch layer of mulch around plants in the fall or winter to keep soil temperatures even and reduce water evaporation.  Organic mulch can also be applied to unplanted raised beds as a top dressing.  A variety of organic and inorganic mulches are available on the market and materials for mulch may be found right in your yard.  Mulch options include shredded tree prunings, bark chips, raked leaves, grass clippings, and rocks or pebbles.

For more information on using mulch in your garden, visit: www.ccwater.com/files/Drought101Mulch.pdf.

This information is provided by the Water Conservation Garden. Learn more at www.thegarden.org.

Viewer Tip: Like many food fishes, winter flounder have been overfished in recent decades and restrictions have been placed on commercial fishing of depleted stocks. Recreational fishing with smaller catch limits is still permitted, however. Winter flounder are both tasty and nutritious.

Learn more about winter flounder at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/winter_flounder.htm.

This information is provided by Restore America’s Estuaries. Learn more at www.estuaries.org.

Viewer Tip: Use these “best burn practices” at home to minimize wood smoke and protect your health:

• Before you burn, make sure your chimney is clean – a clean chimney provides a good draft and reduces the risk of a chimney fire. Have your chimney inspected by a professional at least once per year and regularly clean ashes from your fireplace or wood-burning stove to increase efficiency.
• Only use seasoned wood for burning – seasoned wood looks darker, has cracks in the ends and sounds hollow if smacked against another piece of wood.
• Use newspaper and dry kindling to start a fire. Never use gasoline, kerosene, charcoal starter or propane.
• Build hot fires, which are more safe and efficient than smoldering fires.
• Never burn garbage or cardboard, coated or painted wood, particle board, plywood or wood with glue on it.  Burning these materials can release harmful chemicals into the air inside your home.

If you burn wood at home – even occasionally – install a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector to keep you and your family safe. If you already have detectors, check the batteries to make sure they are working properly.

(Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Burn Wise: Consumers – Best Burn Practices. http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/bestburn.html)

Viewer Tip: Hold on to the holiday spirit while saving energy and money this season. Look for holiday lights that have earned the Energy Star, which means they meet strict energy efficiency guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Many Energy Star labeled strands use light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are more efficient than their traditional incandescent counterparts:

• Energy-Saving: Energy Star light strands use about 70 percent less energy than conventional incandescent lights. The amount of energy used by just one incandescent bulb could power 140 LEDs – that’s enough lights for two 24-foot strings!
• Long-lived: LED light strands last up to 10 times longer than traditional strands.
• Safer: LED lights stay cool to the touch, which reduces the risk of fire.

Add a timer to your holiday lighting display to save even more energy.  Set lights to turn on at night and off during the day.

Learn more about efficient holiday lighting: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=DS

(Source: Energy Star. “Decorative Light Strings.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=DS)

• Pacific Northwest: There are several volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest, including Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Hood. Volcanic eruptions can impact local weather. Eruptions emit particles and gases into the atmosphere, creating a haze. This haze can remain in the air for years, reflecting the sun’s rays and reducing temperatures at the Earth’s surface.

  (Image right: Aerial view of Mount St. Helens. NASA Earth Observatory)

• Western US: The Sierra Nevada Mountains that run north-south through California basically separate the Western United States into a wetter (west) side and a drier (east) side. Storms come off the Pacific Ocean from the west and get lifted up by the Sierra Nevada Mountains – a process called orographic lifting. As these storms rise, they cool and condense, raining a lot of water back onto the ground.

  But, as the storms continue to make their way over the top of the mountains to the east, they don’t dump as much rain because they have already lost a lot of moisture. This causes a rain shadow to form on the east side of the mountain range where there is a low amount of rainfall. The rain shadow from the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains impacts the weather in the Great Basin, which covers most of Nevada and parts of Utah.

  (Image right: Rain shadow formation. Wikimedia Commons)

• Great Lakes: The Great Lakes region is known for its lake effect snow. As cold air passes over the Lakes, warmer lake water below evaporates and heats the bottom layer of cold air.  Warm, moist air rises and cools, causing condensation and cloud formation. If humidity is high enough and temperatures are cold enough, snow falls.  Winds push these clouds over land, where increased friction slows the winds, leading to more snowfall accumulation.  As winds move farther inland and encounter hills, rising air cools even more, creating even more snow!

  (Image right: Lake effect snow over the Great Lakes. NASA Earth Observatory)

• Great Plains: The Great Plains may be known as Tornado Alley, but their topography allows for another weather phenomena – blizzards! The Rocky Mountains to the west are the driving force for blizzards in the Great Plains.  A cold polar air mass that moves off the Rockies pushes southward accompanied by high winds, intense cold and considerable amounts of snow that can last for several days.

  (Image right: Blizzard conditions over the Great Plains. NASA Earth Observatory)

• South Central US: Droughts are periods of unusually dry weather that the South Central United States experiences at times – including right now.  Droughts can bring upon dust storms, which are common in arid and semi-arid regions.  A dust storm occurs when a gust of wind blows loose sand or dust particles off the ground, breaks down the particles and keeps them suspended in the air.  Dust storms can spread over hundreds of miles and well over 10,000 feet into the air.

  (Image right: Dust storm in Phoenix, 2011. NOAA National Weather Service)




• Eastern US: One geographic feature that affects the entire East Coast is the Atlantic Ocean.  The ocean plays a big role in determining the temperatures near the coast.  During  fall and winter when the ocean is warmer than the land, the coastal regions experience warmer temperatures than inland areas.  In the springtime, ocean breezes keep temperatures along the coast cooler than inland areas.

  (Image right: Sea breeze diagram. Wikimedia Commons: Jesús Gómez Fernández)

Learn more about Geography Awareness Week: www.nationalgeographic.com/geography-action/index.html.

(Sources: National Science Teachers Association, “Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunamis”, http://www.enviroliteracy.org/nsfmod/NaturesFury.pdf, “A Rain Shadow”, http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp56/5602001.html, “Warm water helps create Great Lakes snowstorms.” University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. 2008, US Department of State, “The Great Plains and Prairies”, http://countrystudies.us/united-states/geography-17.htm, Kidz World, “Dust Storms”, http://www.kidzworld.com/article/707-dust-storm-on-the-loose, “Cold air damming can bring ice to East.” http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wcolddam/wcolddam.htm, “Warm water helps create Great Lakes snowstorms.” University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. 2008., United States Search and Rescue Task Force, “Predicting Weather”, http://www.ussartf.org/predicting_weather.htm)

Viewer Tip: Look for light bulbs that have earned the Energy Star, which means they meet strict energy efficiency guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Consider these facts and figures:

• An average Energy Star qualified light bulb uses 75 percent less energy than a standard bulb and lasts about six times longer.
• Energy Star CFLs emit less heat than traditional light bulbs.
• Swapping one traditional bulb for an Energy Star bulb can save 40 dollars or more over the lifetime of the bulb.  Swap five and save over 200 dollars!

Get tips for purchasing CFL light bulbs – including choosing light intensity, color and size – at www.energystar.gov/ia/products/fap/purchasing_checklist_revised.pdf.

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(Sources: Energy Star. “Save Energy at Home: Lighting.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_save_energy_at_home, and “CFLs: Savings.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls_savings)

Viewer Tip: As the weather cools down, try these tips from Energy Star to stay warm while saving energy and money.

• Get a check-up: Poor maintenance and dirt are leading causes of heating system failure. If you have heating equipment that is more 10 years old, schedule a check-up with a licensed contractor who can make sure everything is working properly.
• Change filters: Check on your heating system’s filter each month – if it’s dirty, change it. Filters should be changed at least every three months.
• Pay attention to Problems: Too hot or cold? Too humid? Really dusty? These problems mean that you may need to seal air leaks around your home. You can use caulk, spray foam or weather stripping to keep cold air out and save on your energy bill. Learn more about sealing leaks at www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_sealing.

Find more energy-saving tips and home improvement advice at www.energystar.gov.

(Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy. Energy STar Program. “Heat Smartly with Energy Star.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.es_at_home)

• Wet and soggy: Too much rain can cause crops to rot. Mildews, which thrive in wet conditions, can damage leaves and stems or kill pumpkin vines and fruits. During spring of this year, heavy rain delayed pumpkin planting the northeast, which in turn delays harvest time. Then, Hurricane Irene flooded pumpkin fields throughout the northeastern United States in September. (Photo at right: Powdery mildew makes leaves on pumpkin vines brittle and dry)
• Hot and dry: Dry, hot weather can cause pumpkins to produce too many male blossoms and too few female blossoms, resulting in a smaller harvest. Lack of water during droughts can also result in smaller and lighter-weight pumpkins. Pumpkin harvest in Texas dropped 40 percent or more due to drought conditions in the state this year.
• Chilly: An early freeze can kill pumpkins. And, chilly weather in the spring can prevent pumpkin blossoms from germinating. Why? Because bees – which carry pollen from plant to plant – don’t fly until the temperature is at least 55 degrees. Without bees and pollination, there are no pumpkins.

Viewer Tip: Despite a rough year for pumpkin patches, many farmers are meeting demand by bringing in pumpkins from other areas. If you are carving or cooking this year, put the whole pumpkin to use!  If you don’t eat the seeds yourself, spread them outside as a snack for birds and squirrels.  And, instead of weighing down your trash bags and sending past-their-prime pumpkins to the landfill, put them to use in your garden.  Pumpkins can be added to compost piles, where they will decompose and add nutrients to your compost.

(Sources: University of Illinois Extension. “Pumpkins and More: Pumpkin Facts.” http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/facts.html; The National Center for Appropriate Technology. “Organic Pumpkin and Winter Squash Production.” www.attra.ncat.org; USA Today. “Northeast Farmers Warn of Irene Pumpkin Shortage.” http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/story/2011-09-19/northeast-pumpkin-shortage-hurricane-irene-floods/50466270/1; Houston Chronicle, “Drought takes bite out of Texas pumpkin harvest,” http://www.chron.com/business/article/Drought-takes-bite-out-of-Texas-pumpkins-2186331.php; Portland Tribune, “Pining for the Pumpkin Patch,” http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=131863808601002000)

Photo courtesy of Maine.gov.

Viewer Tip: To find great places to visit this fall, go to the Web sites of the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Water Trails Network (www.baygateways.net) and the Chesapeake Conservancy (www.chesapeakeconservancy.org).

This tip is provided by The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, part of Restore America’s Estuaries. Learn more at www.estuaries.org.

Viewer Tip: Every October, government organizations, businesses, associations and individuals observe Energy Awareness Month with activities and programs to reduce energy consumption in our daily lives. Why not make your time at work more energy efficient?

• Up to 35 percent of the electricity used in an office building is consumed by lighting! If you have a desk lamp, replace a traditional light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL). CFLs use about 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer.
• Have a window near your desk? Reduce energy needs for cooling and heating: Close blinds during warm weather to keep out the sun’s heat; on cold days, leave blinds open during daylight hours to let in the sun’s warmth.
• Keep air vents clear of papers, files and office supplies. It can take up to 25 percent more energy to pump air into a workspace if vents are blocked.

Energy Star has many more tips for going green at work. Visit www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=energy_awareness.awareness_you_can_do.

(Source: U.S. EPA and DOE. “Bring Your Green to Work with Energy Star.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=bygtw.showSplash)

Viewer Tip: Oyster populations in Chesapeake Bay are at less than one percent of their historical levels. Want to help restore the Bay oyster? Volunteer at any of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s oyster gardening events. One popular—and dirty—volunteer opportunity is making reef balls. These cement balls provide oyster sprat—larval oysters—with places to attach and grow. Help the Bay by volunteering at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation Oyster Restoration Center. For more information, visit www.cbf.org/page.aspx?pid=1063#involved.

This tip is provided by The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, part of Restore America’s Estuaries. Learn more at www.estuaries.org.

Viewer Tip: Own waterfront property, either on the Bay or along the tidal creeks feeding into the Chesapeake? Both Maryland and Virginia offer financial assistance for shoreline projects. Maryland has a wide range of loan, grant and cost-share programs available to homeowners, communities, local governments and non-profit organizations. Virginia has grants available for private individuals through the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Living Shoreline Initiative.

This information is provided by Restore America’s Estuaries and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Learn more at http://www.cbf.org/.

Range, the geographic area where a species is located, can shift in response to habitat changes such as land use changes, the introduction of a new species, the elimination of a competitor or internal species dynamics such as a genetic mutation that allows individuals to tolerate new conditions. It can also shift in response to climate change. Birds in midlatitude areas like the United States generally move their ranges closer to the Equator when Earth cools, such as during the ice age thousands of years ago, and closer to the poles as the Earth warms. While not all birds that have shifted their ranges in recent decades have moved northward, most species that have expanded their ranges have expanded them in that direction. This has been observed in both Europe and North America over the past five to six decades. The only factor that is consistent across both Eastern and Western Hemispheres since 1950 that could account for the general northward shift is a multi-seasonal warming with northern hemisphere spring maximum temperatures increasing by two degrees Fahrenheit. This has likely prompted Northern Hemisphere birds to travel farther north on their spring journeys to warm season breeding grounds. An analysis of similar bird taxa (several orders of arboreal and semiarboreal insectivores and granivores) demonstrates a northward range expansion at a rate of about 1.5 miles each year since the 1970s for southern species formerly limited by cool temperatures.

Two warbler species have been particularly quick to take advantage of the warmer conditions: the Kentucky Warbler and the Golden-Winged Warbler. The Kentucky Warbler’s mean breeding range latitude is now about 88 miles farther north than it was in the 1970s, while the mean latitude of the Golden-Winged Warbler is about 136 miles farther north.

Above: Mean range shifts for the Kentucky and Golden-Winged Warblers since the 1970s. This image is provided by Earth Gauge and is free for distribution and use on-air.

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Season: Summer

Source: Hitch, AT and Leberg, PL. “Breeding Distributions of North American Bird Species Moving North as a Result of Climate Change.” Conservation Biology 21 (2007): 534-539.

Viewer Tip: Make precipitation your passion by adding a rain barrel in your yard! Rain barrels collect water for free, saving you big on your water bill. And you’ll be helping local rivers and streams, which get polluted by rainwater run-off. Get rain barrel smart at www.anacostia.net.

This information is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Photos for use on-air and online:

Rain barrel in Montgomery County
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Rain barrel in Rockville, MD.
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Viewer Tip: Weather keeping you inside? Keep these water-saving tips in mind:

• Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.
• Wash summer fruits and vegetables in a bowl of water, and use a vegetable brush to clean them instead of rinsing.
• Scrape, don’t rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher, and wash only full loads.
• If you’re remodeling your bathroom or replacing plumbing fixtures this summer, look for the WaterSense label for products that save water and perform well.

This information is provided by the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense Program.  Learn more at www.epa.gov/watersense.

Viewer Tip: Rip currents are typically found at low spots and breaks in sand bars, or near jetties and piers. Before you head to the beach, check the latest forecast for beach conditions at www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/forecasts.shtml. Always swim at a beach with lifeguards on duty and heed their advice.  Nearly all rip current drownings occur at unguarded beaches.

Learn more, including how to identify a rip current and what to do if caught in a rip current, at www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov.

(Sources: NOAA National Weather Service and U.S. Lifesaving Association. “Rip Currents: What they are, the dangers, how to escape.” www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/resources/Final%20Talking%20Points%20and%20Fact%20Sheet_041707.pdf)

Photo: Aerial view of several rip currents. Courtesy of Dr. Wendy Carey, Delaware Sea Grant

• Higher temperatures promote chemical reactions, such as the formation of ground-level ozone and particle pollution.
• Winds become lighter when pressure builds. Light or no wind allows air pollutants to build up. Still conditions also provide a better environment for chemical reactions to occur.
• Dry air does not move as much as moist air, allowing pollutants to build up. Days with high ozone pollution levels often occur when humidity is low.  However, on humid days, poor visibility occurs when small particles in the air absorb moisture and swell, reducing visibility.
• Sinking air in high pressure systems prevents the air from cooling and forming clouds. This creates sunny days – a key ingredient in the formation of ozone is sunlight.
• Inversions, when cooler air is trapped near the ground by a layer of warmer air above, can trap pollution near the Earth’s surface. This can lead to high levels of ozone and particle pollution.

Viewer Tip: People with heart and lung diseases or asthma, children and older adults can be especially at-risk for health problems related to air pollution, and extremely poor air quality can affect everyone. Stay healthy and reduce your exposure by watching air quality reports from your local media or checking www.airnow.gov.  When conditions reach “Code Orange” or higher, consider rescheduling sports games and other strenuous outdoor activities for another day. If you do go outside, aim for early morning or evening hours, when air pollution levels are likely to be lower.

(Sources: US EPA. “What Affects My Air Quality?” http://www.epa.gov/airnow/airaware/day2-detail.html; www.airnow.gov)

Viewer Tip: This is good time to remember some basic weather safety tips that will keep you and your family safe.

• Heat: Even when the outside temperature is relatively mild (about 70 degrees) the temperature inside a sealed car can rise quickly – up to 40 degrees in 60 minutes. Please don’t leave kids or pets alone in a car, even for a few minutes.
• Floods: As winter snow melts and rain falls, floods will occur in some parts of the country. Remember the National Weather Service’s advice to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.” Never cross flooded roads or pathways in a car or on foot – find another, safe route.
• Lightning: If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike. The only safe place when lightning is nearby is inside a substantial building or a metal-topped vehicle.

This information is provided by the American Meteorological Society, a partner in National Public Health Week.

Viewer Tip: You can perform a cooling system check-up yourself or ask a professional for help. According to EPA’s Energy Star program, a typical check-up should include:

• Tightening electrical connections. Faulty connections can be unsafe and reduce the life of your system.
• Lubricating moving parts to reduce friction in motors and increase energy efficiency.
• Checking the condensate drain. A plugged drain can affect indoor humidity levels and cause water damage in your home.
• Checking system controls for safe operation. Make sure your system starts, stops and operates as it should.
• Cleaning air conditioning coils for increased energy efficiency and to prolong the life of the equipment.
• Checking refrigerant level and adjusting if necessary. Too much or too little refrigerant can affect system efficiency.
• Cleaning and adjusting blower components for good airflow. Problems with airflow can reduce an air conditioning system’s efficiency by up to 15 percent!

(Source: Energy Star. “Maintenance Checklist.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_maintenance)