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Winter storm season results in changes along Puget Sound beaches. While every beach is different, in the winter many beaches are covered in gravel or larger sized rocks called “cobbles.” It usually takes the force of a winter storm to move rocks around and most importantly, to wash lighter–weight sand offshore, leaving a smaller, rockier beach. These [...]
Read More Dried arrangements and holiday wreaths may contain invasive plant species, such as Oriental bittersweet (found throughout the Eastern and Great Lakes states) and multiflora rose (found through the Eastern and Midwest U.S., Colorado, California and Oregon). When these arrangements hang outside, wind and birds foraging for food can carry away berries and seeds, which may [...]
Read More Increase the health of your fields by planting a crop and leaving it for an entire season. The benefits of cover crops have been publicized for years. Although they are grown primarily to prevent soil erosion, cover crops can also contribute to nitrogen production, increase soil microbial activity, reduce insect pests and suppress weeds.
Viewer Tip: [...]
Read More Fall in Puget Sound is the time for sports, picnics, trips and other family events. These outings usually come with an assortment of plastic water bottles, plastic plates, plastic silverware and plastic containers. Fall is also the time when strong winds and fast currents are prevalent. What happens to the plastic garbage that is picked up [...]
Read More Prepackaged foods are convenient, especially for lunches on-the-go. However, food packaging generates a significant amount of waste – in the United States, over 2500 tons of non-biodegradable plastic packaging is thrown away each year. Storm drains, rivers and wind carry much of this waste to our oceans where marine animals ingest plastics that mimic food [...]
Read More Earth Gauge: Blown Away
Windy weather is common in the Southwest at this time of year. Wind and dust can severely damage plants and gardens, wearing down soil and exposing roots. High winds can even break off parts of a plant or completely lift it out of the ground! Crops that are sensitive to wind will [...]
Read More An average of 11 tropical storms develop each year over the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. While many of those storms stay over the ocean without impacting the U.S., about five hurricanes will strike the U.S. Coastline from Texas to Maine in a given three-year period, with two being Category 3 (111-130 [...]
Read More Dust storms can make driving conditions difficult, but did you know that they can also affect your health? When dust particles are inhaled, they can trigger asthma attacks and aggravate bronchitis and other lung diseases. Certain people are especially vulnerable to health impacts from dust particles – young children, the elderly, adults who exercise outside [...]
Read More No matter where litter starts, it moves. From streets, highways, and even your own backyard, litter items – especially light-weight plastics – are transported easily by wind and rain and often end up in our waters. As a matter of fact, it is estimated that up to 90 percent of the debris floating in our [...]
Read More In the southwest, brown outs from blowing dust are not uncommon occurrences. New Mexico State University’s Agricultural Science Centers estimate that the average annual wind speed in the southwest is 17 to 18 miles per hour, although gusts can be much higher. Spring seems to bring about the greatest wind strengths and speeds.
Viewer Tip: Protect [...]
Read More Did you know that most littered trash has a life span of more than one year? This means that once a trash item ends up in the environment, it sits for a long time before it degrades or disappears. Here are some lifespans of the most commonly found litter items:
Glass Bottle: Approximately one million years
Plastic [...]
Read More Most of us have watched “birds of prey” such as hawks, eagles, and buzzards glide effortlessly through the sky and wondered how they manage to stay aloft without flapping their wings. These magnificent birds take advantage of the natural atmosphere and updrafts for two common techniques; thermal soaring and dynamic soaring. Thermals, or pockets of [...]
Read More If your home or business was damaged by winds or flood waters from Hurricane Ike, you are probably beginning to make repairs.
Viewer Tip: As you clean up and rebuild, remember that there are ways to retrofit your property so that it will better withstand hurricane conditions, should they occur again.
Roof: Bracing gabled roofs will prevent [...]
Read More Winds and heavy rain from Hurricane Ike took a toll on Houston and surrounding communities. As flood waters recede, many home and business owners will be facing cleanup activities.
Viewer Tip: When the water goes down, keep these tips in mind to assess damage and begin clean-up activities safely:
Pay close attention to your local media for [...]
Read More About 10 to 20 percent of Americans suffer from ragweed allergies in late summer and fall. Mid-August marked the unofficial start to ragweed season, which generally lasts until a killing frost. Ragweed grows throughout the U.S. and has many qualities that make it a “most wanted” allergy culprit:
A single ragweed plant – which only lives [...]
Read More About 10 to 20 percent of Americans suffer from ragweed allergies in late summer and fall. Mid-August marked the unofficial start to ragweed season, which generally lasts until a killing frost. Ragweed grows throughout the U.S. and has many qualities that make it a “most wanted” allergy culprit:
A single ragweed plant – which only lives [...]
Read More About 10 to 20 percent of Americans suffer from ragweed allergies in late summer and fall. Mid-August marked the unofficial start to ragweed season, which generally lasts until a killing frost. Ragweed grows throughout the U.S. and has many qualities that make it a “most wanted” allergy culprit:
A single ragweed plant – which only lives [...]
Read More About 10 to 20 percent of Americans suffer from ragweed allergies in late summer and fall. Mid-August marked the unofficial start to ragweed season, which generally lasts until a killing frost. Ragweed grows throughout the U.S. and has many qualities that make it a “most wanted” allergy culprit:
A single ragweed plant – which only lives [...]
Read More About 10 to 20 percent of Americans suffer from ragweed allergies in late summer and fall. Mid-August marked the unofficial start to ragweed season, which generally lasts until a killing frost. Ragweed grows throughout the U.S. and has many qualities that make it a “most wanted” allergy culprit:
A single ragweed plant – which only lives [...]
Read More About 10 to 20 percent of Americans suffer from ragweed allergies in late summer and fall. Mid-August marked the unofficial start to ragweed season, which generally lasts until a killing frost. Ragweed grows throughout the U.S. and has many qualities that make it a “most wanted” allergy culprit:
A single ragweed plant – which only lives [...]
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