Photo: SMALLCREATIVE/Depositphotos

Energy is necessary for moving forward, for both society and individual communities. These days, a shift to clean energy and renewable resources is critical to averting the oncoming climate catastrophe. President Biden has poured money and time into promoting clean energy and related jobs, while startups have leapt at the opportunity to craft a profitable and green way forward. But resistance is strong, especially in areas where coal plays an important economic role, and climate deniers persist in politics and media. As an example of a green, prosperous future, energy company Swift Current Energy (SCE) is building Pennsylvania's largest solar farm—Mineral Basin Solar Project—on land near where a massive coal plant once lived.

The Homer City Generating Station closed in 2023, after over 50 years of operation. The coal plant, which produced a massive 1,888 MW of energy, supplied homes and businesses across New York and Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, burning coal is a significant factor in the build up of carbon dioxide that is rapidly and dangerously warming our climate. Known as  “the dirtiest fossil fuel,” coal once powered the Industrial Revolution and supported many families in mining regions along the east coast. The loss of jobs has been a significant factor in local resistance to clean energy solutions. However, the overall benefits of clean energy are hard to deny.

SCE is planning to break ground on a massive solar farm, the largest in Pennsylvania. It will produce 402 MW once complete, and power 75,000 homes with much-needed energy. The company is also considering storing excess energy offsite. Funding for the project comes from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) purse under the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The DOE is specifically interested in replacing former mine land with clean energy such as solar and wind. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm noted, “Thanks to the President’s Investing in America agenda, DOE is helping deploy clean energy solutions on current and former mine land across the country—supporting jobs and economic development in the areas hit hardest by our evolving energy landscape.”

The new solar farm in Pennsylvania will bring over 750 jobs in construction over the next few years. Once operational, it will generate over $1 million in annual tax revenue for the local governments and school system. It will hopefully be completed by late 2026, and it already has a 20-year purchase agreement with New York State. SCE plans to add other solar farms in Appalachia in the near future, helping replace the energy and jobs once supplied by coal mining and burning. Much as coal was once important to local economies, renewable energy is also a growing field.

Where Pennsylvania's largest coal plant once stood, thousands of solar panels will create the state's largest solar farm.

Photo: VER0NICKA/Depositphotos

h/t: [electrek]

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READ: Enormous Solar Farm Will Replace Former Coal Plant in Pennsylvania

Actors Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet are all stars of the 2022 hit film Avatar: The Way of Water. Recently, they posed for photographer Christy Lee Rogers in an underwater photo series that celebrated our oceans while also raising money for a good cause.

The director of the Avatar series, James Cameron, and Disney commissioned the photos as a way to raise money for The Nature Conservancy. The organization has the goal of conserving 10% of the world’s oceans by 2030, and some of the proceeds from the sale of Rogers’ prints will go toward supporting that mission.

In addition to being for a good cause, the photos are also gorgeous in their own right. The actors are dressed in eye-catching blue and purple fabric that swirls and blends in with their equally beautiful surroundings. They are shot to look like they are floating, weightlessly, with closed eyes and spread arms, effortlessly in harmony with the world around them.

On her website, Rogers states, “Water is healing—it’s life itself. And as the provider of life—oxygen to all through tiny phytoplankton, our oceans need our care more than ever right now. It is a great honor to be able to help James Cameron, Jon Landau, and the ‘Avatar’ and Disney teams in realizing that dream of clean and protected world oceans—through the release of these images for The Nature Conservancy.”

Those interested in purchasing Rogers’ prints can do so through her website.

In a recent series, Christy Lee Rogers photographed stars Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet in an Avatar-themed underwater photoshoot.

James Cameron and Disney commissioned the photo series to raise money for The Nature Conservancy, which has the goal of conserving 10% of oceans by 2030.

The actors float harmoniously in the photos, illustrating how connected humanity is with the water around us.

Christy Lee Rogers: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Christy Lee Rogers.

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Photo: Lihana111/Depositphotos

There are approximately 15,500 golf courses located in the United States, and they tend to have negative effects on the environment. Between land being cleared for the fairway and the excessive amount of water and pesticides needed to keep the grass looking green and lush, it is no surprise that golf courses have come under increasing scrutiny from environmental agencies and activists in recent years. However, in certain locations, there may be a silver lining, as abandoned golf courses are being reclaimed by nature.

The number of golf course closures have outweighed openings every year since 2006. Conservation agencies have a vested interest in acquiring these abandoned golf courses and restoring them to their original landscapes to combat the effects of climate change. From locations on the west coast in California to places in the Midwest such as Ohio, these efforts are nationwide. Some former golf courses in the United Kingdom and Australia have also been part of the revitalization process as well.

Some of the strategies that conservationists have employed involve reintroducing native plants and animals to the golf courses, combining golf courses with already existing parks, and restoring wetlands and swamps. All of this is part of an effort to restore biodiversity and, hopefully, restore these swaths of land to what they looked like before they were cleared.

Abandoned golf courses in the United States are being reclaimed by nature, thanks to the efforts of conservationists.

Photo: ejkrouse/Depositphotos

h/t: [Reddit]

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READ: Abandoned Golf Courses Are Being Reclaimed by Nature Thanks to Conservation Groups

Photo: johnanderson/Depositphotos

Coral reefs are a key element of ocean ecosystems. They provide food and shelter for sea creatures, and they also protect coastlines from storms and erosion. In an effort to restore degraded reefs, the Mars Coral Reef Restoration Programme has transplanted coral fragments onto a network of interconnected “Reef Stars” (sand-coated steel frames). Now, new research shows that these restored reefs can grow as fast as healthy reefs after just four years.

This breakthrough was observed in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, home to one of the largest restoration projects in the world. “Restoration is increasingly seen as a necessary tool to reverse ecological decline across terrestrial and marine ecosystems,” write the study authors, led by Dr. Ines Lange from the University of Exeter. “Considering the unprecedented loss of coral cover and associated reef ecosystem services, active coral restoration is gaining traction in local management strategies and has recently seen major increases in scale.”

This particular project aimed to restore a reef that was destroyed 30 to 40 years ago due to dynamite fishing. Hoping to bring it back, marine biologists affixed “reef stars” (small, recycled metal scaffolds) to the seafloor. These would provide a foundation for the coral larvae to glom onto so they can later develop their hard bodies.

To measure the success of their program, they looked into calcium carbonate. “Corals constantly add calcium carbonate to the reef framework while some fishes and sea urchins erode it away, so calculating the overall carbonate budget basically tells you if the reef as a whole is growing or shrinking,” writes Lange.

Fast forward four years, and the net carbonate budgets have tripled and are indistinguishable from healthy control sites. “The speed of recovery that we saw was incredible,” said Lange. “We did not expect a full recovery of reef framework production after only four years.” However, due to branching coral being preferred for reef restoration, the overall species diversity is lower in restored reefs than natural ones.

Ultimately, these findings can prove priceless in undoing some damage to the environment. Not only have they found a way to measure grow and decline in coral reefs, they've also seen how quickly they can bounce back. However, the researchers note that preventing the damage is more important than ever.

“Scaling up reef restoration continues to be a challenge and coral restoration does not negate the need for strong reductions in carbon emissions, especially given the higher heat sensitivity of branching corals commonly used for transplantation,” they conclude. “Nevertheless, our findings suggest that large-scale and multidimensional reef restoration programs offer short-term options to recover some important ecosystem functions and thereby increase the reef’s resilience to local and global stressors.”

In an effort to restore degraded reefs, the Mars Coral Reef Restoration Programme has transplanted coral fragments onto a network of interconnected “Reef Stars.”

Photo: kjorgen/Depositphotos

Now, new research shows that these restored reefs can grow as fast as healthy reefs after just four years.

Photo: johnanderson/Depositphotos

h/t: [Good News Network]

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READ: New Research Shows Artificially Restored Coral Reefs Can Grow as Fast as Healthy Reefs

Beach cleanup efforts around the world are all commendable; however, we rarely get to see what actually happens to the trash that’s been collected. It's even rarer for gathered waste to be turned into art. One company called Ocean Sole hosts clean ups to pick up trash on the beaches and waterways of Kenya to combat the amount to flip-flops that are discarded in them every year. They then give these scrapped objects a second life with the help of local communities, turning them into colorful sculptures of all sizes.

The story of Ocean Sole began when Julie Church, founder of the social enterprise, noticed children creating toys out of discarded flip-flops. Noticing the versatility of the material, she then encouraged the children's mothers to collect, wash, and cut the discarded flip-flops, which they then could turn into new products that could be sold at local markets as an additional source of income.

“Ocean Sole was founded on the premise of cleaning our oceans and waterways whilst employing artists from high impact communities in Kenya,” Joe Mwakiremba, head of sales, tells My Modern Met. Today, the company impacts over 1,000 Kenyans through the collection of flip-flops and direct employment. This includes providing steady income to nearly 100 low-income Kenyans.

The participation of the community is key to every step of the process. “Once the collector is paid and gone, the dirty flip-flops are washed with detergent and left to dry,” Mwakiremba shares. “The next step is joining them together using an adhesive and then carved down into different shapes and forms. The third stage is sanding which is a smoothening phase before the finished product is finally washed and shipped to many of our ‘solemates’ around the world.”

Ocean Sole can produce 15 small sculptures a day, or two to three larger pieces per week. Most of their creations are inspired by endangered species to help put a spotlight on them, but they've also produced car designs and practical objects, like bottle openers and doorstops. “Each piece is unique based on the materials collected,” explains Mwakiremba. “The locals benefit greatly from selling the plastic waste to us. During the heavy rain season, they can find lots of flip-flops which is great for us compared with the dry seasons.” He also shares that one of their collectors has been able to put one of his kids through college; others have been able to purchase land and even livestock.

The positive effects can also be seen in the environment. “We aim to recycle a million flip-flops [per] year, recycle over one tonne of styrofoam a month, and save over five hundred trees a year—by using flip-flops instead of wood,” the company states on its website. “We contribute over 10-15% of our revenue to beach cleanups, vocational and educational programmes as well as conservation efforts.”

You can support Ocean Sole by buying their art online or hosting a beach clean. To learn more visit their website.

To combat the amount to flip-flops that are discarded every year on the beaches and waterways of Kenya, Ocean Sole hosts clean ups to gather these materials.

Then, they give them a second life with the help of local communities, turning them into colorful sculptures of all sizes.

“Ocean Sole was founded on the premise of cleaning our oceans and waterways whilst employing artists from high impact communities in Kenya,” Joe Mwakiremba, head of sale, tells My Modern Met.

Today, the company impacts over 1,000 Kenyans through the collection of flip-flops and direct employment. This includes providing steady income to nearly 100 low-income Kenyans.

“We aim to recycle a million flip-flops [per] year, recycle over one tonne of styrofoam a month, and save over five hundred trees a year—by using flip-flops instead of wood.”

Most of their creations are inspired by endangered species to help put a spotlight on them, but they've also produced car designs and practical objects, like bottle openers and doorstops.

“We contribute over 10-15% of our revenue to beach cleanups, vocational and educational programmes as well as conservation efforts.”

Ocean Sole: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Ocean Sole.

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READ: Eco-Friendly Group Cleans up Beaches of Kenya and Turns Discarded Flip-Flops Into Colorful Works of Art

Photo: fikrinafile/123RF

Kansas City Chiefs fans were over the moon when their team won last night's Super Bowl in a thrilling game that went into overtime. But for climate activists, the real victory happened behind the scenes. For the first time ever, the NFL's biggest game of the year was played in a stadium powered by 100% renewable energy.

Super Bowl LVIII was played in Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium, which is home to the Las Vegas Raiders. In October 2023, the stadium announced that it had completely converted to renewable energy in partnership with NV Energy. All of the sustainable energy sources come from within Nevada and are used to power all of the stadium's events. According to a report by USA Today, part of that renewable energy comes from 621,000 solar panels installed in the Nevada desert.

The Super Bowl was certainly a high-wattage event, from the lights on the field that captured every pass that the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and the 49ers' Brock Purdy made to the enormous setup for Usher's half-time spectacle. Luckily, the solar panel array was more than capable of producing enough power for the big event.

Photo: 4kclips/Depositphotos

According to NV Energy CEO Doug Cannon, the panels produce enough energy for 60,000 residences. In order for an event like the Super Bowl to run smoothly, the panels needed to produce 10 megawatts. That's enough power for 46,000 homes.

But electricity isn't the only way that Allegiant Stadium stays green. They also divert grass clippings to an onsite biomass machine for compost, divert cigarette waste from landfills and transform it into energy, and reuse, repurpose, or donate wastewater. And all that food that is generated by the stadium? They also have a program to collect food scraps that can be composted or turned into livestock feed.

All of this means that they are leading the charge in showing how we can continue to enjoy the entertainment we love while also lessening our impact on the planet.

Super Bowl LVIII was 100% powered by renewable energy thanks to an enormous solar array in the Nevada desert.

The #SuperBowl is a big moment for @NVEnergy, @AllegiantStadm, the @NFL and the environment. Excited to play a role in this #SuperBowl by helping power it with 100 percent renewable energy!

Full story at https://t.co/NNDfPXSa8V@EDF_Renewables pic.twitter.com/Z6LPi7GQ8W

— NV Energy (@NVEnergy) February 11, 2024

Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium converted to renewable energy in October 2023 and even has a large composting program on-site.

We're celebrating this Earth Day with our new onsite compost machine! This machine can process 650 pounds of food scraps, paper products, and field grass clippings, turning them into viable soil. ♻️

https://t.co/ZTtc6xiZRa#EarthDay pic.twitter.com/G4ejyagSnH

— Allegiant Stadium (@AllegiantStadm) April 22, 2023

h/t: [USA Today]

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Rafting on the Klamath River before the recent dam release. (Photo: Matkatamiba via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED)

The rivers of the west dominate their landscapes, from mountains to canyons. They are critical habitats for fish, amphibians, and fowl. They are also central to the histories and present cultures of the region's many Indigenous tribes. The Klamath River is among these watery landmarks. However, its powerful flow has been severely hampered by a series of dams built during the 20th century—dams which have interrupted the breeding patterns of the salmon which were once abundant. Now, thanks to advocacy by Indigenous peoples and environmentalists, the dams are being removed to restore the river's natural flow.

Running down from Oregon into northern California, the massive Klamath River eventually empties into the Pacific Ocean. It stretches a long 257 miles. In the past, the river was a rich breeding ground of Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead trout. These are species which swim upstream from the ocean to spawn in fresh water. They have long been critical to the survival and culture of the Yurok Tribe and other Indigenous peoples who live alongside the long flow of the river.

Between 1911 and 1962, dams were built by PacifiCorp. While holding the water back, the dams harnessed the flow for hydroelectric power. The barriers changed the natural flow of the water downstream. Without strong flow, “toxic algae and high temperatures” develop according to Save California Salmon. “They also prevent high flows needed to flush out algae that spread the fish disease—namely C. shasta, which kills the majority of juvenile salmon during low water years,” the organization highlights. These factors contributed to a massive die-off of salmon in 2002.

Indigenous activists and environmentalists have pushed for years to rectify the problem. In 2022, the concerns for the fish, as well as firefighting, bankside vegetation, and many other considerations contributed to a decision by PacifiCorp to not federally relicense their dams in the face of expensive changes needing to be made. The projects will be removed, and indeed this is ongoing. In January 2024, three dams released their pent up water, finally allowing the river to flow as it is meant to for the first time in a century. Speaking to the San Francsisco Chronicle, Frankie Myers, vice chair of the Yurok Tribe, said, “We’re now pulling the plug and throwing it away. Not to get too mushy about it but being able to look at the river flow for the first time in more than 100 years, it’s incredibly important to us. It’s what we’ve been fighting for: to see the river for itself.”

For about a century, the Klamath River's flow has been impeded by a series of dams, which have affected the ecosystem.

The Klamath River where it empties into the ocean in California. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

After much activism by Indigenous peoples in the Pacific Northwest, the dams are being dismantled, and the river is allowed to flow freely at last.

Map of the path of the river with the dams notated. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

h/t: [IFL Science]

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Photo: ronnybas/Depositphotos

The Raincoast Conservation Foundation celebrated a major win recently. After two years of fundraising, the Canada-based conservation group raised $1,920,000 to buy out the hunting rights to more than a quarter of the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia. In doing so, they hope to protect the indigenous wildlife of the area—including grizzly bears, wolves, and cougars—by preventing commercial trophy hunting of animals.

The purchase covers 18,000 square kilometers (approximately 6,949 square miles) of the Great Bear Rainforest, located about six hours north of Vancouver. “As I look back on the accomplishments of this project, it feels really good to reflect on the thousands of individual animals over many generations who are alive today because of it,” says Brian Falconer, Raincoast’s guide outfitter coordinator. “It also feels very rewarding to reflect on the profound effect it has had in building healthy diverse coastal ecosystems.”

It is the Raincoast Conservation Foundation's longterm goal to entirely eliminate commercial hunting in the area. They argue that it is not only beneficial for the environment, but also more economically sustainable. The group cites a 2014 Stanford University study, which found that bear-watching accrued 12 times more revenue and employed 27 times as many people compared to hunting. “We purchase these tenures with a more sustainable economy in mind—wildlife viewing and ecotourism,” explains Chris Genovali, executive director of Raincoast. “The acquisition of these tenures has given substantial support to this sector, which will be an important component of transitioning to a new, non-extractive economy.”

While conservationists are elated by the purchase, local hunters claim it is “abusing” commercial licensing. Hunters for B.C. president Robin Unrau adds that responsible hunting can help maintain healthy biodiversity, and that these conservation efforts would be better spent on habitat protection. “There's always two sides to a story; if conservation organizations or environmental groups choose not to really look at the big picture, which is the habitat,” Unrau says. “If we're not able to look at that, I think it's a failure on all our part for the wildlife.”

A conservation group has purchased the hunting rights for about a quarter of the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, Canada, to prevent commercial hunting in the area.

Photo: pandionhiatus3/Depositphotos

Raincoast Conservation Foundation: Website | Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [Reddit]

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Photo: PANMAULE/Depositphotos

The ocean is immense and powerful. Lifeguards, sailors, and marine scientists spend years training and studying to predict its changing tides. Among the most terrifying phenomena that can occur out at sea are rogue waves—which are waves that come out of nowhere and are over twice as tall as those surrounding them. Long thought to be a myth, these massive waves can be exceptionally dangerous. Understanding rogue waves is critical in a time of climate change, and particularly after a series of enormous waves pounds the coast of California in late December of 2023.

A rogue wave—known as a freak or killer wave—occurs in open ocean. While it may be too early to tell if the California waves are scientifically “rogue.” According to National Geographic, “Scientists do not completely understand how rogue waves form. One explanation is that wave trains travel thousands of miles across ocean basins, encountering other wave trains as they move. When the crest and trough of two different waves meet head-on, they can cancel each other out, resulting in a flat sea. But when two crests run into each other, they form a huge wave that is the sum of both wave heights—a rogue wave that towers above other nearby waves.” Fast ocean currents and violent storms that whip up winds can also make these waves more likely. Therefore, global warming is likely to make them more common as seas warm and weather becomes more unpredictable.

The first documented rogue wave was observed in 1995 off the coast of Norway. Known as the Draupner wave, it rose 25.6 meters (74 feet) above the water. This was slightly over twice the height of the nearby waves. However, the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded occurred in November 2020 off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, as reported in Scientific Reports. A MarineLabs buoy which rose and fell during the event recorded the wave, which climbed 17.6 meters, or almost 58 feet. While it was not the tallest on record, it was almost three times as tall as the surrounding waves. This made it more “rogue” than any previously recorded.

So, why track these waves? According to CEO Dr. Scott Beatty in a statement from MarineLabs, “We are aiming to improve safety and decision-making for marine operations and coastal communities through widespread measurement of the world's coastlines. Capturing this once-in-a-millennium wave, right in our backyard, is a thrilling indicator of the power of coastal intelligence to transform marine safety.”

Among the most terrifying ocean phenomena are rogue waves—which are waves that come out of nowhere and are over twice as tall as those surrounding them.

h/t: [Science Alert]

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The re-sprouting redwoods. (Photo: LISSY ENRIGHT/USFS photo)

In August of 2020, a horrific fire swept through California's Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Ignited by lightening, the fire was unprecedented in the scale of damage it wreaked on the ancient trees. It left behind enormous charred trunks in what had once been a lush forest. Concerned scientists thought it might be the end of these trees as we knew them. But upon returning to the scene months later, researchers discovered the bereft trees had used long-stored energy to grow buds long hidden within their bark. These green sprouts demonstrate the resilience of the redwood trees.

The research was recently published in Nature Plants, and it has surprised many experienced scientists. When the redwoods lost their greenery to the fire's abnormally tall flames, they lost their source of energy. The trees collect sunlight to photosynthesize into sugars and carbohydrates which in turn are used to help the plant grow, or are stored for future exertion. Melissa Enright of the U.S. Forest Service, one of the paper authors, decided to wrap 60 burnt tree trunks in black plastic to prevent them from using new light. This caused the trees to turn toward their inner reserves.

With time, green sprouts emerged from the bark, although still petite compared to the leaves and branches lost in the fire. Radiocarbon testing showed that these sprouts grew from energy that was created and stored within the tree up to 21 years prior to the fire. The energy was used by buds hiding within the trees. Scientists know these buds begin to form within the tree as it grows, and can lay dormant for ages. The sprouts which burst forth after the fire may be up to 1,000 years old, given coastal redwoods themselves can live over two millennia.

“They allow these trees to be really fire-resilient because they have this big pool of old reserves to draw on,” Drew Peltier, another author, says. However, there is still ample reason to be concerned whether the trees will properly rebound. The sprouts are much smaller than the former forest cover, and the trees require energy. “The fact that the reserves used are so old indicates that they took a long time to build up,” says Susan Trumbore, a scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry who is not involved in the study. “Redwoods are majestic organisms. One cannot help rooting for those resprouts to keep them alive in decades to come.”

Redwood trees have responded to fire damage by releasing buds that had been hidden within their bark for a thousand years as “stored energy.”

Photo: Michael Schweppe via Wikimedia Commons

h/t: [Science]

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READ: Fire-Scarred Redwoods Are Rebounding by Sprouting 1000-Year-Old Buds