WBUR's Morning Edition Local content from WBUR's Morning Edition broadcasts Our sewage often becomes fertilizer. Problem is, it's tainted with PFAS About half the wastewater sludge in the United States is turned into fertilizer. Some want to ban the practice because the sludge contains PFAS and can contaminate food crops. Others... Play Environment 06:13 Mar 30, 2023 Mass.' 1st environmental justice undersecretary plans to focus on communities of color María Belén Power is the state's first ever undersecretary of environmental justice and equity, a new role created by Gov. Maura Healey. Play Environment 03:50 Mar 17, 2023 Advertisement Yes, this winter has been warmer than usual — and we may have to get used to that This winter is the fifth warmest on record for Boston. Experts say it's likely a sign of what future winters will look like in parts of New England. Play Environment 05:33 Mar 9, 2023 Residents in one western Maine town look to curb Poland Spring’s appetite for water In a small town near the New Hampshire border, bottled water giant Poland Spring is allowed to extract over a million gallons of water a year from land it owns.... Play Environment 07:09 Mar 3, 2023 Inside the fight to expand a burnt trash landfill in a Saugus marsh WIN Waste's incinerator, one of the oldest in the U.S., and its landfill are located at Rumney Marsh, an area of critical environmental concern Play Environment 06:22 Mar 1, 2023 New England researchers optimistic a tiny wasp is turning the tide against emerald ash borer The stingless wasp is tiny – about the size of a mosquito. But scientists have big hopes for it. In Russian forests, where the wasp is originally from, it naturally... Play Environment 04:08 Feb 21, 2023 Private well owners stuck with costs to treat 'forever chemicals' There are no state or federal regulations regarding private wells and the chemicals known as PFAS. This gap creates inequities for the 600,000 Massachusetts residents who get drinking water from... Play Environment 05:21 Feb 15, 2023 Toxic 'forever chemicals' force Mass. towns to face 'true cost of water' Massachusetts' limit on PFAS in drinking water is one of the strictest in the country. Removing the chemicals from drinking water can cost millions, and so far, communities have footed... Play Environment 04:52 Feb 14, 2023 For EVs to take off, Boston needs more equitable placement of chargers Boston has more than 900 electric vehicle chargers, and most are concentrated downtown. Neighborhoods like Mattapan, Hyde Park, Roslindale and parts of Dorchester could be considered charging deserts. The city... Play Environment 05:44 Feb 2, 2023 Somerville and Medford mayors discuss Green Line extension, T's largest expansion in decades The MBTA's new Green Line expansion to Somerville and Medford is set to open Monday. The extended subway line is being lauded as a major environmental win. Play Environment 05:30 Dec 10, 2022 Across New England, a group is working to find – and save – native plants The Native Plant Trust estimates more than one-fifth of the region’s native plants are in danger from development, climate change, rising temperatures, and storm surges. Play Environment 04:00 Oct 26, 2022 How pavement can help cool overheated cities, even in chilly Mass. More communities, even those in historically colder states, must start reducing pavement or making it more reflective, experts say. These strategies will help slow global warming and cool cities. One... Play Environment 05:54 Oct 24, 2022 Property owners must now manage stormwater runoff near Greater Boston rivers EPA regional administrator Dr. David Cash joined WBUR's Morning Edition host Rupa Shenoy to discuss. Play Environment 04:58 Sep 14, 2022 Want to help the planet? Rethink your lawn Alternatives to the green lawn are growing in popularity in New England, motivated by homeowner's desire to lower their environmental footprint and support pollinators and other wildlife. Play Environment 05:47 Aug 22, 2022 Boston appoints its first-ever Green New Deal director. These are his priorities Oliver Sellers-Garcia is tasked with tackling Boston's climate issues in areas including housing, transit and energy. Play Environment 05:21 Aug 16, 2022 One idea to reduce coastal flooding in Boston: create an artificial wetland Researchers in East Boston are testing a floating ball of marsh grass and seaweed as part of a system to reduce coastal flooding. The project is called the Emerald Tutu. Play Environment 06:32 Aug 11, 2022 Meet the foresters keeping an eye on New Hampshire's trees from the sky Affectionately nicknamed the "Bug Patrol," the aerial survey team goes up in a tiny airplane every summer to record damage in New Hampshire's forests. Play Environment 04:00 Aug 9, 2022 Separating green hydrogen's hope from hype Hydrogen packs a powerful energy punch. But finding a clean — and cheap — way to unleash this power has remained elusive. Now several companies are working to unlock the... Environment Jul 28, 2022 Planting 1,000 wildflowers to restore a biodiversity hotspot on Martha's Vineyard Volunteers planted New England Blazing Star at Bamford Preserve, a rare sandplain grassland on Martha's Vineyard. Sandplain grasslands are biodiversity hotspots found only along the northeast Atlantic Coast. Play Environment 05:19 Jul 6, 2022 This biologist eavesdropped on humpback whales for decades. What he heard helped save the species Biologist Roger Payne, creator of the iconic album "Songs of the Humpback Whale" explains how the record came to be. Play Environment 05:52 Jul 1, 2022 Next Page
Our sewage often becomes fertilizer. Problem is, it's tainted with PFAS About half the wastewater sludge in the United States is turned into fertilizer. Some want to ban the practice because the sludge contains PFAS and can contaminate food crops. Others... Play Environment 06:13 Mar 30, 2023
Mass.' 1st environmental justice undersecretary plans to focus on communities of color María Belén Power is the state's first ever undersecretary of environmental justice and equity, a new role created by Gov. Maura Healey. Play Environment 03:50 Mar 17, 2023
Yes, this winter has been warmer than usual — and we may have to get used to that This winter is the fifth warmest on record for Boston. Experts say it's likely a sign of what future winters will look like in parts of New England. Play Environment 05:33 Mar 9, 2023
Residents in one western Maine town look to curb Poland Spring’s appetite for water In a small town near the New Hampshire border, bottled water giant Poland Spring is allowed to extract over a million gallons of water a year from land it owns.... Play Environment 07:09 Mar 3, 2023
Inside the fight to expand a burnt trash landfill in a Saugus marsh WIN Waste's incinerator, one of the oldest in the U.S., and its landfill are located at Rumney Marsh, an area of critical environmental concern Play Environment 06:22 Mar 1, 2023
New England researchers optimistic a tiny wasp is turning the tide against emerald ash borer The stingless wasp is tiny – about the size of a mosquito. But scientists have big hopes for it. In Russian forests, where the wasp is originally from, it naturally... Play Environment 04:08 Feb 21, 2023
Private well owners stuck with costs to treat 'forever chemicals' There are no state or federal regulations regarding private wells and the chemicals known as PFAS. This gap creates inequities for the 600,000 Massachusetts residents who get drinking water from... Play Environment 05:21 Feb 15, 2023
Toxic 'forever chemicals' force Mass. towns to face 'true cost of water' Massachusetts' limit on PFAS in drinking water is one of the strictest in the country. Removing the chemicals from drinking water can cost millions, and so far, communities have footed... Play Environment 04:52 Feb 14, 2023
For EVs to take off, Boston needs more equitable placement of chargers Boston has more than 900 electric vehicle chargers, and most are concentrated downtown. Neighborhoods like Mattapan, Hyde Park, Roslindale and parts of Dorchester could be considered charging deserts. The city... Play Environment 05:44 Feb 2, 2023
Somerville and Medford mayors discuss Green Line extension, T's largest expansion in decades The MBTA's new Green Line expansion to Somerville and Medford is set to open Monday. The extended subway line is being lauded as a major environmental win. Play Environment 05:30 Dec 10, 2022
Across New England, a group is working to find – and save – native plants The Native Plant Trust estimates more than one-fifth of the region’s native plants are in danger from development, climate change, rising temperatures, and storm surges. Play Environment 04:00 Oct 26, 2022
How pavement can help cool overheated cities, even in chilly Mass. More communities, even those in historically colder states, must start reducing pavement or making it more reflective, experts say. These strategies will help slow global warming and cool cities. One... Play Environment 05:54 Oct 24, 2022
Property owners must now manage stormwater runoff near Greater Boston rivers EPA regional administrator Dr. David Cash joined WBUR's Morning Edition host Rupa Shenoy to discuss. Play Environment 04:58 Sep 14, 2022
Want to help the planet? Rethink your lawn Alternatives to the green lawn are growing in popularity in New England, motivated by homeowner's desire to lower their environmental footprint and support pollinators and other wildlife. Play Environment 05:47 Aug 22, 2022
Boston appoints its first-ever Green New Deal director. These are his priorities Oliver Sellers-Garcia is tasked with tackling Boston's climate issues in areas including housing, transit and energy. Play Environment 05:21 Aug 16, 2022
One idea to reduce coastal flooding in Boston: create an artificial wetland Researchers in East Boston are testing a floating ball of marsh grass and seaweed as part of a system to reduce coastal flooding. The project is called the Emerald Tutu. Play Environment 06:32 Aug 11, 2022
Meet the foresters keeping an eye on New Hampshire's trees from the sky Affectionately nicknamed the "Bug Patrol," the aerial survey team goes up in a tiny airplane every summer to record damage in New Hampshire's forests. Play Environment 04:00 Aug 9, 2022
Separating green hydrogen's hope from hype Hydrogen packs a powerful energy punch. But finding a clean — and cheap — way to unleash this power has remained elusive. Now several companies are working to unlock the... Environment Jul 28, 2022
Planting 1,000 wildflowers to restore a biodiversity hotspot on Martha's Vineyard Volunteers planted New England Blazing Star at Bamford Preserve, a rare sandplain grassland on Martha's Vineyard. Sandplain grasslands are biodiversity hotspots found only along the northeast Atlantic Coast. Play Environment 05:19 Jul 6, 2022
This biologist eavesdropped on humpback whales for decades. What he heard helped save the species Biologist Roger Payne, creator of the iconic album "Songs of the Humpback Whale" explains how the record came to be. Play Environment 05:52 Jul 1, 2022