Featured Polls find renewable energy enjoys public favor despite criticism, problems (Texas Climate News, 11/02/2011) Two recent national polls – one by a solar trade organization and one by the University of Texas – show that the public favor for renewable energy remains strong. Respondents favored wind and solar energy while voicing dissatisfaction with nuclear and fossil-fuel companies’ performance. The…
Featured A drought for the centuries: It hasn’t been this dry in Texas since 1789 (Texas Climate News, 10/23/2011) Scientists at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory analyzed tree-ring data to calculate how drought conditions dating back hundreds of years (to 1550 in Texas) ranked on the standard Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). According to their findings, 1789 was the only…
Featured Drought causing unusual aquatic behavior in bay (Shannon Tompkins – Houston Chronicle, 10/17/2011) The Texas drought has had a major impact on coastal marine environment. The drought has caused an outbreak of red tide along the coast. Red tides most often occurs along the Texas coast when environmental conditions combine to bring together high water temperatures, high salinity levels…