Excerpts from the Globe's environmental blog.
For all of Maine's rustic nature, most parts are never too far from an outlet to plug your computer into. But if you've been in the vast north woods, you know wildness rules.
There, the lack of electricity presented a problem for the US Geological Survey, which measures snowfall (and thus spring flood risk) by melting snow. To do that, electricity is needed.
Scientists tried, without success, to heat collection buckets with batteries and solar panels. Now, USGS scientists have a solution: A small wind turbine powers the measurements on windy and cloudy days, and solar panels are used on calm sunny days. The system will pay for itself in three to four years.
The 9- to 75-pound animals were discovered nearly frozen over the past two winters on Cape Cod, part of a yearly winter tragedy in which young sea turtles get trapped in Cape Cod Bay. As winter moves in, their body temperatures decline and they become lethargic. If they are lucky, they are washed up on beaches, where volunteers find them each winter. Such was the case with the nine.
Two New England Aquarium biologists spent two days and 20 hours driving the turtles south to the 70 degree waters off Jekyll Island, Ga.
Since 2001, when the 130-turbine project in Nantucket Sound was proposed, there have been scores of environmental studies, tons of controversy, a book, new rules - and still, no final decision from the federal government.
Last week, 107 Massachusetts lawmakers signed a letter to US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, urging him to approve Cape Wind as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound has kept up the pressure, opposing Cape Wind.
Salazar is expected to issue a final word in the near future, according to Cape Wind.
