We just hit 100 posts here at UndertheCblog and we couldn’t have done it without you! Thank you all very much for reading and for supporting us on Twitter and Facebook. We started this blog about 9 months ago with the goal of learning how to effectively communicate science to broader audiences. We spend so … Continue reading
Category Archives: Policy
Can coral reef restoration save lives?
Coral reefs are more than “just a pretty face.” Why should we care about coral reefs? If you don’t often interact with coral reefs, or even if you do, you might have trouble answering that question. You probably know that coal reefs are beautiful marine ecosystems. But they only really matter to people who want to … Continue reading
Making Strides: EPA Clean Power Plan a positive (albeit small) step
By now I’m sure you’ve heard about the new Clean Power Plan put forth by the EPA (through the direction of President Obama) on Monday. If not, you should check out the press release and do some digging of your own. As with all issues discussed in my posts, I encourage you, the reader, to … Continue reading
Is the Abbot Point expansion toxic to the Great Barrier Reef?
Unlike many other environmental concerns, threats to the Great Barrier Reef are widely acknowledged beyond the scientific community. The average person may not be able to articulate exactly why the reef is at risk, but he has an idea that survival of the colorful, otherworldly seascape he remembers from so many documentaries is far from … Continue reading
Should we let local politicking shape the conversation about offshore energy development?
One of the most effective arguments against offshore energy developments (of many types – not just offshore wind) is the negative impact to the local viewshed. In North Carolina in particular, the Outer Banks are dominated by land designated as ‘National Seashore,’ and therefore under much greater effective protection from any sort of development than … Continue reading
Film Friday: Restoring East Coast Oysters
Things have been a little slow as we ease into summer schedules here at UNdertheC, but check back next week as we resume our regular posting schedule! Until then, today’s Film Friday ushers in the first official beach weekend of the year with a neat infographics video about oyster restoration. The video, made by a … Continue reading
Solar Roads: Feasible Future or Pipe Dream?
By now you have probably heard of the proposal to build solar roads. It has been making the rounds for a week or so and has reached viral status online. Some very enthused and ambitious engineers out in Idaho are attempting to fund a project to build roadways that also act as solar panels. If … Continue reading
The time is now for alternative energy: can America go 100% renewable?
With the release of the most recent IPCC report, comes science-backed news that we have all been expecting. Climate change is occurring at an alarming rate and lifestyle changes must be made to avoid catastrophe. If you need confirmation of this, read the report, or this great story from the New York Times instead. The … Continue reading
Film Friday: Sea Turtle Release Day!
Scientists at The UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, the UNCW Center for Marine Science, the North Carolina Wildlife Commission, NC State CMAST, the National Parks Service, and the North Carolina Aquariums have been collaborating for quite a while to coordinate a sea turtle release. The day finally came last week, as members of the Peterson lab … Continue reading
Searching for MH 370 in the world’s largest trash can
Are the oceans a limitless resource? No. Clearly not, but we still have policies intact that treat them as such. We are overfishing down the food chain. Blue fin tuna is worth a small fortune and we dredge the deep sea to catch a fish called the Patagonian Toothfish to sell at market. Perhaps you … Continue reading