Out with the Canadian geese, in with the least sandpipers. That’s a New Year’s resolution nearly 25 years in the making for the public airport in Santa Barbara, Calif., where big-bird-fearing pilots and small-bird-loving environmentalists are both celebrating the return of Pacific Ocean tides to the surrounding wetlands. The once controversial idea — which required flexibility on the part of the Federal Aviation Administration and plenty of patience from everyone else involved — will improve the environment while making flying safer and, therefore, cheaper. One airport has ... Read More
Outsourcing Science to Keep Results Untainted
December 9, 2010 • By • Leave a Comment
Earlier this year, the state of California released a 263-page report about the process of turning offshore oil rigs into reefs for the benefit of marine life. For the California Ocean Science Trust, which spent nearly two years preparing the document, the June afternoon was a victory for scientists everywhere. Whether the environmentalists in attendance appreciated it or not, the publication of "Evaluating Alternatives for Decommissioning California's Offshore Oil and Gas Platforms" represented a leap forward for the Golden State, which is turning to the nonprofit sector to produce ... Read More