Connecticut Public is proud to support PBS’s climate programming initiative, a bold commitment to explore environmental impacts on our planet through solutions-driven storytelling.
All Environment
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Some varieties of phlox can be plagued with powdery mildew disease during our humid summers. I'm recommending a few varieties that have done well in trials conducted by Mt. Cuba Center, a public garden in Delaware.
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Want to support pollinators? Ground covers can be a source of pollen and nectar for these essential creatures. Think: strawberries, soapwort and perennial geraniums. Clovers make an excellent ground cover, too.
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Why grow zinnias? There's a type of zinnia for every garden annual lover. They're diverse in color, shape and length. Plus, they attract pollinators to the garden.
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With the longer days and stronger sun, we can start growing vegetables indoors in a sunny window. The keys are full sun, warmth and the right greens.
Climate
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Cold winters are key to curbing an invasive pest that’s depleted Eastern hemlock trees for decades in Connecticut. Warm winters, fueled in part by climate change, allow these insects to spread - but a deep cold snap in 2023 slowed their advance.
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New local fisheries research will look into the impacts of Connecticut’s first offshore wind farm on marine ecosystems in southern New England waters.
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Torrential rains caused widespread problems across the region this summer, ruining crops, washing out roads and flooding homes. But there’s another, often unnoticed, consequence of all that rainwater pouring onto the ground — private wells are getting contaminated.
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Climate change is expected to drive up cardiovascular deaths nationwide as Americans confront more extreme heat. But new research finds Black people could be seven times more likely to die from heat-induced heart events.
Science
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When it comes to state insects, most states honor fuzzy or beloved bugs like honey bees or butterflies. Not so Connecticut, whose bug-to-be-most-proud-of is a voracious non-native predator, Mantis religiosa. Two groups of schoolkids want lawmakers to replace the praying mantis.
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Paredes cites the school’s lack of communication on specific plans to rely more on clean energy and stop investing in non-renewable energy companies as the reason for potential student protests.
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A graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University researched how to shorten the germination time for seeds of a threatened native New England wildflower.
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The state is partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to combat the invasive aquatic plant hydrilla.