Latest news with #MainePublic
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Revolutionary 3D-printed homes could solve a major problem in the US: 'Takes only a week to create'
A game-changing construction method from the University of Maine could help solve the U.S. housing crisis. A segment broadcast on "Good Morning America" profiled BioHome3D, a sustainable housing solution from the University of Maine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center. It uses a 3D printer to create a modular home with just two ingredients: wood waste and corn resin. As reporter Ginger Zee explained, sawmills in the Pine Tree State produce about 1 million tons of wood waste each year. The 600-square-foot home "takes only a week to create," Zee said, and it has already passed its first significant test: surviving one of Maine's brutal winters, with windchill factors falling below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, as Maine Public detailed. With the materials costing around $40,000, it's conceivable that upscaling production could lower costs further. As Zee observed, sub-$100,000 starter homes could be a realistic proposition. ASCC is partnering with a local nonprofit to add nine more homes made with 3D-printed materials in the coming year. With more funding secured from Congress and plans to get a factory up and running by 2026, 3D-printed homes could soon be commonplace in New England. According to a report from detailed by Investopedia, U.S. home supply was almost 4 million short in 2024. It noted that if construction rates remain unchanged, it would take over seven years to catch up with demand. However, cutting-edge technology could provide the answer at a fraction of the cost and time required for traditional construction, with significantly less environmental impact. Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Definitely Not sure No way Only in some cities Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Aside from the cost and speed of construction, there are substantial environmental benefits. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the construction industry has a significant pollution footprint, producing around 21% of global planet-warming pollution. Dwellings created by BioHome3D drain fewer resources and require fewer machines powered by dirty fuels, significantly slashing the environmental impact of construction. Another advantage is that the materials can be easily broken down and recycled, which isn't the case with concrete. Extreme weather events in the United States — including wildfires, deadly storms, and flooding — are increasing in frequency and intensity. Human-caused pollution traps heat in the atmosphere, providing favorable circumstances for such conditions to thrive. Not only is cutting pollution essential to reduce the risk of extreme weather, but there is also a clear advantage to having buildings that can be assembled quickly and cheaply to help people rebuild their lives should their homes be damaged or destroyed. What's more, with uncertainties over the global supply chain, sustainable homes built with locally available materials make a great deal of sense. One comment on the video read, "This is genius especially considering the current financial climate." Another offered a word of caution against future speculation, saying, "All we need to do is keep investors out to keep them affordable." Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maine Public could lose 12% of funding with executive order to defund NPR, PBS
May 2—Maine Public Broadcasting Network could lose 12% of its funding, following an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to "cease federal funding for NPR and PBS," the nation's primary public broadcasters. President Donald Trump signed the order late Thursday, alleging bias in the programming. Aside from pulling funding, the order instructs the corporation and other federal agencies to root out indirect sources of public financing for the new organizations. In a social media post announcing the signing, the White House said the outlets "receive millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as 'news.'" Rick Schneider, president and CEO of Maine Public, the statewide network for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, said the network would lose more than $2 million of its roughly $18 million budget. "It is the latest step in an attack on the free press in this country," he said, but "this is not a done deal by any means, (and) Maine Public is going to be there for Mainers, and we're focused on our work today and into the future." The $2.3 million doesn't fund a specific program. Instead, according to Schneider, it helps "ensure universal free access to public broadcasting." Schneider said the money goes to basic infrastructure, while programming is paid for by private fundraising. Maine Public can likely survive without 12% of its funding, though it is unclear whether it would cut expenses, raise more money, adjust the business model or work out a combination of all three. The organization has about 120 employees. Schneider said he's more concerned about the future of small, local stations that rely on federal dollars for 50% or more of their funding. PBS and NPR get membership dues from stations that want to access their programming. "We need a strong national system in order to create PBS and NPR programming," Schneider said. "Would Maine Public evolve? That's entirely possible. But would Maine Public have the strong PBS and NPR programs that people rely on from us in addition to our own Maine services?" That's less clear. "That's why this is so essential," he said. But Schneider isn't too concerned yet. "People see the executive order and the headlines and think it's over for public broadcasting," he said. "But the truth is that it's very hard to see any legal authority to do this." Federal funding for public media flows through The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, an independent nonprofit created and funded by Congress to operate separately from the federal government. Congress allocated it about half a billion dollars for the current fiscal year. On Friday, the nonprofit dismissed the validity of the executive order. "CPB is not a federal executive agency subject to the President's authority," Patricia Harrison, president and CEO, said in a written statement. The statute passed by Congress "expressly forbade 'any department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States to exercise any direction, supervision, or control over educational television or radio broadcasting, or over [CPB] or any of its grantees or contractors." "This looks bad, but there's a very real question whether this means anything or is going to stand," Schneider said. NPR has vowed to challenge the executive order "using all means available." "We will vigorously defend our right to provide essential news, information and life-saving services to the American public," the news organization said in a statement. "The President's order is an affront to the First Amendment rights of NPR and locally owned and operated stations throughout America to produce and air programming that meets the needs of their communities." Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Experts raise concerns after observing unprecedented change in species: 'It shouldn't be here'
Rising global temperatures have contributed to unpredictable weather events, but one constant is that wildlife is doing its best to adapt to the changing climate. Songbirds that used to migrate to warmer climates during winter have been spotted in Maine year-round, as the state experiences shorter and milder winters, Maine Public reported. Over half of the more than 650 breeding bird species of North America are migratory, according to All About Birds, meaning these birds undertake the seasonal journeys of moving from one area to another. Birds migrate primarily because their food is limited during harsh winter months, and escaping to a warmer environment is also more enjoyable than shivering in the cold. With the consistent uptrend in global temperatures, however, even the coldest states in the country are not so bad during winter. Maine, which ranked eighth on a list of the nation's worst winter states, according to Thrillist, has warmed in winter a shocking 5 degrees Fahrenheit compared to a century ago. Maine's cold season is also two weeks shorter than it used to be. Birds that were once uncommon in wintertime are becoming prevalent. Red-bellied woodpeckers, for example, a formerly southern bird species, have been spotted in Maine throughout the year, according to Maine Public. The Carolina wren has also expanded northward, making regular appearances in Maine backyards. Bird field guides are now out of date, misleading bird enthusiasts. "Until the 1980s or so, Carolina wrens were barely into southern New England. So a lot of people see an old map like that, and just think, 'Oh, this bird. It shouldn't be here,' but that's really what the change has been," said Doug Hitchcox, staff naturalist with Maine Audubon, per Maine Public. Rising global temperatures, caused by heat-trapping gases that come from the burning of dirty fuels for energy, are affecting wildlife behavior, causing birds to shift their natural migratory patterns. Extreme heat has pushed Ugandan wildlife, such as monkeys, snakes, and elephants, out of their natural habitats and into new environments — typically urban areas already inhabited by humans. As the planet gets warmer, sea levels rise, posing imminent flooding threats to coastal cities and towns, and extreme weather events become more frequent and severe. Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely It depends on the species I don't know No — leave nature alone Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. One hundred ninety-five nations committed to combating rising global temperatures by endorsing the Paris Agreement, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. The Paris Agreement represents a global effort to reduce pollution and limit the global average temperature rise to below 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. While the United States has stepped back from this global accord with a planned exit in 2026, other countries are committed to achieving its goals, according to Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, per Reuters. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
'Breakdown in Maine' documentary nominated for Peabody award
Apr. 15—"Breakdown in Maine," the documentary produced by PBS, the Portland Press Herald and Maine Public charting missed opportunities to prevent the 2023 mass shooting in Lewiston, has been nominated for the George Foster Peabody Award for public service. The film was part of a monthslong cooperative effort by the Press Herald, Maine Public and the PBS series "Frontline" tracing opportunities law enforcement had to intervene and possibly prevent the state's deadliest mass shooting, which claimed the lives of 18 and left at least 13 wounded. Friends, loved ones and colleagues of the shooter spoke about their attempts to find him help, as well as their own fears over his actions. The film is one of four finalists, including submissions by the Marshall Project, PBS and others. Peabody nominees were selected from more than 1,000 submissions by a group of 27 jurors, who unanimously chose this year's slate, the award body said in a written announcement. The group is based out of the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. This year's ceremony will mark 85 years since the award was first introduced. "This year's nominees explore the local and global, the forgotten and the widely celebrated, the extraordinary and beautiful, and the ugliest and most horrible side of our inhumanity to others," Peabody Executive Director Jeffrey Jones said in a written statement. Winners will be announced May 1, with a celebration slated for June 1 in Beverly Hills, California. Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Scientists sound alarm after observing changing behavior among lobsters: 'It is stunning that we keep getting surprised'
Scientists and lobster lovers alike are concerned about a northern migration of lobsters to colder Canadian waters. The mostly Maine-based U.S. lobster industry took a major hit in 2024, as its lobster catch reached a 15-year low of about 86 million pounds, according to Maine Public. Major storms that affected fisheries this year exacerbated these low numbers. Even though Maine's lobster haul has decreased each year since 2021, it is still at a historically high number overall compared to catch volumes in the early 2000s, according to the Associated Press. However, scientists are concerned about the much lower numbers of baby lobsters found in the waters off New England. Even if numbers are currently still high, they are decreasing, and experts fear a future drop in numbers as lobsters continue to move to colder water off the coast of Canada as New England's waters warm. The decrease in lobster population hit consumers' wallets hard. Prices per pound were among the highest ever in 2024 because of the high demand and the limited availability of lobster. The price was $1.17 higher per pound than the year before, according to Maine Public. Additionally, many Mainers' livelihoods rely on the lobster business. The relocation of lobsters rings an alarm bell about the changing climate. Lobsters are affected in multiple ways by warming waters. Another threat to lobsters and other crustaceans is the acidification of the oceans caused by rising carbon dioxide levels. Human activity is directly linked to the rise in acidity that destroys the calcium carbonate lobsters need to form their shells. These issues might be further compounded by tariffs introduced by the Trump administration. Hundreds of millions of dollars of Maine lobster are annually processed in Canada, which then sends it back to the U.S. or other markets. Which of these groups has the biggest role to play in reducing food waste? Grocery stores Restaurants Individuals The government Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Recently retired marine resources commissioner Pat Keliher said tariffs could "cripple" the U.S. lobster market. The U.S. took major steps forward in ocean conservation in June 2024 with the National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy. More locally, a team of University of Maine researchers published an in-depth study of lobsters' changing habitats at varying stages of development. This, at least, offers insight into what's happening. In Maine, Governor Janet Mills plans to "help rebuild damaged coastal infrastructure, make it more resilient to the effects of climate change, and protect critically important waterfront access for those who make a living on the water," Keliher said, according to AP News. Bob Steneck, professor emeritus of oceanography, marine biology, and marine policy at the University of Maine, said in a university report, "When you consider that this is one of the best studied commercially important marine species in the world, it is stunning that we keep getting surprised by our iconic lobster." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
