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"content": "\u003cp>Under the shadow of a giant sculpture of a bow-and-arrow along San Francisco’s Embarcadero, more than 100 federal \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032873/hundreds-rally-sf-support-epa-trump-cuts-climate-funds\">environmental workers and protesters\u003c/a> gathered late Tuesday afternoon to send off an arrow of their own aimed at the Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They rallied in defense of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its mission, warning that the administration’s plans to dismantle it would significantly harm residents of the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the protesters work for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest office, a few blocks away, responsible for enforcing federal environmental laws throughout California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands and about 150 Native American tribes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have seen more people in tears in the last 100 days than I’ve seen in 20 years,” said Zac Appleton, an EPA employee and lead steward for Chapter 295 National Treasury Employees Union, one of at least three unions representing workers at the Pacific Southwest office. “It’s an absolutely shocking, abusive display of power that’s creating a very hostile work environment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Appleton said as many as 60 employees received notifications Monday about looming staffing reductions and a reorganization. Organizers of Tuesday’s rally said in a release that they are concerned that the president will \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12033338/bay-area-air-traffic-control-is-down-to-1-meteorologist-after-trumps-hiring-freeze\">lay off more employees\u003c/a> and “recklessly endanger the health and safety of all Americans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996671\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996671 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dozens of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers and supporters attend an Earth Day celebration rally to highlight the work they’ve done and to demand that the Trump administration stop dismantling the agency, in Rincon Park, in San Francisco, on April 22, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“These past three months under the Trump administration have been hell,” said Kelly Andreuzzi, an EPA employee who works in the agency’s tribal clean water sector. “Every day we go to work for the good of our country under the constant threat of termination.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gutting the EPA would harm Americans across the country, protesters said, particularly in the Bay Area, where the agency plays a significant role in cleaning up toxic sites, approving climate adaptation projects and reducing pollutants that cause air quality and water pollution issues.[aside postID=news_12036063 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/GavinNewsom1AP-1020x680.jpg']“Once we are gone, the work that we do for the American people is gone, and none of us wants that work to stop,” said Bethany Dreyfus, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1236, which represents many of the at-risk EPA employees in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Administration officials have targeted diversity, equity and inclusion programs, calling them wasteful spending that needs to be cut to align with orders from President Donald Trump. The agency shuttered its environmental justice offices nationwide, including in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>EPA press officials said they were unaware of Tuesday’s rally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has said that environmental justice has been used as an “excuse to fund left-wing activists instead of actually spending those dollars to directly remediate environmental issues for those communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dreyfus said “all the workers who do environmental justice” were “basically given layoff notices letting them know that very soon they will be told that there’s no work for them at the EPA anymore,” after many were put on administrative leave earlier this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996668\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996668\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dozens of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers and supporters attend an Earth Day celebration rally in Rincon Park, in San Francisco on April 22, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In February, EPA officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031373/a-radically-reshaped-epa-takes-its-toll-on-bay-area-environmental-justice-efforts\">terminated $20 billion in climate grants\u003c/a> issued by the Biden administration. The money was meant to finance clean energy and environmental projects through a so-called green bank. Environmental groups filed a lawsuit in response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the billions of dollars in funding terminated by the agency in recent months were 63 grants representing nearly $260 million for projects and organizations across California, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996483/never-before-seen-documents-reveal-epa-canceled-63-grants-across-california\">KQED analysis of a list\u003c/a> compiled by a group of Democratic senators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Climate groups across the Bay Area have seen federal grants canceled or frozen over the last few months. Some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996440/uncertainty-looms-over-bay-area-climate-projects-under-trump\">told KQED they do not know their funding status\u003c/a> because agency staffers have been ordered not to communicate with them. Others are blindly billing for their projects with no assurance that they will be reimbursed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zeldin also announced 31 actions aimed at assigning more authority to the states and relaxing federal regulations. The administration argued that this would lower the cost of living while supporting the energy and automobile industries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the U.S. and more,” Zeldin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have seen more people in tears in the last 100 days than I’ve seen in 20 years,” said Zac Appleton, an EPA employee and lead steward for Chapter 295 National Treasury Employees Union, one of at least three unions representing workers at the Pacific Southwest office. “It’s an absolutely shocking, abusive display of power that’s creating a very hostile work environment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Appleton said as many as 60 employees received notifications Monday about looming staffing reductions and a reorganization. Organizers of Tuesday’s rally said in a release that they are concerned that the president will \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12033338/bay-area-air-traffic-control-is-down-to-1-meteorologist-after-trumps-hiring-freeze\">lay off more employees\u003c/a> and “recklessly endanger the health and safety of all Americans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996671\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996671 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-18-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dozens of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers and supporters attend an Earth Day celebration rally to highlight the work they’ve done and to demand that the Trump administration stop dismantling the agency, in Rincon Park, in San Francisco, on April 22, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“These past three months under the Trump administration have been hell,” said Kelly Andreuzzi, an EPA employee who works in the agency’s tribal clean water sector. “Every day we go to work for the good of our country under the constant threat of termination.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gutting the EPA would harm Americans across the country, protesters said, particularly in the Bay Area, where the agency plays a significant role in cleaning up toxic sites, approving climate adaptation projects and reducing pollutants that cause air quality and water pollution issues.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Once we are gone, the work that we do for the American people is gone, and none of us wants that work to stop,” said Bethany Dreyfus, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1236, which represents many of the at-risk EPA employees in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Administration officials have targeted diversity, equity and inclusion programs, calling them wasteful spending that needs to be cut to align with orders from President Donald Trump. The agency shuttered its environmental justice offices nationwide, including in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>EPA press officials said they were unaware of Tuesday’s rally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has said that environmental justice has been used as an “excuse to fund left-wing activists instead of actually spending those dollars to directly remediate environmental issues for those communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dreyfus said “all the workers who do environmental justice” were “basically given layoff notices letting them know that very soon they will be told that there’s no work for them at the EPA anymore,” after many were put on administrative leave earlier this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996668\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996668\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/20250422_EARTHDAYRALLY_GC-5-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dozens of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers and supporters attend an Earth Day celebration rally in Rincon Park, in San Francisco on April 22, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In February, EPA officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031373/a-radically-reshaped-epa-takes-its-toll-on-bay-area-environmental-justice-efforts\">terminated $20 billion in climate grants\u003c/a> issued by the Biden administration. The money was meant to finance clean energy and environmental projects through a so-called green bank. Environmental groups filed a lawsuit in response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the billions of dollars in funding terminated by the agency in recent months were 63 grants representing nearly $260 million for projects and organizations across California, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996483/never-before-seen-documents-reveal-epa-canceled-63-grants-across-california\">KQED analysis of a list\u003c/a> compiled by a group of Democratic senators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Climate groups across the Bay Area have seen federal grants canceled or frozen over the last few months. Some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996440/uncertainty-looms-over-bay-area-climate-projects-under-trump\">told KQED they do not know their funding status\u003c/a> because agency staffers have been ordered not to communicate with them. Others are blindly billing for their projects with no assurance that they will be reimbursed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zeldin also announced 31 actions aimed at assigning more authority to the states and relaxing federal regulations. The administration argued that this would lower the cost of living while supporting the energy and automobile industries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the U.S. and more,” Zeldin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Regal jumping spiders train themselves from a young age to become masterful hunters. From the day they leave mom’s silk nest, the tiny spiderlings practice, practice, practice, using some of the best vision in the animal world, athletic leaps, sharp fangs and lethal venom.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>With fangs that bite … \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>venom that paralyzes … \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>and liquifies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This regal jumping spider rules her tiny garden domain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She squeezes out every last drop, leaving nothing but a crumpled husk behind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The size of a bottle cap, she had to teach herself how to be this fearsome, starting when she was smaller than a sesame seed. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every jumping spider must learn to stalk and pounce — they don’t use a web to catch prey. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To make the next generation of killers-in-training, she’ll need a mate. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A male arrives in formal attire — jet black with white markings. And blue-green iridescent chelicerae. That’s the name for these appendages that house their venom glands and end in their fangs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quite dashing, indeed. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He captivates her attention with his dance moves. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They embrace, and things get intimate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A couple of weeks after mating, the female jumping spider lays 50-200 eggs inside her cozy nest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She spins a protective silk sac around them … and guards them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they hatch, the nest serves as both their nursery and a silky jungle gym.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They grow up here under the many watchful eyes of their mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They don’t eat during these first few weeks, surviving off of yolk, an energy source left over from when they were in their eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their exoskeletons harden and darken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As they grow, so does their curiosity … and their appetite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They have to venture out into the world to find their first meal. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jumping spiders’ keen eyesight is fine-tuned for daylight hunting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They have eight eyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can see them more clearly on their mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The three smaller pairs on the sides see motion, making it hard for predators to sneak up on them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their central pair are their principal eyes that allow them to see crisp detail and vivid color. They also help these cuties judge distance so they can land on target.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Something catches the spiderling’s attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But at first, the spiderling is a bit unsure of what to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It doesn’t have a teacher. So it’s gotta improvise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OK, that could have gone better. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Got it! \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But now what? \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Aww! \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All right, this time, no messing around. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The spiderling tries out its fangs for the very first time. It doesn’t take long before this tiny hunter enjoys the sweet taste of success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With practice, the spiderling improves its technique.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As she grows, she gets fuzzy, like really fuzzy. And gains the confidence to take on bigger and stronger prey. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over six to nine months, this self-made spider has become a stone cold killer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s the apex predator … at least on this twig.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#Votebelowtodecideournextselection\">Vote below to decide our next selection.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/event/4521\">Climate Book Club\u003c/a> is a place for bookworms who wish to know more about climate and the environment to connect over great reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the past, we largely selected the books for the club, but this season, we are trying something new: offering a handful of publications and asking our audience to vote. The possibilities range from science fiction to a history of U.S. agriculture to how the fight for Indigenous rights can inform activists and policymakers. Read below and make your selection by May 5!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And connect with other book club readers \u003ca href=\"https://discord.com/invite/kqed\">on our Discord\u003c/a>. It’s a smart, inclusive and enthusiastic community. Prepare to be encouraged and made to think.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48932367-animal-vegetable-junk?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=7aKgHCbE2v&rank=1\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food, from Sustainable to Suicidal\u003c/em> by Mark Bittman\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Publication date: Feb. 2, 2021; 384 pages\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known for his writing in the \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> and his books \u003cem>How to Cook Everything\u003c/em> and \u003cem>VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health … for Good,\u003c/em> Mark Bittman embarked on an ambitious quest to present the history of humankind’s relationship to food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A subject which, the reader learns, encompasses everything: “You can’t talk about agriculture without talking about the environment,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48932367-animal-vegetable-junk?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=7aKgHCbE2v&rank=1\">Bittman\u003c/a> wrote. “You can’t talk about animal welfare without talking about the welfare of food workers, and you can’t talk about food workers without talking about income inequality, racism and immigration.”[aside postID=news_11990257 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/240522-BoyMom-18-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg']The \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/books/review/animal-vegetable-junk-mark-bittman.html\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> book review\u003c/a> said Bittman gives a “clear and compelling compendium of modern agriculture. In particular, his rendering of the early mechanization of the American farm is epic and engrossing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39732774-bad-environmentalism?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_20\">\u003cstrong>Bad Environmentalism: Irony and Irreverence in the Ecological Age\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> by Nicole Seymour\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Publication date: Oct. 30, 2018; 304 pages\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Does environmentalism have to be so serious, so unfunny, so doom and gloom? In this book, Nicole Seymour examines the movement in an irreverent, campy, frivolous, playful, even funny way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David Naguib Pellow, author of \u003cem>What is Critical Environmental Justice?\u003c/em>, praised the book: “In an era in which environmental crises have been normalized and environmentalists are viewed by many as overly earnest irritants, Nicole Seymour gives us something we crave (even if we’re loath to admit it!). \u003cem>Bad Environmentalism\u003c/em> offers stunningly original, creative, and playful readings of a diverse range of cultural forms, refuses the binaries of eco-purity politics, and advances a hearty support of ambiguity, irreverence, contradiction, humor, and pleasure, while holding firm against the racism and homophobia that often undergird mainstream environmentalist campaigns and logics. This is a challenging, often hilarious and game-changing book.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60468332-the-light-pirate\">\u003cstrong>The Light Pirate\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cem> \u003c/em>by Lily Brooks-Dalton\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Publication date: Dec. 6, 2022; 336 pages\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Set in the near future, this work of science fiction follows Wanda, a luminous, unusual child born during a hurricane. As she comes of age, Florida slips away and grows increasingly wild, ravaged by climate change and rising waters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the dust jacket: “As Florida continues to unravel, Wanda grows. Moving from childhood to adulthood, adapting not only to the changing landscape, but also to the people who stayed behind in a place abandoned by civilization, Wanda loses family, gains community, and ultimately, seeks adventure, love and purpose in a place remade by nature.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In praise for the book, a\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/03/books/review/lily-brooks-dalton-the-light-pirate.html\">\u003cem> New York Times\u003c/em> book review\u003c/a> said Brooks-Dalton’s post-apocalypse vision is different and “not so dystopian.” “It’s good to read an alternate and more hopeful story of how life might be experienced on a planet that is partly dying but also evolving, even if fewer humans remain.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57341588-climate-stewardship?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_19\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Climate Stewardship: Taking Collective Action to Protect California\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> by Adina Merenlender with Brendan Buhler\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Publication date: Sept. 7, 2021; 296 pages\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Produced in collaboration with the UC California Naturalist Program, \u003cem>Climate Stewardship\u003c/em> focuses on how Californians are working to solve environmental and climate problems across the state.[aside postID=news_11992568 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/img-2878-web_orig-1020x772.jpg']Telling stories of small, community-led activism that is effective and inspirational, Merelender brings the reader from Pepperwood Preserve in Sonoma County to Olive Orchards in San Diego to Joshua trees in the desert to the coastal habitat of the California abalone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the publisher: “\u003cem>Climate Stewardship\u003c/em> shares stories from everyday people and shows how their actions enhance the resilience of communities and ecosystems across ten distinct bioregions. Climate science that justifies these actions is woven throughout, making it easy to learn about Earth’s complex systems. The authors interpret and communicate these stories in a way that is enjoyable, inspiring, and even amusing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41183866-as-long-as-grass-grows?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_22\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, from Colonization to Standing Rock\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> by Dina Gilio-Whitaker\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Publication date: April 2, 2019; 224 pages\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The author tells the story of Native peoples’ resistance and calls for environmentalists to learn from the rich history of activism from the Indigenous community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the publisher: “Through the unique lens of ‘Indigenized environmental justice,’ Indigenous researcher and activist Dina Gilio-Whitaker explores the fraught history of treaty violations, struggles for food and water security, and protection of sacred sites, while highlighting the important leadership of Indigenous women in this centuries-long struggle. \u003cem>As Long As Grass Grows\u003c/em> gives readers an accessible history of Indigenous resistance to government and corporate incursions on their lands and offers new approaches to environmental justice activism and policy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In praise, the \u003cem>Los Angeles Review of Books\u003c/em> wrote: “Gilio-Whitaker takes the reader on a historical journey that, had it been penned about the Jewish Holocaust or the ‘ethnic cleansing’ conducted at the behest of any number of 20th-century despots, would be well known. Yet when it comes to the United States’s continuing campaign to wipe tribal communities from the map, most Americans are in a state of denial that such a thing could happen.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Votebelowtodecideournextselection\">\u003c/a>Vote here:\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_YLpvMOzVDh6yx8RrSgXGIOoODoQK3RrgPr9xwUv6juKQRA/viewform?embedded=true\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "KQED’s Climate Book Club wants your vote! Help pick our next read — from sci-fi to ag history to Indigenous rights — and join the convo on Discord. Make your selection by May 5.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#Votebelowtodecideournextselection\">Vote below to decide our next selection.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/event/4521\">Climate Book Club\u003c/a> is a place for bookworms who wish to know more about climate and the environment to connect over great reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the past, we largely selected the books for the club, but this season, we are trying something new: offering a handful of publications and asking our audience to vote. The possibilities range from science fiction to a history of U.S. agriculture to how the fight for Indigenous rights can inform activists and policymakers. Read below and make your selection by May 5!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And connect with other book club readers \u003ca href=\"https://discord.com/invite/kqed\">on our Discord\u003c/a>. It’s a smart, inclusive and enthusiastic community. Prepare to be encouraged and made to think.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48932367-animal-vegetable-junk?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=7aKgHCbE2v&rank=1\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food, from Sustainable to Suicidal\u003c/em> by Mark Bittman\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Publication date: Feb. 2, 2021; 384 pages\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known for his writing in the \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> and his books \u003cem>How to Cook Everything\u003c/em> and \u003cem>VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health … for Good,\u003c/em> Mark Bittman embarked on an ambitious quest to present the history of humankind’s relationship to food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A subject which, the reader learns, encompasses everything: “You can’t talk about agriculture without talking about the environment,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48932367-animal-vegetable-junk?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=7aKgHCbE2v&rank=1\">Bittman\u003c/a> wrote. “You can’t talk about animal welfare without talking about the welfare of food workers, and you can’t talk about food workers without talking about income inequality, racism and immigration.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/books/review/animal-vegetable-junk-mark-bittman.html\">\u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> book review\u003c/a> said Bittman gives a “clear and compelling compendium of modern agriculture. In particular, his rendering of the early mechanization of the American farm is epic and engrossing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39732774-bad-environmentalism?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_20\">\u003cstrong>Bad Environmentalism: Irony and Irreverence in the Ecological Age\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> by Nicole Seymour\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Publication date: Oct. 30, 2018; 304 pages\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Does environmentalism have to be so serious, so unfunny, so doom and gloom? In this book, Nicole Seymour examines the movement in an irreverent, campy, frivolous, playful, even funny way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>David Naguib Pellow, author of \u003cem>What is Critical Environmental Justice?\u003c/em>, praised the book: “In an era in which environmental crises have been normalized and environmentalists are viewed by many as overly earnest irritants, Nicole Seymour gives us something we crave (even if we’re loath to admit it!). \u003cem>Bad Environmentalism\u003c/em> offers stunningly original, creative, and playful readings of a diverse range of cultural forms, refuses the binaries of eco-purity politics, and advances a hearty support of ambiguity, irreverence, contradiction, humor, and pleasure, while holding firm against the racism and homophobia that often undergird mainstream environmentalist campaigns and logics. This is a challenging, often hilarious and game-changing book.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60468332-the-light-pirate\">\u003cstrong>The Light Pirate\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cem> \u003c/em>by Lily Brooks-Dalton\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Publication date: Dec. 6, 2022; 336 pages\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Set in the near future, this work of science fiction follows Wanda, a luminous, unusual child born during a hurricane. As she comes of age, Florida slips away and grows increasingly wild, ravaged by climate change and rising waters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the dust jacket: “As Florida continues to unravel, Wanda grows. Moving from childhood to adulthood, adapting not only to the changing landscape, but also to the people who stayed behind in a place abandoned by civilization, Wanda loses family, gains community, and ultimately, seeks adventure, love and purpose in a place remade by nature.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In praise for the book, a\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/03/books/review/lily-brooks-dalton-the-light-pirate.html\">\u003cem> New York Times\u003c/em> book review\u003c/a> said Brooks-Dalton’s post-apocalypse vision is different and “not so dystopian.” “It’s good to read an alternate and more hopeful story of how life might be experienced on a planet that is partly dying but also evolving, even if fewer humans remain.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57341588-climate-stewardship?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_19\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Climate Stewardship: Taking Collective Action to Protect California\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> by Adina Merenlender with Brendan Buhler\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Publication date: Sept. 7, 2021; 296 pages\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Produced in collaboration with the UC California Naturalist Program, \u003cem>Climate Stewardship\u003c/em> focuses on how Californians are working to solve environmental and climate problems across the state.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Telling stories of small, community-led activism that is effective and inspirational, Merelender brings the reader from Pepperwood Preserve in Sonoma County to Olive Orchards in San Diego to Joshua trees in the desert to the coastal habitat of the California abalone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the publisher: “\u003cem>Climate Stewardship\u003c/em> shares stories from everyday people and shows how their actions enhance the resilience of communities and ecosystems across ten distinct bioregions. Climate science that justifies these actions is woven throughout, making it easy to learn about Earth’s complex systems. The authors interpret and communicate these stories in a way that is enjoyable, inspiring, and even amusing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41183866-as-long-as-grass-grows?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_22\">\u003cstrong>\u003cem>As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, from Colonization to Standing Rock\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> by Dina Gilio-Whitaker\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Publication date: April 2, 2019; 224 pages\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The author tells the story of Native peoples’ resistance and calls for environmentalists to learn from the rich history of activism from the Indigenous community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the publisher: “Through the unique lens of ‘Indigenized environmental justice,’ Indigenous researcher and activist Dina Gilio-Whitaker explores the fraught history of treaty violations, struggles for food and water security, and protection of sacred sites, while highlighting the important leadership of Indigenous women in this centuries-long struggle. \u003cem>As Long As Grass Grows\u003c/em> gives readers an accessible history of Indigenous resistance to government and corporate incursions on their lands and offers new approaches to environmental justice activism and policy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In praise, the \u003cem>Los Angeles Review of Books\u003c/em> wrote: “Gilio-Whitaker takes the reader on a historical journey that, had it been penned about the Jewish Holocaust or the ‘ethnic cleansing’ conducted at the behest of any number of 20th-century despots, would be well known. Yet when it comes to the United States’s continuing campaign to wipe tribal communities from the map, most Americans are in a state of denial that such a thing could happen.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Votebelowtodecideournextselection\">\u003c/a>Vote here:\u003c/h2>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cdiv class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__shortcodes__shortcodeWrapper'>\n \u003ciframe\n src='https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_YLpvMOzVDh6yx8RrSgXGIOoODoQK3RrgPr9xwUv6juKQRA/viewform?embedded=true?embedded=true'\n title='https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_YLpvMOzVDh6yx8RrSgXGIOoODoQK3RrgPr9xwUv6juKQRA/viewform?embedded=true'\n width='760' height='500'\n frameborder='0'\n marginheight='0' marginwidth='0'>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/div>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "can-nasa-help-predict-wildflower-super-blooms",
"title": "Can NASA Help Predict Wildflower Super Blooms?",
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"headTitle": "Can NASA Help Predict Wildflower Super Blooms? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated 9:09 a.m. Tuesday\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What if scientists could accurately predict when and where a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996323/where-to-see-wildflowers-near-you-in-the-bay-area\">wildflower super bloom\u003c/a> will occur?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA researchers are working to do just that — with the help of a fancy device they call an imaging spectrometer. The advanced camera maps and tracks blooms across landscapes in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These scientists analyzed native California wildflowers for a \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70127\">recent study\u003c/a> and found that both space-based and airborne sensors can monitor the seasonal cycles of blooming plants by detecting one of their signature traits: colors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This camera has the capability to let us see what we don’t see as humans with our vision,” said Yoseline Angel, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and lead researcher of the study. “Our vision is limited.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This kind of data could become a powerful tool for farmers, ecologists and conservationists who rely on flowering plants for food production and ecosystem health. It could even help wildflower enthusiasts track local blooms with scientific precision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1747px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996592\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1747\" height=\"940\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89.jpg 1747w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-800x430.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-1020x549.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-768x413.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-1536x826.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1747px) 100vw, 1747px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Overview of yellow and orange wildflower blooms around Pine Flat Lake hillsides and along Kings River, California, on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Satellite Image Landsat 8&9/OLI, NASA Worldview)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To collect the data, the research team used a state-of-the-art \u003ca href=\"https://avirisng.jpl.nasa.gov/\">spectrometer\u003c/a> developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Mounted on an aircraft, the sensor flew over \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/california-field-campaign-helping-scientists-protect-diverse-ecosystems/\">two California nature reserves between February and June 2022\u003c/a> and captured hundreds of wavelengths of light — far beyond what the human eye can see — allowing researchers to monitor the wildflower bloom and its fade throughout the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, scientists on the ground with handheld devices measured how the different flowers reflect light, building a library for each flower type.[aside postID=science_1996323 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/03/GettyImages-1141101456-1020x680.jpg']By comparing the spectrometer’s data with ground measurements, researchers were able to determine where flowers were blooming in the aerial images and create maps that show blooming patterns over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers had never before used the instrument to monitor blooming vegetation for an entire growing season, collecting images each week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-takes-to-the-air-to-study-wildflowers/\">said David Schimel, a research scientist with NASA JPL\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flowers have a bigger impact on the landscape’s appearance in aerial images than the scientists expected. The team was able to differentiate between flowers, leaves and background cover with 97% accuracy and determine different flowering stages with 80% certainty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spectral imaging could be a game-changer for tracking blooms on a regional or even global scale — without needing to hike through every field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A challenge was differentiating flower colors from leaves, soil and shadows. “Compared to other parts of a plant, flowers can be pretty ephemeral,” Angel said. “They may last only a few weeks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996594\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996594\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2-768x509.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">NASA’s AVIRIS sensors have been used to study wildfires, World Trade Center wreckage, and critical minerals, among numerous airborne missions over the years. AVIRIS-3 is seen here on a field campaign in Panama, where it helped analyze vegetation in many wavelengths of light not visible to human eyes. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA/Shawn Serbin)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Flowering plants, from crops to desert shrubs, synchronize their bloom cycles with seasonal changes in temperature, \u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/earth/water-on-earth/nasa-study-crops-forests-responding-to-changing-rainfall-patterns/\">rainfall\u003c/a> and daylight. However, these patterns are shifting due to climate change, and scientists are eager to track how rising temperatures impact plant life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flowers produce pigments that absorb and reflect light in unique ways. Spectrometers can detect these light signatures and identify plants based on their distinct \u003ca href=\"https://avirisng.jpl.nasa.gov/science.html\">chemical “fingerprints.”\u003c/a> This technology has been used for \u003ca href=\"https://microdevices.jpl.nasa.gov/capabilities/imaging-spectroscopy/\">decades\u003c/a> to analyze planetary surfaces — including Earth — and is now proving valuable for monitoring plant life from above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These sensors are helping us to see what pollinators see,” Angel said, adding that pollinators like bees, birds or butterflies see through different spectral ranges than humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The implications extend far beyond wildflowers. Around 90% of land plants are flowering species, many of which are crucial to agriculture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Understanding their bloom patterns could help farmers plan harvests and track crop development, assist conservationists in managing habitats and support climate scientists tracking changes over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996595\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1320px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996595\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-1020x573.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Researcher Ann Raiho measures sunlight interacting with yellow Coreopsis gigantea flowers during field work in the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve in California’s Santa Barbara County in 2022. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA/Yoseline Angel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Angel and her team are now analyzing data from a \u003ca href=\"https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/\">spectrometer\u003c/a> aboard the International Space Station, originally designed to map Earth’s desert minerals. By combining those images with environmental conditions, scientists hope to predict when and where massive super blooms — those rare, breathtaking explosions of desert flowers — will occur.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beyond scientific research, the project has sparked excitement among citizen scientists. Angel, who follows wildflower updates through social media, believes public enthusiasm can complement NASA’s data collection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People can help us to observe and report flowers. If they see something like a bloom or super bloom happening, they can always help us to try to enhance our models and [contribute to] science,” Angel said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apps like \u003ca href=\"https://observer.globe.gov/about/get-the-app\">GLOBE\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.inaturalist.org/\">iNaturalist\u003c/a> let people be part of the science — by snapping photos and logging what plants or flowers they see, users help scientists study changes in nature and the environment over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"headline": "Can NASA Help Predict Wildflower Super Blooms?",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated 9:09 a.m. Tuesday\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What if scientists could accurately predict when and where a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996323/where-to-see-wildflowers-near-you-in-the-bay-area\">wildflower super bloom\u003c/a> will occur?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NASA researchers are working to do just that — with the help of a fancy device they call an imaging spectrometer. The advanced camera maps and tracks blooms across landscapes in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These scientists analyzed native California wildflowers for a \u003ca href=\"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70127\">recent study\u003c/a> and found that both space-based and airborne sensors can monitor the seasonal cycles of blooming plants by detecting one of their signature traits: colors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This camera has the capability to let us see what we don’t see as humans with our vision,” said Yoseline Angel, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and lead researcher of the study. “Our vision is limited.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This kind of data could become a powerful tool for farmers, ecologists and conservationists who rely on flowering plants for food production and ecosystem health. It could even help wildflower enthusiasts track local blooms with scientific precision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1747px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996592\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1747\" height=\"940\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89.jpg 1747w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-800x430.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-1020x549.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-768x413.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/KingsRiver-2025-03-26-Landsat-89-1536x826.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1747px) 100vw, 1747px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Overview of yellow and orange wildflower blooms around Pine Flat Lake hillsides and along Kings River, California, on March 26, 2025. \u003ccite>(Satellite Image Landsat 8&9/OLI, NASA Worldview)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To collect the data, the research team used a state-of-the-art \u003ca href=\"https://avirisng.jpl.nasa.gov/\">spectrometer\u003c/a> developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Mounted on an aircraft, the sensor flew over \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/california-field-campaign-helping-scientists-protect-diverse-ecosystems/\">two California nature reserves between February and June 2022\u003c/a> and captured hundreds of wavelengths of light — far beyond what the human eye can see — allowing researchers to monitor the wildflower bloom and its fade throughout the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, scientists on the ground with handheld devices measured how the different flowers reflect light, building a library for each flower type.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>By comparing the spectrometer’s data with ground measurements, researchers were able to determine where flowers were blooming in the aerial images and create maps that show blooming patterns over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers had never before used the instrument to monitor blooming vegetation for an entire growing season, collecting images each week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-takes-to-the-air-to-study-wildflowers/\">said David Schimel, a research scientist with NASA JPL\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flowers have a bigger impact on the landscape’s appearance in aerial images than the scientists expected. The team was able to differentiate between flowers, leaves and background cover with 97% accuracy and determine different flowering stages with 80% certainty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spectral imaging could be a game-changer for tracking blooms on a regional or even global scale — without needing to hike through every field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A challenge was differentiating flower colors from leaves, soil and shadows. “Compared to other parts of a plant, flowers can be pretty ephemeral,” Angel said. “They may last only a few weeks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996594\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996594\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/nasa-takes-to-the-air-2-768x509.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">NASA’s AVIRIS sensors have been used to study wildfires, World Trade Center wreckage, and critical minerals, among numerous airborne missions over the years. AVIRIS-3 is seen here on a field campaign in Panama, where it helped analyze vegetation in many wavelengths of light not visible to human eyes. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA/Shawn Serbin)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Flowering plants, from crops to desert shrubs, synchronize their bloom cycles with seasonal changes in temperature, \u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/earth/water-on-earth/nasa-study-crops-forests-responding-to-changing-rainfall-patterns/\">rainfall\u003c/a> and daylight. However, these patterns are shifting due to climate change, and scientists are eager to track how rising temperatures impact plant life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flowers produce pigments that absorb and reflect light in unique ways. Spectrometers can detect these light signatures and identify plants based on their distinct \u003ca href=\"https://avirisng.jpl.nasa.gov/science.html\">chemical “fingerprints.”\u003c/a> This technology has been used for \u003ca href=\"https://microdevices.jpl.nasa.gov/capabilities/imaging-spectroscopy/\">decades\u003c/a> to analyze planetary surfaces — including Earth — and is now proving valuable for monitoring plant life from above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These sensors are helping us to see what pollinators see,” Angel said, adding that pollinators like bees, birds or butterflies see through different spectral ranges than humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The implications extend far beyond wildflowers. Around 90% of land plants are flowering species, many of which are crucial to agriculture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Understanding their bloom patterns could help farmers plan harvests and track crop development, assist conservationists in managing habitats and support climate scientists tracking changes over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996595\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1320px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996595\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-1020x573.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/1-Wildflower-Field-work-.width-1320-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Researcher Ann Raiho measures sunlight interacting with yellow Coreopsis gigantea flowers during field work in the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve in California’s Santa Barbara County in 2022. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA/Yoseline Angel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Angel and her team are now analyzing data from a \u003ca href=\"https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/\">spectrometer\u003c/a> aboard the International Space Station, originally designed to map Earth’s desert minerals. By combining those images with environmental conditions, scientists hope to predict when and where massive super blooms — those rare, breathtaking explosions of desert flowers — will occur.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beyond scientific research, the project has sparked excitement among citizen scientists. Angel, who follows wildflower updates through social media, believes public enthusiasm can complement NASA’s data collection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People can help us to observe and report flowers. If they see something like a bloom or super bloom happening, they can always help us to try to enhance our models and [contribute to] science,” Angel said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apps like \u003ca href=\"https://observer.globe.gov/about/get-the-app\">GLOBE\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.inaturalist.org/\">iNaturalist\u003c/a> let people be part of the science — by snapping photos and logging what plants or flowers they see, users help scientists study changes in nature and the environment over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Each morning after waking up, Ivan Israel Amezcua heads to his kitchen to prepare mate for himself and his husband. He fills a black teapot, sets it on their sleek, flat induction cooktop and presses a button. The water quickly warms, and he pours it over crushed green leaves tucked into an hourglass-shaped mate gourd on the counter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Israel Amezcua does not light a flame or burn any planet-warming gases in the process. The only flames in the couple’s three-bedroom North Richmond home dance atop scented candles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because the home is fully electric and then some. Each appliance is connected to the couple’s phones, as well as a software that can respond to the needs of the larger electricity grid — what energy nerds call a “virtual power plant.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If weather reports forecast extreme heat and people crank up their air conditioners in the afternoon, Israel Amezcua’s water heater will warm its tank in the morning. His showers will still be hot. Israel Amezcua avoids pulling power from the grid during the hours when it is expensive and in high demand. His backup battery can power his home during peak energy demand, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a bright day, when solar power is abundant and cheap, his home appliances will turn on and the battery charges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996551\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996551\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An aerial view of Ramon Heredia and Ivan Israel Amezcua’s home and solar panels in Richmond on March 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Now imagine many homes, with many electric water and space heaters, induction stoves, smart thermostats, electric vehicle chargers, solar panels and backup batteries. When directed through a command center with software, the potential is enormous to cut demands on the grid or feed power back to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some ways, it is like adding a large-scale power plant without \u003ca href=\"https://www.brattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Californias-Virtual-Power-Potential-How-Five-Consumer-Technologies-Could-Improve-the-States-Energy-Affordability.pdf\">the time-consuming task\u003c/a> of constructing and running a polluting behemoth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates of virtual power plant technology argue it will grow exponentially, modernize and strengthen California’s grid and avoid burning gases that harm the planet. Skeptics see the technology as repackaging what already exists and point out that it can be expensive for customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, California’s lawmakers are introducing bills to build virtual power plants in hopes of lowering soaring electricity costs.[aside postID=news_12029684 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250225-Rebuilding-Electric-MD-02-1020x680.jpg']But none of this was on the minds of Israel Amezcua, a hairstylist, and his husband, Ramon Heredia, when they toured the home they bought last summer. To Heredia, it was just “the most beautiful house in the area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I saw that this house had air conditioning, that was my number one,” said Heredia, who manages inventory at a manufacturing company. “I didn’t know we had solar panels, I didn’t know this was a carbon-free home, I didn’t understand any of that. All I knew was it had air conditioning, and I was going to sleep so comfortably.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The couple also had no idea that dozens of scientists, housing advocates, energy professionals, and journalists — even Eduardo Martinez, Richmond’s mayor — pressed into the “home of the future” for a media event days before it went on the market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A typical power plant might make you think of smoke stacks or Homer Simpson juggling a glowing tube of nuclear waste. A virtual power plant is mostly invisible, said Alexandra McGee, a vice president at MCE, a nonprofit energy provider serving Marin, Napa, Solano and Contra Costa counties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s these small pockets of power tucked into garages or basements or homes and businesses,” McGee said of the distributed appliances that make up the virtual power plant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996549\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996549\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ramon Heredia makes mate in the kitchen of his all-electric home in Richmond on March 21, 2025. Heredia and his partner, Ivan Israel Amezcua, had to buy new cookware to use with the electric oven range. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California’s grid, abundant with solar power in the middle of the day, often experiences a \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=56880\">strain\u003c/a> between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., as the sun sets and people return home from work and begin using their electric appliances. To compensate, energy providers can ramp up a gas-fired power plant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, a virtual power plant could relieve that evening power grid strain: backup batteries, fully charged from midday, could power not only the homes they are attached to but also others nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While virtual power plants are still in their nascency, they could power roughly 1 million homes during times of peak energy use last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The volume could \u003ca href=\"https://www.brattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Californias-Virtual-Power-Potential-How-Five-Consumer-Technologies-Could-Improve-the-States-Energy-Affordability.pdf\">grow fivefold\u003c/a> by 2035, saving ratepayers around $550 million each year, according to a report by research firm the Brattle Group. The extra power could prove significant, as California’s energy needs are anticipated to grow by \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/2023_Integrated_Energy_Policy_Report_Highlights_ADA.pdf\">close to 30%\u003c/a> in the next decade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Assemblymembers \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB740\">John Harabedian, \u003c/a>D-Pasadena, and \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB44\">Nick Schultz,\u003c/a> D-Burbank, as well as state Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB541\">Josh Becker, \u003c/a>D-Menlo Park, have introduced bills to help deploy virtual power plants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1996582 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>MCE heads a pilot in Richmond, which includes the home of Israel Amezcua and Heredia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It kicked off in 2024 and will be fully operational at the end of this year. The pilot includes roughly 100 homes with low-income residents and two businesses. For participating, residents earn up to $50 off of their monthly energy bills, and businesses can earn up to $350. In return, MCE software will communicate with and direct hundreds of appliances, including backup batteries and heat pump water heaters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>MCE is one of several community energy providers in California that generate or purchase power, using PG&E’s infrastructure to deliver it to customers. The virtual power plant cuts down on the costs of buying energy. MCE won state funding to build out the pilot for all the communities it serves over the next four years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It saves MCE money because we’re the ones who are procuring the energy to serve that customer load,” McGee said. “So if collectively we’re shifting everyone out of the more expensive times, then our contracts get cheaper and we can pass along those bill savings for the customers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PG&E spokesperson Paul Doherty said the utility has been using virtual power plant technology for roughly 15 years. He said the company has enough energy to power more than 500,000 homes at any given time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996550\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ivan Israel Amezcua (left) and Ramon Heredia talk about their heating system in the garage of their all-electric home in Richmond on March 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This year, PG&E, Sunrun, a San Francisco-based solar company, and SPAN, a San Francisco-based electric panel company, launched a project in the South Bay and Central Valley that harnesses more than a thousand residential backup batteries and smart panels to reduce strain on the grid. Smart panels connected to the internet allow people to manage how their homes use energy, such as prioritizing when certain appliances run, turn off or charge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apart from reducing the probability of outages and saving money, virtual power plants allow PG&E to “get more out of our existing infrastructure,” Doherty said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If several people adopt new electric vehicles, heat pumps or other technologies in one neighborhood rather than upgrading wires and transformers to accommodate the need for more electricity, a virtual power plant can help balance energy demand. Software can help stagger when EVs charge, for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While some utilities have struggled to interest customers in virtual power plants, representatives of Sunrun think they know how to explain the technology and enroll people. Customers pay no upfront costs to install solar and batteries on their homes. Instead, they contribute a monthly payment. Sunrun manages the software that connects equipment and the logistics of being part of the virtual power plant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sunrun’s Chris Rauscher said their biggest dispatch this year was “enough to power the city of Santa Monica during the evening peak.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996574\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996574\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ivan Israel Amezcua (left) and Ramon Heredia stand inside the garage of their all-electric home in Richmond on March 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, researchers warn that significant barriers, both technological and behavioral, stand in the way of growing virtual power plants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The scaling is really hard,” said Ram Rajagopal, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University, adding that virtual power plants are less reliable than natural gas generators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Israel Amezcua and Heredia moved into a home with gadgets ready to switch on, most people would need to upgrade their existing appliances and electric system to participate in a virtual power plant. Increasing the amount of electricity a panel can handle could cost thousands of dollars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even if it is economically viable for you to adopt it, there’s so many barriers: financing and installation and the panel upgrades, utility approvals, going through all these hoops just demotivates people,” Rajagopal said.[aside postID=science_1995336 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/Brett-Tryon_1-1020x679.jpg']To succeed, Rajagopal said federal electric codes need updating. “If you’re clearly connecting things that are flexible to your panel, you shouldn’t be required to do panel upgrades.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Duncan Callaway, professor of energy and resources at UC Berkeley, said the technology helped keep the lights on during an extreme heatwave in September 2022 when California’s grid nearly shut down and caused blackouts. Utilities controlled the energy use of appliances remotely, which some would call a virtual power plant. Callaway said utilities have done so for decades, and, before the internet, they used radio signals to turn down air conditioners en masse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He is not yet “convinced that this is a new idea versus taking an old idea and just wrapping it into a cool name that you can get funding for.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the issues utilities faced decades ago remain. “Folks are very reluctant to have somebody else controlling how much electricity they consume,” Callaway said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they moved into their home, Israel Amezcua and Heredia bought new pots and pans that work with their induction stove, which requires magnetic materials like iron or steel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I never thought I was going to pay that much for my pans,” Heredia joked, adding that their food tastes better now than before. “This house opened up the opportunity to live differently and to get a better quality of life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That includes paying no gas bill and $11 monthly for electricity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Each morning after waking up, Ivan Israel Amezcua heads to his kitchen to prepare mate for himself and his husband. He fills a black teapot, sets it on their sleek, flat induction cooktop and presses a button. The water quickly warms, and he pours it over crushed green leaves tucked into an hourglass-shaped mate gourd on the counter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Israel Amezcua does not light a flame or burn any planet-warming gases in the process. The only flames in the couple’s three-bedroom North Richmond home dance atop scented candles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because the home is fully electric and then some. Each appliance is connected to the couple’s phones, as well as a software that can respond to the needs of the larger electricity grid — what energy nerds call a “virtual power plant.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If weather reports forecast extreme heat and people crank up their air conditioners in the afternoon, Israel Amezcua’s water heater will warm its tank in the morning. His showers will still be hot. Israel Amezcua avoids pulling power from the grid during the hours when it is expensive and in high demand. His backup battery can power his home during peak energy demand, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a bright day, when solar power is abundant and cheap, his home appliances will turn on and the battery charges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996551\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996551\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-20-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An aerial view of Ramon Heredia and Ivan Israel Amezcua’s home and solar panels in Richmond on March 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Now imagine many homes, with many electric water and space heaters, induction stoves, smart thermostats, electric vehicle chargers, solar panels and backup batteries. When directed through a command center with software, the potential is enormous to cut demands on the grid or feed power back to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some ways, it is like adding a large-scale power plant without \u003ca href=\"https://www.brattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Californias-Virtual-Power-Potential-How-Five-Consumer-Technologies-Could-Improve-the-States-Energy-Affordability.pdf\">the time-consuming task\u003c/a> of constructing and running a polluting behemoth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates of virtual power plant technology argue it will grow exponentially, modernize and strengthen California’s grid and avoid burning gases that harm the planet. Skeptics see the technology as repackaging what already exists and point out that it can be expensive for customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, California’s lawmakers are introducing bills to build virtual power plants in hopes of lowering soaring electricity costs.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But none of this was on the minds of Israel Amezcua, a hairstylist, and his husband, Ramon Heredia, when they toured the home they bought last summer. To Heredia, it was just “the most beautiful house in the area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I saw that this house had air conditioning, that was my number one,” said Heredia, who manages inventory at a manufacturing company. “I didn’t know we had solar panels, I didn’t know this was a carbon-free home, I didn’t understand any of that. All I knew was it had air conditioning, and I was going to sleep so comfortably.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The couple also had no idea that dozens of scientists, housing advocates, energy professionals, and journalists — even Eduardo Martinez, Richmond’s mayor — pressed into the “home of the future” for a media event days before it went on the market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A typical power plant might make you think of smoke stacks or Homer Simpson juggling a glowing tube of nuclear waste. A virtual power plant is mostly invisible, said Alexandra McGee, a vice president at MCE, a nonprofit energy provider serving Marin, Napa, Solano and Contra Costa counties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s these small pockets of power tucked into garages or basements or homes and businesses,” McGee said of the distributed appliances that make up the virtual power plant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996549\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996549\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-13-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ramon Heredia makes mate in the kitchen of his all-electric home in Richmond on March 21, 2025. Heredia and his partner, Ivan Israel Amezcua, had to buy new cookware to use with the electric oven range. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California’s grid, abundant with solar power in the middle of the day, often experiences a \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=56880\">strain\u003c/a> between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., as the sun sets and people return home from work and begin using their electric appliances. To compensate, energy providers can ramp up a gas-fired power plant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, a virtual power plant could relieve that evening power grid strain: backup batteries, fully charged from midday, could power not only the homes they are attached to but also others nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While virtual power plants are still in their nascency, they could power roughly 1 million homes during times of peak energy use last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The volume could \u003ca href=\"https://www.brattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Californias-Virtual-Power-Potential-How-Five-Consumer-Technologies-Could-Improve-the-States-Energy-Affordability.pdf\">grow fivefold\u003c/a> by 2035, saving ratepayers around $550 million each year, according to a report by research firm the Brattle Group. The extra power could prove significant, as California’s energy needs are anticipated to grow by \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/2023_Integrated_Energy_Policy_Report_Highlights_ADA.pdf\">close to 30%\u003c/a> in the next decade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Assemblymembers \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB740\">John Harabedian, \u003c/a>D-Pasadena, and \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB44\">Nick Schultz,\u003c/a> D-Burbank, as well as state Sen. \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB541\">Josh Becker, \u003c/a>D-Menlo Park, have introduced bills to help deploy virtual power plants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1996582 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/IMG_0987-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>MCE heads a pilot in Richmond, which includes the home of Israel Amezcua and Heredia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It kicked off in 2024 and will be fully operational at the end of this year. The pilot includes roughly 100 homes with low-income residents and two businesses. For participating, residents earn up to $50 off of their monthly energy bills, and businesses can earn up to $350. In return, MCE software will communicate with and direct hundreds of appliances, including backup batteries and heat pump water heaters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>MCE is one of several community energy providers in California that generate or purchase power, using PG&E’s infrastructure to deliver it to customers. The virtual power plant cuts down on the costs of buying energy. MCE won state funding to build out the pilot for all the communities it serves over the next four years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It saves MCE money because we’re the ones who are procuring the energy to serve that customer load,” McGee said. “So if collectively we’re shifting everyone out of the more expensive times, then our contracts get cheaper and we can pass along those bill savings for the customers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PG&E spokesperson Paul Doherty said the utility has been using virtual power plant technology for roughly 15 years. He said the company has enough energy to power more than 500,000 homes at any given time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996550\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VIRTUALPOWERPLANT-15-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ivan Israel Amezcua (left) and Ramon Heredia talk about their heating system in the garage of their all-electric home in Richmond on March 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This year, PG&E, Sunrun, a San Francisco-based solar company, and SPAN, a San Francisco-based electric panel company, launched a project in the South Bay and Central Valley that harnesses more than a thousand residential backup batteries and smart panels to reduce strain on the grid. Smart panels connected to the internet allow people to manage how their homes use energy, such as prioritizing when certain appliances run, turn off or charge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Apart from reducing the probability of outages and saving money, virtual power plants allow PG&E to “get more out of our existing infrastructure,” Doherty said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If several people adopt new electric vehicles, heat pumps or other technologies in one neighborhood rather than upgrading wires and transformers to accommodate the need for more electricity, a virtual power plant can help balance energy demand. Software can help stagger when EVs charge, for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While some utilities have struggled to interest customers in virtual power plants, representatives of Sunrun think they know how to explain the technology and enroll people. Customers pay no upfront costs to install solar and batteries on their homes. Instead, they contribute a monthly payment. Sunrun manages the software that connects equipment and the logistics of being part of the virtual power plant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sunrun’s Chris Rauscher said their biggest dispatch this year was “enough to power the city of Santa Monica during the evening peak.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996574\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996574\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250321-VirtualPowerPlant-14-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ivan Israel Amezcua (left) and Ramon Heredia stand inside the garage of their all-electric home in Richmond on March 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, researchers warn that significant barriers, both technological and behavioral, stand in the way of growing virtual power plants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The scaling is really hard,” said Ram Rajagopal, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University, adding that virtual power plants are less reliable than natural gas generators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Israel Amezcua and Heredia moved into a home with gadgets ready to switch on, most people would need to upgrade their existing appliances and electric system to participate in a virtual power plant. Increasing the amount of electricity a panel can handle could cost thousands of dollars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even if it is economically viable for you to adopt it, there’s so many barriers: financing and installation and the panel upgrades, utility approvals, going through all these hoops just demotivates people,” Rajagopal said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>To succeed, Rajagopal said federal electric codes need updating. “If you’re clearly connecting things that are flexible to your panel, you shouldn’t be required to do panel upgrades.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Duncan Callaway, professor of energy and resources at UC Berkeley, said the technology helped keep the lights on during an extreme heatwave in September 2022 when California’s grid nearly shut down and caused blackouts. Utilities controlled the energy use of appliances remotely, which some would call a virtual power plant. Callaway said utilities have done so for decades, and, before the internet, they used radio signals to turn down air conditioners en masse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He is not yet “convinced that this is a new idea versus taking an old idea and just wrapping it into a cool name that you can get funding for.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the issues utilities faced decades ago remain. “Folks are very reluctant to have somebody else controlling how much electricity they consume,” Callaway said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they moved into their home, Israel Amezcua and Heredia bought new pots and pans that work with their induction stove, which requires magnetic materials like iron or steel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I never thought I was going to pay that much for my pans,” Heredia joked, adding that their food tastes better now than before. “This house opened up the opportunity to live differently and to get a better quality of life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That includes paying no gas bill and $11 monthly for electricity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Thousands of Mysterious Blue Creatures Wash Up on Bay Area Beaches After Warmer Winters",
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"headTitle": "Thousands of Mysterious Blue Creatures Wash Up on Bay Area Beaches After Warmer Winters | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Blue, jellyfish-like creatures called Velella velella have been washing up along \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/science/article/bolinas-beach-velella-photos-20249340.php\">California’s coast recently\u003c/a>, captivating beachgoers and worrying climate scientists tracking stranding patterns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gabriel Speyer, who is a member of the South End Rowing Club, was swimming near Aquatic Park near San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square on Wednesday when he noticed these peculiar creatures — also known as “by-the-wind-sailors” — stranded on the shore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There were thousands of dead jellyfish all over the beach,” Speyer said, adding that he also noticed them in the water while he was swimming. “They were all over the beach and in the water too. They’re like little rubbery blue-black discs, and when you’re swimming, they just float out of the way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speyer said he had heard of these sightings occasionally but had never seen them for himself, especially in these amounts. “The trippy part was that so many of them had washed ashore. I’ve never seen something like that before,” Speyer continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These translucent organisms, related to the \u003ca href=\"https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/portuguese-man-o-war.html\">Portuguese man o’ war\u003c/a> — a species of siphonophore closely related to jellyfish — use their small, stiff sails to ride the ocean waves. Unlike their venomous relatives, V. velella stings are relatively mild, according to Steven Haddock, a senior scientist at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996555\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996555\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thousands of Velella velella, blue jellyfish-like creatures, are scattered along the beach at Aquatic Park in San Francisco on April 3, 2025, after washing up on shore. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When beachgoers see them on the shore, they’ve usually been washed up and have dried out, turning them even more translucent. But when they’re alive, the V. velella is a bright blue, purple or indigo. “They’re beautiful when they’re alive,” Haddock told KQED in 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They mainly feed on plankton, including tiny fish larvae and zooplankton, by using their tentacle-like polyps, which dangle beneath their floating bodies, to capture prey. These polyps contain special cells called \u003ca href=\"https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/what-are-those-blue-blobs-washing-socal-beaches#:~:text=Velellas%20are%20a%20part%20of,a%20lot%20of%20zooplankton%20food.\">nematocysts\u003c/a> that help them break down their food before digesting them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>V. velella are most commonly found on Northern California beaches in spring or early summer, according to Raphael Kudela, professor of ocean science at UC Santa Cruz.[aside postID=science_1992036 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/iStock-501441083-1020x680.jpg']“That’s because in the spring is when we have upwelling. Upwelling brings lots of nutrients and lots of nutrients bring phytoplankton and zooplankton.” Kudela said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The upwelling concentrates the animals offshore, and then a change in wind patterns or ocean currents can push them ashore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recent rain storms and winds coming from the south and moving north have blown them ashore. “They don’t wanna be on the beach particularly, but they end up there because they can’t control where they go,“ Kudela said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His forecast for continuing to see them in the coming weeks is rosy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would say if we get a nice high pressure system, which is generally associated with nice clear skies, but also upwelling, it’s going to really concentrate them just offshore,” Kudela added. “And then all we need is a break in that — a low [pressure system] coming through or the high weakening — and then we would probably see a nice big raft of them come washing into the beaches. It’s kind of cool to see, they’re really beautiful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it feels that they’re being seen more often along the coast, there’s a good reason.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996556\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996556\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thousands of Velella velella are scattered along the beach at Aquatic Park in San Francisco on April 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They’ve always been around and they’re not \u003cem>particularly\u003c/em> unusual, Kudela said. However, some\u003ca href=\"https://www.washington.edu/news/2021/03/18/by-the-wind-sailor-jellies-wash-ashore-in-massive-numbers-after-warmer-winters/\"> research indicates\u003c/a> that the frequency of seeing them is increasing over time. Scientists think climate change may be influencing these strandings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Julia K. Parrish, marine biologist and professor at the University of Washington, \u003ca href=\"https://www.int-res.com/articles/meps_oa/m662p069.pdf?__cf_chl_tk=NdC4pAoMi0q69rS6kvdJA9R_dGLrzn8omzBCwGAjM40-1743691105-1.0.1.1-2OdPMCl48WC2.wirQQwAhQ5.fMIx7O0qRNuoOAJzRCY\">studied Velella velella in 2021\u003c/a>. Through community science data, she found a possible link between rising sea surface temperatures and increased strandings. “When we see them a lot, it’s sort of like they’re putting up a huge billboard that says, ‘Hey, pay attention, things are changing,’” \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1982750/blue-jellyfish-like-creatures-ride-california-waves-a-climate-change-indicator\">she told KQED in 2023\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While there is still a lack of concrete evidence, the rising sea temperatures linked to human-caused climate change may lead to more sightings of these disc-like creatures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we see signals coming from the ocean to the coast, we should pay attention,” she said. “The Velella velella is an early-warning bell that we may be seeing some shifts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Blue, jellyfish-like creatures called Velella velella have been washing up along California’s coast recently, captivating Bay Area beachgoers and ringing alarms for climate change scientists. ",
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"title": "Thousands of Mysterious Blue Creatures Wash Up on Bay Area Beaches After Warmer Winters | KQED",
"description": "Blue, jellyfish-like creatures called Velella velella have been washing up along California’s coast recently, captivating Bay Area beachgoers and ringing alarms for climate change scientists. ",
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"headline": "Thousands of Mysterious Blue Creatures Wash Up on Bay Area Beaches After Warmer Winters",
"datePublished": "2025-04-03T13:54:36-07:00",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Blue, jellyfish-like creatures called Velella velella have been washing up along \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/science/article/bolinas-beach-velella-photos-20249340.php\">California’s coast recently\u003c/a>, captivating beachgoers and worrying climate scientists tracking stranding patterns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gabriel Speyer, who is a member of the South End Rowing Club, was swimming near Aquatic Park near San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square on Wednesday when he noticed these peculiar creatures — also known as “by-the-wind-sailors” — stranded on the shore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There were thousands of dead jellyfish all over the beach,” Speyer said, adding that he also noticed them in the water while he was swimming. “They were all over the beach and in the water too. They’re like little rubbery blue-black discs, and when you’re swimming, they just float out of the way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speyer said he had heard of these sightings occasionally but had never seen them for himself, especially in these amounts. “The trippy part was that so many of them had washed ashore. I’ve never seen something like that before,” Speyer continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These translucent organisms, related to the \u003ca href=\"https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/portuguese-man-o-war.html\">Portuguese man o’ war\u003c/a> — a species of siphonophore closely related to jellyfish — use their small, stiff sails to ride the ocean waves. Unlike their venomous relatives, V. velella stings are relatively mild, according to Steven Haddock, a senior scientist at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996555\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996555\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-07-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thousands of Velella velella, blue jellyfish-like creatures, are scattered along the beach at Aquatic Park in San Francisco on April 3, 2025, after washing up on shore. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When beachgoers see them on the shore, they’ve usually been washed up and have dried out, turning them even more translucent. But when they’re alive, the V. velella is a bright blue, purple or indigo. “They’re beautiful when they’re alive,” Haddock told KQED in 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They mainly feed on plankton, including tiny fish larvae and zooplankton, by using their tentacle-like polyps, which dangle beneath their floating bodies, to capture prey. These polyps contain special cells called \u003ca href=\"https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/what-are-those-blue-blobs-washing-socal-beaches#:~:text=Velellas%20are%20a%20part%20of,a%20lot%20of%20zooplankton%20food.\">nematocysts\u003c/a> that help them break down their food before digesting them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>V. velella are most commonly found on Northern California beaches in spring or early summer, according to Raphael Kudela, professor of ocean science at UC Santa Cruz.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“That’s because in the spring is when we have upwelling. Upwelling brings lots of nutrients and lots of nutrients bring phytoplankton and zooplankton.” Kudela said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The upwelling concentrates the animals offshore, and then a change in wind patterns or ocean currents can push them ashore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recent rain storms and winds coming from the south and moving north have blown them ashore. “They don’t wanna be on the beach particularly, but they end up there because they can’t control where they go,“ Kudela said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His forecast for continuing to see them in the coming weeks is rosy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would say if we get a nice high pressure system, which is generally associated with nice clear skies, but also upwelling, it’s going to really concentrate them just offshore,” Kudela added. “And then all we need is a break in that — a low [pressure system] coming through or the high weakening — and then we would probably see a nice big raft of them come washing into the beaches. It’s kind of cool to see, they’re really beautiful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it feels that they’re being seen more often along the coast, there’s a good reason.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996556\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996556\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/04/250403-BLUEJELLIES-16-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thousands of Velella velella are scattered along the beach at Aquatic Park in San Francisco on April 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They’ve always been around and they’re not \u003cem>particularly\u003c/em> unusual, Kudela said. However, some\u003ca href=\"https://www.washington.edu/news/2021/03/18/by-the-wind-sailor-jellies-wash-ashore-in-massive-numbers-after-warmer-winters/\"> research indicates\u003c/a> that the frequency of seeing them is increasing over time. Scientists think climate change may be influencing these strandings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Julia K. Parrish, marine biologist and professor at the University of Washington, \u003ca href=\"https://www.int-res.com/articles/meps_oa/m662p069.pdf?__cf_chl_tk=NdC4pAoMi0q69rS6kvdJA9R_dGLrzn8omzBCwGAjM40-1743691105-1.0.1.1-2OdPMCl48WC2.wirQQwAhQ5.fMIx7O0qRNuoOAJzRCY\">studied Velella velella in 2021\u003c/a>. Through community science data, she found a possible link between rising sea surface temperatures and increased strandings. “When we see them a lot, it’s sort of like they’re putting up a huge billboard that says, ‘Hey, pay attention, things are changing,’” \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1982750/blue-jellyfish-like-creatures-ride-california-waves-a-climate-change-indicator\">she told KQED in 2023\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While there is still a lack of concrete evidence, the rising sea temperatures linked to human-caused climate change may lead to more sightings of these disc-like creatures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we see signals coming from the ocean to the coast, we should pay attention,” she said. “The Velella velella is an early-warning bell that we may be seeing some shifts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>We hope your spring cleaning doesn’t uncover bed bugs, dust mites, termites, drain flies or cockroaches.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Dread them. Run from them. But that won’t stop these unwelcome house guests from coming to visit you anyway. In fact, you’ve probably got them in your home right now making themselves comfortable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s start with the tiny dust mite. It might seem harmless but in large numbers they can cause serious problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Meet the Dust Mites, Tiny Roommates That Feast On Your Skin\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Long ago – around the time we started growing our own food – humans settled down. We went home, inside. We built permanent shelters to protect us from the elements and keep the wild animals at bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or so we thought. Surprise! The animals were right there with us. They still are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is dust. Zoom in and you find an ecosystem almost as elaborate as the one we left outside. But small enough for us to forget it exists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dust is pretty much anything small. But the most important ingredient of dust – at least for the purposes of this story – is skin. Your skin. Her skin. His skin. Tiny flakes that fall off our bodies all day long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco collect and study house dust to find out what exactly makes up this micro-universe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even the cleanest homes are teeming with tiny, almost invisible roommates. And even more so if you have pets or kids or live on the ground floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most homes have over 100 species, no matter how often you vacuum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not just these guys. But these. And these. And these. Most of these microscopic roommates are harmless. Just freeloaders, basically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But one can cause real trouble: the house dust mite. This is like the roommate who leaves his crap around and makes you sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dust mites don’t bite people. They don’t need to. We feed them constantly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Skin flakes are hard to digest. It’s like eating hair, or feathers. So dust mites have powerful digestive enzymes to break the skin down. Those enzymes turn up in dust mite poop. And let’s just say you really don’t want to know how much dust mite poop is in your house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When people breathe dust, they breathe in the poop – and the enzymes, too, which irritate the lungs and can aggravate asthma, especially in kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like us humans, dust mites haven’t always lived inside either. These tiny relatives of spiders and scorpions once lived in birds’ nests. But then, some intrepid dust mites made the jump from birds’ homes to ours. And as our society thrived and grew, so did theirs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These bed bugs are after your blood and they go for it while you’re sleeping. Keep watching to see how researchers stop them dead in their tracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Watch Bed Bugs Get Stopped in Their Tracks\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the … OK, you know where this is going.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lured in by our breath, bed bugs come for us when we’re most vulnerable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In dreamland, we’re oblivious to bed bug chow time. You won’t even feel it. It’s a quick meal. Just a few minutes. But it’s a filling one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stuffed with blood, it scurries to a nearby cranny: the seam of your mattress or behind a baseboard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There, they get to work growing their families. Until you get …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can recognize them by their signature work of art: these tiny splotches. It’s the digested blood they leave behind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the 1950s, we made bed bugs retreat with DDT. But some became resistant and now they’re back. We help them spread – in our clothes or luggage – when we travel around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can kill them with other insecticides or heat, but their game of hide-and-seek makes it tricky. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turns out, there might be another way to stop them in their tracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch this. It’s just taking a stroll and … Gotcha! Its foot is stuck. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This bean leaf can incapacitate the bloodsuckers. People in the Balkans discovered that years ago and would spread the leaves around their beds as a trap. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leaf’s surface is covered in these tiny hooked hairs called trichomes. They pierce right through the bed bug’s feet, impaling their soft joints.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many bean plants – like kidney and green beans – developed the hooks to defend against aphids and other plant-eating pests. But it just so happens to work on our bloodthirsty pest too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Biologist and engineer Catherine Loudon is trying to copy the plant at the University of California, Irvine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s creating a synthetic material that can pierce bed bug feet just like bean leaves do. It’s not quite as effective as a real bean leaf, but she’s working on it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, bed bugs are still a step ahead. So keep an eye out. Spot them early and maybe you can get them before they get you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Termites can infiltrate your home without being seen, and the results can be catastrophic. But these tiny homewreckers wouldn’t be able to do so much damage without the help of special microorganisms hidden in their gut.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>These Termites Turn Your House into a Palace of Poop\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That lump on the side of this tree in the Amazon? It’s packed with termites. In the rainforest, that’s a good thing. They break down wood into stuff other creatures can eat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But inside our homes, termites are pests. They cost us billions of dollars of damage every year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take these dampwood termites that live on the cool California coast. They eat wood that’s wet or decayed, maybe from a leak in your house. Slowly, but surely, they gnaw and scrape away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What comes out the other end isn’t waste. It serves as a kind of mortar. And dried poop pellets make perfect building blocks for their nests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other words, they’re turning your house into theirs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What’s amazing is that they can digest wood, which is so hard, and get nutrients out of it. We certainly can’t do that. Termites are one of the only animals that can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It turns out they don’t do this alone. Researchers are looking inside termites to figure out who’s actually responsible for this feat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the Exploratorium, in San Francisco, museum biologists give the insect a little puff of carbon dioxide. When it’s nice and relaxed, the termite poops itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the microscope, multitudes appear. Hundreds of species of microbes live packed inside a termite’s gut, about one one-thousandth of a teaspoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This big one is called Trichonympha. It’s not an animal, plant or fungus. It’s a protist. Watch it move with the help of its flagella.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Protists like Trichonympha are essential for termites to turn the wood into a source of energy. They do this by fermenting the wood, much the same way a brewer turns grain into beer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Something else is hidden deep in the termite’s gut: a powerful bacterium that combines nitrogen from the air and calories from the wood to make protein. That’s like turning a potato into a steak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Termites can’t live without their microbes. And many of these microbes can’t live outside the termite. So what if we used the microbes against their hosts?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right now, when we want to get rid of termites, we fumigate our houses with poison. But maybe we could just kill the protists instead. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Louisiana State University entomologists are engineering a gut bacterium to kill gut protists. They’d sneak the bacteria into the termite colony on something the termites would eat. The bacteria would kill the protists that help the termites digest wood, leaving them surrounded by food but starving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These cuties are experts in making their way into your house through some secret and slimy passageways. Check it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why Does This Fly Live in Your Bathroom?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Ever wonder where those little insects crawling around your bathroom came from? \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bad news: your drain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With all that fluffy hair, it looks like a tiny moth. And some do call it a moth fly. But a fly it is. A drain fly. It’s called Clogmia – how appropriate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It grew up over several weeks, out of sight, among things you thought you’d washed away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drain flies sneak in from the outside, through a crack in an old pipe, for example, to sip some water they sensed with this long mustache – their maxillary palps. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And here, on the plentiful gunk in your pipes, they’ll grow a family. Welcome, little one! The larva is the length of an eyelash.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That gunk it lives in? Those are bits of you: hair, saliva and food. They make a nice meal for bacteria and fungi, which form this dark, living slime called a biofilm. This is what the larvae feed on. It also keeps them well moisturized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the larva ends up submerged, it can still chow down. It sweeps slime particles out of the water with a hairy mouthpart called the labrum and rakes them in with its mandibles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Underwater, it breathes with a bubble on its backside that it collected at the surface. This allows it to venture through deep pools in your pipes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When larvae, or the more grown-up pupae, like this guy here, end up in a toilet bowl, it can be a shock. You might think the squigglers came out of you. Ew! Don’t worry – they can’t live inside us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even though the drain flies in your bathroom muck around in bacteria, they don’t really spread it to humans. They’re not interested in landing on us. Or even leaving the bathroom. They’re in their happy place. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you wash your hands? They protect themselves from the water with their hairy wings. Each hair has ridges that trap air so the drops roll right off. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if they’re caught off-guard by a sudden surge, the flies skate across.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But they’re not invincible. When they get trapped underwater long enough, they can drown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you find you really need to get rid of them, drain cleaner helps, but it won’t keep them away forever. There will always be some slime left behind, deep in your pipes, that could attract the flies again. So, if they want it, why not let ‘em have it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Are cockroaches – those disgusting disease-spreading roommates – good for anything at all?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists think their super-strength might teach us some tricks that could someday save lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Cockroach vs. Hydraulic Press: Who Wins?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The American cockroach is one of the fastest insects on the planet. It can run up to 3.4 miles per hour. That’d be like a human knocking out eight marathons over their lunch break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It uses hooks, called tarsal claws, to flip over ledges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And not even a wall can stop it. Better to keep up the momentum and figure it out as you go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The roach is both tough and flexible. Its exoskeleton isn’t one large piece of armor, but many shield-like plates made of a tough material called chitin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re held together by lots of pliable joints. And they use all those bendy joints to fold up, origami-style, and push through impossibly small cracks, like that gap you never knew existed in your kitchen cupboard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cockroach can army-crawl through a space a quarter of its normal standing height. That’s one reason it’s so good at surviving your thwack.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So how much pressure can the cockroach take?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists at UC Berkeley found it can withstand a thwack equivalent to 900 times its body weight and walk away unscathed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why are researchers so interested in all this? They think the roach, despite its ability to make us sick, can teach us to save lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of those researchers is now building robots the size of insects to squeeze into places you and I cannot. Like piles of rubble left by major earthquakes or hurricanes. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And maybe down the line, much smaller versions of these robots could even enter our bodies to perform life-saving tasks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the one hand, we want to keep these creatures out – by sealing cracks, caulking windows and storing food in airtight containers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But we also want to learn from them. The cockroach teaches us that the key to overcoming adversity isn’t just toughness. It’s also flexibility.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>We hope your spring cleaning doesn’t uncover bed bugs, dust mites, termites, drain flies or cockroaches.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Dread them. Run from them. But that won’t stop these unwelcome house guests from coming to visit you anyway. In fact, you’ve probably got them in your home right now making themselves comfortable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s start with the tiny dust mite. It might seem harmless but in large numbers they can cause serious problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Meet the Dust Mites, Tiny Roommates That Feast On Your Skin\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Long ago – around the time we started growing our own food – humans settled down. We went home, inside. We built permanent shelters to protect us from the elements and keep the wild animals at bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or so we thought. Surprise! The animals were right there with us. They still are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is dust. Zoom in and you find an ecosystem almost as elaborate as the one we left outside. But small enough for us to forget it exists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dust is pretty much anything small. But the most important ingredient of dust – at least for the purposes of this story – is skin. Your skin. Her skin. His skin. Tiny flakes that fall off our bodies all day long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco collect and study house dust to find out what exactly makes up this micro-universe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even the cleanest homes are teeming with tiny, almost invisible roommates. And even more so if you have pets or kids or live on the ground floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most homes have over 100 species, no matter how often you vacuum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not just these guys. But these. And these. And these. Most of these microscopic roommates are harmless. Just freeloaders, basically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But one can cause real trouble: the house dust mite. This is like the roommate who leaves his crap around and makes you sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dust mites don’t bite people. They don’t need to. We feed them constantly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Skin flakes are hard to digest. It’s like eating hair, or feathers. So dust mites have powerful digestive enzymes to break the skin down. Those enzymes turn up in dust mite poop. And let’s just say you really don’t want to know how much dust mite poop is in your house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When people breathe dust, they breathe in the poop – and the enzymes, too, which irritate the lungs and can aggravate asthma, especially in kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like us humans, dust mites haven’t always lived inside either. These tiny relatives of spiders and scorpions once lived in birds’ nests. But then, some intrepid dust mites made the jump from birds’ homes to ours. And as our society thrived and grew, so did theirs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These bed bugs are after your blood and they go for it while you’re sleeping. Keep watching to see how researchers stop them dead in their tracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Watch Bed Bugs Get Stopped in Their Tracks\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the … OK, you know where this is going.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lured in by our breath, bed bugs come for us when we’re most vulnerable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In dreamland, we’re oblivious to bed bug chow time. You won’t even feel it. It’s a quick meal. Just a few minutes. But it’s a filling one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stuffed with blood, it scurries to a nearby cranny: the seam of your mattress or behind a baseboard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There, they get to work growing their families. Until you get …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can recognize them by their signature work of art: these tiny splotches. It’s the digested blood they leave behind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the 1950s, we made bed bugs retreat with DDT. But some became resistant and now they’re back. We help them spread – in our clothes or luggage – when we travel around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can kill them with other insecticides or heat, but their game of hide-and-seek makes it tricky. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turns out, there might be another way to stop them in their tracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch this. It’s just taking a stroll and … Gotcha! Its foot is stuck. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This bean leaf can incapacitate the bloodsuckers. People in the Balkans discovered that years ago and would spread the leaves around their beds as a trap. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leaf’s surface is covered in these tiny hooked hairs called trichomes. They pierce right through the bed bug’s feet, impaling their soft joints.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many bean plants – like kidney and green beans – developed the hooks to defend against aphids and other plant-eating pests. But it just so happens to work on our bloodthirsty pest too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Biologist and engineer Catherine Loudon is trying to copy the plant at the University of California, Irvine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s creating a synthetic material that can pierce bed bug feet just like bean leaves do. It’s not quite as effective as a real bean leaf, but she’s working on it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, bed bugs are still a step ahead. So keep an eye out. Spot them early and maybe you can get them before they get you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Termites can infiltrate your home without being seen, and the results can be catastrophic. But these tiny homewreckers wouldn’t be able to do so much damage without the help of special microorganisms hidden in their gut.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>These Termites Turn Your House into a Palace of Poop\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That lump on the side of this tree in the Amazon? It’s packed with termites. In the rainforest, that’s a good thing. They break down wood into stuff other creatures can eat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But inside our homes, termites are pests. They cost us billions of dollars of damage every year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take these dampwood termites that live on the cool California coast. They eat wood that’s wet or decayed, maybe from a leak in your house. Slowly, but surely, they gnaw and scrape away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What comes out the other end isn’t waste. It serves as a kind of mortar. And dried poop pellets make perfect building blocks for their nests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other words, they’re turning your house into theirs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What’s amazing is that they can digest wood, which is so hard, and get nutrients out of it. We certainly can’t do that. Termites are one of the only animals that can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It turns out they don’t do this alone. Researchers are looking inside termites to figure out who’s actually responsible for this feat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the Exploratorium, in San Francisco, museum biologists give the insect a little puff of carbon dioxide. When it’s nice and relaxed, the termite poops itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the microscope, multitudes appear. Hundreds of species of microbes live packed inside a termite’s gut, about one one-thousandth of a teaspoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This big one is called Trichonympha. It’s not an animal, plant or fungus. It’s a protist. Watch it move with the help of its flagella.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Protists like Trichonympha are essential for termites to turn the wood into a source of energy. They do this by fermenting the wood, much the same way a brewer turns grain into beer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Something else is hidden deep in the termite’s gut: a powerful bacterium that combines nitrogen from the air and calories from the wood to make protein. That’s like turning a potato into a steak.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Termites can’t live without their microbes. And many of these microbes can’t live outside the termite. So what if we used the microbes against their hosts?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right now, when we want to get rid of termites, we fumigate our houses with poison. But maybe we could just kill the protists instead. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Louisiana State University entomologists are engineering a gut bacterium to kill gut protists. They’d sneak the bacteria into the termite colony on something the termites would eat. The bacteria would kill the protists that help the termites digest wood, leaving them surrounded by food but starving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These cuties are experts in making their way into your house through some secret and slimy passageways. Check it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why Does This Fly Live in Your Bathroom?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Ever wonder where those little insects crawling around your bathroom came from? \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bad news: your drain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With all that fluffy hair, it looks like a tiny moth. And some do call it a moth fly. But a fly it is. A drain fly. It’s called Clogmia – how appropriate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It grew up over several weeks, out of sight, among things you thought you’d washed away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drain flies sneak in from the outside, through a crack in an old pipe, for example, to sip some water they sensed with this long mustache – their maxillary palps. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And here, on the plentiful gunk in your pipes, they’ll grow a family. Welcome, little one! The larva is the length of an eyelash.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That gunk it lives in? Those are bits of you: hair, saliva and food. They make a nice meal for bacteria and fungi, which form this dark, living slime called a biofilm. This is what the larvae feed on. It also keeps them well moisturized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the larva ends up submerged, it can still chow down. It sweeps slime particles out of the water with a hairy mouthpart called the labrum and rakes them in with its mandibles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Underwater, it breathes with a bubble on its backside that it collected at the surface. This allows it to venture through deep pools in your pipes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When larvae, or the more grown-up pupae, like this guy here, end up in a toilet bowl, it can be a shock. You might think the squigglers came out of you. Ew! Don’t worry – they can’t live inside us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even though the drain flies in your bathroom muck around in bacteria, they don’t really spread it to humans. They’re not interested in landing on us. Or even leaving the bathroom. They’re in their happy place. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you wash your hands? They protect themselves from the water with their hairy wings. Each hair has ridges that trap air so the drops roll right off. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if they’re caught off-guard by a sudden surge, the flies skate across.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But they’re not invincible. When they get trapped underwater long enough, they can drown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you find you really need to get rid of them, drain cleaner helps, but it won’t keep them away forever. There will always be some slime left behind, deep in your pipes, that could attract the flies again. So, if they want it, why not let ‘em have it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Are cockroaches – those disgusting disease-spreading roommates – good for anything at all?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists think their super-strength might teach us some tricks that could someday save lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Cockroach vs. Hydraulic Press: Who Wins?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The American cockroach is one of the fastest insects on the planet. It can run up to 3.4 miles per hour. That’d be like a human knocking out eight marathons over their lunch break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It uses hooks, called tarsal claws, to flip over ledges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And not even a wall can stop it. Better to keep up the momentum and figure it out as you go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The roach is both tough and flexible. Its exoskeleton isn’t one large piece of armor, but many shield-like plates made of a tough material called chitin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re held together by lots of pliable joints. And they use all those bendy joints to fold up, origami-style, and push through impossibly small cracks, like that gap you never knew existed in your kitchen cupboard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cockroach can army-crawl through a space a quarter of its normal standing height. That’s one reason it’s so good at surviving your thwack.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So how much pressure can the cockroach take?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists at UC Berkeley found it can withstand a thwack equivalent to 900 times its body weight and walk away unscathed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why are researchers so interested in all this? They think the roach, despite its ability to make us sick, can teach us to save lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of those researchers is now building robots the size of insects to squeeze into places you and I cannot. Like piles of rubble left by major earthquakes or hurricanes. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And maybe down the line, much smaller versions of these robots could even enter our bodies to perform life-saving tasks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the one hand, we want to keep these creatures out – by sealing cracks, caulking windows and storing food in airtight containers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But we also want to learn from them. The cockroach teaches us that the key to overcoming adversity isn’t just toughness. It’s also flexibility.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>When Lilly Payne turned to Woebot, a therapy chatbot powered by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/artificial-intelligence\">artificial intelligence\u003c/a>, she was deeply unmoored.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I also felt like I was annoying people when I reached out for support,” she said. “It’s easier to text a chatbot than to ask a friend for reassurance over and over again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the height of the pandemic, she had abandoned her dream of an arts career in New York City and retreated — resentfully — to her childhood home in Kentucky. Feeling isolated, she sought out Woebot after learning about it through a mental health newsletter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even just knowing I had it in my pocket made me feel a little more in control,” said Payne, 28 years old. “It was always there — no scheduling, no waiting. It helped me talk through everyday anxieties.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the promise of round-the-clock support, millions of users are turning to AI therapy platforms like Woebot, Wysa and Therapist GPT. For some, these chatbots provide a lifeline, offering instant reassurance during a panic attack or structured exercises to reframe negative thoughts. But AI therapy doesn’t always get it right. Bots can misinterpret distress signals and offer generic advice that sounds like a Hallmark greeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996454\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996454\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lilly Payne poses for a portrait at the Albany Bulb in Albany on March 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While the tools are advancing rapidly, experts warn that they still lack the nuance, accountability, and privacy safeguards of a human psychologist. Payne has obsessive-compulsive disorder, which can lead her to fixate on worst-case scenarios. When Payne typed the word “suicide” into Woebot, it didn’t understand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It immediately flagged me as being in crisis,” said Payne, who was worried she might think about taking her life in the future. “I was like, no, no, no, that’s not what I meant. It wasn’t that I wanted to die — it was that my OCD tricked me into thinking I could. I would type out my fears and the bot would respond like I was actively in danger, offering crisis resources.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Woebot’s crisis alert could have escalated the situation unnecessarily if she hadn’t already been through therapy, she said.[aside postID=news_12032768 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/06/GettyImages-854491752-1180x867.jpg']“I think it’s important to note that Woebot is not intended for people with OCD, and most importantly, is not appropriately used as a crisis service,” wrote Alison Darcy, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Woebot Health, in an email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The demand for mental health services has surged in recent years, yet access remains a significant barrier. Nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/\">one in five U.S. adults\u003c/a> struggles with a mental health condition, but only 43% of that group receives treatment. About \u003ca href=\"https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/explainer/2023/may/understanding-us-behavioral-health-workforce-shortage\">55% of U.S. counties\u003c/a>, many in rural areas, have no practicing psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. With long waitlists and high costs limiting traditional care, AI-driven therapy has emerged as a round-the-clock, free or low-cost alternative without the need for appointments or insurance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There were so many moments when I was spiraling at 10 p.m. on a Tuesday, and my therapy appointment wasn’t until Thursday,” said Sean Dadashi, co-founder of Rosebud. “I wished I had something that could help me recognize when I was going down an unhelpful path in real time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosebud does not claim to be a substitute for a therapist. Instead, it acts as a digital journal, using AI to analyze entries, provide reflection and offer prompts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a companion to therapy,” Dadashi said. “It helps people process their thoughts, but it also knows when to suggest reaching out to a real therapist.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996455\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996455 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lilly Payne poses for a portrait at the Albany Bulb in Albany on March 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A user who expresses a desire to hurt themselves or writes about domestic abuse, for example, Rosebud will validate the experience and then suggest professional mental health resources. But not all platforms are designed with the same crisis tools — or any at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In October 2024, users of Character.ai filed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25248089-megan-garcia-vs-character-ai/\">lawsuit\u003c/a> against the platform, which enables people to have open-ended conversations with AI-generated personalities ranging from fictional characters to historical figures. Many people use it for entertainment or casual companionship, while some turn to it for emotional support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One 14-year-old grew attached to a character he created over the course of several months, and when he opened up about his distress, rather than steering him toward help, the bot allegedly reinforced his suicidal thoughts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The boy took his life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“AI models are trained to mimic patterns found in data,” said Ehsan Adeli, director of the Stanford Translational AI in Medicine and Mental Health Lab. “They recognize and respond to textual cues, but they don’t really understand emotions the way humans do. Instead, they simulate an understanding by processing massive amounts of data.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996457\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996457\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Ehsan Adeli, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of AI/Inovation in Precision Mental Health in the department of Psychiatry at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the reflection of a one-way mirror used for clinical observation in Palo Alto on March 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Character.ai did not respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A chatbot replies using what it’s learned from past conversations, therapy techniques and advice found online. The responses may sound supportive but lack human understanding. Sometimes, the models cannot distinguish between mild distress and a serious mental health crisis, making them a risky tool for vulnerable users.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In May 2023, the National Eating Disorders Association replaced its human-staffed helpline with an AI chatbot named “Tessa.” The bot was supposed to help people struggling with eating disorders, but instead offered weight-loss tips, including advice on counting calories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People quickly complained when Tessa suggested they do the exact behavior that led some to develop an eating disorder in the first place. NEDA responded by taking Tessa \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs4BiC9AhDe/\">offline\u003c/a>, noting that the bot provided “information that was harmful and unrelated to the program.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NEDA did not respond to a KQED request to comment further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike human therapists, who are trained to challenge unhealthy thinking patterns, AI chatbots tend to validate whatever the user is saying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996519\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996519 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Can AI therapy apps like Rosebud, Therapist GPT and Woebot bridge the gap in mental health care — offering comfort and support in an era of stress, loneliness and anxiety? \u003ccite>(Anna Vignet/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“A chatbot is often built to be unconditionally empathic,” said Vaile Wright, a senior director for the Office of Healthcare Innovation at the American Psychological Association. “And to mirror back the exact tone, feeling and thoughts that a user is expressing. To keep them on the platform. And that’s not what a therapist does.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Payne picked up on this as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It would ask questions, but it was very much just guiding me through a script,” said Payne, who is employed by KQED but was not at the time of her interaction with Woebot. “There was no real back-and-forth.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lack of pushback from the chatbots is especially concerning for people with conditions like borderline personality disorder or narcissistic personality disorder, as uncritical validation can reinforce harmful behaviors.[aside postID=news_11947432 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/IMG_0168-1020x765.jpg']While AI mental health tools have exploded in popularity, they are not bound by the same \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/php/resources/health-insurance-portability-and-accountability-act-of-1996-hipaa.html\">privacy laws\u003c/a> as human therapists. Rosebud and Woebot state on their websites that they never store or sell user data, but many chatbots operate in a gray area where data may be used for advertising, research or even sold to a third party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Users could be targeted with personalized ads for mental health treatments — or worse, insurance companies could adjust someone’s policy premiums based on their psychological profile.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People assume AI chatbots don’t judge them,” Adeli said. “But what happens when that data is used against them?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Taking a moment to pause and reflect — whether through a chatbot or another self-care technique — can be better than doing nothing at all. However, many licensed therapists describe AI as a promising yet limited tool. The current generation of chatbots doesn’t have the capacity of a human to assess appearance, pace of speech and body language for a complete picture of how a person is doing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The enormous con is that it’s a bot and there is no real person on the other end,” said David Goldman, a marriage and family therapist. “Deep isolation, estrangement and disconnection from life can actually be heightened. It can say the right thing, but human connection is the basis of therapy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>AI therapy was useful for quick check-ins, a way to ease social anxieties or get reassurance in moments of doubt, Payne said. Woebot, though, fell short of truly understanding her OCD. Eventually, she grew tired of chat sessions on her phone and relied exclusively on a therapist for support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A huge part of therapy is knowing that there’s someone there to catch you or at least trying to,” she said. “People heal in relationships.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When Lilly Payne turned to Woebot, a therapy chatbot powered by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/artificial-intelligence\">artificial intelligence\u003c/a>, she was deeply unmoored.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I also felt like I was annoying people when I reached out for support,” she said. “It’s easier to text a chatbot than to ask a friend for reassurance over and over again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the height of the pandemic, she had abandoned her dream of an arts career in New York City and retreated — resentfully — to her childhood home in Kentucky. Feeling isolated, she sought out Woebot after learning about it through a mental health newsletter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even just knowing I had it in my pocket made me feel a little more in control,” said Payne, 28 years old. “It was always there — no scheduling, no waiting. It helped me talk through everyday anxieties.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the promise of round-the-clock support, millions of users are turning to AI therapy platforms like Woebot, Wysa and Therapist GPT. For some, these chatbots provide a lifeline, offering instant reassurance during a panic attack or structured exercises to reframe negative thoughts. But AI therapy doesn’t always get it right. Bots can misinterpret distress signals and offer generic advice that sounds like a Hallmark greeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996454\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996454\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0390-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lilly Payne poses for a portrait at the Albany Bulb in Albany on March 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While the tools are advancing rapidly, experts warn that they still lack the nuance, accountability, and privacy safeguards of a human psychologist. Payne has obsessive-compulsive disorder, which can lead her to fixate on worst-case scenarios. When Payne typed the word “suicide” into Woebot, it didn’t understand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It immediately flagged me as being in crisis,” said Payne, who was worried she might think about taking her life in the future. “I was like, no, no, no, that’s not what I meant. It wasn’t that I wanted to die — it was that my OCD tricked me into thinking I could. I would type out my fears and the bot would respond like I was actively in danger, offering crisis resources.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Woebot’s crisis alert could have escalated the situation unnecessarily if she hadn’t already been through therapy, she said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I think it’s important to note that Woebot is not intended for people with OCD, and most importantly, is not appropriately used as a crisis service,” wrote Alison Darcy, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Woebot Health, in an email.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The demand for mental health services has surged in recent years, yet access remains a significant barrier. Nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/\">one in five U.S. adults\u003c/a> struggles with a mental health condition, but only 43% of that group receives treatment. About \u003ca href=\"https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/explainer/2023/may/understanding-us-behavioral-health-workforce-shortage\">55% of U.S. counties\u003c/a>, many in rural areas, have no practicing psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. With long waitlists and high costs limiting traditional care, AI-driven therapy has emerged as a round-the-clock, free or low-cost alternative without the need for appointments or insurance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There were so many moments when I was spiraling at 10 p.m. on a Tuesday, and my therapy appointment wasn’t until Thursday,” said Sean Dadashi, co-founder of Rosebud. “I wished I had something that could help me recognize when I was going down an unhelpful path in real time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosebud does not claim to be a substitute for a therapist. Instead, it acts as a digital journal, using AI to analyze entries, provide reflection and offer prompts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a companion to therapy,” Dadashi said. “It helps people process their thoughts, but it also knows when to suggest reaching out to a real therapist.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996455\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996455 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0509-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lilly Payne poses for a portrait at the Albany Bulb in Albany on March 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A user who expresses a desire to hurt themselves or writes about domestic abuse, for example, Rosebud will validate the experience and then suggest professional mental health resources. But not all platforms are designed with the same crisis tools — or any at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In October 2024, users of Character.ai filed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25248089-megan-garcia-vs-character-ai/\">lawsuit\u003c/a> against the platform, which enables people to have open-ended conversations with AI-generated personalities ranging from fictional characters to historical figures. Many people use it for entertainment or casual companionship, while some turn to it for emotional support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One 14-year-old grew attached to a character he created over the course of several months, and when he opened up about his distress, rather than steering him toward help, the bot allegedly reinforced his suicidal thoughts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The boy took his life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“AI models are trained to mimic patterns found in data,” said Ehsan Adeli, director of the Stanford Translational AI in Medicine and Mental Health Lab. “They recognize and respond to textual cues, but they don’t really understand emotions the way humans do. Instead, they simulate an understanding by processing massive amounts of data.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996457\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996457\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250320_AI-THERAPY_DB_0158-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Ehsan Adeli, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of AI/Inovation in Precision Mental Health in the department of Psychiatry at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the reflection of a one-way mirror used for clinical observation in Palo Alto on March 20, 2025. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Character.ai did not respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A chatbot replies using what it’s learned from past conversations, therapy techniques and advice found online. The responses may sound supportive but lack human understanding. Sometimes, the models cannot distinguish between mild distress and a serious mental health crisis, making them a risky tool for vulnerable users.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In May 2023, the National Eating Disorders Association replaced its human-staffed helpline with an AI chatbot named “Tessa.” The bot was supposed to help people struggling with eating disorders, but instead offered weight-loss tips, including advice on counting calories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People quickly complained when Tessa suggested they do the exact behavior that led some to develop an eating disorder in the first place. NEDA responded by taking Tessa \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs4BiC9AhDe/\">offline\u003c/a>, noting that the bot provided “information that was harmful and unrelated to the program.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NEDA did not respond to a KQED request to comment further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike human therapists, who are trained to challenge unhealthy thinking patterns, AI chatbots tend to validate whatever the user is saying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996519\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996519 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_0963-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Can AI therapy apps like Rosebud, Therapist GPT and Woebot bridge the gap in mental health care — offering comfort and support in an era of stress, loneliness and anxiety? \u003ccite>(Anna Vignet/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“A chatbot is often built to be unconditionally empathic,” said Vaile Wright, a senior director for the Office of Healthcare Innovation at the American Psychological Association. “And to mirror back the exact tone, feeling and thoughts that a user is expressing. To keep them on the platform. And that’s not what a therapist does.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Payne picked up on this as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It would ask questions, but it was very much just guiding me through a script,” said Payne, who is employed by KQED but was not at the time of her interaction with Woebot. “There was no real back-and-forth.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lack of pushback from the chatbots is especially concerning for people with conditions like borderline personality disorder or narcissistic personality disorder, as uncritical validation can reinforce harmful behaviors.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>While AI mental health tools have exploded in popularity, they are not bound by the same \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/php/resources/health-insurance-portability-and-accountability-act-of-1996-hipaa.html\">privacy laws\u003c/a> as human therapists. Rosebud and Woebot state on their websites that they never store or sell user data, but many chatbots operate in a gray area where data may be used for advertising, research or even sold to a third party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Users could be targeted with personalized ads for mental health treatments — or worse, insurance companies could adjust someone’s policy premiums based on their psychological profile.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People assume AI chatbots don’t judge them,” Adeli said. “But what happens when that data is used against them?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Taking a moment to pause and reflect — whether through a chatbot or another self-care technique — can be better than doing nothing at all. However, many licensed therapists describe AI as a promising yet limited tool. The current generation of chatbots doesn’t have the capacity of a human to assess appearance, pace of speech and body language for a complete picture of how a person is doing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The enormous con is that it’s a bot and there is no real person on the other end,” said David Goldman, a marriage and family therapist. “Deep isolation, estrangement and disconnection from life can actually be heightened. It can say the right thing, but human connection is the basis of therapy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>AI therapy was useful for quick check-ins, a way to ease social anxieties or get reassurance in moments of doubt, Payne said. Woebot, though, fell short of truly understanding her OCD. Eventually, she grew tired of chat sessions on her phone and relied exclusively on a therapist for support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A huge part of therapy is knowing that there’s someone there to catch you or at least trying to,” she said. “People heal in relationships.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "After Delays, Yosemite Camping Reservations Are Finally Opening. What Should You Know?",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Update, 4:25 p.m. Friday:\u003c/strong> SF Gate reports that \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/california-parks/article/yosemite-national-park-reservation-system-returns-20246425.php\">President Donald Trump’s administration has approved a pilot day reservation program\u003c/a> for spring and summer visitors to Yosemite National Park, according to a version of a National Parks Service press release provided by an anonymous source within the federal government. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After several months of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/yosemite-camping-reservations-20170316.php\">uncertainty and delays\u003c/a>, Yosemite National Park has now begun accepting \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DHMSGvnu_3Y/\">reservations for summer camping \u003c/a>in several of the park’s most \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11953853/how-to-find-a-camping-spot-in-california-when-they-always-seem-to-be-fully-booked\">popular campgrounds\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The campgrounds, which include the Upper Pines, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow sites, will begin accepting camping reservations for stays July 15–Aug. 14 on \u003ca href=\"http://recreation.gov\">Recreation.gov\u003c/a> at 7 a.m. PDT on Monday, March 31. (Reservations for stays June 15–July 14 have already been released as of March 24.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#camping-reservation-tips-california\">How to (potentially) increase your chances of snagging a coveted Yosemite camping spot\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#yosemite-camping-reservation-alternative\">What are my options if I can’t get a Yosemite camping reservation for this summer?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Several other Yosemite campgrounds, including Lower Pines and North Pines, will remain closed until further notice, with no advance reservations possible at the moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Camping reservations for Yosemite tend to sell out within minutes, so campers hoping to snag a spot are encouraged to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025848/tips-and-tricks-to-snag-a-california-campsite\">act quickly \u003c/a>when this next round of reservations are released on Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Why were Yosemite reservations delayed this year?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On Feb. 14, President Donald Trump’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/02/26/nx-s1-5307908/national-parks-layoffs-visitors-disruptions\">fired over a thousand National Park Service staff nationwide\u003c/a> as part of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/02/07/nx-s1-5288988/doge-elon-musk-staff-trump\">broader plan \u003c/a>to cut federal spending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The firings, including those at Yosemite, affected \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/yosemite-national-park-animals-20176923.php\">biologists\u003c/a>, rangers, search and rescue personnel, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-firings-yosemite-california-yosemite-89cb4ae304446a0de22fbebae05ce057\">custodians\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.msn.com/en-us/public-safety-and-emergencies/health-and-safety-alerts/yosemite-locksmith-the-people-who-fired-me-don-t-know-what-i-do/ar-AA1zxGwX\">locksmiths\u003c/a> and wildlife specialists who had not completed their probationary periods, raising \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996198/what-you-should-know-about-visiting-national-parks-right-now#A\">concerns about \u003c/a>park maintenance and visitor safety\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996198/what-you-should-know-about-visiting-national-parks-right-now#A\">.\u003c/a> The NPS was also forced to temporarily \u003ca href=\"https://www.newsweek.com/yosemite-national-park-reservations-trump-hiring-freeze-2032243\">freeze hiring \u003c/a>for crucial seasonal workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996421\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996421\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of a welcome sign as hundreds of tourists and photographers flock in Yosemite National Park, California, United States on Feb. 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That same day, Yosemite officials announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DGEXs9GObCW/\">on social media\u003c/a> that summer camping reservations for the park would be delayed. While the announcement did not attribute the delay directly to the layoffs, it noted, “We understand the impact this has on visitors who are planning camping trips to the park.” In addition, Yosemite’s 2025 separate day-use \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/outdoors/article/yosemite-reservations-trump-20145111.php\">entry reservation system\u003c/a>, intended to limit traffic in the park at peak times, was already delayed by the time layoffs hit. (\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#yosemite-entry-reservations\">Jump straight to more on the delay on day-use reservations.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 20, the National Parks Conservation Association announced that NPS was \u003ca href=\"https://www.npca.org/articles/7538-parks-group-welcomes-reinstatement-of-probationary-park-staff-but-warns-of\">authorized to reinstate \u003c/a>all probationary park staff who were fired in February. In a statement, a Yosemite National Parks spokesperson said all reinstated employees would receive back pay and “individual notifications are underway, and while the process takes time, affected employees can expect to receive notification soon, if they have not already.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many national park workers, however, say they remain anxious about the longer-term\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/us/politics/fired-federal-workers-reinstated-place-administrative-leave.html\"> future of their jobs\u003c/a>, and Yosemite National Park did not comment on how the reinstatements might affect the park’s plan for limited campground reservations this summer.[aside postID=news_12025848 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57479_pexels-anastassiya-golovko-8659561-qut-1020x680.jpg']Mark Rose, NPCA’s Sierra Nevada and Clean Air Program Manager, attributed Yosemite’s decision not to open reservations for all its campgrounds, in part, to the post-firing shortage of park staff, as well the park’s forced \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/yosemite-resume-campground-reservations/3819933/\">delay in hiring \u003c/a>seasonal workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even with the new reservations finally going online for some campgrounds, Yosemite is still holding back over 250 sites from reservations,” Rose told KQED by email. Rose supports NPCA’s conservation efforts in Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, as well as in the surrounding Central Valley and Sierra Foothill communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yosemite officials say the park may release further sites if operational capacity allows and will “provide at least\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DHMSGvnu_3Y/\"> seven days advance notice \u003c/a>via the park’s website and social media if additional reservations are released.” The new reservations, once released, will not impact any reservations made beforehand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NPS reported a record \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/visitor-use-statistics-dashboard.htm\">331.9 million visits \u003c/a>to its lands nationwide in 2024, with Yosemite accounting for over 4% of all visits to national parks that same year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996208\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996208\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tourists visiting Yosemite National Park on Aug. 3, 2022. \u003ccite>(Michael Ho Wai Lee/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"camping-reservation-tips-california\">\u003c/a>How to increase your chances of snagging a coveted Yosemite camping reservation\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Reservations will be released at \u003ca href=\"http://recreation.gov\">Recreation.gov\u003c/a> for Yosemite campgrounds, including the Upper Pines, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow sites on:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>7 a.m. PDT on March 24 for stays June 15–July 14.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>7 a.m. PDT on March 31 for stays July 15–Aug. 14.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Some tips from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11953853/how-to-find-a-camping-spot-in-california-when-they-always-seem-to-be-fully-booked\">our guide to successfully making a reservation for a popular campground\u003c/a>, since bookings go fast:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Create a \u003ca href=\"http://recreation.gov\">Recreation.gov\u003c/a> account if you don’t already have one…\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>… and make sure you’re logged into it before bookings open\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Have all your information you might need on hand, including credit card details and even your vehicle license plate\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>If you want a weekend spot, try making a booking that starts a few days before.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>For the latest updates, be sure to check the official Yosemite National Park\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/yose/\"> website\u003c/a> or follow the park on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yosemitenps\">social media\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>What to expect at Yosemite when visiting this summer\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>NPCA’s Rose warned that visitors and campers should prepare for a potentially different Yosemite experience this summer as a result of the federal personnel cuts, which have reduced staffing across various departments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One major impact could be increased traffic in Yosemite, Rose said. With reduced staffing and no reservation system to manage the number of vehicles entering the park, Rose said visitors should expect traffic jams, not just when traveling into the park but also around it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Popular destinations like Eastern Yosemite Valley may start turning vehicles around early in the morning on numerous days throughout the summer when parking lots fill up,” Rose said. “While these impacts have been seen in past years when day-use reservations were not in place, with less staff, we can expect overcrowding to be even more severe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996422\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996422\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A line of cars creeps slowly from Fish Camp toward the western Highway 41 entrance of Yosemite National Park as viewed on June 18, 2024, just outside Yosemite National Park. \u003ccite>(George Rose/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Some of the other impacts visitors should anticipate:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Limited campground services: Expect fewer rangers available for assistance and possible delays in maintenance.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Longer lines: There may be longer lines at park entrances and visitor centers due to fewer staff managing traffic and services.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Reduced ranger programs: Some programs, such as ranger-led talks and guided hikes, may be scaled back.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Park officials encourage visitors to be patient and plan ahead, as the reduced workforce could impact everything from check-in times to restroom maintenance at campgrounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jonathan Farrington, executive director of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.yosemite.com/\">Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau\u003c/a>, remained optimistic about the upcoming visitor season despite recent staffing reductions at Yosemite National Park. He also pushed back against advocates and media speculation that essential services would be severely disrupted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are actually more employees in Yosemite who don’t work for the government than do,” Farrington said, highlighting that hotels, restaurants, shuttle services and retail shops operate under private concessions unaffected by federal staffing changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1915968\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1912px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1915968\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1912\" height=\"1152\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead.jpg 1912w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-800x482.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-768x463.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-1020x615.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-1180x711.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-960x578.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-240x145.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-375x226.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-520x313.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1912px) 100vw, 1912px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Camas and western bistort bloom in Crane Flat, one of Yosemite National Park’s 3,000 meadows. \u003ccite>(Brian Whitehead/NPS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"yosemite-entry-reservations\">\u003c/a>Day-use reservations still in limbo\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Separately from campground reservations, Yosemite officials had intended to implement a permanent policy this year requiring all visitors without camping or lodging reservations to make a separate day-use \u003ca href=\"https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086745\">reservation\u003c/a> before driving into the park. The measure was designed to help manage high visitor volume, especially during peak season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/outdoors/article/yosemite-reservations-trump-20145111.php\">reported\u003c/a> that the day-use reservation system, which was first tried in 2020 and was scheduled to become permanent this year, was placed on hold amid uncertainty about its approval by the Trump administration. The park still has not announced further plans \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/reservations.htm\">for day-use reservations\u003c/a>, saying only that officials “[anticipate] sharing details about this year’s reservation system in the near future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Farrington said that since a permanent system has never existed, it’s hard to tell if implementing it now would help with overcrowding in the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If a reservation system was implemented tomorrow, the confusion that it would create at the entrance stations would be debilitating,” he said. “More than half of the reservations in hotels for people that are coming, especially internationally, to Yosemite this summer are already made.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rose noted that last year, over 700 vehicles — about 2,000 visitors — a day\u003ca href=\"https://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/60273-gateway-communities-urge-yosemite-national-park-to-embrace-innovative-visitor-management-solutions#:~:text=Yosemite%20Valley%2C%20while%20entry%20gates%20are%20turning,estimate%20of%202.9%20people%20per%20vehicle)%20daily.\"> arrived unaware \u003c/a>of the reservation requirement. “That created two-hour backups and a lot of disappointed visitors,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1035310\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1035310\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-400x300.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-960x720.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. \u003ccite>(Craig Miller/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"yosemite-camping-reservation-alternative\">\u003c/a>Can’t get a Yosemite campground reservation? You still have alternatives\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For those who miss out on a campground reservation due to this year’s reduced inventory and Yosemite’s overall popularity, there are still other options to stay inside or near the park:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside the park:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Yosemite’s first-come, first-served campgrounds: for example Camp 4, a popular walk-in campground, may have limited availability.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Lodging in Yosemite: The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley Lodge and Curry Village provide hotel and cabin options within the park, albeit at a premium.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Outside the park:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Private campgrounds and RV parks: Spots like Yosemite Pines RV Resort, High Sierra RV Park and other private campgrounds near Groveland, Mariposa and El Portal offer alternatives.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>National Forest Land: Nearby areas in Stanislaus, Sierra and Inyo National Forests offer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11920867/how-to-find-free-camping-in-californias-national-forests\">dispersed camping\u003c/a>, which can be a good alternative for those comfortable with camping without basic amenities like toilets and potable water.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Farrington urged visitors to plan ahead and to arrive early or late to avoid peak congestion around popular scenic viewpoints between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. He said visitors could also consider biking through Yosemite Valley rather than driving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sunrise is the best time to visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/000/tunnel-view.htm\">Tunnel View\u003c/a>,” he advised. “And renting a bike is one of the best ways to explore the park at your own pace.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996414\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1777px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996414\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1777\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed.jpg 1777w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1777px) 100vw, 1777px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many of the bear-proofing designs you see in parks with bears were invented in Yosemite. \u003ccite>(Marissa Ortega Welch/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Useful reminders for visiting Yosemite in 2025\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Here’s a list of essential tips if you’re hoping to visit Yosemite this summer:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Book early and check for cancellations\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If reservations are full, check \u003ca href=\"https://www.recreation.gov/\">Recreation.gov\u003c/a> frequently for cancellations, as spots may open up unexpectedly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Prepare for self-sufficiency \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With reduced staffing, expect to handle basic campsite upkeep and pack out all trash. Bring extra supplies, including toilet paper, trash bags and hand sanitizer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Arrive early \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Due to staffing cuts, campgrounds and entrances may be more congested than usual. Arriving early in the day can help avoid long waits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Follow fire safety rules\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Summer wildfires are a growing concern and fire restrictions may be in place. Check for updates before lighting campfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Respect wildlife \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With fewer rangers patrolling the park, bear activity could increase. Always store food in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12002429/california-camping-tahoe-yosemite-bears-safety-what-to-do-bear-spray\">bear-proof containers \u003c/a>and never leave food unattended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plan for limited cell service\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yosemite’s remote areas have little to no phone reception. Download maps, bring a GPS and let someone know your itinerary before heading into the backcountry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Carly Severn contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Planning to visit Yosemite this year? After recent delays, campground reservations for summer 2025 will now begin opening on Monday.",
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"title": "After Delays, Yosemite Camping Reservations Are Finally Opening. What Should You Know? | KQED",
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"headline": "After Delays, Yosemite Camping Reservations Are Finally Opening. What Should You Know?",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>Update, 4:25 p.m. Friday:\u003c/strong> SF Gate reports that \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/california-parks/article/yosemite-national-park-reservation-system-returns-20246425.php\">President Donald Trump’s administration has approved a pilot day reservation program\u003c/a> for spring and summer visitors to Yosemite National Park, according to a version of a National Parks Service press release provided by an anonymous source within the federal government. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After several months of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/yosemite-camping-reservations-20170316.php\">uncertainty and delays\u003c/a>, Yosemite National Park has now begun accepting \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DHMSGvnu_3Y/\">reservations for summer camping \u003c/a>in several of the park’s most \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11953853/how-to-find-a-camping-spot-in-california-when-they-always-seem-to-be-fully-booked\">popular campgrounds\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The campgrounds, which include the Upper Pines, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow sites, will begin accepting camping reservations for stays July 15–Aug. 14 on \u003ca href=\"http://recreation.gov\">Recreation.gov\u003c/a> at 7 a.m. PDT on Monday, March 31. (Reservations for stays June 15–July 14 have already been released as of March 24.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#camping-reservation-tips-california\">How to (potentially) increase your chances of snagging a coveted Yosemite camping spot\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#yosemite-camping-reservation-alternative\">What are my options if I can’t get a Yosemite camping reservation for this summer?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Several other Yosemite campgrounds, including Lower Pines and North Pines, will remain closed until further notice, with no advance reservations possible at the moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Camping reservations for Yosemite tend to sell out within minutes, so campers hoping to snag a spot are encouraged to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12025848/tips-and-tricks-to-snag-a-california-campsite\">act quickly \u003c/a>when this next round of reservations are released on Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Why were Yosemite reservations delayed this year?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On Feb. 14, President Donald Trump’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/02/26/nx-s1-5307908/national-parks-layoffs-visitors-disruptions\">fired over a thousand National Park Service staff nationwide\u003c/a> as part of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/02/07/nx-s1-5288988/doge-elon-musk-staff-trump\">broader plan \u003c/a>to cut federal spending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The firings, including those at Yosemite, affected \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/yosemite-national-park-animals-20176923.php\">biologists\u003c/a>, rangers, search and rescue personnel, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-firings-yosemite-california-yosemite-89cb4ae304446a0de22fbebae05ce057\">custodians\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.msn.com/en-us/public-safety-and-emergencies/health-and-safety-alerts/yosemite-locksmith-the-people-who-fired-me-don-t-know-what-i-do/ar-AA1zxGwX\">locksmiths\u003c/a> and wildlife specialists who had not completed their probationary periods, raising \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996198/what-you-should-know-about-visiting-national-parks-right-now#A\">concerns about \u003c/a>park maintenance and visitor safety\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996198/what-you-should-know-about-visiting-national-parks-right-now#A\">.\u003c/a> The NPS was also forced to temporarily \u003ca href=\"https://www.newsweek.com/yosemite-national-park-reservations-trump-hiring-freeze-2032243\">freeze hiring \u003c/a>for crucial seasonal workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996421\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996421\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2199958201-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of a welcome sign as hundreds of tourists and photographers flock in Yosemite National Park, California, United States on Feb. 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That same day, Yosemite officials announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DGEXs9GObCW/\">on social media\u003c/a> that summer camping reservations for the park would be delayed. While the announcement did not attribute the delay directly to the layoffs, it noted, “We understand the impact this has on visitors who are planning camping trips to the park.” In addition, Yosemite’s 2025 separate day-use \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/outdoors/article/yosemite-reservations-trump-20145111.php\">entry reservation system\u003c/a>, intended to limit traffic in the park at peak times, was already delayed by the time layoffs hit. (\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#yosemite-entry-reservations\">Jump straight to more on the delay on day-use reservations.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 20, the National Parks Conservation Association announced that NPS was \u003ca href=\"https://www.npca.org/articles/7538-parks-group-welcomes-reinstatement-of-probationary-park-staff-but-warns-of\">authorized to reinstate \u003c/a>all probationary park staff who were fired in February. In a statement, a Yosemite National Parks spokesperson said all reinstated employees would receive back pay and “individual notifications are underway, and while the process takes time, affected employees can expect to receive notification soon, if they have not already.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many national park workers, however, say they remain anxious about the longer-term\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/us/politics/fired-federal-workers-reinstated-place-administrative-leave.html\"> future of their jobs\u003c/a>, and Yosemite National Park did not comment on how the reinstatements might affect the park’s plan for limited campground reservations this summer.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Mark Rose, NPCA’s Sierra Nevada and Clean Air Program Manager, attributed Yosemite’s decision not to open reservations for all its campgrounds, in part, to the post-firing shortage of park staff, as well the park’s forced \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/yosemite-resume-campground-reservations/3819933/\">delay in hiring \u003c/a>seasonal workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even with the new reservations finally going online for some campgrounds, Yosemite is still holding back over 250 sites from reservations,” Rose told KQED by email. Rose supports NPCA’s conservation efforts in Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, as well as in the surrounding Central Valley and Sierra Foothill communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yosemite officials say the park may release further sites if operational capacity allows and will “provide at least\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DHMSGvnu_3Y/\"> seven days advance notice \u003c/a>via the park’s website and social media if additional reservations are released.” The new reservations, once released, will not impact any reservations made beforehand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NPS reported a record \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/visitor-use-statistics-dashboard.htm\">331.9 million visits \u003c/a>to its lands nationwide in 2024, with Yosemite accounting for over 4% of all visits to national parks that same year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996208\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996208\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tourists visiting Yosemite National Park on Aug. 3, 2022. \u003ccite>(Michael Ho Wai Lee/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"camping-reservation-tips-california\">\u003c/a>How to increase your chances of snagging a coveted Yosemite camping reservation\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Reservations will be released at \u003ca href=\"http://recreation.gov\">Recreation.gov\u003c/a> for Yosemite campgrounds, including the Upper Pines, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow sites on:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>7 a.m. PDT on March 24 for stays June 15–July 14.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>7 a.m. PDT on March 31 for stays July 15–Aug. 14.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Some tips from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11953853/how-to-find-a-camping-spot-in-california-when-they-always-seem-to-be-fully-booked\">our guide to successfully making a reservation for a popular campground\u003c/a>, since bookings go fast:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Create a \u003ca href=\"http://recreation.gov\">Recreation.gov\u003c/a> account if you don’t already have one…\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>… and make sure you’re logged into it before bookings open\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Have all your information you might need on hand, including credit card details and even your vehicle license plate\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>If you want a weekend spot, try making a booking that starts a few days before.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>For the latest updates, be sure to check the official Yosemite National Park\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/yose/\"> website\u003c/a> or follow the park on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yosemitenps\">social media\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>What to expect at Yosemite when visiting this summer\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>NPCA’s Rose warned that visitors and campers should prepare for a potentially different Yosemite experience this summer as a result of the federal personnel cuts, which have reduced staffing across various departments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One major impact could be increased traffic in Yosemite, Rose said. With reduced staffing and no reservation system to manage the number of vehicles entering the park, Rose said visitors should expect traffic jams, not just when traveling into the park but also around it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Popular destinations like Eastern Yosemite Valley may start turning vehicles around early in the morning on numerous days throughout the summer when parking lots fill up,” Rose said. “While these impacts have been seen in past years when day-use reservations were not in place, with less staff, we can expect overcrowding to be even more severe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996422\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996422\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/GettyImages-2161062253-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A line of cars creeps slowly from Fish Camp toward the western Highway 41 entrance of Yosemite National Park as viewed on June 18, 2024, just outside Yosemite National Park. \u003ccite>(George Rose/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Some of the other impacts visitors should anticipate:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Limited campground services: Expect fewer rangers available for assistance and possible delays in maintenance.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Longer lines: There may be longer lines at park entrances and visitor centers due to fewer staff managing traffic and services.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Reduced ranger programs: Some programs, such as ranger-led talks and guided hikes, may be scaled back.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Park officials encourage visitors to be patient and plan ahead, as the reduced workforce could impact everything from check-in times to restroom maintenance at campgrounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jonathan Farrington, executive director of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.yosemite.com/\">Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau\u003c/a>, remained optimistic about the upcoming visitor season despite recent staffing reductions at Yosemite National Park. He also pushed back against advocates and media speculation that essential services would be severely disrupted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are actually more employees in Yosemite who don’t work for the government than do,” Farrington said, highlighting that hotels, restaurants, shuttle services and retail shops operate under private concessions unaffected by federal staffing changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1915968\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1912px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1915968\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1912\" height=\"1152\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead.jpg 1912w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-800x482.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-768x463.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-1020x615.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-1180x711.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-960x578.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-240x145.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-375x226.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/09/crane-flat-flowers-bwhitehead-520x313.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1912px) 100vw, 1912px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Camas and western bistort bloom in Crane Flat, one of Yosemite National Park’s 3,000 meadows. \u003ccite>(Brian Whitehead/NPS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"yosemite-entry-reservations\">\u003c/a>Day-use reservations still in limbo\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Separately from campground reservations, Yosemite officials had intended to implement a permanent policy this year requiring all visitors without camping or lodging reservations to make a separate day-use \u003ca href=\"https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086745\">reservation\u003c/a> before driving into the park. The measure was designed to help manage high visitor volume, especially during peak season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/outdoors/article/yosemite-reservations-trump-20145111.php\">reported\u003c/a> that the day-use reservation system, which was first tried in 2020 and was scheduled to become permanent this year, was placed on hold amid uncertainty about its approval by the Trump administration. The park still has not announced further plans \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/reservations.htm\">for day-use reservations\u003c/a>, saying only that officials “[anticipate] sharing details about this year’s reservation system in the near future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Farrington said that since a permanent system has never existed, it’s hard to tell if implementing it now would help with overcrowding in the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If a reservation system was implemented tomorrow, the confusion that it would create at the entrance stations would be debilitating,” he said. “More than half of the reservations in hotels for people that are coming, especially internationally, to Yosemite this summer are already made.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rose noted that last year, over 700 vehicles — about 2,000 visitors — a day\u003ca href=\"https://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/60273-gateway-communities-urge-yosemite-national-park-to-embrace-innovative-visitor-management-solutions#:~:text=Yosemite%20Valley%2C%20while%20entry%20gates%20are%20turning,estimate%20of%202.9%20people%20per%20vehicle)%20daily.\"> arrived unaware \u003c/a>of the reservation requirement. “That created two-hour backups and a lot of disappointed visitors,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1035310\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1035310\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-400x300.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/09/RS1447_IMG_0627-960x720.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. \u003ccite>(Craig Miller/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"yosemite-camping-reservation-alternative\">\u003c/a>Can’t get a Yosemite campground reservation? You still have alternatives\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For those who miss out on a campground reservation due to this year’s reduced inventory and Yosemite’s overall popularity, there are still other options to stay inside or near the park:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside the park:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Yosemite’s first-come, first-served campgrounds: for example Camp 4, a popular walk-in campground, may have limited availability.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Lodging in Yosemite: The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley Lodge and Curry Village provide hotel and cabin options within the park, albeit at a premium.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Outside the park:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Private campgrounds and RV parks: Spots like Yosemite Pines RV Resort, High Sierra RV Park and other private campgrounds near Groveland, Mariposa and El Portal offer alternatives.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>National Forest Land: Nearby areas in Stanislaus, Sierra and Inyo National Forests offer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11920867/how-to-find-free-camping-in-californias-national-forests\">dispersed camping\u003c/a>, which can be a good alternative for those comfortable with camping without basic amenities like toilets and potable water.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Farrington urged visitors to plan ahead and to arrive early or late to avoid peak congestion around popular scenic viewpoints between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. He said visitors could also consider biking through Yosemite Valley rather than driving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sunrise is the best time to visit \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/000/tunnel-view.htm\">Tunnel View\u003c/a>,” he advised. “And renting a bike is one of the best ways to explore the park at your own pace.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996414\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1777px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996414\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1777\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed.jpg 1777w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/IMG_7596_qed-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1777px) 100vw, 1777px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many of the bear-proofing designs you see in parks with bears were invented in Yosemite. \u003ccite>(Marissa Ortega Welch/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Useful reminders for visiting Yosemite in 2025\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Here’s a list of essential tips if you’re hoping to visit Yosemite this summer:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Book early and check for cancellations\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If reservations are full, check \u003ca href=\"https://www.recreation.gov/\">Recreation.gov\u003c/a> frequently for cancellations, as spots may open up unexpectedly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Prepare for self-sufficiency \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With reduced staffing, expect to handle basic campsite upkeep and pack out all trash. Bring extra supplies, including toilet paper, trash bags and hand sanitizer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Arrive early \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Due to staffing cuts, campgrounds and entrances may be more congested than usual. Arriving early in the day can help avoid long waits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Follow fire safety rules\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Summer wildfires are a growing concern and fire restrictions may be in place. Check for updates before lighting campfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Respect wildlife \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With fewer rangers patrolling the park, bear activity could increase. Always store food in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12002429/california-camping-tahoe-yosemite-bears-safety-what-to-do-bear-spray\">bear-proof containers \u003c/a>and never leave food unattended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plan for limited cell service\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yosemite’s remote areas have little to no phone reception. Download maps, bring a GPS and let someone know your itinerary before heading into the backcountry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Carly Severn contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "‘Never-Before-Seen’ Documents Reveal EPA Canceled 63 Grants Across California",
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"content": "\u003cp>Among the billions of dollars in funding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996440/uncertainty-looms-over-bay-area-climate-projects-under-trump\">terminated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u003c/a> in recent months were 63 grants representing nearly $260 million for projects and organizations across California, according to a KQED analysis of a list compiled by a group of Democratic senators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The senators, including California’s Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, \u003ca href=\"https://www.schiff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/letter-re-ej-grant-terminations-and-oej-ecr-closure.pdf\">sent a letter\u003c/a> this week to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin demanding that the agency reverse what they called the illegal termination of 400 congressionally authorized grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the letter, the senators released “never-before-seen” internal EPA documents listing the grants targeted for elimination, which would have gone toward projects addressing childhood lead poisoning, air pollution and health risks related to extreme heat and wildfires. Twenty-one of the grants, totaling more than $67 million, were meant for the Bay Area and its organizations, including major cities like San Francisco and San José as well as small climate-based nonprofits in places like East Palo Alto.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Democratic members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works said the EPA has knowingly violated contractual obligations and court orders by terminating the grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re trying to overwhelm us because the reality is most families in America are too busy to try to keep up,” Padilla said at a press conference on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The senators want the EPA to reverse all terminations immediately and to stop “making further unlawful terminations.” They would also like the agency to deliver any documents and information related to the “illegal clawbacks” by March 31.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996495\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996495\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Community, environmental and climate justice groups hold an emergency rally to denounce Trump’s and Musk’s attacks on environmental laws and justice programs in front of USEPA’s Regional Headquarters in San Francisco on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We call on you to follow the law,” the senators wrote, adding that they want information on the agency’s decision-making process for the grant terminations and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031373/a-radically-reshaped-epa-takes-its-toll-on-bay-area-environmental-justice-efforts\">closing of its environmental justice offices nationwide\u003c/a>, including in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Climate groups across the Bay Area have seen federal grants canceled or frozen over the last few months. Some told KQED they do not know their funding status because agency staffers have been ordered not to communicate with them. Others are blindly billing for their projects with no assurance that they will be reimbursed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In February, EPA officials terminated $20 billion in climate grants issued by the Biden administration. The money was meant to finance clean energy and environmental projects through a so-called green bank. Environmental groups filed a lawsuit in response.[aside postID=science_1996440 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Coyote-Valley-Landscapes-DN-3-22-2016-19-1020x680.jpg']The $67 million in Bay Area grants targeted by the EPA \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996440/uncertainty-looms-over-bay-area-climate-projects-under-trump\">closely mirrors survey results\u003c/a> of Bay Area climate nonprofits, public agencies and tribes by Together Bay Area. The group found that at least $60 million in federal funding for climate projects across the region is at risk, potentially stalling wildfire prevention efforts, trail building and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I really think that’s just the beginning,” said Annie Burke, executive director of Together Bay Area, which represents many affected organizations and agencies. “Every day, I’m getting emails saying there’s another million-dollar project that just got paused, and those million-dollar projects are things like catastrophic wildfire prevention.“\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Administration officials have also targeted diversity, equity and inclusion programs, calling them wasteful spending that needs to be cut to align with orders from President Donald Trump. The agency shuttered its environmental justice offices nationwide, including in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, EPA Administrator Zeldin said environmental justice has been used “primarily as an excuse to fund left-wing activists instead of actually spending those dollars to directly remediate environmental issues for those communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995142\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995142\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">President Donald Trump shakes hands with former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-New York, during a roundtable at the Drexelbrook Catering & Event Center on Oct. 29, 2024, in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. \u003ccite>(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Zeldin also announced 31 actions meant to assign more authority to the states and relax federal regulations. The administration argued that this would lower the cost of living while supporting the energy and automobile industries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the U.S. and more,” Zeldin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Environmental Protection Network, made up of over 600 EPA alumni across the country who volunteer their time to protect the integrity of the agency, condemned the rollbacks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group analyzed data from the EPA and found that for every million dollars “in favors handed to corporate polluters,” Americans “will suffer” around $6 million in health-related costs. It said the consequences of “these rollbacks will disproportionately harm vulnerable communities, exacerbating existing health inequities and accelerating environmental degradation at a time when climate disasters are becoming more frequent and severe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment, yet these rollbacks do the exact opposite,” said Michelle Roos, executive director of the Environmental Protection Network. “The agency is endangering lives, worsening pollution and undermining decades of progress protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink. Congress, the courts, and the public must stand up to these reckless rollbacks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Among the billions of dollars in funding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996440/uncertainty-looms-over-bay-area-climate-projects-under-trump\">terminated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u003c/a> in recent months were 63 grants representing nearly $260 million for projects and organizations across California, according to a KQED analysis of a list compiled by a group of Democratic senators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The senators, including California’s Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, \u003ca href=\"https://www.schiff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/letter-re-ej-grant-terminations-and-oej-ecr-closure.pdf\">sent a letter\u003c/a> this week to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin demanding that the agency reverse what they called the illegal termination of 400 congressionally authorized grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the letter, the senators released “never-before-seen” internal EPA documents listing the grants targeted for elimination, which would have gone toward projects addressing childhood lead poisoning, air pollution and health risks related to extreme heat and wildfires. Twenty-one of the grants, totaling more than $67 million, were meant for the Bay Area and its organizations, including major cities like San Francisco and San José as well as small climate-based nonprofits in places like East Palo Alto.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Democratic members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works said the EPA has knowingly violated contractual obligations and court orders by terminating the grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re trying to overwhelm us because the reality is most families in America are too busy to try to keep up,” Padilla said at a press conference on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The senators want the EPA to reverse all terminations immediately and to stop “making further unlawful terminations.” They would also like the agency to deliver any documents and information related to the “illegal clawbacks” by March 31.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996495\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996495\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250325_EPAProtests_GC-16_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Community, environmental and climate justice groups hold an emergency rally to denounce Trump’s and Musk’s attacks on environmental laws and justice programs in front of USEPA’s Regional Headquarters in San Francisco on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We call on you to follow the law,” the senators wrote, adding that they want information on the agency’s decision-making process for the grant terminations and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031373/a-radically-reshaped-epa-takes-its-toll-on-bay-area-environmental-justice-efforts\">closing of its environmental justice offices nationwide\u003c/a>, including in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Climate groups across the Bay Area have seen federal grants canceled or frozen over the last few months. Some told KQED they do not know their funding status because agency staffers have been ordered not to communicate with them. Others are blindly billing for their projects with no assurance that they will be reimbursed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In February, EPA officials terminated $20 billion in climate grants issued by the Biden administration. The money was meant to finance clean energy and environmental projects through a so-called green bank. Environmental groups filed a lawsuit in response.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The $67 million in Bay Area grants targeted by the EPA \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996440/uncertainty-looms-over-bay-area-climate-projects-under-trump\">closely mirrors survey results\u003c/a> of Bay Area climate nonprofits, public agencies and tribes by Together Bay Area. The group found that at least $60 million in federal funding for climate projects across the region is at risk, potentially stalling wildfire prevention efforts, trail building and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I really think that’s just the beginning,” said Annie Burke, executive director of Together Bay Area, which represents many affected organizations and agencies. “Every day, I’m getting emails saying there’s another million-dollar project that just got paused, and those million-dollar projects are things like catastrophic wildfire prevention.“\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Administration officials have also targeted diversity, equity and inclusion programs, calling them wasteful spending that needs to be cut to align with orders from President Donald Trump. The agency shuttered its environmental justice offices nationwide, including in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, EPA Administrator Zeldin said environmental justice has been used “primarily as an excuse to fund left-wing activists instead of actually spending those dollars to directly remediate environmental issues for those communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995142\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995142\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/11/TrumpLeeZeldinAP-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">President Donald Trump shakes hands with former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-New York, during a roundtable at the Drexelbrook Catering & Event Center on Oct. 29, 2024, in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. \u003ccite>(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Zeldin also announced 31 actions meant to assign more authority to the states and relax federal regulations. The administration argued that this would lower the cost of living while supporting the energy and automobile industries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the U.S. and more,” Zeldin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Environmental Protection Network, made up of over 600 EPA alumni across the country who volunteer their time to protect the integrity of the agency, condemned the rollbacks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The group analyzed data from the EPA and found that for every million dollars “in favors handed to corporate polluters,” Americans “will suffer” around $6 million in health-related costs. It said the consequences of “these rollbacks will disproportionately harm vulnerable communities, exacerbating existing health inequities and accelerating environmental degradation at a time when climate disasters are becoming more frequent and severe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment, yet these rollbacks do the exact opposite,” said Michelle Roos, executive director of the Environmental Protection Network. “The agency is endangering lives, worsening pollution and undermining decades of progress protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink. Congress, the courts, and the public must stand up to these reckless rollbacks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>At least $60 million in federal funding for climate projects across the Bay Area is at risk, stalling efforts on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029182/federal-policy-turmoil-threatens-californias-wildfire-prevention-efforts\">wildfire prevention\u003c/a> and other critical projects across the region amid the uncertainty, according to a new survey by Together Bay Area, which represents dozens of nonprofits, tribes and public agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the 28 respondents, which include water agencies, nonprofits, environmental consulting firms and public agencies, said the federal government froze their grants; many have no idea of their funding status because agency staffers aren’t communicating with them, and others are blindly billing for their projects with no assurance they will be reimbursed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The funding limbo comes as the Trump administration has taken \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031373/a-radically-reshaped-epa-takes-its-toll-on-bay-area-environmental-justice-efforts\">drastic steps to reshape the Environmental Protection Agency\u003c/a>, cut or freeze hundreds of grants and deemphasize programs that promote climate awareness. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the cuts will eliminate “forced discrimination programs” and “serve every American with equal dignity and respect.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We found out that nature-based solutions to the climate crisis are slowing down and stopping because of the federal administration’s orders,” said Annie Burke, the executive director of Together Bay Area. “That’s not a good thing. Climate change doesn’t care about what’s happening in Washington, D.C.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The surveyed groups are spread across the nine Bay Area counties and Santa Cruz County; the climate projects in jeopardy include efforts to protect endangered fish species, adapt to wildfire risk and shield communities from the dangers of flooding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1927406\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1927406\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/07/IMG_0118-e1742855390118.jpg\" alt=\"A CalFire wildland crewmember uses a drip torch to light land on fire for a prescribed burn.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California fire officials say planning more burns safely could reduce catastrophic risks posed by wildfire. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I think this is just the beginning; every day, I’m getting emails from members saying there’s another million-dollar project that just got paused,” Burke said. “Overall, there’s a lot of uncertainty, and it’s making people stressed and uncertain about the future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the surveyed leaders expressed hope that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012256/californias-10-billion-climate-bond-ahead-with-a-strong-lead\">$10 billion climate bond\u003c/a> passed by California voters in November could help fill in the potential funding gaps, but state officials aren’t sure all projects will exactly align with the bond’s goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Julie Alvis, deputy assistant secretary for administration at the California Natural Resources Agency, said around $2.7 billion will likely be available from the climate bond this year, but that won’t be certain until the state budget is finalized in July. Key areas for grants include safe drinking water, water infrastructure, wildfire prevention, clean energy and climate resilience, Alvis said.[aside postID=news_12027540 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/BayFarmShoreline_001_qed-1020x680.jpg']“We could see more applications coming in with more demand than resources available, which makes it difficult for organizations to compete given that there might be more projects in the mix to evaluate,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California State Coastal Conservancy is already accepting grant applications for wetland restoration projects, coastal flood risk management, public access and coastal resource protection. The agency will begin deciding on grants this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t know that we’re going to use the climate bond to just backfill any lost federal funds,” said Amy Hutzel, executive officer at the Coastal Conservancy. “To the extent that projects align with the state’s objectives, they could be competitive for climate bond funding.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With so much uncertainty over projects that had been planned for years, Burke said this is a moment for California and private funders to help organizations meet their missions, which play into the state’s climate goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What’s going to save us is us working locally, regionally, to advocate for funding in Sacramento,” she said. “If we don’t think differently and organize differently, it’s going to set us back years, if not decades, in the work to adapt to and mitigate the climate crisis\u003cem>.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We’re in triage’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At least $6 million for restoring native habitat for endangered salmon, mitigating flooding issues and reducing wildfire risk is in question, said Kellyx Nelson, executive director of the San Mateo Resource Conservation District, which uses nature-based solutions for climate resilience and natural disaster mitigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can’t tell you exactly what the risk is because some of the greatest impact to us right now is uncertainty,” Nelson said. “Information is changing hour by hour, almost minute by minute. Some of it comes down to interpretation because it’s not even clear what’s happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_647328\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-647328\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-400x267.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-1440x961.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-1920x1282.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-1180x788.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-960x641.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kellyx Nelson, executive director of San Mateo County Resource Conservation District, stands next to a retention pond on land managed by flower grower Dave Repetto in San Mateo County, California. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Tara Lohan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Funding for local grants comes from various sources, including the Biden-era infrastructure act and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But federal agencies are either not communicating with her staff, were fired or don’t know the status of their grants, Nelson said, adding that there’s also confusion from unresolved lawsuits and federal firings or court decisions that “aren’t being recognized by the administration.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For grants that Nelson knows aren’t frozen, her staff is billing for the projects, but she is hesitant to keep moving forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re in triage,” she said. “We aren’t moving forward with something where a grant manager has said to us, ‘Don’t work on this.’ If we don’t hear from anybody, we’re moving forward. Then it’s scary because we’re moving forward and hoping that isn’t a concern.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996464\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996464\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1286\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-800x514.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-1020x656.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-160x103.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-768x494.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-1536x988.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-1920x1235.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve, south of San José, could lose $800,000 in funding for accessible trails designed for people with disabilities. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Open Space Authority Santa Clara Valley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In Santa Clara County, south of San José, $800,000 in funds are at risk that would create trails for people with disabilities within the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996323/where-to-see-wildflowers-near-you-in-the-bay-area\">Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Andrea Mackenzie, general manager of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, said the team has already hired consultants, is designing the project and hopes to break ground in 2026. Though Congress had already approved the funds, she said she had not been able to get answers about the grant status from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, which did not reply to KQED for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Coyote Valley is one of the last undeveloped valley floors in the San Francisco Bay Area in one of the most diverse and fastest growing communities in the Bay Area,” she said. “It would be made accessible to people with disabilities in wheelchairs, with walkers, crutches and people who just can’t handle slopes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>At least $60 million in federal funding for climate projects across the Bay Area is at risk, stalling efforts on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029182/federal-policy-turmoil-threatens-californias-wildfire-prevention-efforts\">wildfire prevention\u003c/a> and other critical projects across the region amid the uncertainty, according to a new survey by Together Bay Area, which represents dozens of nonprofits, tribes and public agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the 28 respondents, which include water agencies, nonprofits, environmental consulting firms and public agencies, said the federal government froze their grants; many have no idea of their funding status because agency staffers aren’t communicating with them, and others are blindly billing for their projects with no assurance they will be reimbursed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The funding limbo comes as the Trump administration has taken \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031373/a-radically-reshaped-epa-takes-its-toll-on-bay-area-environmental-justice-efforts\">drastic steps to reshape the Environmental Protection Agency\u003c/a>, cut or freeze hundreds of grants and deemphasize programs that promote climate awareness. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the cuts will eliminate “forced discrimination programs” and “serve every American with equal dignity and respect.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We found out that nature-based solutions to the climate crisis are slowing down and stopping because of the federal administration’s orders,” said Annie Burke, the executive director of Together Bay Area. “That’s not a good thing. Climate change doesn’t care about what’s happening in Washington, D.C.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The surveyed groups are spread across the nine Bay Area counties and Santa Cruz County; the climate projects in jeopardy include efforts to protect endangered fish species, adapt to wildfire risk and shield communities from the dangers of flooding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1927406\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1927406\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/07/IMG_0118-e1742855390118.jpg\" alt=\"A CalFire wildland crewmember uses a drip torch to light land on fire for a prescribed burn.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California fire officials say planning more burns safely could reduce catastrophic risks posed by wildfire. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I think this is just the beginning; every day, I’m getting emails from members saying there’s another million-dollar project that just got paused,” Burke said. “Overall, there’s a lot of uncertainty, and it’s making people stressed and uncertain about the future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the surveyed leaders expressed hope that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012256/californias-10-billion-climate-bond-ahead-with-a-strong-lead\">$10 billion climate bond\u003c/a> passed by California voters in November could help fill in the potential funding gaps, but state officials aren’t sure all projects will exactly align with the bond’s goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Julie Alvis, deputy assistant secretary for administration at the California Natural Resources Agency, said around $2.7 billion will likely be available from the climate bond this year, but that won’t be certain until the state budget is finalized in July. Key areas for grants include safe drinking water, water infrastructure, wildfire prevention, clean energy and climate resilience, Alvis said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“We could see more applications coming in with more demand than resources available, which makes it difficult for organizations to compete given that there might be more projects in the mix to evaluate,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California State Coastal Conservancy is already accepting grant applications for wetland restoration projects, coastal flood risk management, public access and coastal resource protection. The agency will begin deciding on grants this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t know that we’re going to use the climate bond to just backfill any lost federal funds,” said Amy Hutzel, executive officer at the Coastal Conservancy. “To the extent that projects align with the state’s objectives, they could be competitive for climate bond funding.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With so much uncertainty over projects that had been planned for years, Burke said this is a moment for California and private funders to help organizations meet their missions, which play into the state’s climate goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What’s going to save us is us working locally, regionally, to advocate for funding in Sacramento,” she said. “If we don’t think differently and organize differently, it’s going to set us back years, if not decades, in the work to adapt to and mitigate the climate crisis\u003cem>.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We’re in triage’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At least $6 million for restoring native habitat for endangered salmon, mitigating flooding issues and reducing wildfire risk is in question, said Kellyx Nelson, executive director of the San Mateo Resource Conservation District, which uses nature-based solutions for climate resilience and natural disaster mitigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can’t tell you exactly what the risk is because some of the greatest impact to us right now is uncertainty,” Nelson said. “Information is changing hour by hour, almost minute by minute. Some of it comes down to interpretation because it’s not even clear what’s happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_647328\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-647328\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-400x267.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-1440x961.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-1920x1282.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-1180x788.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/04/Tara-Lohan_2-960x641.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kellyx Nelson, executive director of San Mateo County Resource Conservation District, stands next to a retention pond on land managed by flower grower Dave Repetto in San Mateo County, California. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Tara Lohan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Funding for local grants comes from various sources, including the Biden-era infrastructure act and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But federal agencies are either not communicating with her staff, were fired or don’t know the status of their grants, Nelson said, adding that there’s also confusion from unresolved lawsuits and federal firings or court decisions that “aren’t being recognized by the administration.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For grants that Nelson knows aren’t frozen, her staff is billing for the projects, but she is hesitant to keep moving forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re in triage,” she said. “We aren’t moving forward with something where a grant manager has said to us, ‘Don’t work on this.’ If we don’t hear from anybody, we’re moving forward. Then it’s scary because we’re moving forward and hoping that isn’t a concern.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996464\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996464\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1286\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2.jpeg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-800x514.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-1020x656.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-160x103.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-768x494.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-1536x988.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/CVAL-Rainbow-N.Perry-2024-04-2-1920x1235.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve, south of San José, could lose $800,000 in funding for accessible trails designed for people with disabilities. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Open Space Authority Santa Clara Valley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In Santa Clara County, south of San José, $800,000 in funds are at risk that would create trails for people with disabilities within the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996323/where-to-see-wildflowers-near-you-in-the-bay-area\">Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Andrea Mackenzie, general manager of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, said the team has already hired consultants, is designing the project and hopes to break ground in 2026. Though Congress had already approved the funds, she said she had not been able to get answers about the grant status from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, which did not reply to KQED for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Coyote Valley is one of the last undeveloped valley floors in the San Francisco Bay Area in one of the most diverse and fastest growing communities in the Bay Area,” she said. “It would be made accessible to people with disabilities in wheelchairs, with walkers, crutches and people who just can’t handle slopes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Cuddly but Costly: The Unseen Dangers of Fleece in Kids Clothes and Toys",
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"content": "\u003cp>It’s not just the fleece sweater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s the fleece stuffed animals and lovies my kid sleeps with, cuddled up under his chin throughout the night. It’s also the blankets, hats and pants. I’m increasingly concerned about the ubiquity of fleece.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why worry?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101891083/microplastics-corrupted-our-planet-heres-what-we-can-do\">Because it’s plastic\u003c/a>. And \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/toxic-chemicals-substances/how-plastic-can-harm-your-health-a2854312421/\">plastic is a poison\u003c/a>. It can both cause harm due to its size and composition and act as a chemical Velcro, trapping and transporting toxic materials that shouldn’t be in a young, growing body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve wondered about this for years — ever since learning babies have significantly higher levels of \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/baby-poop-is-loaded-with-microplastics/\">plastic in their poop\u003c/a> than adults — and even more so since giving birth to my own child. To decide what to do for myself and my family, I spent weeks talking to toxicologists, chemistry experts and professionals in the textile industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The upshot: Many experts agree that microplastic shedding poses risks to children, particularly through exposure to food and air. However, reasonable households and parents may reach different conclusions about how they want to handle fleece toys and clothes. Examining this opened up a new way for me to think about consumer choices, regulation and whether we can ever be rid of what we throw away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996370\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996370\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">KQED reporter Danielle Venton plays with her son Teddy and his fleece stuffed animals at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Jan. 2, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For my family, I’m slowly reducing the fleece in our house without waging outright war.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before I continue, first, let me tell you a little bit about my sweet and talkative three-year-old boy. He adores his stuffed animals like I adore him. The favorites are Bunny, a green, floppy rabbit, and Dancing Man, a sky-blue sea otter with a blanket-like tummy. In the morning, he wakes up and gathers all the lovies together in his arms to bring them into our bed. He tells us about dreams or disputes the animals had and gives each of us one or two to hold for ourselves. I feel lucky when I’m handed Dancing Man — but I also feel a twinge of concern.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The stuffed animal crew is made from polyester fleece, a fabric created by combining two petroleum derivatives: terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. When these refined crude oils are blended at high temperatures, they form a new liquid chemical called polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. As it cools, the mixture grows thick and syrupy, and a machine pushes it through tiny holes in a disk, where it hardens into a string that can be knitted together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996399\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996399\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1305\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017-800x544.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017-1020x693.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plastic bottles, which are single-use plastics, are piled on the floor of one section of the Recology Center in Hunters Point in San Francisco on Sept. 6, 2019. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many fleece garments are formed from a combination of virgin polyester and recycled soda bottles, which can seem like a great thing. However, recycled plastic can retain chemicals from whatever it was recycled from. Washing fleece releases plastic fibers that flow away from our house and, whether passing through a water treatment facility or a septic system, end up in the natural world. It ultimately returns to us — to our kids — in the form of polluted \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169772224000640\">water\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969722069340\">food\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://e360.yale.edu/features/plastic-waste-atmosphere-climate-weather\">air\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The average person globally is estimated to ingest up to \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33130380/\">the weight of a credit card\u003c/a> in microplastics each week from a variety of sources. Ingested plastic is linked to a host of respiratory, digestive and reproductive problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, researchers found strong evidence that microplastics harm human fertility and could increase cancer risk in the digestive and respiratory tracts, according to a survey commissioned by the California Legislature that \u003ca href=\"https://prheucsf.blog/2023/02/13/microplastics-more-like-macro-problem/\">summarized\u003c/a> 2,000 studies. In an update last year, the researchers added an additional 1,000 studies and reached the same conclusions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Scientists have gotten used to saying, ‘We don’t know for sure if microplastics are harming us,’” said Tracey Woodruff, a researcher in reproductive health and the environment at UCSF and one of the report authors.[aside postID=news_11901288 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/RS52998_DSC_1298_edit-qut-1020x598.jpeg']That became an excuse used by industry and policymakers for not enacting regulations. Plastic pollution comes from many sources, but fabric is a large contributor to the microplastic particles found in the environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think we’re now at the point where we have enough evidence to act,” Woodruff said. “It is really mind-blowing how much comes from textiles.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kids’ bodies are smaller, and they crawl around on floors and put hands, feet — heck, everything — in their mouths, making them especially at risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is reason to be concerned,” Woodruff said, adding that reducing exposure to plastic is in everyone’s interest. “The production of plastic is expected to double to triple in the next 20, 30 years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of the half dozen experts I spoke to, none said I should take Bunny and Dancing Man away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[I think] individual prized objects like a stuffy or a favorite sweater are not the things to try to eliminate,” said Megan Schwarzman, researcher and associate director of UC Berkeley’s Center for Green Chemistry, who has a young son herself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996368\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996368 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Roberts Regional Recreation Area Barrier Free Playground in Oakland on March 17, 2025. Microplastics can trigger inflammation and oxidative stress in human cells, potentially damaging DNA, breaking cell membranes, and contributing to chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease, according to the National Library of Medicine. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Plastic is everywhere, and one stuffed animal is “such a tiny fraction of the real true exposure that the battle is not worth it in terms of real risk reduction to the kid,” Schwarzman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Children wearing or holding fleece might inhale some particles, but probably aren’t absorbing a lot of plastic through their skin, she said. A likely larger source of microplastics would be from degraded tires and paint sloughing off our roads and buildings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sure, his fleece is exposing him to a little bit of extra plastic, but the best short-term strategy to keep it out of his body would be to eliminate plastic from the kitchen, Schwarzman said. Store food and beverages in glass or metal. Do not microwave food in plastic. Do not reuse takeout containers, as they tend to be made from low-quality plastics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is currently a matter of personal choice and responsibility, but ought it to be?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996403\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996403 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plastic utensils at the bottom of a trash bin in Oakland, California, on Dec. 4, 2024. Recent research has pointed to microplastics as potentially harmful to human digestion and a possible driver for the increase of colorectal cancer. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>I started thinking about new kitchen items to buy to cut down on plastic, but Schwarzman pushed me to think bigger. A shift toward fewer plastics and more natural materials would reduce some personal exposure and could send signals to the marketplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We do a disservice when we suggest that people can solve the problem by buying different things,” she said. “It’s really putting public pressure on policymakers, [large-scale] purchasers, brands and manufacturers is what creates change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Greener products, she noted, come at a price premium, “and there’s no way for them to compete because plastic is really cheap.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Currently, the environment and our bodies bear the toxic cost of manufactured materials, but the producers do not. What’s needed, Schwarzman said, is public policy that makes manufacturers responsible for a product’s true cost. California is taking a stab with SB 54, a 2022 law designed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11747798/california-weighs-how-to-lighten-its-plastic-problem\">reduce plastic packaging and increase recycling\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1092837\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1092837\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/10/PlasticBags1%E2%80%94Bags-e1742579030377.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plastics can contain or absorb endocrine-disrupting chemicals that interfere with hormones, potentially leading to reproductive and developmental issues, according to the National Library of Medicine. \u003ccite>(Thinkstock)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Industry groups acknowledge concerns about the potential for their products to harm human health and the environment but emphasize the usefulness and cost-effectiveness of plastic. They point to \u003ca href=\"https://corporate.dow.com/content/dam/corp/documents/about/066-00469-01-2023-progress-report.pdf#page=32\">innovating new products\u003c/a> and recycling as a solution for sustainability. Although only a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1700782\">tiny fraction\u003c/a> of plastic produced is recycled, the process itself \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/23/recycling-can-release-huge-quantities-of-microplastics-study-finds\">releases a ton\u003c/a> of microplastic pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some people within private industry are working to influence the marketplace to reduce the production of new garments altogether. Americans are buying four times as many apparel items as we did in the 1980s, according to Andy Ruben, who launched Walmart’s sustainability efforts in 2004, which set standards for product sourcing and reducing corporate emissions.[aside postID=forum_2010101891083 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/43/2022/10/GettyImages-1331594926-1020x680.jpg']After Walmart, he founded \u003ca href=\"https://trove.com/\">Trove\u003c/a>, a company that helps businesses create a resale market so that less new stuff needs to be made for a brand to be profitable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have enough clothing on the planet right this minute to dress the next six generations of humans,” Ruben said, quoting data touted by the British Fashion Council. “The best thing to do with an item you no longer need is to pass it down, sell it back, keep it in use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The microplastics that we’re talking about last 500 to 1,000 years. To address the root cause, we really need to talk about the amount of production.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Changing consumption habits is a big challenge, he said. His views on the best approach to a more sustainable future have evolved over the past 20 years. He once believed that individual choices would put enough pressure on markets to drive change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I still believe market forces are a powerful driver for innovation and progress,” he said. “But ultimately, I think that [change] will require legislation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After spending an embarrassing amount of time thinking about this, I’ve identified my fleece policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>1. No new fleece, only hand-me-downs\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“Clothes shed a lot in their first few washes when they’re new,” said Lisa Erdle, a biologist and toxicologist at the 5 Gyres Institute, which researches plastic pollution. “Typically, hand-me-downs or things from the thrift store have already gone through the majority of microfiber shedding.” She noted that at the end of their lifespan, when they become threadbare, shedding can accelerate again, so I’ll watch out for that.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>2. No big fleece, even if used\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Fleece sheets, blankets or pajamas would likely cause more fiber inhalation than holding a lovie or wearing a fleece jacket.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>3. Wash on cold, line dry\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Laundering is the major route for fleece fabrics to shed, so I wash on cold — hot causes more shedding — and hang dry. I am also going to buy a filter that attaches to a washing machine to take out some of the microplastic particles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996373\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Teddy’s fleece stuffed animal Bunny sits on a couch at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Jan. 2, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>4. No kiddos around the dryer lint trap\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Sanjay Mohanty, an associate professor at UCLA who studies microplastics, lets his kids wear fleece, but he doesn’t want them near the dryer when he opens the door. The lint trap collects a lot of plastic when the dryer is stuffed with synthetics. “I would not want my kid around, or at least I would want them to wear a mask when taking out clothes from the drying machine,” Mohanty said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>5. When we’re done with fleece garments, we’ll pass them on\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I pondered simply throwing away fleece garments once we’re done with them, but Schwarzman encouraged me to think more carefully. Giving someone a used but well-maintained fleece sweater is a win-win. It eliminates the need to buy a new one, and it’s already gone through most of its shedding, reducing pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In going to a landfill, it’s going to break down and pollute the landfill with microplastics,” Schwarzman said. “We might think of that as a safer place for it to be kind of locked away in there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/land_disposal/swat.html#:~:text=392%20sites%20%5B72%25%5D%20were,above%20other%20%22regulatory%20levels%22\">data from the state water board\u003c/a> show that California landfills have a history of leaking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no way where we can throw things away. They all come back to us,” Schwarzman said. “As long as we keep basing our material economy on hazardous substances, we can never get away from them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Each week, the average person is estimated to ingest up to the weight of a credit card in microplastics. What could I do for my family? ",
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"title": "Cuddly but Costly: The Unseen Dangers of Fleece in Kids Clothes and Toys | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It’s not just the fleece sweater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s the fleece stuffed animals and lovies my kid sleeps with, cuddled up under his chin throughout the night. It’s also the blankets, hats and pants. I’m increasingly concerned about the ubiquity of fleece.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why worry?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101891083/microplastics-corrupted-our-planet-heres-what-we-can-do\">Because it’s plastic\u003c/a>. And \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/toxic-chemicals-substances/how-plastic-can-harm-your-health-a2854312421/\">plastic is a poison\u003c/a>. It can both cause harm due to its size and composition and act as a chemical Velcro, trapping and transporting toxic materials that shouldn’t be in a young, growing body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve wondered about this for years — ever since learning babies have significantly higher levels of \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/baby-poop-is-loaded-with-microplastics/\">plastic in their poop\u003c/a> than adults — and even more so since giving birth to my own child. To decide what to do for myself and my family, I spent weeks talking to toxicologists, chemistry experts and professionals in the textile industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The upshot: Many experts agree that microplastic shedding poses risks to children, particularly through exposure to food and air. However, reasonable households and parents may reach different conclusions about how they want to handle fleece toys and clothes. Examining this opened up a new way for me to think about consumer choices, regulation and whether we can ever be rid of what we throw away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996370\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996370\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-09-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">KQED reporter Danielle Venton plays with her son Teddy and his fleece stuffed animals at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Jan. 2, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For my family, I’m slowly reducing the fleece in our house without waging outright war.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before I continue, first, let me tell you a little bit about my sweet and talkative three-year-old boy. He adores his stuffed animals like I adore him. The favorites are Bunny, a green, floppy rabbit, and Dancing Man, a sky-blue sea otter with a blanket-like tummy. In the morning, he wakes up and gathers all the lovies together in his arms to bring them into our bed. He tells us about dreams or disputes the animals had and gives each of us one or two to hold for ourselves. I feel lucky when I’m handed Dancing Man — but I also feel a twinge of concern.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The stuffed animal crew is made from polyester fleece, a fabric created by combining two petroleum derivatives: terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. When these refined crude oils are blended at high temperatures, they form a new liquid chemical called polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. As it cools, the mixture grows thick and syrupy, and a machine pushes it through tiny holes in a disk, where it hardens into a string that can be knitted together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996399\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996399\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1305\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017-800x544.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017-1020x693.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/Recology_017-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plastic bottles, which are single-use plastics, are piled on the floor of one section of the Recology Center in Hunters Point in San Francisco on Sept. 6, 2019. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many fleece garments are formed from a combination of virgin polyester and recycled soda bottles, which can seem like a great thing. However, recycled plastic can retain chemicals from whatever it was recycled from. Washing fleece releases plastic fibers that flow away from our house and, whether passing through a water treatment facility or a septic system, end up in the natural world. It ultimately returns to us — to our kids — in the form of polluted \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169772224000640\">water\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969722069340\">food\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://e360.yale.edu/features/plastic-waste-atmosphere-climate-weather\">air\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The average person globally is estimated to ingest up to \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33130380/\">the weight of a credit card\u003c/a> in microplastics each week from a variety of sources. Ingested plastic is linked to a host of respiratory, digestive and reproductive problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, researchers found strong evidence that microplastics harm human fertility and could increase cancer risk in the digestive and respiratory tracts, according to a survey commissioned by the California Legislature that \u003ca href=\"https://prheucsf.blog/2023/02/13/microplastics-more-like-macro-problem/\">summarized\u003c/a> 2,000 studies. In an update last year, the researchers added an additional 1,000 studies and reached the same conclusions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Scientists have gotten used to saying, ‘We don’t know for sure if microplastics are harming us,’” said Tracey Woodruff, a researcher in reproductive health and the environment at UCSF and one of the report authors.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That became an excuse used by industry and policymakers for not enacting regulations. Plastic pollution comes from many sources, but fabric is a large contributor to the microplastic particles found in the environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think we’re now at the point where we have enough evidence to act,” Woodruff said. “It is really mind-blowing how much comes from textiles.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kids’ bodies are smaller, and they crawl around on floors and put hands, feet — heck, everything — in their mouths, making them especially at risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is reason to be concerned,” Woodruff said, adding that reducing exposure to plastic is in everyone’s interest. “The production of plastic is expected to double to triple in the next 20, 30 years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of the half dozen experts I spoke to, none said I should take Bunny and Dancing Man away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[I think] individual prized objects like a stuffy or a favorite sweater are not the things to try to eliminate,” said Megan Schwarzman, researcher and associate director of UC Berkeley’s Center for Green Chemistry, who has a young son herself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996368\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996368 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/20250317_PLASTIC-PLAYGROUND_DB_00024-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Roberts Regional Recreation Area Barrier Free Playground in Oakland on March 17, 2025. Microplastics can trigger inflammation and oxidative stress in human cells, potentially damaging DNA, breaking cell membranes, and contributing to chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease, according to the National Library of Medicine. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Plastic is everywhere, and one stuffed animal is “such a tiny fraction of the real true exposure that the battle is not worth it in terms of real risk reduction to the kid,” Schwarzman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Children wearing or holding fleece might inhale some particles, but probably aren’t absorbing a lot of plastic through their skin, she said. A likely larger source of microplastics would be from degraded tires and paint sloughing off our roads and buildings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sure, his fleece is exposing him to a little bit of extra plastic, but the best short-term strategy to keep it out of his body would be to eliminate plastic from the kitchen, Schwarzman said. Store food and beverages in glass or metal. Do not microwave food in plastic. Do not reuse takeout containers, as they tend to be made from low-quality plastics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is currently a matter of personal choice and responsibility, but ought it to be?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996403\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1996403 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/241204-Black-Plastic-Utensils-DMB-0147_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plastic utensils at the bottom of a trash bin in Oakland, California, on Dec. 4, 2024. Recent research has pointed to microplastics as potentially harmful to human digestion and a possible driver for the increase of colorectal cancer. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>I started thinking about new kitchen items to buy to cut down on plastic, but Schwarzman pushed me to think bigger. A shift toward fewer plastics and more natural materials would reduce some personal exposure and could send signals to the marketplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We do a disservice when we suggest that people can solve the problem by buying different things,” she said. “It’s really putting public pressure on policymakers, [large-scale] purchasers, brands and manufacturers is what creates change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Greener products, she noted, come at a price premium, “and there’s no way for them to compete because plastic is really cheap.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Currently, the environment and our bodies bear the toxic cost of manufactured materials, but the producers do not. What’s needed, Schwarzman said, is public policy that makes manufacturers responsible for a product’s true cost. California is taking a stab with SB 54, a 2022 law designed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11747798/california-weighs-how-to-lighten-its-plastic-problem\">reduce plastic packaging and increase recycling\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1092837\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1092837\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2016/10/PlasticBags1%E2%80%94Bags-e1742579030377.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plastics can contain or absorb endocrine-disrupting chemicals that interfere with hormones, potentially leading to reproductive and developmental issues, according to the National Library of Medicine. \u003ccite>(Thinkstock)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Industry groups acknowledge concerns about the potential for their products to harm human health and the environment but emphasize the usefulness and cost-effectiveness of plastic. They point to \u003ca href=\"https://corporate.dow.com/content/dam/corp/documents/about/066-00469-01-2023-progress-report.pdf#page=32\">innovating new products\u003c/a> and recycling as a solution for sustainability. Although only a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1700782\">tiny fraction\u003c/a> of plastic produced is recycled, the process itself \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/23/recycling-can-release-huge-quantities-of-microplastics-study-finds\">releases a ton\u003c/a> of microplastic pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some people within private industry are working to influence the marketplace to reduce the production of new garments altogether. Americans are buying four times as many apparel items as we did in the 1980s, according to Andy Ruben, who launched Walmart’s sustainability efforts in 2004, which set standards for product sourcing and reducing corporate emissions.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>After Walmart, he founded \u003ca href=\"https://trove.com/\">Trove\u003c/a>, a company that helps businesses create a resale market so that less new stuff needs to be made for a brand to be profitable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have enough clothing on the planet right this minute to dress the next six generations of humans,” Ruben said, quoting data touted by the British Fashion Council. “The best thing to do with an item you no longer need is to pass it down, sell it back, keep it in use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The microplastics that we’re talking about last 500 to 1,000 years. To address the root cause, we really need to talk about the amount of production.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Changing consumption habits is a big challenge, he said. His views on the best approach to a more sustainable future have evolved over the past 20 years. He once believed that individual choices would put enough pressure on markets to drive change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I still believe market forces are a powerful driver for innovation and progress,” he said. “But ultimately, I think that [change] will require legislation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After spending an embarrassing amount of time thinking about this, I’ve identified my fleece policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>1. No new fleece, only hand-me-downs\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“Clothes shed a lot in their first few washes when they’re new,” said Lisa Erdle, a biologist and toxicologist at the 5 Gyres Institute, which researches plastic pollution. “Typically, hand-me-downs or things from the thrift store have already gone through the majority of microfiber shedding.” She noted that at the end of their lifespan, when they become threadbare, shedding can accelerate again, so I’ll watch out for that.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>2. No big fleece, even if used\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Fleece sheets, blankets or pajamas would likely cause more fiber inhalation than holding a lovie or wearing a fleece jacket.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>3. Wash on cold, line dry\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Laundering is the major route for fleece fabrics to shed, so I wash on cold — hot causes more shedding — and hang dry. I am also going to buy a filter that attaches to a washing machine to take out some of the microplastic particles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996373\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996373\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/250102-KidsFleece-16-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Teddy’s fleece stuffed animal Bunny sits on a couch at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Jan. 2, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>4. No kiddos around the dryer lint trap\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Sanjay Mohanty, an associate professor at UCLA who studies microplastics, lets his kids wear fleece, but he doesn’t want them near the dryer when he opens the door. The lint trap collects a lot of plastic when the dryer is stuffed with synthetics. “I would not want my kid around, or at least I would want them to wear a mask when taking out clothes from the drying machine,” Mohanty said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>5. When we’re done with fleece garments, we’ll pass them on\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I pondered simply throwing away fleece garments once we’re done with them, but Schwarzman encouraged me to think more carefully. Giving someone a used but well-maintained fleece sweater is a win-win. It eliminates the need to buy a new one, and it’s already gone through most of its shedding, reducing pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In going to a landfill, it’s going to break down and pollute the landfill with microplastics,” Schwarzman said. “We might think of that as a safer place for it to be kind of locked away in there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/land_disposal/swat.html#:~:text=392%20sites%20%5B72%25%5D%20were,above%20other%20%22regulatory%20levels%22\">data from the state water board\u003c/a> show that California landfills have a history of leaking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no way where we can throw things away. They all come back to us,” Schwarzman said. “As long as we keep basing our material economy on hazardous substances, we can never get away from them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
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"possible": {
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"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"pri-the-world": {
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"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
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"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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"reveal": {
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"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
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},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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},
"science-friday": {
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