Environment in Focus

Plastic trash poses a well-known threat to wildlife, which can choke on plastic bags, fishing lines, and other junk. But now scientists are examining the impact of the next generation of plastic debris: microscopic plastic particles that manufacturers are adding to skin cream, toothpaste, eyeliner, shampoo, and many other personal care products. (Photo of plastic debris on beach from VIMS/Joe Dowling, Sustainable Coastlines, Marine Photobank.)

A new study concludes that populations of frogs and other amphibians are declining across the U.S. at a rate of almost 4 percent a year, which is faster than previous estimates. One of the authors, David Miller, an ecologist at Penn State University, said the global spread of two mysterious pathogens--the ranavirus and chytrid fungus--are likely partly to blame for the deaths.

Many stormwater pollution control systems fail because local governments do not have inspection staff to make sure property owners keep the filters free of debris, trash, and weeds. Richard Klein, President of Community and Environmental Defense Services, stands beside a pollution control device called a "rain garden" in Anne Arundel County that no longer works because it was buried in mulch.

The number of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay fell by more than half this year, compared to last year. Some scientists suggest a huge spike in populations of fish called red drum--perhaps driven by unusual weather conditions--meant more predators for baby crabs.

In an effort to revive depleted Chesapeake Bay oysters, federal and state agencies are working together to plant about 400 million juvenile oysters in a new 4,500-acre sanctuary. Stephanie Westby, a biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows oysters growing in Harris Creek, a tributary to the Choptank River on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Students at more than 300 colleges and universities across the U.S. are campaigning to urge school administrators to divest from fossil fuel companies that contribute to global warming.  At Johns Hopkins, students including Katherine Jochim and Jon Smeton recently met with the university's vice president of finance to urge the school to sell all coal, oil, and gas-related stocks in the university's $2.7 billion endowment.

Pollution from rainwater flushing over streets, parking lots, and suburban lawns is growing in the Chesapeake Bay. Maryland lawmakers last year required the state's largest municipalities to create stormwater pollution control fees. But some local officials are rebelling. (Photo from Chesapeake Bay Program.)

Smallmouth bass are one of the most popular freshwater sport fish, worth about $150 million a year to Maryland's economy alone in sales of everything from boats to fishing rods. But die-offs and disease have hit smallmouth in five Chesapeake Bay tributaries in recent years. Scientists theorize that a "perfect storm" of pollutants, parasites, and rising temperatures may be to blame. Photo of bass with skin discoloration from Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Bamboo is often cut down and ripped out of parks, because it is an invasive species that crowds out native plants. But a Baltimore-based company called Bambeco and others transform what some consider a nuisance weed into an amazing array of products, from picture frames to flooring and towels.

The Maryland General Assembly's 2013 session concluded last week with big news: approval of a bill that will help subsidize the construction of what could be America's first offshore wind farm, east of Ocean City. Lawmakers also voted down bills that would have delayed stormwater pollution control fees, encouraged recycling, and outlawed hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.