Oil Drilling on US Arctic Coast Put on Ice

Oil companies’ rush to find reserves off Alaska’s Arctic shores suffered a setback on Thursday after Shell said it would suspend its operations in the region, and possibly withdraw for good.
Kenya Turns Flip-Flops Into Art – In Pictures

Discarded plastic shoes litter beaches across the world, but environmental project is transforming them into animal ornaments and jewellery
Hawaii Lawmakers Call For Changes After Molasses Spill

Hawaii lawmakers are responding to last year’s molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor by suggesting any fines or settlements the state collects for ocean spills be put toward restoring coral reefs.
China Pollution Wafting Across Pacific

When China’s skies darken with pollution, it is not the only nation to suffer. Pollution travels in large quantities across the Pacific Ocean to the United States, a new study has found. The study is the first to quantify how much pollution reaching the American West Coast is from the production in China of cellphones, televisions and other consumer items imported here and elsewhere..
Rio’s Olympic Waters Blighted By Heavy Pollution

With the Sugar Loaf Mountain perched at its entrance, Rio’s de Janeiro’s stunning Guanabara bay enchanted navigators in centuries past, but today its natural beauty conceals a modern hazard…
How Radioactive is Our Ocean?

Citizen science campaign aims to collect ocean samples and fund radiation analysis.
Oceanographer Examines Pollutants in Antarctic Seal Milk

An oceanographer from the University of Rhode Island is analyzing the milk from Antarctic fur seals to determine the type and quantity of pollutants the seals are accumulating and passing on to their pups.
Local Factors Cause Dramatic Spikes in Coastal Ocean Acidity

A new Duke University-led study has documented dramatic, natural short-term increases in the acidity of a North Carolina estuary.
How Plastic Pollution Can Carry Flame Retardants Into Your Sushi

Plastic debris litters aquatic habitats globally, the majority of which is microscopic (< 1 mm), and is ingested by a large range of species. Even plastics that contain no toxic substances themselves, such as polyethylene, the most widely used plastic, found in packaging and tons of other products, can serve as a medium for poisons to coalesce from the marine environment.