The water we drink, the places we swim, and the plants and animals within our environment are increasingly threatened by one thing--pollution. Agricultural practices, household uses, urban runoff, and other sources significantly impact our communities and the world. The ways we use water, the pollutants found in it, and the issues that challenge its quality must be understood if we are to protect this vital resource. This award-winning program examines the threats, surveys the experts, and challenges you to make a difference through the choices you make.

Total coliform bacteria are a collection of relatively harmless microorganisms that live in large numbers in the intestines of man and warm- and cold-blooded animals. They aid in the digestion of food. A specific subgroup of this collection is the fecal coliform bacteria, the most common member being Escherichia coli. These organisms may be separated from the total coliform group by their ability to grow at elevated temperatures and are associated only with the fecal material of warm-blooded animals.

There is a flurry of talk about large-scale home buyouts as one answer to reducing flood risk, but the reality is any massive buyout plan is much easier said than done." In this news segment from KHOU 11, Houston residents and homeowners offer their perspectives on the plan to buy and repurpose land in areas more likely to experience flooding

Louisiana's struggle to restore Louisiana's Mississippi River Delta has resulted in a new Master Plan that embraces new advances in scientific knowledge - new tools for rebuilding the coast. Local, traditional ecological knowledge can also be a tool for cost saving planning. Finding Common Ground uses documentary film techniques to show how all those impacted by coastal erosion can cross over out of their silos, overcome long term psychological barriers, and achieve new understanding that may fast track restoration projects to build much needed new ground.

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) are underwater plants that grow in shallow water and do not emerge above the surface. These areas are important nurseries for juvenile fish and provide refuge for smaller species of fish and invertebrates from predators.

Flint, Michigan, tried to save money on water. Now its children have lead poisoning. Joe Posner explains.

We want to create a record of how the atmosphere has changed through time by calculating the ratio of two different types of leaf cell (stomatal and epidermal) for many leaves, from the present and the geological past. We know that the composition of the Earth's atmosphere has changed over time, and that it is changing now. It is important for us to understand what effect climate change might have on life on our planet in the long term.

Participants will become familiar with satellite orbits, types, resolutions, sensors and processing levels. In addition to a conceptual understanding of remote sensing, attendees will also be able to articulate its advantages and disadvantages. Participants will also have a basic understanding of NASA satellites, sensors, data, tools, portals and applications to environmental monitoring and management.

Sea levels are rising world-wide as warming oceans expand and melt glaciers and ice sheets. Stronger storms coupled with rising seas can significantly damage - even destroy - property, infrastructure, public facilities, natural habitats, and other resources we depend on. In the face of these threats, planning commission members are tasked with collaboratively developing an Adaptation Plan using the strategies (game pieces) for the scenarios provided.

DIY Lake Science allows families and educators to investigate and learn about lakes and other freshwater ecosystems at home, at school, or anywhere you go! The app includes a dozen easy to use, hands-on activities to learn about freshwater ecosystems. Each activity includes step-by-step instructions that have been tested by educators, kids, and families. The activity materials are widely available and inexpensive - you probably have many of them in your home.