All Environment
Points of ProgressMore butterflies and birds: Vulnerable species make gainsProgress roundup: Monarchs doubled in population in Mexico; less drought helped. In South Sudan, a forgotten coffee variety offers climate resilience.
From sand traps to salmon habitat, US golf courses become nature preservesFormer golf courses are growing wild again, increasing the amount of public green space in the U.S. In the process, they are teeing up solutions for long-standing environmental challenges.
Pursuit of critical minerals unearths new idea: Use what鈥檚 already dug upRare earth elements are needed for everything from green technology to consumer goods like laptops and batteries. Mining them, though, can cause environmental problems. But researchers say some of what鈥檚 needed is already above ground.
Points of ProgressGrafting for chocolate in Peru, and going after invasive species in New ZealandProgress roundup: Grafting revives cacao trees, reforms in Fiji strengthen democracy, and New Zealand commits to pest eradication on three islands.
Points of ProgressHow to reuse exhaust from jets and store energy in sandProgress roundup: Dallas airport captures jet exhaust for electricity, Finland innovates with heating methods, plus rights rulings in Japan and Kenya.
There鈥檚 one rare earths mine in the US. How that might change soon.The U.S. relies on China for about 70% of its rare earth imports. New Chinese restrictions on exports of the key minerals highlight why presidents from both parties have been trying to kickstart domestic production.
Points of ProgressGo with the flow: How to squeeze water from fog, and why to remove a damProgress roundup: Small dams across the U.S. are being removed for safety, water quality, and wildlife. And a desert in Chile yields water from fog.
A tree grows in Altadena: LA community tries to save its fire-damaged canopyIn a California community where wildfires displaced thousands of residents, arborists and locals are trying to save the area鈥檚 unique canopy of trees.
Florida manatees find warmth at power plants. They may need a new solution.Development has cut off many springs that manatees need to survive winter. Warm water now draws them to power plants, but decarbonization means that a more fundamental 鈥撀燼nd difficult 鈥� fix may be called for.
Points of ProgressThe rights of animals and the environment, from Mexico to NepalProgress roundup: Nepal鈥檚 Supreme Court disallowed development in protected areas. And in Mexico, Congress put animal welfare in the constitution.
Waste not, want not? How Massachusetts became the only state to reduce food waste.Every year, Americans discard 92 billion pounds of food.聽Massachusetts is on the leading edge of states trying to capture and divert food waste.
Cover StoryVirginia data centers are running out of power. Maryland farms lie in the way.Our reporter goes home to cover proposed high-voltage power lines in Maryland, a crucial need for expanding data centers and Americans鈥� digital lives.
Points of ProgressLow-tech and upside-down: The solutions under our feetProgress roundup: Fish advance science on China鈥檚 space station, solar farms host sheep on the ground, and across Africa, new publishers boost writers.
From the ashes: After wildfire, can this Olive Avenue family move forward?Wildfire turned vibrant Altadena to rubble. The Monitor is following what comes next on one block. How neighbors rebuild, how communities change, and how resilience appears in the aftermath of disaster. This is the first installment.
Points of ProgressA quiet recognition of Black soldiers in South Africa, and new rights in EcuadorProgress roundup: School lunch goes nationwide in Canada, overdue honor for Black soldiers in South Africa, and聽in Ecuador, marine life gain rights
LA area鈥檚 pets, and their owners, helped by progress in disaster responseAn increase in the integration of trained volunteers with official disaster response has helped people with pets after the Los Angeles wildfires.
Earth鈥檚 green evolution gave rise to everything from dinosaurs to dandelionsPaleontologist Riley Black traces the cooperation among plants, animals, and ecosystems in 鈥淲hen the Earth Was Green.鈥�
When slash-and-burn plantation fires spread, these Indonesian women douse the flamesThe palm oil industry has put Indonesian Borneo at risk of devastating wildfires. Ahead of International Women鈥檚 Day, 海角大神 joins an all-female firefighting force on patrol.聽
Hatched! Baby eagles send spirits soaring for webcam viewers.After a long, painful wait, and just a year after no eaglets ever appeared ... two eaglets have hatched!
After LA wildfires, a job center grows into a hub for wildfire responseThe Pasadena Community Job Center helps day laborers find work. After the LA wildfires, workers volunteered to help others 鈥� and themselves 鈥� begin a long recovery.聽