All Environment
Transforming air pollution into talk-provoking artBy using exhaust to make ink, Graviky Labs hopes to spur conversation about air pollution.
Cover StoryHow a global crusade is working to save the improbable reef of CartagenaA coral reef is thriving mysteriously beneath a busy shipping zone in Colombia. The secrets of its resilience could help protect other vulnerable reefs, scientists say.聽
First LookIn India, citizens are working together to reduce wasteOn the eve of the聽United Nations World Environment Day, which is being hosted by India this year, citizens are addressing their country's garbage problem. Many are coming together to cut down on plastic 鈥� from simply recycling waste for a profit, to engineering biodegradable bowls from palm leaves.聽
First LookChina clears Everest of 9.4 tons of wasteIn China a聽team of 30 people has managed to clear Mount Everest of 9.4 tons of waste since April. The amount of waste has continued to grow with an increasing number of visitors to the world's tallest mountain even as warmer temperatures reveal decades of frozen garbage.
First LookCalifornia to spend $768 million toward cleaning up carbon emissionIn order to reach its goal of 5 million zero-emission cars by 2030聽the state of California, along with multiple energy corporations, will spend a combined total of $786 million toward sustainable energy for transportation.
FocusAmid drought in Texas Panhandle, farmers scratch crops from dustExtensive drought has forced farmers in the Texas Panhandle to rely more heavily on water drawn from the聽Ogallala Aquifer,聽raising concerns that they may be mortgaging their grandchildren's futures.
Wanted: Innovative farmers to help slow algal bloom on Lake ErieSummer algal blooms have clouded Lake Erie for at least 15 years,聽hurting the local economy and raising public health concerns. In hopes of saving their beloved lake, some farmers are beginning to embrace some radical ideas.
First LookCosta Rica's coast struggles to survive against rising seasAs rising seas threaten parts of Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, many聽worry that visitors who generate聽numerous jobs in the area could go聽elsewhere. Young trees like coconut聽palms are being planted to聽create a barrier and halt erosion.聽
From peak CO2 to record-low sea ice: making sense of climate newsIn recent weeks,聽 Earth has passed a series of 鈥渃ritical鈥澛燾limate milestones. How do readers know which headlines to pay attention to?
Is ditching fossil fuels entirely a reasonable goal?California and New York are leading the nation in a transition to cleaner energy. But even these states are finding聽it鈥檚 a lot easier to get to a 50 percent reduction in emissions than get to complete 鈥渄ecarbonization.鈥�
First LookBritish chefs cook up food waste solutionsIn Britain, chefs have started concept restaurants, soup kitchens, and social enterprises turning waste into meals. With no national food waste program, nonprofits have been taken the lead to redistribute food and change the way people think about kitchen scraps.
FocusWarming waters hurt Zanzibar's seaweed. But women farmers have a plan.Climate change is threatening Zanzibar's seaweed industry, and the gains that it has given farmers, who are mostly women: not just income, but newfound authority. Now they're fighting back, collaborating with researchers to protect their crops.
First LookAlgeria invests in desert fish farming to boost food productionThe nation hopes to feed its growing population and diversify its oil-based economy by tapping the huge aquifers beneath the Sahara to develop fish farms. Its goal: double annual fish production by 2022.聽
Cover StoryPolar power play: Who will prevail at the rooftop of the world?The world鈥檚 superpowers rush to exploit the Arctic as the sea ice melts.
First LookGlobal sailing race spotlights plastic pollution in oceansThe Volvo Ocean Race spans 12 ports and 45,000 miles and for the seven competing crews, it provides direct insight into the state of聽 pollution in the oceans. For both the sailors and spectators, the competition has become a rallying cry for sustainability.聽
First LookFog catchers turn mist into water in the Moroccan mountainsWith groundwater levels dropping, collecting water is a tedious and dangerous chore for many rural Moroccan women. But the world's largest fog collection project,聽headed by a mathematician, is seeing success and could offer a roadmap for other drought-stricken regions.
First LookAs climate change worsens, East African beekeepers struggle with harvestBeekeeping has been recognized as an alternative way for farmers to make money as climate change brings harsher weather and unpredictable growing seasons. However, even honey yields are down as parched trees offer little nectar during droughts.
First LookFacing prolonged droughts, Zambia regulates groundwater useLonger droughts, population growth, and growing water聽consumption by farming and industry has lead Zambia to impose fees on groundwater use. The measures aim to create more shared wells, which will improve water conservation and raise funds to address water pollution.聽
Where the wild books areLiam Heneghan aims to show how children鈥檚 literature can instill a lifelong love of nature.聽
Life on a volcano: Hawaiians face Kilauea eruption with reverenceThe eruption of Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island has driven roughly 2,000 people from their homes, but many have already vowed to return as soon as they can. What keeps people coming back?