All Environment
First LookEPA announces plan to clean up Colorado minesOver the next five years, the Environmental Protection Agency will work to remove or control toxic contaminants from聽campgrounds, mine waste piles, ponds, and rivers.
One company's plan to create affordable green housing in NigeriaFounded by Chinwe Ohajuruka, The Comprehensive Design Service aims to provide simple, sustainable housing to people in Nigeria who otherwise could not afford home ownership due to high building costs and a rapidly expanding urban population.
Despite natural gas boom, this Texas town is going 100% renewableAs US communities shift away from fossil fuels, cities and towns are grappling with the challenge of just how much they can rely on renewable energy. Denton, Texas, aims to show the way.
First LookPortugal races to protect its citizens against wildfires 鈥� with goatsDeadly wildfires in Portugal killed 106 people in 2017. Now, government officials are focusing on prevention. One part of the solution: hiring dozens of goat herds to eat vegetation that could otherwise be potential kindling for forest fires.聽
First LookTo avert potential wildfires, officials across Southwest close national forestsExtreme drought in southwestern Colorado has caused聽San Juan National Forest officials to close many parks and trails in an effort to resolve ongoing wildfires and prevent more from starting, a move that has already been made in both Arizona and New Mexico.
First LookDivers help to remove abandoned, destructive 'ghost' netsLost or discarded fishing gear known as 'ghost nets' float unsupervised in today's oceans, and they're trapping fish and disturbing underwater ecosystems. Volunteer divers are working to retrieve an estimated 640,000 tons of gear from the ocean floor.
First LookHawaii volcano spews out lava ... and information for scientistsHawaii鈥檚 Kilauea volcano is providing scientists with new insights on how volcanoes work and the patterns they follow. Scientists are now predicting volcanic activity, especially eruptions, more accurately, which will help nearby residences evacuate to safety earlier.
Rethinking disposable straws 鈥� for the sake of the oceansA movement to ban single-use plastic straws and bags is gaining momentum around the world.
First LookBoston hosts international mayors to address threats of rising sea levelsThe International Mayors Climate Summit, being held at Boston University, is where officials will meet to discuss how their cities will adapt to climate change. Boston is working to develop new policies and structures that can stand sturdy against a changing environment.聽
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.