All Environment
First LookMaui wildfire decimated breadfruit trees. But now, a hope to restore.Breadfruit trees were brought to Hawaii by Polynesian voyagers 1,000 years ago. The Lahaina wildfire nearly decimated what was left of the trees on Maui. But beneath charred breadfruit trunk, underground, arborists are finding signs of life.
First LookBoats, houseboats, dolphins stranded in Amazon’s worst droughtThe world’s largest rainforest is suffering its worst drought, just over two years after its most significant flooding. The Negro River, the Amazon’s second largest tributary, reached its lowest level since official measurements began 121 years ago.
Points of ProgressFrom Netherlands to Indonesia, solutions for safer and snugger homesProgress roundup: GPS on elephants reduces conflict with humans in Indonesia, and a Dutch technology for energy retrofits is a face-lift for homes.
Points of ProgressThe power of togetherness: Sharing knowledge, and a mealProgress roundup: Science gives a woman speech synthesized from her brain signals, and a Paris arrondissement works hard to build community.
First Look‘Miracle year’: California records above average rain and snowfallAfter years of drought, California will end its water year with above-average rain and snow. Experts say this could have played a role in the state’s smaller wildfire season. With this year’s El Niño and predicted storms, there are concerns over flooding.
First LookPrecision, care, respect: Challenges behind Maui wildfire cleanupAfter the Aug. 8 Maui wildfire, authorities have begun removing hazardous waste and an estimated 400,000 to 700,000 tons of debris. Cleanup efforts will be costly and timely, and executed with care due to the cultural significance of the area.
Points of ProgressSchooling the teachers, from California to CambodiaProgress roundup: A pipeline for early childhood education teachers is boosting ranks. In Cambodia, a World Bank program impacted 450,000 students.
First LookPower lines sparked Maui fire. But the area was overgrown for years.Investigators hunting for the origin of last month’s Maui wildfire are focusing on an overgrown gully beneath Hawaiian Electric Co. power lines. The company denies responsibility, though some allege that its right-of-way went untrimmed for years.
First LookTeens to lead Europe's first climate change human rights caseA group of young Portuguese activists plan to take 32 European governments to court for what they say is a failure to adequately address human-caused climate change. It’s the first climate change case to be filed with the European Court of Human Rights.
FocusRebuilding after wildfire: Help is scarcest for those who need it mostAfter a major wildfire, low-income residents are the ones who find insurance and loans hardest to access. That’s a challenge for the whole community.
Miyawaki: A little forest with a towering task (video)A Japanese method of planting fast-growing native forests is spreading worldwide. How it brings “grounded hope” to one of its U.S. practitioners, and nurtures a sense of community around its sites.
First LookLouisiana’s ‘new normal’: Record-breaking wildfires scorch the stateLouisiana has had a record-breaking wildfire season, exacerbated by extreme heat and drought. The largest wildfire, which has been burning for almost a month, has scorched more than 31,000 acres – more burned land than the state usually has in a year.
Points of ProgressFor safer drinking water, the ingenuity of simple solutionsProgress roundup: Researchers develop an elegantly simple filter for microplastics, and a nonprofit is giving access to potable water to millions in East Africa.
First LookMarch to End Fossil Fuels: 75,000 protestors descend on NYCAs many as 75,000 people in New York City have begun a week of demonstrations seeking to end the use of fossil fuels and demand policy change. The march marked the beginning of New York’s Climate Week, where world leaders are gathering for a U.N. summit.
They moved to Vermont for climate safety. Then came floods.Extreme weather events have been persistent and global. They are bringing home the effects of climate change, even in areas of relative safety.
First LookNo more to-go cups? Starbucks to discontinue disposables by 2030.Starbucks plans to discontinue disposable cups by 2030 to reach its environmental goals of decreasing waste. Its store at Arizona State University has been reusing plastic cups with success, but can those practices be replicated at stores worldwide?
First LookNew environmental ruling shifts stewardship back to tribes and statesThe Biden administration’s decision will give back power to states and tribes to review federally regulated projects that could potentially pollute waterways. Proponents of the ruling claim it will help end “regulatory chaos.”
First LookNew England, already saturated by heavy rain, awaits Hurricane LeeCoastal New England is under a tropical storm watch in anticipation of Hurricane Lee making landfall later this week. The region braces for another storm as it still deals with the aftermath of extreme weather, including recent flash flooding and sinkholes.
If you map it, they will come: The effort to chart the seafloorJournalist Laura Trethewey plunges into the intense race to map the oceans – and the potential for exploitation of one of the planet’s few remaining frontiers.
Helping bays become ‘a better spot’ for oysters – and farmersA partnership between conservationists and oyster farmers is expanding after a promising start.
