All Environment
- Corpse flower: Missed it in D.C.? There's another in California.
Corpse flower attracted crowds in Washington Sunday night, but if you missed the stinky flower bloom you can see another one within the next week at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The school says its greenhouse will be open to the public during the one-day blooming of the so-called corpse flower.
- Peach State no more? Blueberries lead Georgia's fruit crops.
Peach State may actually be the Blueberry State. Georgia is famous as a major producer of the peach but the so-called Peach State actually makes more money from another fruit crop: the blueberry.
- Greenpeace: Shenhua coal project dumps toxic water in China
Greenpeace: Shenhua coal-to-liquid pilot in near Ordos City in Inner Mongolia is draining groundwater and discharging high levels of toxic wastewater, according to a report released Tuesday by the environmental campaign group. The Greenpeace Shenhua report found that the coal project drained more than 50 million tonnes of groundwater from the Haolebaoji region since 2006.
- Idyllwild fire mostly contained. Now mudslide threatens California homes.
With the Idyllwild fire 85 percent contained early Tuesday, some residents now face the potential for flooding and mudslides in burned areas. Storms doused flames from the Idyllwild fire, but forced the evacuation of 20 homes in the path of potential flooding and mudslides.
- US Navy eyes recovering bombs from Great Barrier Reef
Two US jets jettisoned four unarmed bombs in Australia's Great Barrier Reef after aborted training mission. Officials of Great Barrier Reef park, world's biggest network of coral structures, say finding options for rapid recovery of bombs is high priority.
- Schwarzenegger filming documentary on climate change and wildfires
Actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is at work on a documentary on climate change and how it impacts the fire season. Mr. Schwarzenegger was in western Montana, profiling the Snake River Hotshots as they work on the lines of the 9.6-square-mile West Mullan Fire burning north of the town of Superior.
- Hydropower: the unsung hero of renewable energy
Hydropower accounts for more electricity production than solar, wind, and geothermal combined, but gets far less press because it is a mature technology with a much lower annual growth rate than most renewables. Still, hydropower will likely continue its leading role as the world’s most important producer of renewable electricity until well into the next decade.
- Why oil companies are leaving the Gulf of Mexico
New drilling technologies have contributed to exponential production gains for onshore oil and natural gas in the United States. The Gulf of Mexico is still giving up substantial amounts of oil, but some companies seem to be betting the biggest bonanza will be onshore.
- Idyllwild fire: Rain aids fight against California wildfire
Idyllwild fire continued to burn across southern California Monday morning, but heavy rain helped firefighters make substantial gains against a week-old wildfire that burned across 42 square miles. With the arrival of an inch and a half of rain Sunday, firefighters began to beat back the Idyllwild fire and had the blaze 68 percent contained.
- State department approves pipeline to Canada. No, it's not Keystone XL.
A 430-mile-long pipeline from North Dakota to Alberta was approved by the US State Department Wednesday. The so-called Vantage Pipeline, not to be confused with Keystone XL, will mark the first time that liquids from North Dakota's reservoirs will flow into existing Albertan infrastructure.
- June 2013 was world's fifth-hottest June on record, says NOAA
June 2013 broke monthly records over much of northern Canada, western Russia, southern Japan, the Philippines, part of southwestern China, and central southern Africa.
- Idyllwild fire grows to more than 35 square miles
Idyllwild fire threatened a popular tourist destination Thursday and destroyed at least six houses and mobile homes. Tensions heightened late Wednesday after winds shifted, causing the Idyllwild fire to change course and head in the direction of Idyllwild, an artist community and hiking destination in the San Jacinto Mountains.
- Heat wave spreads across US. When will it end?
The largest heat wave of the summer has spiked dangerously high temperatures across large swaths of the country for days. Relief from the heat wave is within sight, but cooler weather can't come soon enough.
- Two years after Fukushima, Japan eyes return to nuclear power
New safety regulations are clearing the way for a return to nuclear power in Japan, two years after an earthquake and tsunami caused a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
- Power plant implosion: Florida utility dynamites old plant
Power plant implosion levels a 1960s power plant in Fort Lauderdale to make way for a new power plant that runs on natural gas. The power plant implosion took 450 pounds of dynamite and 90 controlled explosions Tuesday morning.
- Ash borer beetle shows up in Iowa (again)
Ash borer beetle, first spotted in Iowa three years ago, has now appeared in a second location in the state, officials announced Tuesday. Most ash borer beetle infestations have been caused by people unknowingly moving infested firewood, nursery plants and sawmill logs across county and state lines.
- NYC to LA in 45 minutes? Tesla Motors CEO says 'Hyperloop' could do it.
Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk is throwing his weight behind a 'Hyperloop' network of pneumatic tubes that could transport travelers at high speeds along a magnetic-levitation track. The 'Hyperloop' could take someone from New York to Los Angeles in 45 minutes and New York to Beijing in just 2 hours, according to the Tesla CEO.
- Idyllwild fire a 'rapidly changing animal'
Idyllwild fire burned seven homes in the mountains west of Palm Springs, Calif., late Monday and early Tuesday as the fire more than doubled in size. The Idyllwild fire was mostly moving away from small communities and toward the desert, but officials said a shift in wind could easily sweep it back toward homes.
- Baby panda twins born at Zoo Atlanta
Panda twins were born at Zoo Atlanta Monday, the first twin pandas born in the United States since 1987. Zookeepers were expecting only one cub and were surprised when the giant panda named Lun Lun gave birth to baby panda twins.
- The dirty coal behind Germany's clean energy
Germany's energy portfolio may not be as green as you think, Grealy writes. Coal-fired power plants made up 52 percent of Germany's electricity demand in the first half of 2013, while output from natural gas and wind turbines is falling.