All Environment
Where nature has rightsToledo, Ohio, isn’t the first community to try to enshrine “rights of nature” into law.
First LookJudge blocks oil, gas drilling over impacts on climate changeDistrict Judge Rudolph Contreras ruled the U.S. government must consider the cumulative nature of climate change when leasing public lands for oil and gas drilling. His ruling will block drilling across about 500 square miles in Wyoming.
Can a lake have rights? Toledo votes yes.Fed up with pollution-driven algae blooms on Lake Erie, residents of Toledo, Ohio, last month established the ‘Lake Erie Bill of Rights,’ marking a shift in how the law views humanity’s relationship with nature.
[special project]Restoring Indonesia’s peatlands to their natural soggy gloryOne-size-fits-all agriculture has robbed Indonesia’s peatlands of their moisture. Now the country is working to restore these historic swamps by embracing rather than fighting their boggy nature.
First LookCalifornia calls National Guard from border for forestry helpCalifornia is pulling National Guard troops from the U.S.-Mexico border to help prevent wildfires. The state is doubling its efforts to thin miles of forest after the drought left millions of trees dead. The effort has drawn criticism from both environmentalists and President Donald Trump.
First LookHawaii weighs first-in-nation plastic bans at eateriesDozens of cities across the country have already banned foam plastic containers, but Hawaii’s effort could be the first state-wide. Discarded, slow-to-degrade plastic has shown up at sea and on beaches. But local eateries worry about the higher costs of biodegradable containers.
First LookUS moves to remove gray wolf protectionsIt has been up for debate whether or not the gray wolf’s status as an endangered and threatened species will change. A new proposal gives authority to state wildlife agencies and furthers the trend of environmental deregulation.
First LookColorado's 'bomb cyclone' storm blasts toward MidwestA late-winter blizzard has closed schools, wrecked roadways, and caused widespread blackouts. The extreme temperature is due to a dramatic drop in air pressure in Colorado – the most severe since 1950.
First LookAfter wildfires sweep urban areas, scientists study threat of toxic remainsThe massive fire in Paradise, California, last November burned thousands of pounds of wiring, plastic pipes, and building materials. As wildfires become more frequent scientists are searching for new strategies to study the longterm effect on humans and animals.
Aquaculture wars: The perils and promise of Big FishAquaculture is often hailed as the future of food production. But for many residents of Belfast, Maine, large-scale fish farming reeks of Big Ag.
First LookDozens of species moved north during marine heatwavesSixty-seven species from warmer southern waters migrated into the Northern California region over an unusually long period of severe heat waves. The significant migration might not be negative, but it will affect the ecosystem.
First LookNew study finds pollution inequity among racesHispanics breathe in 63 percent more than the pollution than they make, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. For African-Americans the figure is 56 percent. White Americans are exposed to 17 percent less air pollution than they make.
Problem with elephants? Call the beekeeper.Recovery of species under threat can sometimes bring unexpected challenges. In Uganda, rebounding elephant populations have become a nuisance. Local farmers have found a surprising solution.
First LookUnlikely partnership in Sri Lanka works to preserve whale habitatBusiness interests and conservationists are often at odds. But in a busy shipping line near Sri Lanka that is also a feeding ground for blue whales executives are willing to move their traffic to lower ship strikes at their own expense.
First LookWinter storms reverse California drought, burnish snowpackA surprising amount of snow is reversing California’s notorious drought, returning shades of green to wildfire-blackened hills. The winter storms also benefit the state’s water supply.
FocusWhose Key West? Climate change is driving up the price of paradise.Around the world, island communities are scrambling to cope with the impending threat of rising seas. Florida's Key West aims to prove that adaptation is possible. But at what cost?
Lions, leopards, and ... lessons? How safari tourism boosts rural education.For decades Uganda's efforts to divert tourist dollars into rural communities has been dogged by criticism. But a new focus on rural education is reviving hopes.
First LookAsh loggers rush to save trees before beetles eat them allThe emerald ash borer beetle kills almost every tree it attacks. In a race against time to save the lumber, one company is sawing ash at double its usual rate.
First LookHurricane lessons: the effect on rainforests offer insight into climate changeOngoing experiments in Puerto Rican rainforests are examining how already stressed ecosystems respond to severe weather such as hurricanes. The findings may hold the key to understanding how other regions might respond and adapt to global climate change.
Has the EPA lost its teeth? House to investigate dwindling enforcement.Deregulation has been a hallmark of the Trump administration's EPA. But data suggests that the agency may be bypassing the courts by declining to enforce pollution violations.
