All Environment
Monsters no more? Cape Cod sharks get a makeoverStereotypes can be difficult to live down – even when it comes to marine life. In Chatham, Mass., educators are working to help residents and vacationers shed their misconceptions about sharks.
First LookVolunteers increasingly essential in US disaster responseThe federal Community Emergency Response Teams program enlists thousands of civilians to ease the pressure on professionals during the chaos of an earthquake, a wildfire, a flood, or a blizzard.
Will rising summer temperatures raise world’s climate change concern?It’s been an extraordinarily hot summer – with deadly effect – all across the Northern Hemisphere. Has the heat been changing how people think about climate change?
First LookTrump proposes roll back of tight fuel standardsThe Trump administration made a long-anticipated announcement that proposed keeping US mileage standards at 2020 levels in efforts to keep cars safer and cheaper, but the proposal revokes Obama-era fuel standards that focused on efficiency.
For wildlife, climate change brings a mixed bagDiscussions around climate change and wildlife tend to focus on winners and losers. In reality, animals’ responses cross a wide spectrum – with some showing surprising adaptability.
First LookHuge sea-life sculptures made from plastic waste shock, amazeIn an effort to raise awareness about plastic entering the ocean, an artist is transforming beach trash into sculptures of sea creatures ranging from great white sharks, made partly of bottle caps, to a jellyfish constructed of cut-up water bottles.
First LookAfter hurricane, Puerto Rico switches on to renewable energyA small number of buildings in Puerto Rico now rely on solar power after hurricane Maria left much of the island in the dark. Industry officials and environmentalists are closely watching the experiment to determine the possibilities of a larger-scale switch to off-grid power.
In Massachusetts, a big comeback for a little birdThe piping plover, a bird once down to 139 breeding pairs in the Bay State, has made a remarkable recovery, thanks in part to unorthodox approaches taken by conservationists.
First LookCaribbean islands rev up for electric car revolutionGiven the high costs of imported fuel for energy, several Caribbean islands are considering increasing the number of electric vehicles on their roads. But they face several barriers, including high initial costs and stiff import tariffs on vehicles.
ESA shakeups: Does protecting species have to be a zero-sum game?Proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act rocked the conservation world last week. At the heart of the debate lies a fundamental issue: how to balance the needs of people and nature.
First LookAmerican West rounds up wild horses threatened by droughtHarsh drought conditions have left vegetation and water scarce in the American West. Federal land managers have begun emergency roundups, while volunteers haul water and food to remote grazing grounds.
First LookSan Francisco considers outlawing small, one-use plastic itemsThe environmentally focused California city is proposing a ban on plastic items such as straws, stirrers, and fluorinated takeout containers by 2020. But opponents claim the ban would be discriminatory toward people with disabilities.
First LookAmid Bali trash crisis, local heroes fight to keep island cleanAs tourism rapidly increases in Bali, garbage collection services and infrastructure have failed to keep up. But citizens are making efforts with initiatives like self-funded apps, green camps for children, and volunteer cleanups, to counter the growing trash problem.
First LookMalawi turns to solar irrigation to counter harsh droughtsWith frequent droughts threatening the future of Malawi's farming industry, local farmers in the country's Zomba district have created sustainable solutions: solar-powered pumps and water storage dams.
US West learns to live with heightened threat of wildfireAn early wildfire season in the American West comes at a time when more people are building near fire-prone wildlands. These new realities have forced communities to rethink the way they prepare for wildfire.
From tree spotters to beach brigades: a golden age of citizen scienceThe push to find productive outlets for political dissatisfaction has spread to the environmentally inclined. Frustrated by the politicization of environmental policy, citizen scientists are taking action.
First LookIn global warming fight, new tactics to make cows burp lessScientists around the world are making strides in reducing methane emissions from belching livestock by developing probiotic supplements, breeding animals that emit less, and planting trees in pastures to absorb greenhouse gasses.
From new leadership to Clean Power Plan, subtle shifts ripple through EPATumult in the administrator's seat of the EPA has dominated recent headlines. But under the surface, modest shifts in tone and tactics could eventually pave the way for more constructive conversation about climate policy.
First LookPollution regulations decrease acid rain, spur red spruce reboundSince the 1960s Clean Air Act, and its reinforcement in the 1990s, air toxins that trigger acid rain have been reduced, resulting in positive ecological effects. Now, Northeast forests once scarred by acid rain are mostly green, with red spruce trees thriving.
First LookScientists brave dangers studying active Hawaii volcanoScientists have been in the field measuring Kilauea volcano's eruptions 24 hours a day, seven days a week since it first exploded two months ago, trying to discover warning signs for future eruptions.
