All Environment
- Difference MakerAfter hurricane Maria, he's helping the ocean – and its fishers – recover
Hurricane Maria upended Puerto Rico, along with its fishing industry. Raimundo Espinoza Chirinos's project cleans up the storm's hidden damage on the ocean floor by tapping into local fishermen's skills.
- First LookMore people choosing to walk, instead of drive, in congested Nairobi
A growing number of the city’s workers are opting to walk to work to avoid the daily traffic scramble and to cut air pollution caused by vehicle emissions. But walkers still face a tough road ahead, including a lack of safe pedestrian pathways.
- Climate change goes to court
The judicial system is taking on a new role in the arc of America's climate narrative, as activists increasingly bring climate grievances to court.
- First LookHow Greece is fighting its plastic trash problem beneath the waves
Greece's poor waste-management system and addiction to single-use plastic is littering the country’s seabed. Volunteer divers are working as underwater garbage collectors to remove plastic debris threatening marine life.
- Are your Uber and Lyft accounts worsening traffic?
Companies like Uber and Lyft promised to reduce traffic congestion and pollution. But in many cities, it may be having the opposite effect. Is there an environmentally sustainable way forward for ride-hailing apps?
- First LookBowhead whales are jazz musicians of the Arctic, study finds
For the first time, scientists have recorded the improvised songs of bowhead whales. 'These guys are great mimics,' said the oceanographer.
- First LookAs right whales face extinction, activists buoy hope
North Atlantic right whales are facing the threat of extinction despite 80 years of conservation efforts. The movement to preserve them is trying to come up with new solutions by renewing public interest in their survival.
- First LookWith reusable plastic bag, Malaysian shoppers encouraged to limit waste
In effort to cut down on waste and single-use plastic, British supermarket group Tesco has launched reusable plastic bags with barcodes that give customers discounts on shopping every time they reuse the bag.
- First LookFarmers reshape land along Columbia River to bring salmon back
Land-based agriculture on the Columbia River has slowly left the region, leaving behind a tangle of broken levees. But for landowners, the decline of farming has allowed them to revert their fields into natural habitat for threatened but critical wildlife – including salmon.
- First LookFormer rodeo clown proposes reusing industry wastewater in Wyoming
Billions of barrels of water a year are wasted after passing through oil and gas fields in Wyoming. Marvin Nash believes that reusing this water for irrigation could solve this problem – if farmers, regulators, and the oil and gas industry can overcome various hangups.
- As more Texans 'Give a Whoop,' hope for saving iconic cranes – and coast
Conservationists hope that the iconic birds can encourage a rare, ecologically-friendly approach to coastal development in a time of mounting human and environmental pressure on coastlines around the world.
- First LookSkyline farms in Hong Kong reap happiness along with food
Tapping into the growing interest in organic food, a number of rooftop farms are popping up on Hong Kong's skyscrapers. The farms help overworked Hong Kongers relieve stress through interacting with friends and nature.
- In San Francisco, hotels welcome bees as honored guests
Urban beekeeping has been on the rise for the past decade and some hotels are taking part, using apiaries to promote sustainability to the public and to incorporate honey into their menus.
- First LookCongress pushes to protect funding for major waterways
Both the House and Senate approved a bill that would allocate nearly $448 million for EPA programs to protect regional bodies of water. The bill challenges President Trump's efforts to cut or eliminate federal funding for water restoration.
- First LookAfter Harvey, unpublicized chemical spills come to light
More than 100 chemical releases took place in Houston during or immediately after hurricane Harvey and most were never made public. Now, some locals are seeking to piece together the full picture of the storm's impact.
- First LookIn fossil fuels lawsuit, judge turns courtroom into classroom
US District Judge William Alsup has asked lawyers representing San Francisco and Oakland, Calif., and those representing five major oil companies, to conduct research on the science of global warming and present their findings in a federal hearing.
- First LookWorld's last male northern white rhino, Sudan, dies
Sudan 'stole the heart of many with his dignity and strength' as the world's only male northern white rhino. He was part of an attempt to save the subspecies from extinction after decades of poaching.
- First LookWith tides rising, Bangladeshi farmers turn to flood-resistant crabs
The influx of salt water from rising sea levels has been incredibly destructive in low-lying Bangladesh. But for many agricultural communities, farming mud crabs may be key to fighting the economic damages brought on by flooding.
- First LookStudying snowflakes could provide clues to atmospheric conditions
A team of researchers are trekking through New York's Catskill Mountains to collect snowflake samples that could provide information on climate change and snow melt patterns.
- First LookDrought-hit Cameroon finds hope in seed farms
The initiative, which provides farmers with stronger seeds, is not only helping Cameroon's farmers grow more to feed their families, but is also increasing crop production enough to support processing and export jobs, agriculture authorities say.