All Environment
- In the Sunshine State, a vision for a sustainable town
Florida's Babcock Ranch aims to mix environmental sustainability into a traditional small-town mold, weaving eco-friendly innovations with traditional models of development.
- First LookCoastal research increasingly depends on citizen scientists
In Oregon, citizen scientists with the Haystack Rock Awareness Program observe and record coastal observations as a way to protect and help scientists study their communities.
- One film festival's quest to turn moviegoers into ocean stewards
Documentarians at the International Ocean Film Festival aim to make audiences care about a world they may never witness for themselves.
- Keeping the emerald ash borer in check
In the past 15 years, invasive emerald ash borers have killed tens of millions of trees in 31 US states. What options do communities have to combat this voracious beetle?
- First LookWar on microfiber pollution starts in the laundry room
The war on pollution is being waged on a microscopic level. Innovators are coming up with tools to keep tiny pieces of thread discharged from washing machines from reaching marine life, and eventually the dinner table.
- How Florida fends off its slippery, scaly invaders
Wildlife biologists are tracking, trapping, and tallying the more than 50 species of non-native reptiles and amphibians that are threatening delicate ecosystems in the Everglades.
- First LookCrowded cities search for nature-based solutions for residents' well-being
As urban migration increases, cities are increasingly searching for ways to provide more greenery. A 11.4 million-euro project, which runs until 2022, is developing 'nature-based solutions,' such as street trees, parks, and green roofs and walls, across 11 European cities.
- First LookSouth Korea considers restoring forest razed for Olympics
With the Pyeongchang Games over, South Korea is beginning to deal with the long-term environmental consequences of hosting the Olympic Games. At the heart of the matter is the Jeongseon Alpine Center, built after 60,000 trees were removed from a mountain previously protected for its botanical diversity.
- First LookSri Lanka's capital employs a system of pumps and canals to fight flooding risks
An uptick in floods during the monsoon season over the past decade has forced Colombo to plan for heavier rainfalls. The city is working on building a large pumping station that will suck up rainwater from flood-prone parts of Colombo and pump it out to the river.
- First LookGerman court allows cities to institute diesel bans
Environmentalists are celebrating the Tuesday ruling as a step toward reducing harmful emissions while industry leaders worry there could be economic damages in a nation that serves as headquarters for such automakers as Daimler, Volkswagen, and BMW.
- First LookWarming oceans threaten Costa Rica's biodiversity and tourism industry
Local economies highly dependent on eco-tourism face increasing uncertainty with climate change. Scientists and locals are pushing for sustainable tourism practices to limit damage to reserves and ensure a steady income.
- From fisherman to smuggler: How ocean pollution fuels Tunisian migration
Pollution, unemployment, and a sense of desperation are driving previously law-abiding fishermen in Tunisia to consider selling their boats to smugglers.
- First LookIndia's plan for an eco-friendly city asks farmers to give up their land
The new city of Amaravati, designed to be eco-friendly and sustainable, is seen as a new direction for Indian cities that are typically polluted and congested. However, there's been a push back from local farmers unwilling to relinquish fertile land to construction cranes.
- First LookTrail Sisters want more women hiking on trails
Trail Sisters is an initiative meant to help women and girls feel more comfortable taking hikes. By inviting women to join walks lead by a female ranger the group hopes to dispel fears of being vulnerable in the woods.
- First LookAs plastic clogs waterways, companies feel the pressure to take action
Public awareness of plastic pollution is growing after alarming forecasts that there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050. So companies around the world are working to develop more sustainable business models.
- First LookResearchers urge European cities to plan for future droughts and floods
If global temperatures continue to rise, European cities will face increasingly face the effects of severe weather. Cities should invest in building larger and more resilient infrastructure for rising temperatures, scientists say.
- First Look'Trump Forest' planters want to curb climate change one tree at a time
In efforts to counter President Trump's decision to pull the United States from the Paris Agreement, donors across the world have donated more than $130,000 to plant 1 million carbon-absorbing trees in a project dubbed the 'Trump Forest.'
- Whose nature? Colorado leads push to democratize the outdoors.
In one of the largest-scale initiatives to combat the 'nature deficit,' Colorado is investing millions of dollars to connect low-income and minority children to nature.
- In GMO debate, Uganda seeks to balance hope and fear
After publicly supporting a bill that would have legalized genetically modified crops, Uganda's president is now calling for additional measures to address anti-GMO activists' concerns.
- First LookMardi Gras goes green: recycling efforts target trash
Despite generating huge revenue for New Orleans, Mardi Gras has a troubling environmental impact on the city. This year, two New Orleans organizations have set up recycling centers to collect beads, bottles, and aluminum cans in effort to make the festival greener.