Environment : NPR https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1025 Breaking news on the environment, climate change, pollution, and endangered species. Also featuring Climate Connections, a special series on climate change co-produced by NPR and National Geographic. en Copyright 2021 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Sun, 21 Mar 2021 08:01:00 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 Environment https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1025 North Carolina Electric Cooperative Aims To Make New Technologies Accessible To All In rural North Carolina, an electric cooperative is reliving its New Deal history, bringing technologies like electric cars and broadband Internet to isolated communities struggling with poverty. Sun, 21 Mar 2021 08:01:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/21/979683444/north-carolina-electric-cooperative-aims-to-make-new-technologies-accessible-to- https://www.npr.org/2021/03/21/979683444/north-carolina-electric-cooperative-aims-to-make-new-technologies-accessible-to- In rural North Carolina, an electric cooperative is reliving its New Deal history, bringing technologies like electric cars and broadband Internet to isolated communities struggling with poverty.

]]> Dan Charles California Has A New Idea For Homes At Risk From Rising Seas: Buy, Rent, Retreat Sea level rise is threatening billions in coastal property. A California lawmaker is proposing a novel way to retreat from the threat: buying and renting out properties as long as they're habitable. Sun, 21 Mar 2021 07:00:26 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/21/978416929/california-has-a-new-idea-for-homes-at-risk-from-rising-seas-buy-rent-retreat https://www.npr.org/2021/03/21/978416929/california-has-a-new-idea-for-homes-at-risk-from-rising-seas-buy-rent-retreat

Sea level rise is threatening billions in coastal property. A California lawmaker is proposing a novel way to retreat from the threat: buying and renting out properties as long as they're habitable.

(Image credit: Axel Koester/Corbis via Getty Images)

]]> Nathan Rott The Celebration Over, Deb Haaland Now Faces A Long To-Do List At Interior Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has a long and seemingly insurmountable to-do list, including a pledge to begin repairing a legacy of broken treaties and other abuses against tribes. Sat, 20 Mar 2021 08:03:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/20/978936494/the-celebration-over-deb-haaland-now-faces-a-long-to-do-list-at-interior https://www.npr.org/2021/03/20/978936494/the-celebration-over-deb-haaland-now-faces-a-long-to-do-list-at-interior

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has a long and seemingly insurmountable to-do list, including a pledge to begin repairing a legacy of broken treaties and other abuses against tribes.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

]]> Kirk Siegler Bird Feeders May Be Spreading The Salmonellosis That's Killing Thousands Of Finches A Salmonellosis outbreak is killing thousands of finches across the country, and experts say bird feeders might be spreading the disease. Fri, 19 Mar 2021 16:31:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/19/979340082/bird-feeders-may-be-spreading-the-salmonellosis-thats-killing-thousands-of-finch https://www.npr.org/2021/03/19/979340082/bird-feeders-may-be-spreading-the-salmonellosis-thats-killing-thousands-of-finch A Salmonellosis outbreak is killing thousands of finches across the country, and experts say bird feeders might be spreading the disease.

]]> Ariel Waldman: What Can We Learn From Microscopic Life In Antarctica? Many people think of Antarctica as desolate. But wildlife filmmaker Ariel Waldman says the coldest continent is brimming with invisible life — that can only be seen through microscopes. Fri, 19 Mar 2021 09:22:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/19/978804030/ariel-waldman-what-can-we-learn-from-microscopic-life-in-antarctica https://www.npr.org/2021/03/19/978804030/ariel-waldman-what-can-we-learn-from-microscopic-life-in-antarctica

Many people think of Antarctica as desolate. But wildlife filmmaker Ariel Waldman says the coldest continent is brimming with invisible life — that can only be seen through microscopes.

(Image credit: Courtesy of TED)

]]> NPR/TED Staff Known For Its Floods, Louisiana Is Running Dangerously Short Of Groundwater After decades of overuse and lax regulation, Louisiana is losing groundwater faster than almost anywhere else in the country. Experts warn of a crisis more common in the drought-stricken West. Fri, 19 Mar 2021 05:00:28 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/19/975689866/known-for-its-floods-louisiana-is-running-dangerously-short-of-groundwater https://www.npr.org/2021/03/19/975689866/known-for-its-floods-louisiana-is-running-dangerously-short-of-groundwater

After decades of overuse and lax regulation, Louisiana is losing groundwater faster than almost anywhere else in the country. Experts warn of a crisis more common in the drought-stricken West.

(Image credit: Austin R. Ramsey/IRW)

]]> Tegan Wendland Energy-Producing Tribal Nation Hopes New Interior Secretary Will Make Drilling Easier The Osage Nation is one of a dozen tribal nations in the U.S. that have significant oil and gas reserves. Its citizens are optimistic that Deb Haaland will help them keep extracting fossil fuels. Thu, 18 Mar 2021 19:49:35 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/18/978349668/energy-producing-tribal-nation-hopes-new-interior-secretary-will-make-drilling-e https://www.npr.org/2021/03/18/978349668/energy-producing-tribal-nation-hopes-new-interior-secretary-will-make-drilling-e

The Osage Nation is one of a dozen tribal nations in the U.S. that have significant oil and gas reserves. Its citizens are optimistic that Deb Haaland will help them keep extracting fossil fuels.

(Image credit: Graeme Jennings/AP)

]]> Allison Herrera Where The Krill Go, Whales Follow — And They Took This Humpback To The SF Bay Early A humpback whale has been spotted in the San Francisco Bay. It's young, it is healthy, but it is the first time a humpback has been seen this early in the year at that location. Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:48:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/18/978832066/where-the-krill-go-whales-follow-and-they-took-this-humpback-to-the-sf-bay-early https://www.npr.org/2021/03/18/978832066/where-the-krill-go-whales-follow-and-they-took-this-humpback-to-the-sf-bay-early A humpback whale has been spotted in the San Francisco Bay. It's young, it is healthy, but it is the first time a humpback has been seen this early in the year at that location.

]]> One Of Biden's Biggest Climate Change Challenges? The Oceans Climate change is hitting the oceans hard, both warming and acidifying the water. Ocean scientists are hoping the Biden Administration dives in quickly to address it. Thu, 18 Mar 2021 05:06:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/18/975782053/one-of-bidens-biggest-climate-change-challenges-the-oceans https://www.npr.org/2021/03/18/975782053/one-of-bidens-biggest-climate-change-challenges-the-oceans Climate change is hitting the oceans hard, both warming and acidifying the water. Ocean scientists are hoping the Biden Administration dives in quickly to address it.

(Image credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium)

]]> Lauren Sommer From Amazon To FedEx, The Delivery Truck Is Going Electric It's not just passenger cars: Delivery companies are updating their vans and trucks with electric models as they look to save on fuel and cut maintenance costs. Wed, 17 Mar 2021 05:01:24 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/17/976152350/from-amazon-to-fedex-the-delivery-truck-is-going-electric https://www.npr.org/2021/03/17/976152350/from-amazon-to-fedex-the-delivery-truck-is-going-electric

It's not just passenger cars: Delivery companies are updating their vans and trucks with electric models as they look to save on fuel and cut maintenance costs.

(Image credit: General Motors)

]]> Camila Domonoske It's Not Just Cars, Delivery Trucks Are Going Electric Too There's been much buzz around electric vehicles lately. From Amazon to FedEx, delivery companies are updating their fleets, and going electric has an outsize impact on pollution and climate change. Tue, 16 Mar 2021 05:05:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/16/977712233/its-not-just-cars-delivery-trucks-are-going-electric https://www.npr.org/2021/03/16/977712233/its-not-just-cars-delivery-trucks-are-going-electric There's been much buzz around electric vehicles lately. From Amazon to FedEx, delivery companies are updating their fleets, and going electric has an outsize impact on pollution and climate change.

]]> Camila Domonoske Deb Haaland Confirmed As 1st Native American Interior Secretary Her historic confirmation is also symbolic, as the agency was long a tool of oppression against Indigenous peoples. Haaland will be key to President Biden's ambitious efforts to combat climate change. Mon, 15 Mar 2021 18:21:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/15/977558590/deb-haaland-confirmed-as-first-native-american-interior-secretary https://www.npr.org/2021/03/15/977558590/deb-haaland-confirmed-as-first-native-american-interior-secretary

Her historic confirmation is also symbolic, as the agency was long a tool of oppression against Indigenous peoples. Haaland will be key to President Biden's ambitious efforts to combat climate change.

(Image credit: Jim Watson/AP)

]]> Nathan Rott One Of The Heaviest Snowstorms On Record Hits Rocky Mountains Residents of Colorado and neighboring states are digging out after one of the heaviest snowstorms on record. But it won't make more than a dent in alleviating the region's severe drought. Mon, 15 Mar 2021 16:10:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/15/977548725/one-of-the-heaviest-snowstorms-on-record-hits-rocky-mountains https://www.npr.org/2021/03/15/977548725/one-of-the-heaviest-snowstorms-on-record-hits-rocky-mountains Residents of Colorado and neighboring states are digging out after one of the heaviest snowstorms on record. But it won't make more than a dent in alleviating the region's severe drought.

]]> Sam Brasch Desert Dust Sweeps Into Beijing, Causing China's Worst Sandstorm In 10 Years Residents in the capital woke up to a choking orange hue in the air on Monday, as airborne dust from the Gobi Desert sent the air-quality index to hazardous levels and forced flight cancelations. Mon, 15 Mar 2021 09:36:29 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/15/977397941/desert-dust-sweeps-into-beijing-causing-chinas-worst-sandstorm-in-10-years https://www.npr.org/2021/03/15/977397941/desert-dust-sweeps-into-beijing-causing-chinas-worst-sandstorm-in-10-years

Residents in the capital woke up to a choking orange hue in the air on Monday, as airborne dust from the Gobi Desert sent the air-quality index to hazardous levels and forced flight cancelations.

(Image credit: Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

]]> Scott Neuman Bill Gates Weighs In On 'How To Avoid A Climate Disaster' With New Book The Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist tells NPR "I don't think the understanding of climate change is nearly as deep as it needs to be." Sun, 14 Mar 2021 17:05:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/03/14/977215406/bill-gates-on-new-book-how-to-avoid-a-climate-disaster https://www.npr.org/2021/03/14/977215406/bill-gates-on-new-book-how-to-avoid-a-climate-disaster

The Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist tells NPR "I don't think the understanding of climate change is nearly as deep as it needs to be."

(Image credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

]]> Michel Martin