Environment

'Panic Buying' Of Christmas Trees Hits NC Amid Tree Shortage

12:38pm December 14, 2020

A cold drizzle fell on Boyd's Christmas Trees, but the holiday spirit hummed along apace at the Swannanoa River Road tree lot, where Rhonda Heath said she's had the best season in more than a decad

More Crabs!: Scientists Discover A Way To Help Dying Coral Reefs

4:44pm December 10, 2020

For many reasons, including climate change, coral reefs are dying around the world. But scientists say some crabs eat coral-choking seaweed and algae and may help with restoring coral reefs.

Former Secretary of State, John Kerry poses on Martha's Vineyard in Vineyard Haven, Mass., on Sept. 18, 2020.

As Climate Envoy, Kerry To Seek 'Ambition' With 'Humility'

11:49am December 10, 2020

by Steve Inskeep

One challenge facing John Kerry in his new role as climate envoy to President-elect Joe Biden will be to convince other governments the U.S. will abide by its commitments.

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Tom Vilsack served as secretary of agriculture during the Obama administration and has been a trusted adviser to President-elect Joe Biden.

Biden Plans To Bring Vilsack Back To USDA Despite Criticism From Reformers

1:29pm December 09, 2020

by Dan Charles

Vilsack served as secretary of agriculture during the Obama administration and has been a trusted adviser to President-elect Joe Biden. But critics say his time has passed.

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Investors Can Now Bet On The Future Of Water Prices In California

6:20am December 09, 2020

by Jim Zarroli

Water is a precious resources in California — a state plagued by wildfires and drought. Water there is now a commodity and can now be traded like oil and gas.

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Biden Pledges To Conserve Nearly A Third Of U.S. Land And Water By 2030

5:52pm December 08, 2020

by Nathan Rott

President-elect Joe Biden wants to conserve 30% of U.S. land and water by 2030. It's part of a global push to avoid the worst effects of climate change and the decline of the natural world.

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These days only park rangers and loggers are allowed in to Big Basin Redwoods State Park following a devastating wildfire that destroyed most of the infrastructure in California's oldest and one of its most iconic state parks. Big Basin is home to the lar

California's Ancient Redwoods Face New Challenge From Wildfires And Warming Climate

7:24am December 08, 2020

by Eric Westervelt

California's iconic old-growth redwoods are incredibly resilient and built to survive fires. But even they may find it harder to rebound amid the mounting impacts of climate change.

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Ex-Energy Secretary Says Fixing Climate Change Is Tough, There's No Vaccine

6:19am December 07, 2020

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Stephen Chu, former secretary of Energy and a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, about how approaching peak fossil fuel demand will impact Biden's climate policies.

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A field of pitcher plants are nestled in a bog within the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. Ben Raines calls pitcher plants "carnivorous wonders" because they draw most of their nutrients from insects they kill and digest.

On A Tour Of 'America's Amazon,' Flora, Fauna And Glimpses Of Alabama's Past

8:24am December 06, 2020

by Debbie Elliott

A trip through the Mobile-Tensaw Delta offers a little bit of everything, from iris fields and gators, to Civil War history and the wreck of the last known ship to bring enslaved Africans to America.

Environmentalists warn that exploratory drilling, like that set to begin later this month, can be as or more dangerous that actaul extraction.

Offshore Drilling Set To Begin Off Florida Alarms Environmentalists

5:53pm December 04, 2020

by Greg Allen

The drilling is scheduled to start this month in waters off the Bahamas, just 150 miles from the Florida coast. It's raising alarms among environmental groups and businesses that rely on tourism.

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