Environment

Environment

Climate Change Is Extending Fire Season Across The West

4:39pm October 23, 2020

by Lauren Sommer

Wildfires are still burning in the West at a time of year when fire activity is supposed to die down. Scientists say it's an example of how climate change is making the fire season longer.

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People near Rocky Mountain National Park have evacuated and the park was closed after one of several fires burning in northern Colorado exploded late Wednesday. A resident took this photo from her home north of Granby, Colo., on Wednesday.

Environment

Colorado Fire Grows By Over 100,000 Acres In 1 Day, Hits Rocky Mountain National Park

7:22pm October 22, 2020

by Reese Oxner

The fire forces the park to close and a nearby town to evacuate.

The remnants of Hurricane Sandy churn up Lake Michigan in Chicago in 2012. Flood risk in the city is increasing as climate change drives more extreme rain, and renters face greater financial peril than homeowners. More than half of Chicagoans are renters,

Most Tenants Get No Information About Flooding. It Can Cost Them Dearly

7:06pm October 22, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

Most landlords are not required to disclose if a property is in a flood plain or has flooded before. That's a big problem in cities where climate change is driving more frequent and severe floods.

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Wind turbines near Dwight, Ill. and a pump jack in Cotulla, Texas. The presidential candidates have opposing views on the future of U.S. energy.

There's A Lot At Stake For The Climate In The 2020 Election

2:06pm October 22, 2020

Despite the cascade of other crises this year, climate change has emerged as a key election issue. The two major-party presidential candidates' positions on it could not be more different.

A California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection airplane drops fire retardant along a burning hill during the Glass Fire in Calistoga, Calif., in September. California is one of two states to require wildfire risk be disclosed to new homebuyers.

Millions Of Homes Are At Risk Of Wildfires, But It's Rarely Disclosed

7:12pm October 21, 2020

by Lauren Sommer

Many homeowners who lost everything in a wildfire had no idea they were at risk. Only two states require disclosing wildfire risk to buyers in the house hunting process.

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Catherine Flowers is the founding director of the Alabama Center for Rural Enterprise. She recently received one of the MacArthur Foundation's 2020 Genius Grants.

MacArthur 'Genius' Brings National Attention To Local Fight Against Sewage Failures

5:54pm October 21, 2020

by Emma Bowman

Catherine Flowers, founder of the Alabama Center for Rural Enterprise, won a 2020 MacArthur "Genius Grant" for bringing attention to the sanitation crisis facing both her hometown and across the U.S.

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Climate Change Is A Top Campaign Issue — At Least For Democrats

9:56pm October 20, 2020

Former Vice President Biden says tackling climate change is all about creating jobs. We examine his ambitious plans to make the U.S. economy carbon neutral and challenges he would face as president.

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A photo taken in July shows what's left of the Jeffrey asbestos mine in Asbestos, Quebec. The town has voted to change its name to Val-des-Sources.

The Town Of Asbestos, Quebec, Chooses A New, Less Hazardous Name

4:55pm October 20, 2020

by Laurel Wamsley

The former mining town has watched its name transform from an asset in the late 1800s to a liability in recent decades. Residents voted to change the name to Val-des-Sources, or valley of the springs.

Environment

Environmentalist Erin Brockovich Discusses NC Water Contamination

3:11pm October 20, 2020

by Keri Brown

The local literary arts organization Bookmarks is hosting a virtual conversation with environmental activist and autho

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Study: Plastic Baby Bottles Shed Microplastics When Heated. Should You Be Worried?

6:43pm October 19, 2020

by Maria Godoy

The implications for a child's health are not yet known. The study's authors urge people not to panic — and stress the need for more research.