Environment

Maria Welch is a researcher studying the impact of uranium mining on Navajo families today. She also has a personal interest: Both her parents grew up next to mines.

For The Navajo Nation, Uranium Mining's Deadly Legacy Lingers

5:08am April 10, 2016

by Laurel Morales

Uranium mining on Navajo lands ended in 1986, but the tribe is still suffering profound health effects. The government started cleanup only recently; many of the polluters have gone out of business.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro announced a plan to cut down on the country's power usage in an effort to save water.

To Save Power, Venezuela Gives Public Employees Fridays Off

6:27pm April 08, 2016

by Laura Wagner

As a drought pushes water levels to extreme lows, President Nicolas Maduro has declared every Friday a holiday for the next two months to save water and electricity.

There are 100 commercial nuclear reactors licensed to operate. Link to a full list.

Unable To Compete On Price, Nuclear Power On The Decline In The U.S.

8:11pm April 07, 2016

by Brian Mann

Nuclear power is carbon-free and remains the source of about 20 percent of U.S. electricity. But natural gas, wind and solar are often cheaper, and unprofitable reactors are being shut down.

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A tiger in a rescue center in Cambodia in 2011.

Cambodia Launches Plan To Reintroduce 'Functionally Extinct' Tigers

7:50pm April 07, 2016

by Laura Wagner

A successful revival would mean not only a healthier and more balanced ecosystem, but it could also boost Cambodia's ecotourism, bringing more revenue to the national economy.

A photo taken in 2005 shows the Hawai'i Island rainforest before it succumbed to Rapid 'ōhi'a Death.

Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death: The Disease That's Killing Native Hawaiian Trees

6:30pm April 07, 2016

by Molly Solomon

In Hawaii, more than 34,000 acres of forest have died from a mysterious disease. The blight is affecting a tree critical to Hawaii's natural water supply and cultural heritage.

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A view of the lush Samoan vegetation in American Samoa, Tutuila Island.

Is Samoa's Obesity Epidemic A Harbinger For Other Developing Nations?

6:02pm April 07, 2016

by Maanvi Singh

Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are becoming more common all over the world. But the tiny Samoan islands now have the highest rates. An epidemiologist blames changes in diet brought on by globalization.

Environment

Federal Agency Examines How Coal Ash Sites Impact Minority Communities

3:24pm April 07, 2016

by Keri Brown

Some residents in the Piedmont will get a chance to voice their concerns about coal ash during a public meeting Thursday.

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Peruvian anchoveta being processed at a fish meal factory in Lima in 2009. The small forage species has been heavily fished.

Tiny Forage Fish At Bottom Of Marine Food Web Get New Protections

2:54pm April 07, 2016

by Alastair Bland

Demand for sardines and other small species has exploded, with many being used as feed for livestock and fish farming. New rules aim to protect these species from overfishing off the U.S. West Coast.

Steven Jones, plant manager at EnerSys in Warrensburg, Mo., stands in the "transition room" where there is no lead before stepping onto the factory floor. EnerSys manufactures lead batteries.

Before It Was Dangerous, Lead Was The Miracle Metal That We Loved

5:53pm April 06, 2016

by Frank Morris

Lead, the "useful metal," was the pride of the Romans. For the last 5,000 years, it was used in products ranging from water pipes and makeup to wine — until we discovered how poisonous it is.

In A Corner Of Southern California, Cauldrons Of Muddy Water Bubble

4:35pm April 06, 2016

"The World According to Sound" podcast brings us to Southern California near the Salton Sea where unique geothermal conditions allow for "mud pots" — caldrons of thick, muddy water bubbling with the release of hot water and gas from deep underground.