Environment

Two women embrace and cry as they look out over Lahaina, in Maui, Hawaii, which was severely damaged by a wildfire in August.

2023 was a tragic and bizarre year of wildfires. Will it mark a turning point?

5:01am December 21, 2023

by Kirk Siegler

Unusual and tragic are two words that might describe the 2023 wildfire season which experts say might end up being a game changer for U.S. fire policy.

a section of downed trees on a ridge near homes

Environment

Federal regulators give more time to complete gas pipeline extension in Virginia, North Carolina

5:18pm December 20, 2023

by Associated Press

The builders of a proposed natural gas pipeline that will enter North Carolina from Virginia now have another 2 1/2 years to complete the project after federal regulators pushed back a deadline for

"LOL They said they're sending our fibers to the J. Crew factory?"

The uncomfortable hidden costs behind the rise in cheap cashmere

3:52pm December 20, 2023

by Manuela López Restrepo

The coveted material known for its luxurious softness has become much more accessible and affordable in recent years. But at what cost?

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Environment

Phone lines in the Grand Canyon are being removed to improve aviation safety

5:49am December 20, 2023

A U.S. park ranger is honored for helping to remove aviation hazards from a 1930s-era installation of telephone lines in the Grand Canyon.

Environment

California adopts rules to allow wastewater to be transformed into drinking water

5:42am December 20, 2023

by Ezra David Romero

California regulators have adopted rules that will eventually allow sewage to be transformed into drinking water that goes straight to taps. It's been touted as a tool to help cope with drought.

Looking for an eco-friendly substitute for wrapping paper? Consider furoshiki

7:19pm December 19, 2023

by Megan Jamerson

Furoshiki, the Japanese tradition of wrapping objects in cloth to cover or transport them, is becoming more popular as a more eco-friendly way to wrap presents without wasting paper.

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Why 2023 has been such an unusual and tragic year for wildfires

6:02pm December 19, 2023

by Kirk Siegler

Unusual and tragic are two words that might describe the 2023 wildfire season which experts say might end up being a game changer for U.S. fire policy.

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People watch as the night sky is illuminated caused by the eruption of a volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland seen from the capital city of Reykjavik on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.

A volcano in Iceland erupts weeks after thousands were evacuated from a nearby town

10:03pm December 18, 2023

by The Associated Press

Police evacuated Grindavik in November after strong seismic activity in the area damaged homes and raised fears of an imminent eruption. Officials said magma could continue in that direction.

A New Orleans neighborhood confronts the racist legacy of a toxic stretch of highway

7:54pm December 17, 2023

by Drew Hawkins

There's a new federal fund to address highways that cut through minority and low-income neighborhoods, like New Orleans' Claiborne Expressway. But should the noisy highway be upgraded, or moved away?

How this Mexico City food market is cutting back on food waste

6:04pm December 15, 2023

The largest food market in the Americas is doing its bit for climate change, by cutting back on food waste.

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