Environment

Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey sample water in Goodwater Creek, Mo., for pesticides and other chemicals that may have run off from the surrounding land.

What Is Farm Runoff Doing To The Water? Scientists Wade In

12:37pm July 09, 2013

by Abbie Fentress Swanson

Across the Midwest this summer, scientists are wading into 100 streams to collect water samples and check cages for fish eggs. It's part of a large study to understand how pesticides and agricultural chemicals from farms are affecting the nation's streams.

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Many of the flowers at Hillwood are doing well despite the ever-changing local climate.

One Garden's Climate Struggle (And How To Save Yours)

12:44pm July 06, 2013

by NPR Staff

Two longtime gardeners share the changes they've seen over the years at Hillwood Estate in Washington, D.C. As blooming times become more sporadic, new flowers stand out as stars and an unwelcome fungus springs to life. Take notes: Your garden might benefit from some adjustments.

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Environment

Wildfire Season So Far: Tragic, Destructive And Below Average

9:13am July 03, 2013

by Howard Berkes

So far during the 2013 wildfire season, more than 800 homes and businesses have burned to the ground, nearly 1.6 million acres were scorched and over 23,000 blazes have required suppression. And two dozen firefighters have died. But as dramatic as it's been, the season has yet to kick into high gear.

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Donald Trump plays a stroke as he officially opens his new Trump International Golf Links course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, last July. Now, he is aggressively fighting Scottish plans to build 11 wind turbines off the coast overlooked by his golf course a

Thar He Blows: Trump Tussles With Scots Over Wind Turbines

9:52am July 01, 2013

by Philip Reeves

U.S. tycoon Donald Trump is waging a war on a proposed wind turbine facility off the northeastern coast of Scotland. 'The Donald' is spending millions creating a luxe golf resort there, which would overlook the 11 turbines, part of Scotland's ambitious push to convert to renewable sources of energy.

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New Bugs In Florida Stymie Researchers, Threaten Crops

5:34am June 27, 2013

by Greg Allen

Researchers usually identify natural predators or parasites to combat invasive bugs like the brown marmorated stink bug and the psyllid. But after not finding immediate solutions, they are turning to pesticides and nutrient sprays.

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In the current New Yorker, Michael Specter explores the conflict among some people who suffer from Lyme disease, and the doctors who study it.

'The Lyme Wars' That Tiny Ticks Have Wrought

4:50pm June 26, 2013

Since Lyme disease was first identified in the late 1970s, it has become the most commonly reported tick-borne illness in the country. Journalist Michael Specter talks about his New Yorker article on the disease and its controversial history.

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Coal Industry Concerned By Obama's Climate Change Plans

11:13am June 26, 2013

by Jeff Brady

President Obama on Tuesday announced a wide-ranging plan to address climate change. Rather than taking it to Congress, Obama is implementing the plan on his own. The president wants the Environmental Protection Agency to restrict carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. The biggest source of those emissions is coal-fired facilities.

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President Obama unveils his plan on climate change Tuesday at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The president laid out his plan to reduce carbon pollution and to prepare the country for the impacts of climate change.

Obama's Climate Strategy Doesn't Require Congressional Approval

7:06pm June 25, 2013

by Richard Harris

The sweeping plan calls for the Environmental Protection Agency to tighten carbon dioxide emissions on power plants and is designed to foster cleaner forms of electricity. The initiative also aims to help the nation cope with droughts and other weather related changes that are already happening.

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Congress Not Likely To Pass Sweeping Climate Legislation

6:10pm June 24, 2013

by Jennifer Ludden

As President Obama prepares to unveil his executive strategy on climate change, we look at the politics of the issue in Congress.

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Tawny Crazy Ants Invade Southern States

10:59am June 22, 2013

Tawny crazy ants are invading ecosystems and homes in states including Texas and Florida, wiping out other ant species and overwhelming homeowners. Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon talks to Texas A&M research scientist Robert Puckett, who says the ants are "ecological steamrollers" that reproduce so fast they are nearly impossible to get rid of.

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