Environment

Citizen Adventurers Sample Seawater To Count Tiny Pieces Of Plastic

1:49pm September 20, 2015

by Galen Koch

Plastic pollution in the sea doesn't just mean bottles and bags. Citizen scientists around the world are helping researchers assess the impact of tiny, often invisible particles called microplastics.

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This year, many of the pistachios grown in California's San Joaquin Valley are missing the green, fatty meat that nut lovers crave. Instead, they're empty inside, the result of drought, heat and weather pattern changes that have messed with pistachio tree

Oh, Nuts! Why California's Pistachio Trees Are Shooting Blanks

10:31am September 20, 2015

by Alastair Bland

This year, as many as 50 percent of the pistachios harvested in California could be hollow inside. Blame it on drought, heat and weather changes that are messing with male trees' virility.

The U.N. Wants You To Take A Selfie, Spin Around, Listen To A Llama

7:03am September 20, 2015

by Malaka Gharib

It's all part of the crazy, creative campaign to get people to pay attention to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that the United Nations will endorse this coming week.

A Win For The Whales: Navy Agrees To Limit Sonar Use

6:55pm September 19, 2015

As part of a legal settlement with environmental groups, the U.S. Navy has agreed to limit their use of sonar in certain areas off California and Hawaii that are whale habitats.

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Volkswagen Jetta models — like this TDI from 2011 labeled "clean diesel" — were found to have software that cheated official emissions tests, the EPA says. More than 480,000 cars are affected.

Volkswagen Used 'Defeat Device' To Skirt Emissions Rules, EPA Says

2:11pm September 18, 2015

by Bill Chappell

The agency says some 480,000 diesel-powered Volkswagens have sophisticated software that detects emissions testing — and "turns full emissions controls on only during the test."

The government's first ever national target to reduce food waste will encourage farmers to donate more of their imperfect produce to the hungry.

It's Time To Get Serious About Reducing Food Waste, Feds Say

11:44am September 17, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

The amount Americans throw away annually would fill a 100-story building 44 times, says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The USDA and the EPA have issued a challenge to cut that in half by 2030.

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What To Do With Railroad Tank Cars That Are No Longer Safe Or Economical?

6:56pm September 15, 2015

by Brian Mann

New safety regulations and a slump in oil prices means tens of thousands of railroad tank cars are being taken out of service. Railroads are scrambling to find space to store unwanted oil trains.

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Japan's Mount Aso, on the main southern island of Kyushu, erupts on Monday, spewing black smoke and ash more than a mile into the sky.

WATCH: Japanese Volcano Erupts

3:34pm September 14, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Mount Aso, one of the country's most active volcanoes, unexpectedly erupted on Monday, spewing ash for miles. No injuries or damage were immediately reported.

The Antarctic ice sheet stores more than half of Earth's fresh water. Scientists wondered how much of it would melt if people burned all the fossil fuels on the planet.

What Would Happen If We Burned Up All Of Earth's Fossil Fuels?

6:43pm September 11, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Scientists used an estimate of how much fossil fuel is left in the ground to do computer simulations and come up with a worst-case scenario.

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Copenhagen, Denmark - October 11, 2014: fruits and vegetables stalls at market in Copenhagen. Customers are choosing goods for themselves. These stalls is located between market halls where one can find over 60 stands with everything from fresh fish and m

Denmark Might Be Winning The Global Race To Prevent Food Waste

4:54pm September 11, 2015

by Sidsel Overgaard

According to a recent report from the Danish government, Danes now throw away 25 percent less food than they did five years ago. Supermarkets are doing their part by selling older food at a discount.