Donald Trump has blamed everything — from “national security” issues, the deaths of birds and whales, and cancer — in his decades-long campaign against windfarms. But as the Trump administration continues to undermine the industry, what worries workers most is their jobs. Since taking office for a second term, Trump has issued an executive order aiming to...
As climate and conflict collide, Indigenous leaders confront overlapping crises at the UN
Although it’s been nearly 20 years since more than 100 countries adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the rights and lives of those it is meant to protect remain under constant threat from compounding crises. Indigenous lands are battered by record-breaking storms, dessicated by drought,...
How to build homes that can survive extreme heat
It was not the postcard-worthy aesthetics that prompted Greek islanders to first drench their cliffside-carved homes, churches, and pathways in a thick layer of pearly white paint. Much like wearing a white tunic on a hot sunny day, painting your house a shade of reflective white is a fine way...
The nation’s biggest public utility just doubled down on coal, gas, and nuclear
For the past four years, Angie Mummaw has been told the gas-fired electrical plant planned by the Tennessee Valley Authority in rural Tennessee was a necessary stop on its move away from coal. But recent directives from the Trump administration mean the coal-fired plant that was slated for closure is...
Workers are risking dangerous heat to keep the World Cup running
Extreme heat continues to be a major concern throughout this year’s World Cup, and organizers of the tournament have built hydration breaks into games designed to help players stay safe. And some stadiums have air conditioning. But that doesn’t help all the people selling concessions, cleaning the stadium, or working...
Congress set to overhaul disaster recovery, speeding up new home builds
There are a lot of ways for disaster victims to get help in the immediate aftermath of a flood or fire. The Federal Emergency Management Agency gives out temporary housing assistance and pays for debris removal, insurance companies pay to rebuild homes and replace lost valuables, and charity groups pass...
The oceans are full of heat, and it’s coming ashore
It’s barely the middle of summer in the northern hemisphere, and heatwaves are once again breaking temperature records. In the United States, dozens of cities sweltered through their hottest Fourth of July celebrations, with temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. In New Jersey alone, dozens died from the heat over the...
The tiny cell that broke a big rule of biology
For decades, Jon Zehr was haunted by an organism he knew was there — but couldn’t see. It all started in the ‘90s on a research boat in the middle of the ocean. Zehr was an oceanographer studying nitrogen-fixing bacteria — simple, microbial life forms that could pull the element straight...
How to build a highway in the age of climate change
Between the view, the marshes, and the birds, Liat Meitzenheimer concedes the drive along California State Route 37 is scenic. Still, she avoids it for two reasons: congestion and flooding. The highway, about half of which is two-lane, is often backed up with people commuting between affordable communities in Solano...
Why heat is so deadly and how to stay safe
Don’t underestimate heat. While less visible than other extreme weather events like hurricanes or floods, heat consistently accounts for more U.S. fatalities than any other type of weather disaster. Around the world, extreme heat now kills one person every minute, according to a recent report, a rate that has risen...