Mike Fleming was always interested in geothermal energy — how it works, how sustainable it is, and how efficiently it can heat homes and businesses. But Fleming, who has a decade of experience drilling wells in New England, didn’t see it as a career path. That changed when his boss...
Indigenous rights, the environment, and international law: What’s at stake at this week’s seabed mining talks
Indigenous advocates who have been fighting for their rights to be acknowledged in global regulations for seabed mining are bracing for the outcome of this week’s gathering of the International Seabed Authority in Jamaica, where representatives from three dozen countries are expected to discuss finalizing mining rules by the end...
The fight for the heart of the US Environmental Protection Agency
In the winter of 2024, Montana Krukowski left his job with the Michigan state government to take his dream position at the Chicago regional office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. There, he devoted himself to helping tribal governments keep their drinking water free from harmful bacteria. He also oversaw commercial...
How Vermont’s pioneering clean heat plan fell apart
Nearly three years ago, Vermont passed a landmark law that aimed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by shifting residents away from using fossil fuels to heat their homes and businesses. Last month, that plan officially died before ever being put into action — and the path toward cleaner heating in the...
The Iran war is driving up energy prices. These companies are profiting.
The war with Iran has brought shipping traffic to a virtual standstill in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Persian Gulf channel through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas flows. That has sent fossil fuel prices surging — and with them, the potential for profit. The price...
Why thinning a forest could get you more drinking water
You might appreciate snowpack as something to sled, ski, or snowboard on. But beyond the slopes, vast masses of snow melt as winter turns to spring, feeding rivers and streams, which go on to hydrate towns and cities and crops. We’re talking incredible amounts of water: California, for instance, gets...
How electrifying a Bay Area rail system made trains faster, cleaner, and more frequent
Adina Levin took Caltrain to San Francisco from her home in Menlo Park one night last month. A 40-minute ride on a train seems mundane, but Levin’s trip reflected a big change to the region’s transportation ecosystem — the result of a sweeping modernization of the rail corridor. Caltrain, the...
Prepping for a disaster? You’ll probably want to pack a little treat.
Some people spend more time than others imagining what they’ll do when the world ends. Survivalist movements have long urged adherents to focus on the details: How much food and water will you need if the power goes out? Where are the flashlights and extra batteries? What’s in your go...
The hidden potential of Trump’s critical minerals stockpile
Last year, the Trump administration appeared to give up on the future of renewable energy entirely. It launched an all-out war against offshore wind; threw up byzantine regulatory hurdles to block renewables on public land; and effectively gutted the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, consigning the law’s landmark solar, wind,...
Kristi Noem all but killed FEMA. Will her departure save it?
During the year she spent leading the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, Kristi Noem faced a torrent of criticism. Lawmakers from both parties assailed her for lying about the shooting of protestors in Minneapolis and spending millions of dollars on television commercials. Government audits concluded that she “systematically...