Brian Keeper doesn’t remember exactly when his family began spending holidays in Hunt, Texas, an unincorporated town on the banks of the Guadalupe River where they’d camp, swim, and fish. Sometimes they caught so many perch, bass, and catfish that it felt like his mother had the grill going all...
Who’s who at the plastics treaty talks, from delegates to lobbyists
As delegates from around the world have negotiated a global plastics treaty over five sessions since 2022, alliances have emerged among nations, across civil society, and throughout the private sector. Some countries have banded together in support of an “ambitious” agreement that prioritizes reducing plastic production; others have stood firm...
The unlikely coalition fighting to keep Energy Star labels on your appliances
When the Environmental Protection Agency’s plans to eliminate the Energy Star program became public, pushback from environmental groups was expected. The government-funded labeling system helps consumers identify energy-efficient products and practices, saving them $40 billion annually in energy costs. Since its founding in 1992, Energy Star has helped avoid at least...
Groundwater is drying out, heating up, and causing sea level rise
The Verde River is one of the last free-flowing rivers in Arizona, winding through what’s known as the Verde Valley before feeding into the Salt River. Agriculturally, the valley is relatively fertile, supporting crops like sweet corn, alfalfa, peaches, and pecans, as well as a small wine industry. Recently, though,...
A new report shows how local climate activism leads to ‘remarkable’ gains
What do an offshore wind farm in New York, a campaign to install 275,000 heat pumps in Maine, and the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline have in common? They were all the result of “community-based strategies” with involvement or leadership from local grassroots groups. Advocates say this is a...
Here’s what to watch for at this month’s global plastics treaty talks
Negotiators from more than 170 countries are arriving in Geneva, Switzerland, this week to resume discussions over the United Nations plastics treaty, eight months after they missed their original deadline for finalizing the pact. Many delegates, advocacy groups, and U.N. officials are hopeful that the 10-day session, which kicks off...
Following the USDA’s food and farm funding
In the first seven months of President Donald Trump’s second administration, the federal funding landscape has been radically changed — especially for the people who grow, harvest, and distribute food. Thousands of government staffers were terminated; entire programs have been stripped down; and a grant freeze has immobilized state, regional,...
Climate disasters are killing small businesses
The United States is home to millions of small businesses that form the backbone of countless communities. Even during the best of times keeping shops solvent can be a struggle, but when climate-driven disasters strike, the impact on mom-and-pops can be particularly devastating — and prolonged. “The news coverage has...
New York becomes first state to commit to all-electric new buildings
New York just took a big leap toward zero-emissions buildings. On July 25, the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council approved an all-electric building standard, making New York the first state in the nation to prohibit gas and other fossil fuels in most new buildings. Legislators and climate advocates celebrated the move,...
Hundreds of old EV batteries have new jobs in Texas: Stabilizing the grid
East of San Antonio in Bexar County, 500 electric vehicle batteries at the end of their automotive lives will soon be repurposed to provide energy storage for Texas’ electric grid, a California company, B2U Storage Solutions, announced on Tuesday. The batteries, housed in 21 cabinets the size of shipping containers,...