Articles

Slaughter-free milk is great for cows, but not the environment

Just think about all the methane those geezer cows emit during their long retirement.

Josh Harkinson Climate & Energy

For $5 a month, you can put food on a stray climate writer’s plate

Beacon lets you sponsor your favorite writer. It's the Adopt-A-Manatee program of the online news ecosystem.

Greg Hanscom Technology

Swedes really are better at everything, including setting their garbage on fire

There is a better way to burn your garbage, and of course the damn Swedes have already successfully adopted it.

Eve Andrews Culture

Detroit will stop shutting off people’s water — for now

The Detroit Water and Sewerage District is pausing the controversial water shut-offs for 15 days.

Heather Smith Politics

It’s time for Obama to stop selling off our land and water to fossil fuel companies

The Interior Department is going to let oil companies do seismic testing off the Atlantic coast, a precursor to offshore drilling. This is wrong on so many levels.

Ben Adler Technology

Could drones be our secret weapon in the fight against Big Ag?

Journalist Will Potter plans to use drones to fly around ag-gag laws and get the dirt on factory farms.

Samantha Larson Technology

Disney’s “Planes” sequel is an excuse to talk to your kids about climate change

Our hero, the little cropduster that could, has taken up fighting forest fires.

Brentin Mock Culture

These amazing animated maps show cities on the move

Powered by chips in our smartphones, they give us a more nuanced look at human movement than we've ever had before.

Amber Cortes Technology

Ask Umbra: What should I do with my nasty old pillows?

Readers wonder if and where they should toss old pillows. Umbra makes a strong pillowcase.

Ask Umbra® Culture

Fracking fight headed for the ballot in Colorado

Democrats in the state are divided over two proposed initiatives that would curb fracking near homes and give cities more regulatory power.