Latest Articles
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Geothermal: Getting energy from the Earth
Only 10,700 megawatts of geothermal electricity generating capacity have been harnessed worldwide. But its potential is vast.
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Want a car that gets good grades? Buy a hybrid
The federal government plans to grade cars based on their fuel efficiency. That C for the Ford A-150 pickup wont make everyone happy.
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Fewer and fewer young people are driving — but why?
American teenagers simply don't drive as much as they used to. But should we really chalk it up to the internet and the digital revolution?
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‘Skeptical environmentalist’ Bjørn Lomborg reverses his climate skepticism
Bjørn Lomborg knows how to play the media. Who else could get such attention for adopting a position on climate change already held by millions?
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Statistics help a mom cut the car seat tether
I rode the Seattle streetcar today with my nearly two-year-old daughter. It was her first “school” field trip, and her classmates had been excited about it for weeks. There were lively debates in the Rainforest Room about whether the streetcar would be purple or orange. Edie, who wore her lavender shirt for “trolley day,” picked […]
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Hearings begin on federal coal ash rules as evidence of damages mounts
The EPA is holding the first in a series of seven official public hearings today to collect comments on a proposal to federally regulate coal ash.
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With drilling stalled in the Gulf, Big Oil sets its sights on the Arctic
Drilling is on hold in the Gulf of Mexico, but it's about to hit high gear in the Arctic. It's accessible because climate change is melting the polar ice
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Attention Congress: China is shutting down its old coal plants
Certain members of the U.S. Congress believe that America shouldn't do anything about climate change until China does. Let's focus on something China is doing: shutting down old, dirty coal plants.
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Smart cities are (un)paving the way for urban farmers and locavores
Across the U.S., cities are buckling up their green belts and introducing legislation to foster local-food production of everything from cucumbers to yellow limes, reports Kerry Trueman for Grist's Feeding the City series. Because nobody wants to get caught with their pantry down?
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Ask Umbra on healthy soil for urban and suburban farmers and gardeners
A reader wants to know if urban dirt is safe for growing food. Is there lead in that urban farm salad? Umbra investigates and gives some savvy tips.
