Syndicated
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![A man in jeans and a plaid shirt and flip flops stands in front of two other people in a shady patch of soil under large trees.]()
![A man in jeans and a plaid shirt and flip flops stands in front of two other people in a shady patch of soil under large trees.]()
The shift to a green energy future is renewing plantation-era water wars in Hawaii
A proposed hydro project in Kauai — the first of its kind in the world — could supply up to a quarter of the island’s power by diverting 4 billion gallons a year from the Waimea River.
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Itochu quietly assembled a gigantic home battery network in Japan
The conglomerate controls a 36,000-unit virtual power plant. Up next? Unleashing it to help the national grid decarbonize.
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![On a reddish tree, mushrooms with grey caps and white bellies grow in a clump.]()
![On a reddish tree, mushrooms with grey caps and white bellies grow in a clump.]()
Oyster mushrooms expected to break down cigarette butts in new trial
Up to 1.2 million butts could be diverted from Australian landfills to a laboratory where scientists will work to transform the byproduct into a polystyrene replacement.
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![The tops of tropical trees appear below a blue sky.]()
![The tops of tropical trees appear below a blue sky.]()
How saving the rainforests could prevent the next pandemic
In Madagascar, a program to provide healthcare and agricultural support transformed a community's relationship to the rainforest.
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![A vast, endless field of rows of silver solar panels under a blue sky.]()
![A vast, endless field of rows of silver solar panels under a blue sky.]()
As millions of solar panels age out, recyclers hope to cash in
Solar panels have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years, and companies are emerging that seek to recycle the valuable, reusable materials and keep the panels out of landfills.
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![An image taken from the air of rolling green forests interrupted by swathes of brown, dying trees.]()
![An image taken from the air of rolling green forests interrupted by swathes of brown, dying trees.]()
In the once-cool forests of the Pacific Northwest, heat poses a new threat
Drought can stress trees to death, but heat’s effects are less known. New research could hold the keys to protecting conifer forests.
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![A lone, skinny pine tree sways on the banks of a stream in the middle of a prairie.]()
![A lone, skinny pine tree sways on the banks of a stream in the middle of a prairie.]()
Fighting drought, potato farmers in northern Minnesota overdrew their water permits by tens of millions of gallons
The farmers likely face few consequences because of laws that one regulator says are inadequate.
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![A row of green plants intersects a row of blooming trees with white flowers.]()
![A row of green plants intersects a row of blooming trees with white flowers.]()
A chilling effect: How farms can help pollinators survive the stress of climate change
“Complex landscape structures" on farms could create microclimates with lower temperatures that aid bees, birds, and plants.
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![A scientist in googles and a white lab coat works in a row of white and yellow machines with lots of tubes.]()
![A scientist in googles and a white lab coat works in a row of white and yellow machines with lots of tubes.]()
From lab to market, bio-based products are gaining momentum
Propelled by government investment and shareholder demand, manufacturers are pushing to get bio-based products into the marketplace. Made from plants, fungi, and microbes, these new materials aim to replace those that contain toxins and are difficult to recycle or reuse.
