Green Living & the Environment

National parks teach students about environmental issues in this course

The University of Tennessee is a natural fit for this course, with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and all the learning opportunities it offers being only a one-hour drive away. ... Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. …
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Update on Hiawatha Golf Course
The MPRB began and supported several small but impactful projects at Hiawatha Golf Course while funding for a more comprehensive design effort was secured.   Osprey Trash Boom System …
From Third Precinct into Minneapolis Black cultural center?
Gather on Jan. 29, 6:30 p.m., at the Hook and Ladder Theater and Lounge to focus on the transformation of the former 3rd Precinct site into the Minneapolis Black Cultural Center. This event aims to …
Lisa Priest (left) and Bill Baldus chat about the future of the playground at the closed Cooper school. Priest lives within two blocks of the school and her children play there regularly. She is involved in PlayMPLS to save the playground and has lots of ideas on how that could happen. The Facebook group is called “Save Minneapolis Playgrounds.”
Community rallies to save Cooper School playground
The community objection to the Minneapolis Public School (MPS) district’s announcement to demolish the playground at the now-closed Cooper school convinced the district to delay the demolition …
(Left to right) Mahmoud Rahman, Jack Thoresen, Aurora Quinn, Asmat Ali, and Hafsa Islam of Curry in a Hurry.
Stepping Up
It has been over three years since Gandhi Mahal, a well-known and popular restaurant at 3009 27th Ave. S. in Minneapolis, was burned down during the social uprising following the death of George …
As the city prepares to tear down the old Kmart building, it considers how to reconnect Nicollet Ave. Over 500 residents attended an open house on Oct. 10, and 1,200 people responded to a survey by Oct. 12.
What do people think?
The long process of reopening Nicollet Ave. at Lake St. took another step forward this month. City planners released design concepts for the public areas planned for the 10-acre site where a surface …

City mouse or country mouse? I collect mice from Philly homes to study how they got so good at urban living

Dusty barns, gleaming stables and damp basements. These are all places where you might find a house mouse – or a member of my research team. I’m an evolutionary biologist, and my lab at Drexel University studies wild house mice. …

New HVAC trends increase sustainability and savings for homeowners

(BPT) - Like many sectors, the HVAC industry is no stranger to new challenges, technological advancements and regulatory shifts which in turn can impact homeowners. Today, the sector is buzzing with …

Solar power occupies a lot of space – here’s how to make it more ecologically beneficial to the land it sits on

As societies look for ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions and slow climate change, large-scale solar power is playing a central role. Climate scientists view it as the tool with the greatest potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. …

Gone Viral: 'Miniclover' is a top trending grass alternative for yards across America

(Family Features) If you're looking to renovate your yard, there's a sustainable, drought-tolerant alternative to high-maintenance, water-guzzling grass that also reduces your environmental footprint.

Detroiters more likely to support local solar power development if they think it reduces energy prices for their community

Michigan residents overwhelmingly want more solar power. In the spring of 2023, nearly two-thirds of 1,000 state residents surveyed supported additional large-scale solar development. …

April’s eclipse will mean interruptions in solar power generation, which could strain electrical grids

During the most recent total solar eclipse visible in the U.S., on Aug. 21, 2017, the skies darkened as the Moon crossed in front of the Sun. It blocked out all sunlight – except for that from a golden ring …

Sharks, turtles and other sea creatures face greater risk from industrial fishing than previously thought − we estimated added pressure from ‘dark’ fishing vessels

My colleagues and I mapped activity in the northeast Pacific of “dark” fishing vessels – boats that turn off their location devices or lose signal for technical reasons. …

A simple 5-step checklist to install an EV charger at home

Edmunds has a 5-step checklist for homeowners ready to install an electric vehicle charger.
Environment matters
Where does lightning strike? New maps pinpoint 36.8 million yearly ground strike points in unprecedented detail
It’s been a warm day, maybe even a little humid, and the tall clouds in the distance remind you of cauliflower. You hear a sharp crack, like the sound of a batter hitting a home run, or a low rumble reminiscent of a truck driving down the highway. …
EPA has tightened its target for deadly particle pollution − states need more tools to reach it
Tens of millions of Americans, including many Texans like me, live in counties that will soon be violating air pollution particle standards for the first time. It’s not that our air is getting …
Potato plant radiation sensors could one day monitor radiation in areas surrounding power plants
While expanding nuclear energy production would provide carbon-free power and can help countries around the world meet their climate goals, nuclear energy could also come with some inherent risk. …
Wildlife selfies harm animals − even when scientists share images with warnings in the captions
One of the biggest privileges of being a primatologist is spending time in remote locations with monkeys and apes, living near these animals in their habitats and experiencing their daily lives. …
El Niño is starting to lose strength after fueling a hot, stormy year, but it’s still powerful − an atmospheric scientist explains what’s ahead for 2024
In California, El Niño helped fuel a wet 2023 and early 2024. Mario Tama/Getty Images Wild weather has been roiling North America for the past few months, thanks in part to a strong El Niño that …

National Grid: Improving Jobs with the Clean Energy Transition

Doing well by doing good: Many New Yorkers may soon find good jobs in the clean energy sector.
(NAPSI)—Addressing climate change is an all-hands-on-deck undertaking. It requires a smarter, stronger, and cleaner energy grid that provides affordable, reliable power when and where people need …

How to Build a Sustainable Home

(Family Features) If you're starting construction on the home of your dreams, consider the benefits of building with sustainability and energy efficiency in mind.

3 Reasons to Ditch Your Laundry Detergent for Eco Strips

3 Reasons to Ditch Your Laundry Detergent for Eco Strips
(NewsUSA) - The laundry industry would have you believe that in order to get brilliant, clean laundry, you need to use powders, liquids and pods that are diluted with water, and come in bulky, …

Natural Food Storage Containers Can Help Save Money

Natural Food Storage Containers Can Help Save Money
(TVA) - As food costs continue to rise, many people are seeking creative solutions to stretch their dollars and reduce wasted food. Buying and cooking food in bulk helps save money, as well as …
Lifestyle features
San Francisco's burning question: Are we ready for Waymo Google cars?
After an incident with one of Google's driverless vehicles in San Francisco, Way.com explores whether the city is ready to adopt these vehicles for service.
Can background checks show whether your identity was stolen?
Money.com offers tips and information to consider when conducting a background check on yourself.
Safest and most affordable cities in the US
MoneyGeek analyzed cost data from the Census Bureau's one-year American Community Survey and MIT's Living Wage Calculator, focusing on the top cities from our safest small and mid-to-large city studies.
Rural Americans were less likely to enroll in a federal broadband assistance program. Now it's too late to sign up
The Daily Yonder reports on the federal government halting enrollment in a program that helps millions of Americans afford their broadband subscriptions.
States where the most people are receiving substance use treatment
Ophelia mapped and analyzed the number of patients in substance use facilities per capita across the U.S., using SAMHSA survey data.