Environment

The Energy Department finalized rules that will ban fossil fuels in new and remodeled federal buildings by 2030.

(Image credit: Matt Rourke)

Ten years ago, Flint, Mich. switched water sources to the Flint River. The lack of corrosion control in the pipes caused lead to leach into the water supply of tens of thousands of residents. Pediatrician Mona Hanna-Attisha recognized a public health crisis in the making and gathered data proving the negative health impact on Flint's young children. In doing so, she and community organizers in Flint sparked a national conversation about lead in the U.S. water system that persists today.

Today on the show, host Emily Kwong and science correspondent Pien Huang talk about the state of Flint and other cities with lead pipes. Efforts to replace these pipes hinge on proposed changes to the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule.

Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

(Image credit: Brett Carlsen)

After studying various species earlier this month, some scientists now say they understand the origin of animal behavior during solar eclipses.

Fifteen years after the EPA said greenhouse gasses are a danger to public health, the agency finalized rules to limit climate-warming pollution from existing coal and new gas power plants.

(Image credit: Gene J. Puskar)

The talks in Canada are not going well,and scientists and civil society groups say the U.S. is largely to blame.

Climate change is making it harder to meet clean air goals, says the 25th annual State of the Air report from the American Lung Association.

(Image credit: Ed Jones)

NPR's Tom Dreisbach is back in the host chair for a day. This time, he reports on a story very close to home: The years-long battle his parents have been locked in with the local wild beaver population. Each night, the beavers would dam the culverts along the Dreisbachs' property, threatening to make their home inaccessible. Each morning, Tom's parents deconstructed those dams — until the annual winter freeze hit and left them all in a temporary stalemate.

As beaver populations have increased, so have these kinds of conflicts with people...like Tom's parents. But the solution may not be to chase away the beavers. They're a keystone species that scientists believe could play an important role in cleaning water supplies, creating healthy ecosystems and alleviating some of the effects of climate change. So, today, Tom calls up Jakob Shockey, the executive director of the non-profit Project Beaver. Jakob offers a bit of perspective to Tom and his parents, and the Dreisbachs contemplate what a peaceful coexistence with these furry neighbors might look like.

Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

Critics say the U.S. has been unwilling to push for measures in a global agreement that would drive big cuts in plastic waste.

(Image credit: LUIS ACOSTA)

Released on Earth Day, the federal government's new "HeatRisk" tool can help people assess when heat goes from uncomfortable to dangerous.

(Image credit: KATHRYN ELSESSER)

Another huge patch of seaweed from the Sargasso Sea is floating towards Caribbean and South Florida beaches. Scientists are trying to predict where and when it will reach the shore.

Novelist Amy Tan's The Backyard Bird Chronicles centers on an array of birds that visit her yard, as Trish O'Kane's Birding to Change the World recalls lessons from birds that galvanized her teaching.

A new version of the popular board game Catan aims to make players wrestle with a 21st-century problem: How do you develop and expand without overly polluting the planet?

The Museum for the United Nations has partnered with musicians to re-release some of their songs with added nature sounds to generate royalties for conservation efforts.

President Biden has been trying to get young voters excited about his 2024 reelection bid, even though polls show they're disappointed with some of his policies.

(Image credit: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)

Roughly 196 million tons of fish were harvested in 2020, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The organization also notes that the number of overfished stocks worldwide has tripled in the last century. All of this overfishing has led to the decline of entire species, like Atlantic cod.

Enter the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch. It and other free guides give consumers an overview of the world of fish and seafood, helping people to figure out the most sustainable fish available to them. With the help of Life Kit's Clare Marie Schneider, we figure out how to make informed decisions about what we eating – whether that's at a restaurant or the local supermarket.

Check out more from Life Kit on sustainable seafood.

Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

Another huge patch of seaweed from the Sargasso Sea is floating towards Caribbean and South Florida beaches. Scientists are trying to predict where and when it will reach the shore.

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with area ecologist Kate Wollen about Forestry England's efforts to save dormice. And yes, the rodents are terrifically cute.

Spring is a busy time for the people charged with rehabilitating animals that are injured or orphaned. Right now, it's baby squirrel season across much of the country.

(Image credit: Jacob Fenston)

In a parking lot and on San Francisco Bay, NPR witnesses two different tests for solar geoengineering to tackle climate change. With much science unsettled, experts say regulations aren't keeping up.

(Image credit: Julia Simon)

The administration said it will restrict new oil and gas leasing on 13 million acres in Alaska to help protect wildlife such as caribou and polar bears as the Arctic continues to warm.

(Image credit: David W. Houseknecht)