NPR

As one of the only major U.S. cities that has no turnstiles at its rail stations, Los Angeles is feeling the pinch of riders who don't pay. But now, local officials are trying to get turnstiles installed.

When people die, they can still create negative impacts on the environment. Green burials are becoming a popular way to address this environmental concern.

Facing water restrictions, a North Carolina homeowner has paid to have a water well drilled on his property so that he can water his lawn -- a trend that is increasing and posing a potential problem to the common supply from the area's water table.

Flint, Michigan has adopted a new strategy to deal with shrinkage and blight: tear down abandoned properties and sell the plots to nearby neighbors for a dollar.

Construction of a road through a dangerous part of Afghanistan is the U.S. Military's attempt to stabilize the Taliban-controlled area.

This report from NPR looks at the results of a report on the commuting habits and trends of American drivers.

Rapid building and public works projects are destroying much of the natural environment in Japan, a country that lays 25 to 30 times more concrete than the U.S.

This report form NPR looks at the threats associated with building schools near freeways, and how those threats are not easy to avoid in Los Angeles.

A new public transit system in Santiago, Chile, is struggling to operate as planned, stretching commutes and stranding many riders after unexpected route changes. The system's inefficiency has prompted an investigation and apology from the president.

A Florida university that is home to 12 buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright has undertaken a $50 million effort to restore the crumbling buildings.

Online maps showing everything from city streets to gas lines and fire hydrants are increasingly available. Government officials have limited the availability of infrastructure maps due to their possible use by terrorists.

This report from National Public Radio looks at Maryland's Resident Curatorship program -- a method of historic preservation that allows people to live rent-free in historic homes in exchange for performing preservation work.

This report from NPR looks at a homeowner who has transformed her house's plumping to reuse its "gray water" -- non-potable water from sinks that can be rerouted into gardens and toilets. Some lawmakers are discouraging this method.

Brazil is considering a bold plan to get water to its arid northeast by diverting one of the country's largest and most famous rivers. But many are protesting the plan, saying the water will mainly benefit business, not the rural poor who need it.

Despite thousands of signatures in its support, a proposed law that would have banned public nudity in the city of Brattleboro, Vermont, was voted down recently. A temporary ban will end next month.

Chicago has plans to replace more than 50 high-rise public housing buildings, a renovation project that is expected to cost more than $1 billion. The plan has elicited criticism from housing advocates who argue that many residents will be displaced.

A highly favorable tax incentive for green building in Las Vegas could cost the city up to $50 million per year -- an unintentionally high price tag for a program few were expected to take advantage of.

New York City has approved tighter regulations on noise in the city, an effort officials hope will improve the quality of life for residents in the notoriously noisy city.

Migration of workers from Mexico to the U.S. is creating a drain of workers -- and a viable future -- from many Mexican towns.

Once a month, a Minnesota drug store transforms itself into a neighborhood town hall meeting place where Democratic candidates vying for nearly any Minnesota office come to discuss and debate issues with the people they look to represent.