Environment

L.A. County's Sustainability Plan Crafted With a Little Help From University Friends
Los Angeles County's new, ambitious sustainability plan was crafted in collaboration with the significant resources available in the region, including one of the nation's finest public universities.

Texas Roadway a Threat to Prairie Preserve, Say Environmentalists
Part of the Houston-area Grand Parkway would pass through a tallgrass prairie reserve, and opponents say it would destroy the grasslands and bird habitat.

Big Oil Not Happy With Methane Regulation Rollback
The Trump administration's rollback on August 29 of an Obama-era regulation to reduce methane emissions in the production and distribution of oil and natural gas did not sit well with large oil and gas companies who see value in reducing emissions.

Governor, Regulators Standing Up to Dirty Energy Interests in North Carolina
Can a Democratic governor in a state controlled by a Republic legislature achieve meaningful emissions reductions from the state's energy utilities? North Carolina Governor Gary Cooper is trying.

London Underground 'Waste Heat' to Warm City Homes
Part of a plan to move United Kingdom to renewable energy involves using heat from the London Underground to heat homes.

Green Building Improvements Have a Friend in PACE
An under-reported loan model called Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, financed $660 million of sustainable building improvements from 2016 through 2018.

Columbus Makes Big Strides in Air Quality
Columbus achieved something no other U.S. city has managed: moving out of non-compliance with federal air quality standards for ground-level ozone.

Message to Candidates: Don't Forget Car Dependence When Tackling Fossil Fuels
Car dependence will have to end for the most ambitious climate plans put forward by Democratic candidates for president to have the desired effect.

In Detroit, Plant Growth on Vacant Land Has Created a Pollen Problem
The reforestation of Detroit has become a problem for allergy and asthma sufferers in the area.

California Lawmaker Wants to Triple Electric Vehicle Rebates
Assemblyman Phil Ting seeks to dramatically increase the state electric vehicle sales rebate of $2,500, motivated in part by the phasing-out of the federal EV tax credit of $7,500. The bill rules out significant revenue sources.

Copenhagen Strives to Be Carbon Neutral by 2025
The Danish capital has an ambitious goal to be the world’s greenest and most bike-friendly city, and it is taking big steps to make that happen soon.

Study Promotes 'Better Biofuels' by Focusing on Waste Sources
There are many environmental benefits to bioenergy, particularly when the feedstock comes from waste, as opposed to agricultural products that could be used for food. A new study applies life cycle analysis to four types of waste matter.

The Earth's Vegetation Stopped Expanding 20 Years Ago
Until the late 1990s, the amount of vegetation worldwide was increasing. But then it stopped, and a new study links this troubling trend to climate change.

The Colorado River in an 'Era of Limits'
New agreements and the first cutbacks in water usage signal the start of concerted efforts keep the river and reservoirs from dropping to dangerous levels.

Cities at the Forefront of Climate Change Policy
As cities around the world face the effects of climate change head on, they have been pushing policy forward and taking action at the local level. But they are also creating networks that have a much broader impact beyond individual cities.

Playgrounds Could Provide Much-Needed Public Space
In communities lacking green space, public access to upgraded school playgrounds is a win-win solution.

Three Ways Cities Can Combat Extreme Heat
As temperatures rise, there are some relatively simple changes cities can implement to cut cooling costs and deal with spells of extreme heat.

Automakers Required to Increase EV Sales in Colorado
Due to the adoption of the Zero-Emission Vehicle standard by the state's air quality commission last week, there will be a much greater selection of electric vehicles available for interested Colorado consumers. Sales should reach 5% by 2023.

Texas Program Pays Landowners to Leave Coastal Lands Untouched
In an effort to preserve coastal Texas ecosystems and fight global warming, a new nonprofit is paying landowners to not develop their land.

Another Automaker Shows Interest in California Deal on Auto Emissions
President Trump is 'enraged' that automakers would agree with California in support of maintaining the Obama-era fuel efficiency standards, reports the Times. Mercedes-Benz is apparently preparing to join Ford, Honda, BMW, and VW in the private deal.
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