Environment

Tawny Crazy Ants Invade Southern States

10:59am June 22, 2013

Tawny crazy ants are invading ecosystems and homes in states including Texas and Florida, wiping out other ant species and overwhelming homeowners. Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon talks to Texas A&M research scientist Robert Puckett, who says the ants are "ecological steamrollers" that reproduce so fast they are nearly impossible to get rid of.

Queue Listen Now

An evening view of the Exxon Mobil oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Baton Rouge, La.

Baton Rouge's Corroded, Overpolluting Neighbor: Exxon Mobil

9:50am June 21, 2013

The Standard Heights neighborhood sits next to the nation's second-largest gasoline refinery. Recently, residents learned a new truth about the plumes of exhaust they see every day: Exxon Mobil's aging refinery and petrochemical facilities — like many others — are pumping out far more pollution than the law allows.

Queue Listen Now

The Business And Politics Of Air Quality Regulation

2:35pm June 20, 2013

In a speech in Germany Wednesday, President Barack Obama said it's time to take "bold action" on climate change. Many believe that major changes to policies on carbon emissions lie ahead, which would mean a host of new regulations for businesses.

Queue Listen Now

Heather Liljengren, a field taxonomist with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, examines the seed pods of the Virginia spiderwort at Oakwood Beach, Staten Island. Liljengren collects seeds from across the region for a seed bank of native

To Rebuild NYC's Beaches, A Native Plant Savings And Loan

10:18pm June 19, 2013

by NPR Staff

Last fall, Heather Liljengren was collecting the seeds of New York's native dune grasses. Within days, Hurricane Sandy wiped out the Rockaways' dunes and all their flora. Now, those seeds are growing plants likely to be used to restore the dunes and other natural environments around New York City.

Queue Listen Now

Environment

Tour de Yadkin Draws Hundreds of Outdoor Enthusiasts

10:18pm June 17, 2013

by Keri Brown

The Yadkin River is full of kayaks and canoes this month. That's because the fourth annual Tour de Yadkin is underway.

Cattle stand in a heavily irrigated pasture in Oregon's Upper Klamath Basin. The state has ordered ranchers in the region to shut down irrigation. The move is aimed at protecting the rights of Indian tribes who live downstream.

Water Wars: Who Controls The Flow?

7:39pm June 15, 2013

by NPR Staff

So often, we take water for granted. But it's not always where we need it, or there when we need it. Two rivers on opposite sides of the country — the Chattahoochee in the South and the Klamath in the far West — may provide lessons for the inevitable and growing dispute over how we manage our most precious resource.

Queue Listen Now

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn Talks Climate and Carbon

4:13pm June 14, 2013

Like any major city near a coast, Seattle likely won't be immune from rising sea levels and other effects of global warming. Mayor Mike McGinn discusses the city's plans for addressing climate change, including his push to divest Seattle's pension funds from fossil fuel investments, and the city council's plan to make Seattle carbon neutral by 2050.

Queue Listen Now

With Climate Change, No Happy Clams

4:13pm June 14, 2013

Carbon emissions are slowly acidifying ocean waters, forcing marine life to adapt. Oysters and other shellfish, for example, may have a harder time building their shells, according to NOAA's Richard Feely. At Quilcene, Washington's Taylor Shellfish Hatchery, research director Benoit Eudeline says he's already seeing those effects.

Queue Listen Now

Denis Hayes on Being Green

4:13pm June 14, 2013

Since his days as head of the Solar Energy Research Institute under President Jimmy Carter, Denis Hayes has been pushing to add more renewable energy sources to the country's energy portfolio. Hayes discusses the current U.S. market for renewables such as solar and wind, and gives his take on where he sees America's energy future headed.

Queue Listen Now

At left: Beyond Eggs' egg-substitute product, a powder made of pulverized plant-based compounds. Right: Mother Nature's version.

Why Bill Gates Is Investing In Chicken-Less Eggs

1:34pm June 14, 2013

by Allison Aubrey

Investors like Gates are betting that our planet can't sustain the current rate of growth in animal-based foods for too much longer. Products like Beyond Eggs, a plant-based substitute, are designed to fill the void.

Queue Listen Now