N.C. Zoo Receives Polar Bear
After a long truck ride from a zoo in Erie, Pennsylvania, Patches the polar bear arrived safely at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro on Wednesday
Environment
Firefighters Gain More Ground at Linville Gorge
The U.S. Forest Service says firefighters gained a little more ground on the Linville Gorge blaze thanks to efforts to rid the area of unburned fuel and favorable weather.
At Climate Meeting, Tensions Rise Between Rich And Poor Nations
At the United Nations climate talks in Warsaw, Poland, conflict between rich and poor nations is mounting. The developing world wants large sums of money to help them adapt to climate change. The U.S. and Europe say they're doing what they can to help but times are tough.
Is Running Your Car On Rubbish The Future Of Fuels?
The EPA proposed a new standard on Friday for how much biofuel must be mixed into the nation's gasoline. The portion of vehicle fuel that comes from plants has increased dramatically over recent years to about 10 percent. But most of it comes from corn. Congress hoped that, by now, a billion gallons would be coming from advanced biofuels, which have much smaller greenhouse gas footprints. That hasn't happened. But the nascent cellulosic fuel industry says don't count it out. Several plants are on the verge of opening and more will be on the way.
Farm Bill Cuts Might Cut Conservation, Too
Farm programs will likely cost the government less under any new farm bill, but the policy could be bad for the environment. Both House and Senate versions would end a big subsidy, called direct payments, that has paid money to land owners — whether they needed it or not — if they complied with certain conservation regulations. The two chambers' versions of the bill differ on how, or even if, to incent farmers to take care of their land. But both versions would stop funding to keep at least five million acres of land out of production.
What's The Most Important Thing Food Labels Should Tell Us?
Food labels have become battlegrounds. Government regulators, companies and food movement activists have been fighting over what belongs on the label. (GMOs? Trans fats? Claims that bran prevents heart disease?) We asked four big thinkers for their dream food label.
As Climate Warms American West, Iconic Trout In Jeopardy
In the northern Rockies of Montana, wildlife is a part of daily conversation. Fishing alone generates $250 million a year, and the pursuit of trout brings in most of that money. But record droughts and declining snowpack mean streams are becoming less habitable for this revered fish.
Key West Awash With Plans For Rising Sea Level
New ordinances adopted in the South Florida city require that new homes feature freshwater cisterns and be built higher than the current flood plain level. Says Key West's planning director, "We are, in all senses of the word, vulnerable to sea level rise."
Why Typhoon Haiyan Caused So Much Damage
Scientists say Typhoon Haiyan is one of the strongest ever recorded, though limited measurements may prevent them from declaring it as the record holder. Still, the storm was devastating: "We had a triple whammy of surge, very high winds and strong rainfall," says one climate scientist.
How An Aqueduct Turned Los Angeles Into A 'Garden Of Eden'
The pipeline that brings water out of California's Owens Valley to metropolitan Los Angeles turns 100 this month. The water wars it has spawned over the century still simmer, and the issues of water use, scarcity and stewardship are inextricable — if often invisible — to life in the city.