Maryland Startup Redirects River Of Rejected Gifts
Returns of toys and gadgets add up to more than $260 billion every year. Optoro, a startup in Maryland, tries to reduce the cost to retailers, and the cost to the environment.
Environment
Tax Breaks, Falling Costs Are Boosting Wind And Solar
Congress has extended tax credits for clean energy as part of a $1.8 trillion spending bill. Solar and wind power companies say it will catapult the industry at a time when costs are already falling.
Towns Along The Mississippi River Evacuate As Floodwaters Swell
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon activated the National Guard as flooding closed interstate highways and forced people from their homes. The river is expected to crest Thursday at its highest level since 1993.
A Cause For Cautious Celebration: Guinea Is Ebola-Free
After two years and over 2,500 deaths, the country's epidemic has officially ended, the World Health Organization says. Health groups will be watching to ensure the virus doesn't re-emerge.
After A Wild Weekend, More Severe Weather Hits Parts Of U.S.
Christmas-weekend tornadoes in Texas and Florida, deadly flooding in Missouri and heavy snow in the Great Lakes — a wild weekend of weather in the Southwest has spread north and east.
Buying A New Car Can Trim Your Carbon Footprint, But There's More To It
If you drive an older, less efficient vehicle, ever think about swapping it for a new, more efficient one? It's a good way to reduce your carbon footprint. But there are a lot of factors to consider.
First Mention: Who Used 'Global Warming' First?
Our occasional feature "First Mention" finds the phrase "global warming" was used for the first time on NPR in 1989.
Warm Weather Extends Maine's Lobster Season
Not only has the warm winter lengthened lobster season for fishermen, but it could make lobsters susceptible to new predators and diseases.
Experts Explain Why 2015 Is A Warm One For Earth's Climate
This Year will likely be the hottest year on record. Climate change is partly to blame, but so is El Nino. That's the weather pattern from the Pacific that affects weather in the America's as well.
Tree Counter Is Astonished By How Many Trees There Are
How many trees are there in the world? Some scientists are working on a new estimate.