U.S. Backs Away From Offshore Arctic Drilling
The Department of the Interior announced that it is canceling scheduled lease sales of land in the Arctic Ocean. It also won't extend existing leases held by Shell and Statoil.
Environment
University Of Vermont's Ban On Bottled Water Backfires
The University of Vermont banned the sale of bottled water on its campus in 2013 to cut down on single-use bottles in the waste stream. But the number of plastic, single-use bottles being shipped to campus went up, and students ended up using more single-use bottles and drinking less healthy beverages out of them. Now the university is trying to figure out how to balance sustainability and nutrition in on-campus beverage sales.
Interest Builds In Giving Farmers Credit For Growing Green
Plans in the works would give farmers environmental credits for farming in ways that store carbon, filter out water pollution or preserve animal habitats. The credits could be bought, sold and traded.
Californians Consider New Ways To Share Water
California's drought has the state re-thinking who has the right to its water. A complex system dating back to the 19th century divides up the state's supplies.
Hunter-Gatherers Don't Get More Sleep Than We Do, Study Finds
A new study shows people living in hunter-gatherer societies don't get any more sleep than people in the more modern world, despite living without TVs, computers, cell phones and other electronic distractions.
Mississippi River Basin Gets A Grade Of D+
A group that measures river basin health cited the poor condition of infrastructure such as locks and dams, among other things, on what it says is the world's fourth-largest watershed.
What's At The Edge Of A Cloud?
Scientists soared through clouds with a new instrument that takes 3-D pictures of the edge. What they learned about the size and density of droplets surprised them and might lead to better forecasts.
India Says It Will Lower Rate Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
India released its pledges ahead of December's global climate change summit in Paris. "We want to walk [a] cleaner energy path," says the country's environment minister.
EPA Sets New, Tougher Standards Aimed At Reducing Smog
The Environmental Protection Agency has released its much-anticipated ozone standards. The agency is setting more stringent thresholds for the particles that contribute to smog.
Volkswagen Faces Uphill Battle In Repairing Tarnished Reputation
Volkswagen faces two enormous repair jobs: fixing its polluting diesel cars and its battered reputation. Both may be much harder to fix than anything other scandal-plagued car companies have faced.