Brazilian court blocks attempt to open parts of the Amazon to mining companies
Brazilian environmental activists achieved a major victory when a court blocked an attempt by president Temer to open up swaths of the Amazon rainforest to mining companies. The court said the president went beyond his authority and that only the Brazilian Congress could make such a decision. The Read More...
Renewable energy on track to exceed expectations, again
This graph shows clearly that solar and wind energy have been consistently underestimated year after year (the red line in the picture). The leading energy institution in the world, the International Energy Association (IEA) in Vienna (black lines) has been wrong for 20 years. Greenpeace (green Read More...
The art of resilience: moving with the chances and challenges life brings
Resilience has become a popular concept but it has new, and better, meaning. It is not about being tough and bite your lips while dealing with the bad stuff in life. Our habit is to view challenging situations as if something is wrong. What if instead of a problem, we perceive stress as a signal to Read More...
States powering ahead on climate targets despite federal inaction, report shows
Australian states and territories are powering ahead, developing policies that will meet the federal government’s internationally agreed greenhouse gas emission targets, with South Australia, the ACT and Tasmania leading the race. Despite Read More...
Stressful times call for empathic people
Every fall, college freshmen begin the familiar tradition of establishing friendships with classmates in their dormitories. But little do they realize how much choosing the right friends – notably ones with empathy – could be beneficial Read More...
How plants fight back against predators
Plants don't have the luxury of being able to run, swim, or fly away when confronted with a predator. Instead, they've developed a repertoire of defense mechanisms for warding off threats while staying rooted to the Read More...
BMW just unveiled an electric Mini concept
It's official: BMW will sell an all-electric Mini in 2019. BMW just gave us a glimpse of what's to come with its design concept, which will make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show that opens to the public on September Read More...
How to make cities more resilient to future floods
Severe weather patterns are becoming more common. The “once every 500-year flood” that is hitting Houston, may not be so rare anymore because of climate change. What can a vulnerable city like Houston do to prevent more damage in the future? Here is a report featuring several urban planning Read More...
China is making high-tech electronics from autumn leaves
Nature uses many different ways to create or distribute energy and to produce food. Close observation of nature can bring a clean sustainable society much closer much sooner. Here’s a good example: Northern China's roadsides are peppered with phoenix trees that produce an abundance of fallen Read More...
Los Angeles is painting streets white to reduce urban warming
Global warming is worsening heat waves that torture cities. In Louisville, Kentucky, the government is looking into large scale tree planting as a way to cut down on heat buildup. In the meantime, Los Angeles is using another tool against urban warming. The city is painting some of its streets Read More...