Environmental News

MPR News is your source for environment news from Minnesota and across the country.

Getting to Green: Minnesota’s energy future

Getting to Green is an MPR News series that shares stories about Minnesota’s clean energy transition, including what needs to be done to get there.

Submit a question or story for Getting to Green here.

Climate Cast

Listen to Climate Cast, the MPR News podcast all about our changing climate and its impact in Minnesota and worldwide.

Stifling heat lifts spirits for Minnesota whiskey makers
Excessive heat and humidity has made life uncomfortable this week for many Minnesotans, but the conditions were ideal for whiskey makers. Distillers say the sweltering temperatures help with an important process in flavoring their whiskey.
Federal commission takes steps to speed up grid interconnection process
There’s a massive backlog of green energy projects waiting to be connected to the grid — some have been waiting for years. Last month, the Federal Electric Regulatory Commission (FERC) took action to speed up the process.
5 things to know about Japan's Fukushima water release in the Pacific
The water comes from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Although most scientists agree it does not pose an immediate environmental threat, some are worried about the long-term consequences.
Here's why 6,000 octopuses like to be under the sea at an 'octopus garden'
Over 6,000 octopuses have been found huddling around an extinct volcano deep in the Pacific Ocean near California, and researchers now think they understand why the octopuses find it so cozy.
Beekeeping program at Faribault prison teaches inmates job skills, confidence
A beekeeping course at a minimum security prison in Faribault, Minn., is setting up a potential career path for some inmates. The training includes an outdoor classroom where inmates take care of bees — but the bees are also taking care of the inmates.