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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.

Global carbon pollution continues to rise, but more slowly

Global carbon pollution continues to rise, but more slowly

The world continues to increase the amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide it pumps into the air, but it’s not rising as fast as in the previous couple years.
by The Associated Press

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Storm topples often-photographed sea stack at Tettegouche State Park

Storm topples often-photographed sea stack at Tettegouche State Park

A beloved and often-photographed sea stack along the Lake Superior shoreline of northeastern Minnesota's Tettegouche State Park has been toppled by this weekend's winter storm.
by Emily Bright

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Choosing not to fly home for the holidays, for the climate's sake

Choosing not to fly home for the holidays, for the climate's sake

Carbon emissions from global air travel are rising fast, and U.S. passengers make up largest share. But some people are vowing not to fly at all, motivated by guilt and concern for the environment.
by Megan Manata

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Painstaking efforts to restore Minnesota’s freshwater mussels paying off

Painstaking efforts to restore Minnesota’s freshwater mussels paying off

A group of Minnesota biologists are leading a nationwide push to restore dwindling populations of native freshwater mussels. The hard-shelled mollusks have struggled in the upper Midwest since the late-1800’s.
by Kirsti Marohn and Daniel Ackerman

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Duluth approves plastic bag fee

Duluth approves plastic bag fee

Three days after the Minneapolis City Council passed the state’s first nickel fee on plastic and paper disposable bags, Duluth’s council followed with a fee only on plastic bags. Retailers will begin collecting the charge in April.
by Dan Kraker

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The unnatural history of Minnesota’s freshwater mussels

The unnatural history of Minnesota’s freshwater mussels

Once abundant throughout Minnesota’s waterways, native freshwater mussels have declined after 150 years of setbacks. Some mussel species have disappeared from the state altogether. Evidence of the mollusk’s decline can be found in some unexpected places.
by Daniel Ackerman

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Greenhouse gas emissions are still rising, U.N. report says

Greenhouse gas emissions are still rising, U.N. report says

A United Nations report warns that greenhouse gas emissions from the world's largest economies must drop dramatically in the next decade to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change.
by Rebecca Hersher

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Climate One series: Are carbon offsets just privileged pollution?

Climate One series: Are carbon offsets just privileged pollution?

In the race to bring carbon emissions to zero, are offsets a legitimate tool — or a scam to allow heavy emitters a way out of taking real action? Purchasing carbon offsets is something individuals can do to reduce their carbon footprint. Does it have any collective impact?
by MPR News Staff

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