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.

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Climate Cast

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

But what if we could we pull some of that carbon dioxide out of the air, and spare the planet the effects of global warming?
U.S. adopts recovery plan for Mexican wolves, lawsuit planned
After decades of legal challenges and political battles that have pitted states against the federal government, U.S. wildlife managers on Wednesday finally adopted a plan to guide the recovery of a wolf that once roamed parts of the American Southwest and northern Mexico.
Climate scientists watch their words, hoping to stave off funding cuts
After years of budget and political pressure, some climate scientists are changing the way they describe their research, and avoiding the term "climate change."
South Dakota dairy plan worries Lake Hendricks, Minn.
Straddling the Minnesota-South Dakota border, Lake Hendricks is a fishing and boating destination. Some residents, however, say plans for a 4,000-cow dairy farm on the South Dakota side may wreck the lake. A key court hearing comes in January.
Report: U.S., Canada fall short on protecting Great Lakes
A joint U.S.-Canadian agency says untreated sewage releases, chemical pollution and algae blooms show that the two nations have a long way to go to meet their pledge to clean up the Great Lakes.
To save water, should you wash your hands of hand washing dishes?
The sustainable choice between the dishwasher and a manual scrub-down may just boil down to your washing style -- but it's hard to beat today's efficient machines.
The sea level threat to cities depends on where the ice melts -- not just how fast
Identifying where ice melts can help cities in planning for a future with elevated sea levels. In New York City, the sea level would be affected more by melting ice in northern Greenland than Canada.
If the developing world can go solar, maybe Puerto Rico can too
With most of the island still without electricity, some Puerto Ricans are hoping to follow the example of developing world countries -- and turn to the sun for power.
To avoid 'fatbergs,' keep grease, wipes out of sewer
Minnesota hasn't yet had any monster fatbergs, or giant globs of fat and grease mixed with disposable wipes that can wreak havoc on a city. But they're still causing plenty of problems for sewer systems around the state.