Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

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.

Many Minnesota homes would benefit from an energy audit

Many Minnesota homes would benefit from an energy audit

Energy bills are poised to rise as temperatures fall. Minnesotans can ease the financial pain by checking the insulation in their home and looking for ways they can update around the house. And the Minnesota Center for Energy and the Environment wants to help.
by Martin Moylan

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
U.S. House OKs bill paving way for mining near Boundary Waters

U.S. House OKs bill paving way for mining near Boundary Waters

The measure would reopen land near the Boundary Waters to mineral exploration and, potentially, to new copper-nickel mines on the doorstep of one of the nation's most popular wilderness areas. The vote created unusual political alliances among Minnesota's congressional delegation.
by Dan Kraker

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Brewery makes algae beer to spotlight threat to Lake Erie

A brewery in Ohio is making a batch of green-colored beer called "Algae Blooms" to draw attention to the toxic algae that's been fouling Lake Erie.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Keystone spill likely caused by construction damage, investigators say

Keystone spill likely caused by construction damage, investigators say

The leak was initially estimated to have released some 210,000 gallons of crude. Federal investigators say that they now have an "unconfirmed lower spill estimate," without specifying how much.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Carbon-dioxide removal: A fix for climate change?

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?
by Tom Weber

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
U.S. adopts recovery plan for Mexican wolves, lawsuit planned

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.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Climate scientists watch their words, hoping to stave off funding cuts

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."
by Rebecca Hersher

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
South Dakota dairy plan worries Lake Hendricks, Minn.

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.
by Mark Steil

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Report: U.S., Canada fall short on protecting Great Lakes

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.
by Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
To save water, should you wash your hands of hand washing dishes?

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.
by Natalie Jacewicz

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!