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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November 3, 2014 2:09 PM

The quest for tastier tomatoes without GMOs

A new genetic toolkit could help improve tomato yield and fruit production without compromising flavor or size.

by Joe Palca

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November 3, 2014 5:52 AM

Climate change is real, humans are mostly to blame, time is short, UN panel says

Some impacts already being observed included rising sea levels, a warmer and more acidic ocean, melting glaciers and Arctic sea ice and more frequent and intense heat waves.

by The Associated Press

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October 31, 2014 2:38 PM

Photos: Lava flow, alert continues for Hawaii village

Damage to homes and personal property has been minimal; however, the lava flow is creeping toward a main road, threatening to cut off the community of Pahoa.

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October 31, 2014 10:54 AM

A year of abundance for Minnesota's trails, parks

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources spent more than $8 million building new projects or rehabbing old ones this construction season.

by Jon Collins

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October 30, 2014 7:24 AM

As infrastructure crumbles, trillions of gallons of water lost

Fixing the nation's water systems isn't cheap. Across the country, many communities are raising water rates -- some in the double and triple digits-- to begin addressing the problem of leaky pipes.

by David Schaper

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October 29, 2014 9:23 AM

USDA boosts bee habitat money for Minnesota

Farmers can use the funds to plant bee-friendly wild flowers. Officials hope the investment will aid efforts to curb colony collapse.

by Dan Gunderson

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October 29, 2014 8:18 AM

Who should pay to fix the world's salt-damaged soils?

As climate patterns shift and more farmers irrigate without sufficient drainage, evaporated salt is crusting on top dirt clumps and degrading land.

by Alison Bruzek

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October 29, 2014 7:25 AM

As Great Barrier Reef ails, Australia scrambles to save it

The reef is in such bad shape that the United Nations has warned it could list the World Heritage site as "in danger" next year.

by Steve Dorsey

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October 28, 2014 3:20 PM

Brainerd votes to stop chlorinating city water

The local utility flushed the system with chlorine following a damaging September storm but residents historically have been skeptical about the benefits of adding chemicals to their water.

by John Enger