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In many remote areas of the country where wind is plentiful, no power is harnessed from the land because there aren't enough transmission lines to carry the electricity. And though the Plains offer untapped electrical potential, grid managers worry that the erratic nature of wind could make the grid unreliable. ()
Agencies must again ask experts before taking actions that might affect endangered species. ()
A smart meter on one family's home saves almost 20 percent on the electric bill. ()
April 28, 2009 · To create a new energy economy with much more solar and wind energy, thousands of miles of new transmission lines must be built across the nation. But finding suitable locations to place the lines is incredibly complicated without a federal body to oversee planning. ()
April 28, 2009 · A giant sequoia trucked all the way from the Pacific Northwest by the New York City Parks Department has been planted in Morningside Park. Assuming it maintains its health, the tree could grow taller than most of the buildings on Manhattan's Upper West Side. ()
April 28, 2009 · EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson tells NPR that the country is "overdue" for climate and energy legislation. And she is optimistic Congress will help pass new environmental laws. ()
April 27, 2009 · Bringing renewable energies like wind and solar power onto the electric grid is the first step toward making the grid both green and smart, but engineers and power companies must also find solutions to the challenges of renewable energies, which don't produce consistent, reliable power. ()
April 27, 2009 · The nation's electricity grid is facing a crisis — it's outdated and unprepared for increasing demand and a future that includes more renewable sources of energy. A new digital smart grid is part of the picture envisioned by advocates, as is building new electricity infrastructure. ()
April 27, 2009 · Just 16 nations are responsible for a whopping 80 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. These 'major emitters' are convening Monday and Tuesday in Washington, D.C., to develop a plan to deal with climate change. Representatives from these nations are hopeful that they'll have the political force needed to reduce emissions. ()
April 22, 2009 · On Oct. 27, 1948, the people of Donora, Pa., awoke to a thick yellow blanket of smog. They soon learned that 20 people were dead and half the town was sick. A museum has opened to commemorate an event that many say was the genesis of clean air laws. ()
April 22, 2009 · Hamburgers and pizza disappeared from scores of university and corporate cafeterias across the country Wednesday to raise awareness about the effect food has on the environment. The University of San Francisco dining hall is among sites that pulled beef and cheese off menus in honor of Earth Day. ()
April 17, 2009 · The agency issued a proposed finding Friday stating that six greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that can threaten the public health — a first step toward regulating those gases. ()
April 17, 2009 · A program to expand oil and gas drilling off the Alaska coast was canceled Friday by a federal appeals court that ruled the Bush administration did not properly study the environmental impact. The oil and gas leasing program in the Beaufort, Bering and Chukchi seas was proposed in 2005. ()
April 22, 2009 · Food writer Mark Bittman says eating like a vegan until dinner can protect your health and help save the planet. How we eat — and certainly what we eat — has a real impact on our bodies and the Earth. Try sticking to plants during the day, then indulging yourself at night — but with restraint. ()
April 15, 2009 · Sea ice in the Arctic is retreating, opening the way for some of the largest oil and gas leases in history. But with many species already endangered or threatened, the battle over offshore drilling in Alaska may become more controversial than onshore. ()
NPR, in partnership with National Geographic, launches a year-long journey around the globe to explore how climate is shaping people and people are shaping climate.
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Climate change is big news. Is the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leading to a crisis?
