Environment
New York City Will Consider a Ban on Plastic Straws
City Council member Rafael Espinal introduced the bill, calling the city’s dependence on plastic “a trend we have to reverse immediately.”
The Dirty, Noisy Power Behind Those Street-Fair Tacos
In many cities, summer means outdoor concerts and street fairs. It also means the polluting generators that power them. So how bad for the environment are they?
Madrid Takes Its Car Ban to the Next Level
Starting in November, the city will make clear that downtown streets are not for drivers.
As Michigan’s Municipal Water Crisis Drags on, Its Bottled Water Industry Booms
Nestlé pays the state a pittance in exchange for its water at a time when public awareness of water issues is rising.
Mapping the Segregation of Metro Atlanta’s Amenities
A new mapping project shows how segregation is a matter of whether you have close access to a grocery store, hospital, bank, or park—amenities that influence your quality of life.
The Ancient Forests That Have Defied Urbanization
In cities around the United States, old-growth forests have survived against the odds. But preserving them is not as simple as roping them off from the public.
America's Fastest-Growing Urban Area Has a Water Problem
As St. George, Utah grows, it will have to cut down on its high water consumption or pay handsomely for it—or both.
Can Community Archives Survive Climate Change?
Rare books, records, and other printed materials in thousands of U.S. archives face elevated risks from natural disasters or changing temperatures.
Paris Gets Serious About Free Transit
The city is launching a study to explore the possibility of going fully fare-free.
Mapping Puerto Rico's Hurricane Migration With Mobile Phone Data
Data from 500,000 smartphones reveals exactly where the island’s residents went after the storm, and when they came back.
The Race to Save Arctic Cities As Permafrost Melts
As the ground shifts beneath their feet, officials in Canada’s Nunavut turn to creative engineering to save scarce homes—and plan for a future built on bedrock.
Tourism's Climate Footprint Is Much Larger Than Previously Thought
The industry accounts for about 8 percent of global climate emissions, and that number is expected to rise.
The Kids Trying to Green One of L.A.'s Most Polluted Neighborhoods
For generations, oil refineries brought jobs—and pollution—to the residents of Wilmington. Can a new generation of youthful activists make it a healthier place to grow up?
In Hawaii, Neighborhoods Are Being Displaced By Lava
Volcanic eruptions like this can have a long-term—and sometimes permanent—impact on the communities that live there.
Can a New 'Solar City' Make Suburbia Green?
People are starting to move into Babcock Ranch, an ambitious development in Florida more than a decade in the making. With a solar field and self-driving shuttles, it’s a suburb that its creators hope will be revolutionary.
The War on Cars, Norwegian Edition
Oslo is still planning to go car-free by 2019, thanks to an ambitious network of bike lanes. But old habits do die hard.
Mexico City Looks for New Ways to Tame Air Pollution
The city has made strides in clearing up its notorious smog, but progress has stalled in recent years.
Uber and Lyft Could Do a Lot More for the Planet
Carbon offsets and bike-sharing services are great. But the ride-hailing industry still hasn’t confronted the heart of the problem it has created.
Here's How Much Money Trees Save in Megacities
Trees’ benefits come out to a median value of $967,000 per square kilometer of tree cover, researchers estimate.
The Floating City, Long a Libertarian Dream, Faces Rough Seas
The Seasteading Institute wants to construct a network of ocean structures to liberate humanity from state control (and taxes).
Street Grids May Make Cities Hotter
By comparing buildings to water molecules, researchers found that the form of a city can intensify the urban heat island effect.