Climate & Environment

The delight — and power — of your neighborhood’s unplanned green spaces

Just like an impromptu hangout can as fun as a formal gala, even an informal green space can provide the benefits you'd get from an official park.

A man riding an electric scooter down an urban street with trees and other greenery.

How the 2024 Paris Olympics handled the heat — and didn’t

The summer games can't compete with rising temperatures. Here's what that means for the future of the Olympics.

A man in a red shirt sits drinking a blue Powerade while he is shielded by the sun with a Paris 2024 umbrella.

To help the monarch butterflies, I became a steward of milkweed. So can you

How one milkweed plant turned into a yearlong investment and fostered an unexpected community.

A monarch butterfly and its full wingspan as it sits perched on some netting.

Economists say the 'winner's curse' is another reason for California's high home insurance rates

Climate change is a major driver. But the economic principle of “winner’s curse” can lead to higher prices and less participation in insurance markets due to a lack of information on wildfire risks, University of California researchers say.

At night, a brush fire rolling down a hill from above approaches an illuminated house.

These 'conservation' dogs can sniff out invasive plants and endangered species the size of a nickel

The method of using dogs' superior sense of scent toward conservation projects has been gaining ground in the United States.

a black dog wearing a harness that says "search dog"

Feeling grumpy and stressed? Try taking a 'forest bath'

There is a moment of awe that washes over you when you step into a forest. Century-old trees tower above, sunlight twinkling through them. Birds tweet. Spiders weave their elaborate webs. The smell of pine needles fill the air.