Environment

NPR

BP Oil Spill Trial To Begin Second Phase

The months-long federal trial is examining how much fault should be placed on BP and its contractors for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion. The accident killed 11 rig workers and released almost 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Host Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Debbie Elliott to preview the civil trial.

NPR

The Fragile, Invisible Connections Of The Natural World

From the TED Radio Hour, writer and environmentalist George Monbiot tells the story of what happened when wolves were re-introduced to Yellowstone National Park after a 70-year absence.

WAMU 88.5

Environmental Outlook: The Shrinking Monarch Butterfly Population

As Monarch butterflies head south for the winter, scientists fear their numbers might have dropped to new lows. In this month’s Environmental Outlook we discuss the mystery of Monarch migration and what’s causing the population to decline.

NPR

UN Climate Change Report: Sea Level, Air Temperature To Rise

The United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change releases its latest assessment today. This is the fifth since 1990. The reports project the rate of global warming, sea level rise and other expected effects that result largely from our use of fossil fuels, which puts billions of additional tons of carbon dioxide into the air every year.

NPR

It's Clear Humans Are Changing World's Climate, Panel Says

A study by an international panel of scientists shows that the researchers are confident about the links between human activity, global warming and climate change.

NPR

U.N. Panel Report: Most Global Warming Is Caused By Humans

Scientists assembled by the United Nations sent out a renewed warning Friday that the planet is warming up and human beings are largely responsible. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released a report that projects more warming air, melting ice and rising seas in this century.

NPR

How Recycling Bias Affects What You Toss Where

People tend to throw whole pieces of paper in the recycling bin — and fragments of paper in the trash. Research on the trend finds that we may be acting on unconscious prejudice about what is worth recycling.

NPR

Drought Forces New Mexico Ranchers to Better Manage the Land

Severe drought has forever changed the landscape in New Mexico. Grasslands have been replaced by desert, and ranchers to reduce the number of cattle grazing open fields. Recent rains have brought some relief, but it's not enough to reverse desertification.

NPR

With Murky Water And Manatee Deaths, Lagoon Languishes

Florida's Indian River lagoon is a rich estuary, home to dolphins, manatees and turtles. But in recent months, it has become clear that something is wrong. Scientists and government officials blame water discharges from Lake Okeechobee and an upswing in pollution.