A $5 million wildlife overpass in Utah has just one problem: humansFor the most part, Utah’s $5 million wildlife overpass at Parleys Summit has been a success since opening seven months ago. Officials expected it to take several years before animals grew accustomed to using the large, natural-looking structure, but… Jun 23 19June 23, 2019Article at Quartz
Water shortages could make iceberg delivery routineLast year, drought-stricken Cape Town almost became the first major city to run out of water. That brought attention to the fact that many other places face a comparable threat, among them Nairobi, Bangalore, and Mexico City. It also led to the… Jun 08 19June 08, 2019Article at Quartz
Wildlife overpasses that protect animals from cars are spreading globallyAs long as there are highways and wildlife, there will be roadkill. Many a motorist has glimpsed a mangled but still-living animal squirming on the concrete, waiting for a merciful death. And many drivers have themselves perished upon colliding with… Apr 27 19April 27, 2019Article at Quartz
Electric vehicles will shine in a fuel crisis—just ask Portuguese Tesla ownersElectric vehicle makers and owners have benefited for years from generous government subsidies aimed at fighting pollution and global warming. But the biggest boost, arguably, would come from a fuel crisis, such as the one that had the US enduring… Apr 20 19April 20, 2019Article at Quartz
Seoul’s version of the High Line will have over 24,000 plants ordered alphabetically by nameIn 2012, the mayor of Seoul said he wanted to turn an old overpass into an elevated urban park, similar to New York’s iconic High Line. Park Won-soon described the project as a place where “nature and humans can live side by side.” This month the… Jan 30 17January 30, 2017Article at Quartz
Thanks to climate change, this 13-deck cruise ship is attempting to sail the Northwest PassageIt took three years of planning—and lots of melting ice—but the Crystal Serenity cruise ship has finally begun a pioneering journey that will take it through the Arctic region’s Northwest Passage. The trip is expected to conclude in New York on Sept.… Aug 25 16August 25, 2016Article at Quartz
A Taiwanese steel plant caused Vietnam’s mass fish deaths, the government saysAfter months of waiting, Vietnam’s public finally has an explanation to the mysterious fish die-off that started in early April, lasted two to three weeks, and devastated the local fishing industry. As some suspected, the cause was pollution from a… Jun 30 16June 30, 2016Article at Quartz
Attendance at SeaWorld San Diego has plummeted since the “Blackfish” documentarySeaWorld San Diego seemed to be doing everything right in 2011, by the standards of the international theme park business. In an industry report for that year (pdf), it was one of two parks noted for being “outstanding performers.” The park was… May 26 16May 26, 2016Article at Quartz
Santiago’s subway system will soon be powered mostly by solar and wind energyThough the subway system in Chile’s capital, Santiago, has five lines and over 100 stations, it still ranks second to Mexico City’s bigger system in Latin America. In the near future, though, Metro de Santiago will have bragging rights of another… May 24 16May 24, 2016Article at Quartz
Mitsubishi Motors has admitted to manipulating fuel-economy testsMitsubishi Motors said today (April 20) it manipulated fuel economy tests for 625,000 vehicles produced from 2013. According to Kyodo News (paywall) the deception involved tweaking figures when applying pressure on tires during tests, resulting in… Apr 20 16April 20, 2016Article at Quartz
Conservationists used a night vision drone to bust poachers in the Gulf of CaliforniaOn land, catching wildlife poachers in the act is difficult. On the vast open seas, it’s even harder—especially at night. A small boat using illegal gillnets can easily escape detection while indiscriminately killing all manner of marine… Apr 19 16April 19, 2016Article at Quartz
Leonardo DiCaprio shared his Indonesian vacation pics to highlight palm oil’s harm to wildlifeThere’s only one place left on Earth where Sumatran tigers, orangutans, rhinos, and elephants all still coexist—and actor Leonardo DiCaprio was just there. Fresh off winning a best actor Oscar for his role in The Revenant, the movie star was getting… Mar 30 16March 30, 2016Article at Quartz
Australia’s record-breaking heatwaves haven’t convinced its ruling party of climate changeIt’s late summer/early autumn in Australia, and few can remember the weather being so persistently hot this time of year. Mildura, a small town about six hours to the northwest of Melbourne, has suffered through eight straight days of extreme heat,… Mar 09 16March 09, 2016Article at Quartz
Land-clearing fires cost Indonesia lives and $16 billion last year—and they’re starting againThis week Indonesian president Joko Widodo warned that forest fires are once again starting to appear in the country, and called upon citizens to avoid a repeat of last year’s haze crisis, described by some as a “crime against humanity.” During that… Jan 22 16January 22, 2016Article at Quartz
Singapore is creating its own version of New York’s High Line—but 10 times longerThe success of the High Line park in Manhattan hasn’t gone unnoticed internationally. Since the High Line’s first phase opened in 2009, tourists and locals alike have flocked to the iconic park, built atop an elevated railroad spur that had fallen… Jan 05 16January 05, 2016Article at Quartz
Globally last month was the hottest October on recordIf you thought last month seemed unusually hot for October, you weren’t imagining things. Globally, it was the hottest October on record, according to information released on Nov. 18 by NASA and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration… Nov 22 15November 22, 2015Article at Quartz
Apple will run all its operations in Singapore—including its first store there—on solar powerApple will power all its operations in Singapore—including its first retail location in there–with renewable energy. The iPhone maker confirmed to Reuters on Sunday (Nov. 15) that Singapore-based solar developer Sunseap Group will provide it with… Nov 17 15November 17, 2015Article at Quartz
Toxic smoke from palm oil fires is creating a new class of climate refugees in Southeast AsiaRia Heilena Pratiwi has had enough of the toxic smoke that plagues her hometown of Pekanbaru. The thick haze is caused by fires set to clear land for palm oil plantations and other uses. The city of around 900,000 is the capital of Riau province, on… Nov 12 15November 12, 2015Article at Quartz
Photos: Palm oil production has been smoking out Southeast Asia for 20 yearsEvery year in Indonesia, fires are set to cheaply clear land and make it more suitable for palm oil plantations and other uses. In some cases, rainforests are burned down, destroying wildlife habitat. In other cases, the flames consume drained and… Nov 11 15November 11, 2015Article at Quartz
Orangutans are losing both health and habitat to palm oil firesWild orangutans and found in only two places: Sumatra and Borneo. Unfortunately for them, those two islands host more than just their natural habitat. They also host a steadily expanding palm oil industry. Indonesia is the world’s biggest producer of… Nov 10 15November 10, 2015Article at Quartz
