Submit

Backyard vegetable gardens are healthy for people and the planet. Here’s how to start yours

The healthiest and most climate-conscious food is local, and organic, and in-season. A vegetable garden in the backyard ticks all of those boxes.

 

To clear ice and snow, there are rock salt alternatives that are safer for your pets and yard

Winter has its fans, but even those who enjoy playing in the snow probably dislike the chore of clearing up after a big storm that dumps several inches or even feet of snow and ice.

 

How big winter storms create snow, sleet and freezing rain

When big winter storms move in, they can bring nasty weather that shows up as different things in different places — maybe it’s snow, or sleet, or freezing rain.

 

Blasting heat at home and still freezing? There are easy fixes to save money and stay warm

It’s that time of year again, when lots of U.S. residents are blasting the heat in their homes and still freezing cold.

 

A power outage can turn dangerous fast. Here’s how to prepare

Power outages can come from winter storms, heat waves, wildfires or a delivery driver backing into the power line by your house.

 

Why your holiday gift returns might go to a landfill and what you can do about it

The month after Christmas has been dubbed “Returnuary” for good reason. The National Retail Federation estimates 17% of holiday purchases will be sent back this year.

 

11

Neil Frank, former hurricane center chief who improved public outreach on storms, has died

Neil Frank, a former head of the National Hurricane Center credited with working to increase the country’s readiness for major storms, has died. He was 94.

 

The holiday shopping season comes with tons of extra emissions. Here’s how to do it sustainably

The holiday season comes with a lot of pollution from materials, manufacturing, processing, packaging, shipping and wrapping.

 

The most climate-friendly groceries might not be in the supermarket

The grocery store is the default resource in the U.S. for fresh food. Meanwhile, there are subscription services that advertise themselves as providing cheaper food that wouldn’t otherwise be sold in the grocery store.

 

Your Thanksgiving leftovers are harming the planet. There are ways to shop and cook smarter

Americans wasted an estimated 320 million pounds of food last year from Thanksgiving alone. The food waste nonprofit, ReFED, says that’s enough to feed every food insecure person in the U.S. five meals.

 

25

Climate choices

As climate change threatens our planet, AP climate choices reporter Caleigh Wells is explaining what readers can do. Here’s what she said:

 

COP30 makes individual climate actions seem small. That’s why experts say to work in groups

Climate choices aren’t just individual actions. Sometimes actions in groups, like voting, petitions and protests, can have a far larger impact than one person can have alone.

 

Climate change is in the news during COP30. We’ve got tips to tackle your climate anxiety

Global leaders have descended upon Brazil for COP30, and with the conference often comes a lot of negative news that evokes climate anxiety and dread.

 

Strong winds can bring gale warnings to communities near water. Here’s what that means

The strong storms and declining temperatures that come with winter can cause significant winds. When they get strong enough, the National Weather Service issues gale warnings for communities near water.

 

Pets contribute to greenhouse gases like us. Here’s how to reduce their carbon pawprint

Data shows that pet owners are increasingly buying food that resembles their own diets as part of the trend toward treating pets as family.

 

Anxiety over global warming is leading some young Americans to say they don’t want children

Younger generations of Americans are increasingly citing climate change as making them reticent to have children.

 

The food you toss costs you plenty and emits tons of pollution. We’ve got tips on how to cut down

Wasted food is a financial and environmental bummer. It costs the average person $728 per year, and it amounts to about the same planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions every year as 42 coal-fired power plants.

 

Travelers bothered by their flight’s pollution can pay to reduce it elsewhere. Do offsets work?

Air travel results in a lot of planet-warming emissions, but it’s also sometimes necessary. That’s a quandary for people who may be concerned about their personal contribution to the problem of climate change.

 

Did you dawdle on installing solar panels or buying an EV? Better move fast to get those tax credits

Tax incentives that have saved U.S. residents thousands of dollars on home efficiency upgrades, clean energy installations and electric vehicles are expiring this year.

 

Move over, green lawns. Drier, warmer climate boosts interest in low-water landscaping

America loves its green lawns. Roughly one-third of water used in U.S. homes is used outdoors, with much of that going to irrigate landscaping dominated by grass.

 

Climate tracking apps measure your carbon footprint. Here’s how they work

This idea of a carbon footprint comes up a lot in news coverage about personal climate impact. The concept is simple.

 

As AI becomes part of everyday life, it brings a hidden climate cost

As AI becomes a part of everyday life, its massive energy and water needs are coming more into focus.

 

How to make climate-friendly and sustainable choices when shopping online

There’s clearly an appetite for shopping sustainably online. But it can be overwhelming to figure out how to find the certifications and companies that are actually making a difference.

 

Thinking about a heat pump? Some things to know about choosing what’s best for you

Switching to a heat pump is often touted as a climate-friendly choice that can help your wallet, too.

 

People often miscalculate climate choices, a study says. One surprise is owning a dog

It turns out many Americans misjudge which personal behaviors contribute most to climate change.

 

208

Why more women are switching to reusable menstrual products

Reusable menstrual products, including cups, discs and period underwear, have gained traction as a cost-effective, long-lasting, environmental alternative to single-use products.

 

A climate-friendly home starts with an energy assessment. Here’s how my 100-year-old house did

Our shelter accounts for one of our biggest personal climate impacts. How we heat and cool our homes, wash and dry our clothes, get our electricity and heat our water each has its own carbon footprint.

 

How to protect yourself from the bad air caused by wildfires

When wildfires burn, the smoke can travel long distances and degrade air quality far away, which presents risks for those breathing it.

 

Composting helps the planet. This is how to do it, no matter where you live

Most of what goes into U.S. landfills is organic waste. It’s a problem because in that environment, organic waste produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

 

Here are some things you can do to be better prepared for major flooding

Catastrophic floods often bring with them loss of power, cuts to key emergency communications and sudden hazardous situations that leave victims with only minutes or seconds to seek higher ground and stay safe.

 

Load More