Climate Change

In western Kansas, rural hospitals have been closing or are perpetually understaffed, leaving residents to drive anywhere from an hour to multiple hours for doctors appointments. Plus: Scientists are working on a new framework that factors climate trends into how we think about drought.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is developing a framework for assessing drought in a changing climate. It's a difficult task, as what's considered drought is often situational.

The money lets Kansas train more than 1,500 firefighters per year across the state and helps get trucks, generators and hand-tools for rural fire departments.

In bestselling author Michael Grunwald's new book "We Are Eating The Earth," he highlights how agriculture is dramatically contributing to climate change. He's speaking next week at the Kansas City Public Library.

The Kansas River is cleaner today than half a century ago, but pollution and trash remain problems. Kayakers and others who love this river are helping the river's sandbars by hauling away tons of garbage.

Destructive tornadoes have hit states such as Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana this season as activity shifts east. Meanwhile, scientists say dry and hot weather in the Great Plains brought on by climate change could be slowing the number of tornadoes there.

Well-designed lighting lets people see at night while reducing the negative impacts of artificial light on pollinators and birds. It's also better for human sleep.

Across much of the Midwest, the atmosphere is becoming warmer and retaining more water, leading to heavier downpours. A two-crop system called relay intercropping could help farmers buffer weather whiplash and boost profits.

The first state park in Kansas or Missouri to earn recognition from Dark Sky International is fixing lights that cause unnecessary glare and skyglow. Similar work is taking place at Truman State University, too, to benefit people and wildlife.

One great place to put a native plant bed is the base of a tree. It creates what is called a 'soft landing' for caterpillars that need to transition from the tree to pupating on the ground.

Scientists in Kansas, Missouri and other states were poised to start research to cut U.S. reliance on fertilizer imports, keep biofuel farming cost-competitive and tackle a potent greenhouse gas.

Many of these programs offered incentive payments to farmers who adopt an environmentally sustainable or “climate-smart” practice. Some partnerships will be renewed and folded into a new program.