-
Quivira's marshes have a legal right to water. Kansas has never enforced it, because doing so would hurt farmers who use the water for crop irrigation.
-
Scientists at Kansas City’s Stowers Institute for Medical Research are studying reef-building coral in a lab to better understand how it’s being impacted by climate change and, hopefully, to find a way to keep these precious animals alive.
-
"A Survey of Elemental Gratitude," an exhibition currently at the Kansas City Public Library, showcases the beauty of the Flint Hills— and asks us to consider its environmental future. Philip Heying's photography will be on display until December 9.
-
So you want to do something about climate change, but what? We have ideas. Some require a little planning, while others might mean one less thing on your to-do list. (You can skip raking leaves!)
-
Kansas City native Philip Heying has made his home outside of Matfield Green, Kansas, for the past 3 years. He says the landscape around the speck of a central Kansas town is under threat.
-
Big wildfires have long been associated with forested areas. But in recent decades, they’ve become increasingly common on the Great Plains. Plus: Lawmakers are negotiating a new Farm Bill this year, including a program that's supposed to be a buffer against years when crop prices are low — but that many farmers say would barely cover their costs.
-
Wildfires have become more common in Great Plains states. City outskirts and rural areas where cedars spread aggressively face some of the highest risks.
-
Kansas City is on track to break its homicide record this year, and a rise in gun violence has caused another disturbing trend: Hundreds of people every year are shot and survive. They're often left with severe physical and mental injuries. Plus: Kansas City and other places in the Midwest are slow to embrace composting.
-
Food waste takes up space in landfills and produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Composting that waste can reduce climate impacts and save municipalities money on landfill fees, but concerns about bad smells and pests sometimes get in the way.
-
Climate data suggests heat waves might be getting more frequent. Inconsistent building codes and the cost of implementing climate resilient practices mean that many homes aren't prepared to keep us cool in hazardous heat.
-
Americans are becoming less and less likely to believe our fellow citizens are trying to do the right thing, and that has added to the crisis facing rural health care. Plus: Are Midwest homes prepared for more scorching summer days?
-
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska are part of an emerging “extreme heat belt” that could deliver more scorching days within 30 years. So far, there’s no unified plan to make our dwellings safe in the dangerously high temperatures to come.