Environment

The National Park Service is promoting tourism to its parks and monuments by offering free admission during three weekends this summer.

Illegal beehive owners in New York hope the city will follow the example of the White House and other cities and legalize the practice of beekeeping for honey, to help the declining bee population.

A project in the North Woods of Maine calls for volunteers willing to howl at wolves, an unusual conservation effort that has been successful in the past.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says that a new solar energy plant will stimulate Australia’s economy and make the country a leader in renewable energy.

The Belgian city of Ghent will encourage residents to not eat meat every Thursday, highlighting the environmental and health benefits of a reduced-meat diet.

Estimates of the world’s coal supply may be five times too high, according to one researcher, making the need for renewable energy sources more important than ever.

Studying a community’s air and water is giving scientists clues about a region’s drug use, as a recent Spanish study illustrates.

A discreet, strategic camera on Barro Colorado Island in the Panama Canal caught the first ever image of a jaguar there, an example of the increasingly positive influence of technology on conservation.

As European glaciers melt due to global warming, Italy and Switzerland have been forced to redraw borders. Similarly affected countries, such as India and China, might not be as adaptable.

In Chicago, emergency efforts are underway to save a species of rattlesnake. Recent legislation passed by the Obama administration could aid the project, and be crucial to preservation of other endangered species.

The U.S. Forest Service has closed caves and former mines in 33 states, hoping to stop the devastating spread of white-nose syndrome among bats.

Overfishing usually hurts underwater ecosystems, but researchers are hoping it can control an invasive species that is wreaking havoc off the East Coast of the United States.

Capturing carbon dioxide and pumping it into the ground could be an innovative way to protect the earth, but some environmentalists oppose such projects.

The Indiana Department of Agriculture and the NRA have come out against Humane Society-backed legislation to regulate dog breeding in two states.

Mice infested with lice had less sensitive immune systems than those without parasites; scientists think our hyper-clean style of living may cause the increase in human allergies.

World First Racing has constructed a racecar using environmentally sustainable components such as carrots, soybeans and chocolate.

The prince is set to release "Harmony," a book and film devoted to the environment. The effort marks a public declaration of greenness by a man with a lifelong interest in environmental conservation.

The next phase of Japan’s annual whale hunting begins soon, angering activists who say the country’s whale research shouldn’t be lethal.

Unger has drawn both praise and ire for his views on the Amazon rainforest. Technically Brazil’s Minister of Strategic Affairs, Unger has been called “the Minister of Ideas” for unabashedly proposing alternatives to accepted environmental policies. In honor of Earth Day, findingDulcinea salutes the innovative Roberto Mangabeira Unger.

Recent studies have predicted a powerful earthquake and tsunami striking the Oregon coast within the next 50 years, prompting the state government to take precautionary measures. 

Earth Day is just one day, but its message of environmental awareness is something we’d all benefit from remembering throughout the year. For those eager to dip a toe in the volunteer vacation pool, there are a variety of eco-focused opportunities that can help you commemorate Earth Day every day.

The alala, or Hawaiian crow, is one of the rarest birds in the world. The U.S. government plans to spend more than $14 million over the next five years to revive its population.

As the U.S. pursuit of renewable energy resources continues, a Minnesota company that produces diesel fuel from algae has attracted financial, scientific and government interest.

Many pesticides effective at killing bedbugs, such as DDT, are banned in the United States. Will the EPA approve emergency pesticides to quash the rise in bedbug outbreaks?

The young male elephant is the latest zoo animal to show signs of being gay. A high-ranking Polish politician has spoken out against Ninio's sexual preference.

Lava and smoke have flooded Fernandina Island, threatening unique wildlife. The eruption calls attention to an area already trying to balance conservation efforts with heavy tourism.

Decades of exploration have led to a waste management problem in Antarctica, and many are wondering what should be done about the clean up.

Though some housing experts contend that the affordability of prefabricated homes is exaggerated, some manufacturers claim that their new prototypes are both affordable and eco-friendly.

Chimpanzees trade meat for sex, a new study finds. The chimps give meat to ovulating and non-ovulating females alike, supporting a recent theory that chimps plan for the future.

Buying environmentally-conscious businesses is just one way large companies are trying to project a greener image and capture a new market.