The Making of the ‘Thin Green Line’
This story is published as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. One afternoon in 2012, members of the Lummi Nation called a public
Marlene Cimons
Writer and Journalist
Marlene Cimons
Anti-Immigration Policies Are Hurting the COVID-19 Fight
A prominent Asian virologist with longstanding ties to the United States was making plans to attend a conference here when he learned he couldn’t get a visa. It was the first time
When Disaster Strikes, Disinformation Spreads
Rumors take hold after every crisis, whether it’s a global pandemic or a climate-driven disaster. Social media makes it easy. Anyone can post any story, true or not, and count on others
This Man Wants to Make You a Tower Climbing Grease Monkey
Thanks to the coronavirus, we are rapidly heading toward a recession. Lawmakers are scrambling for ways to keep the economy aloft — distributing relief payments, bolstering unemployment, bailing out out hard-hit industries. But these
Want to Stop Climate Change? Educate Girls.
Greta Thunberg, who famously missed school to protest climate change, recently met Malala Yousafzai, who won the Nobel Peace Prize fighting to make sure girls could get an education. The photo op
Thawing Permafrost Is Letting Scientists Study Long-Dead Diseases
For decades, the Inuit woman, a victim of the 1918 Spanish flu, lay buried in a mass grave under six feet of Alaskan permafrost. But when the frozen ground began to thaw
Cool Designs to Guard Against Flooding (PHOTOS)
Architect Ruurd Gietema lives in The Netherlands, a country perennially trying to hold back the sea. He said his homeland has paid a price for the high dikes and tall dunes it
Air Pollution Could Be Making You Anxious, Depressed — and Violent
There is a wealth of research detailing all the terrible things that air pollution can do to your body, such as contributing to heart disease, lung cancer, childhood asthma and emphysema, among
Climate Refugees Face an Uncertain Future Under Trump
Belinda Osorio Hanzman chokes up at the thought of having to leave her two children behind in Florida if she is forced to go back to Honduras, the country where she was
Racist Housing Policies Have Left Communities of Color at Greater Risk of Extreme Heat
Extreme heat often kills more people in this country than hurricanes, floods, lightning and tornadoes. But heat is not an equal opportunity killer. “It’s very selective in the way it kills people,”
As California Forests Heat Up, Birds Are Flocking to Higher Ground
Forests are critical to slowing climate change because they soak up huge amounts of heat-trapping carbon dioxide. Birds help keep forests healthy by eating insects that spread tree-killing diseases. Birds also scatter
The Innovative Design of One of the World’s Largest Net-Zero Buildings
It is hard to build a net-zero building — one that produces more energy than it consumes — in the middle of a city. For one thing, nearby skyscrapers might block sunlight from reaching rooftop solar
Scientists Use Underwater Speakers to Lure Fish to Dead Reefs
A healthy coral reef sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies in milk. Snap. Crackle. Pop. “Thousands of invertebrates make this constant crackling, sizzling, static-like sound as … shrimp snap their claws and
Worsening Weather Could Make Life Miserable for Lupus Patients
Rheumatologist George Stojan says that many of his lupus patients know their joints are going to swell or go stiff when the weather shifts, particularly when the temperature or humidity changes. It
Climate Change Could Mean Shorter Winters, But Longer Flu Seasons
The flu has a paradoxical relationship with the weather. In the United States, the flu thrives in the winter, when the air is cold and crisp, and then ebbs in the spring,
When Selling Your Home, It Pays to Be a Climate Change Denier
David Fisher worries about what could happen to his home on Fire Island in an era of rising seas. The two-story wood-and-glass house is only 75 feet from Great South Bay and
Air Pollution Could Literally Cause You to Lose Your Hair
There is no question that air pollution poses a serious health danger. It exacerbates asthma, especially in children, and shortens lives. It’s also linked to diabetes, cognitive decline and birth defects, as
Environmental Scientists Want Help Coping With Their Grief
Scientist Tim Gordon studies how rising temperatures are damaging corals in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, where intense cyclones and warm waters have caused extensive damage in recent years. What he sees brings
Illegal Gold Mining Is Laying Waste to the Amazon
Last summer, scientist Maria Rodriguez traveled to the Peruvian region of Madre de Dios, once the home of lush rainforests, meandering rivers and thriving wildlife. But her destination was anything but picturesque.
How Your Prescription Drugs Could Kill You During Heat Waves
One day during the summer of 2018, Nita Sweeney, a 58-year-old retired lawyer-turned-author from Upper Arlington, Ohio, set off for a 7-mile run — a normal distance for an avid runner. It was warm
Scientists Use the Dark of Night to Generate Clean Energy
Scientist Aaswath Raman long has been keen on discovering new sources of clean energy by creating novel materials that can make use of heat and light. And lately, he has focused on
Politics Is Literally Keeping Americans Up at Night
Two defining features of the Trump presidency are conflict and chaos. From the moment he took the oath of office, waves of criticism followed him wherever he went. Now, as the House
Meet Kick-Ass Teen Climate Activist Xiye Bastida
Xiye Bastida grew up in the Mexican town of San Pedro Tultepec embracing the Otomi indigenous belief that if you take care of the Earth, it will take care of you. “Earth
Century-Old Ship Logs Show How Much Ice the Arctic Has Lost
When retired Canadian meteorologist Michael Purves transcribes the handwritten notes from an ancient ship’s log, he finds himself transported back in time a century, imagining he is on board an old cutter,
It Ain’t Easy Selling Green
When Morgan Poor gave birth to her son, she and her husband shopped around for the perfect diaper, hoping to find one that was both effective and environmentally friendly. They tried a
Why Big Name Brands Lose Out By Going Green
When Morgan Poor gave birth to her son, she and her husband shopped around for the perfect diaper, hoping to find one that was both effective and environmentally friendly. They tried a
Meager Rainfall Is Stunting Kids’ Growth
Matthew Cooper witnessed the heartbreaking effects of malnutrition on young children, first as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kissa, a village in southern Mali, and later as a graduate student doing research
Gender, Sexual Orientation and Recycling
Janet K. Swim has focused a lot of her research on human behavior, especially as it relates to the environment, but she didn’t home in much on the influence of gender — at least
Key Fish in Coral Reefs Could Perish as Their Favorite Foods Disappear
The colorful parrotfish is special. Over its lifetime, it can change its hue — making it a sought-after vision for scuba divers — and even its gender. It poops fine white sand that washes up on
Elephants and Monkeys Are Working to Protect You From Climate Change
Mother Nature has it figured out. She’s designed a master scheme that connects plants and animals, all working in concert to keep every living thing in balance. Imagine a stack of dominoes — knock
Humans Have Reshaped the Water Cycle. Diagrams Don’t Reflect That.
Ben Abbott and David Hannah believe water cycle diagrams — depictions that illustrate how water circulates on Earth — are hopelessly out-of-date because they don’t show the disruptive influence of humans. “It’s as if they were
Powerful Storms Create an Opening for Invading Plants
Powerful winds can topple trees and tear up shrubs in the forest. And this can create an opening for invaders, plants that don’t belong there. To learn more about this post-storm phenomenon,
The Iconic Joshua Tree Is in Trouble
Botanist Lynn Sweet regularly treks through California’s Joshua Tree National Park, nearly 800,000 acres that lie at the intersection of the Mojave and Colorado deserts. She likes to photograph the gnarly, spikey-limbed
Cool Ideas to Clean Up the Pollution from Cars, Trucks, Ships and Planes
Nearly a century ago, German engineer Anton Flettner launched a ship into the ocean. “Without sails or steam, like a ghost ship, it moved mysteriously through the water with no apparent means
There’s a Fungus Among Us — And It’s Deadly.
Most of us know that those mushrooms we love on top of a pizza are a fungus. But not everyone realizes that some fungi also cause disease, unless, of course, you’ve suffered
New Research Shows Malaria Can Spread In Cooler Climates
For nearly a century, scientists thought that malaria could only spread in places where it is really hot. That’s because malaria is spread by a tiny parasite that infects mosquitoes, which then
Island Trees Have Nowhere to Run From Climate Change
Kyle Rosenblad was hiking a steep mountain on the island of Maui in the summer of 2015 when he noticed a ruggedly beautiful tree species scattered around the landscape. Curious, and wondering
The Danger of Living in a Walkable Neighborhood
Nicholas Howell is a walker and a cyclist, both for physical fitness and commuting. “It’s something that is important to me, personally, as a part of my life,” he said. Nevertheless, it
Microbes Help Humans: Our Invisible Allies
Microbes are everywhere — on land, in the sea and in the air. They are on us and inside us. All living things interact daily with bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. We consume them
This Two-Cent Chemical Sensor Can Tell You If Food Is Safe to Eat and Prevent Food Waste
Raw fish. Source: Pixabay Firat Güder admits it, albeit a bit chagrined. He often leaves unopened yogurt in his office at room temperature for several weeks before he eats it. He likes
Steak Made From Insect-Inspired Lab-Grown Meat? Yum!
Edible insects are a great source of protein. But it’s probably folly to think that more than a few people want to swap crickets for steak on the dinner plate. Chomping on
How Humans Fueled Last Summer’s Extreme Heat
The summer of 2018 in Europe, North America and Asia was blistering. People died from the scorching heat. Roads and train tracks cracked. Power fizzled. Wildfires erupted. In Switzerland, climate researcher Martha
Could Snow Be the Next Source of Clean Energy?
When the conversation turns to clean, renewable energy, the talk almost always is about sun and wind. No one ever brings up another natural power source, as yet untapped — snow. Incredible as it
Invisible Heroes of the Sea (PHOTOS)
For nearly two centuries, scientists have pondered “Darwin’s Paradox,” the enduring mystery of why coral reefs thrive in tropical waters, which are woefully short on nutrients. Reefs are teeming oases in aquatic
This Ocean Farmer Is Growing Food That Cleans up Pollution
Catherine Puckett needs to be close to the ocean. That's because she is an ocean farmer. “I just can’t be away from it,” she said. “It means everything to me.” She has
Weather Affects Mood, and Thus, Restaurant Reviews
It’s hard to talk about mood without invoking the weather. When people are cheerful and happy, their outlook is “sunny.” But when they are sad or depressed, the world seems “dark” and
Tropical Forests Will Lose Their ‘Enchanted’ Mist
The gnarled and twisted trees in these tropical forests are cloaked in clouds and mist, much like the fairy tale forests drawn by British illustrator Arthur Rackham for the Brothers Grimm. But
Cars Are Giving Millions of Children Asthma
Children spend a lot of time outdoors playing tag, shooting hoops or climbing trees. If they live in cities, they might run around near busy roads. Parents always teach their kids to
Helping Flint Cope With Lead Pollution
The poisoning of Flint is a tragedy without end. Five years after learning their water supply was laced with lead, the residents of this Michigan town 66 miles northwest of Detroit still
How a Few Small Fixes Could Stop Climate Change
When thinking about new ways to tackle climate change, University of Oxford researcher Thom Wetzer first points out how a modest rise in temperature could push the Earth to a tipping point