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Tag: sustainability

  • Biodegradable Mardi Gras beads help make Carnival season more sustainable

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    NEW ORLEANS — It is Carnival season in New Orleans. That means gazillions of green, gold and purple Mardi Gras beads.

    Once made of glass and cherished by parade spectators who were lucky enough to catch them, today cheap plastic beaded necklaces from overseas are tossed from floats by the handful. Spectators sometimes pile dozens around their necks, but many are trashed or left on the ground. A few years ago after heavy flooding, the city found more than 46 tons of them clogging its storm drains.

    The beads are increasingly viewed as a problem, but a Mardi Gras without beads also seems unfathomable. That is why it was a radical step when the Krewe of Freret made the decision last year to ban plastic beads from their parade.

    “Our riders loved it because the spectators don’t value this anymore,” Freret co-founder Greg Rhoades said. “It’s become so prolific that they dodge out of the way when they see cheap plastic beads coming at them.”

    This year, beads are back, but not the cheap plastic ones. Freret is one of three krewes throwing biodegradable beads developed at Louisiana State University.

    The “PlantMe Beads” are 3D-printed from a starch-based, commercially available material called polylactic acid, or PLA, graduate student Alexis Strain said. The individual beads are large hollow spheres containing okra seeds. That is because the necklaces can actually be planted, and the okra attracts bacteria that help them decompose.

    Kristi Trail, executive director of the Pontchartrain Conservancy, said plastic beads are a twofold problem. First, they clog the storm drains, leading to flooding. Then those that aren’t caught in the drains are washed directly into Lake Pontchartrain, where they can harm marine life. The group is currently preparing to study microplastics in the lake.

    The trend toward a more sustainable Mardi Gras has been growing for years and includes a small but growing variety of more thoughtful throws like food, soaps and sunglasses. Trail said there is no good data right now to say if those efforts are having an impact, but the group recently got a grant that should help them answer the question in the future.

    “Beads are obviously a problem, but we generate about 2.5 million pounds of trash from Mardi Gras,” Trail said.

    Strain works in the lab of Professor Naohiro Kato, an associate professor of biology at LSU. He first got the idea to develop biodegradable beads in 2013 after talking to people concerned about the celebration’s environmental impact. As a plant biologist, Kato knew that bioplastics could be made from plants and got curious about the possibilities.

    The first iteration of the lab’s biodegradable beads came in 2018, when they produced beads made from a bioplastic derived from microalgae. However, production costs were too high for the algae-based beads to offer a practical alternative to petroleum-based beads. Then Strain started experimenting with 3D printing, and the PlantMe Bead was born.

    For the 2026 Carnival season, LSU students have produced 3,000 PlantMe Bead necklaces that they are giving to three krewes in exchange for feedback on the design and on how well they are received by spectators.

    One funny thing, Kato said, is that people have told him they love how unique the PlantMe Beads are and want to keep them.

    “So wait a minute, if you want to keep it, the petroleum-plastic Mardi Gras bead is the best, because this won’t last,” he said.

    The lab is still working on ideas for a more sustainable Mardi Gras. Strain is experimenting with a different 3D printer material that biodegrades quickly without needing to be planted. Kato is talking with local schools about turning Mardi Gras bead-making into a community project. He envisions students 3D printing necklaces while learning about bioplastics and plant biology. And he is still exploring ways to make algae-based bioplastic commercially viable.

    Ultimately, however, Kato said, the goal should not be to replace one plastic bead with a less harmful one. He hopes Mardi Gras embraces the idea of less waste.

    Rhoades said Freret is moving in the same direction.

    “In 2025, we were the first krewe — major parading organization — to say, ‘No more. No more cheap beads. Let’s throw things that people value, that people appreciate, that can be used year-round,’ ” Rhoades said.

    One of the most coveted items they throw is baseball hats with the Freret logo. He sees people wearing the hats around the city, and he says other krewes have noticed.

    “I really believe that we, and other krewes, are able to inspire your larger krewes,” he said. “They want people to like their stuff. They want people take their stuff home, and use it, and talk about it, and post it on social media, and say, ‘Look what I just caught!’ ”

    ___

    Loller reported from Nashville, Tennessee.

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  • Biodegradable Mardi Gras beads help make Carnival season more sustainable

    [ad_1]

    NEW ORLEANS — It is Carnival season in New Orleans. That means gazillions of green, gold and purple Mardi Gras beads.

    Once made of glass and cherished by parade spectators who were lucky enough to catch them, today cheap plastic beaded necklaces from overseas are tossed from floats by the handful. Spectators sometimes pile dozens around their necks, but many are trashed or left on the ground. A few years ago after heavy flooding, the city found more than 46 tons of them clogging its storm drains.

    The beads are increasingly viewed as a problem, but a Mardi Gras without beads also seems unfathomable. That is why it was a radical step when the Krewe of Freret made the decision last year to ban plastic beads from their parade.

    “Our riders loved it because the spectators don’t value this anymore,” Freret co-founder Greg Rhoades said. “It’s become so prolific that they dodge out of the way when they see cheap plastic beads coming at them.”

    This year, beads are back, but not the cheap plastic ones. Freret is one of three krewes throwing biodegradable beads developed at Louisiana State University.

    The “PlantMe Beads” are 3D-printed from a starch-based, commercially available material called polylactic acid, or PLA, graduate student Alexis Strain said. The individual beads are large hollow spheres containing okra seeds. That is because the necklaces can actually be planted, and the okra attracts bacteria that help them decompose.

    Kristi Trail, executive director of the Pontchartrain Conservancy, said plastic beads are a twofold problem. First, they clog the storm drains, leading to flooding. Then those that aren’t caught in the drains are washed directly into Lake Pontchartrain, where they can harm marine life. The group is currently preparing to study microplastics in the lake.

    The trend toward a more sustainable Mardi Gras has been growing for years and includes a small but growing variety of more thoughtful throws like food, soaps and sunglasses. Trail said there is no good data right now to say if those efforts are having an impact, but the group recently got a grant that should help them answer the question in the future.

    “Beads are obviously a problem, but we generate about 2.5 million pounds of trash from Mardi Gras,” Trail said.

    Strain works in the lab of Professor Naohiro Kato, an associate professor of biology at LSU. He first got the idea to develop biodegradable beads in 2013 after talking to people concerned about the celebration’s environmental impact. As a plant biologist, Kato knew that bioplastics could be made from plants and got curious about the possibilities.

    The first iteration of the lab’s biodegradable beads came in 2018, when they produced beads made from a bioplastic derived from microalgae. However, production costs were too high for the algae-based beads to offer a practical alternative to petroleum-based beads. Then Strain started experimenting with 3D printing, and the PlantMe Bead was born.

    For the 2026 Carnival season, LSU students have produced 3,000 PlantMe Bead necklaces that they are giving to three krewes in exchange for feedback on the design and on how well they are received by spectators.

    One funny thing, Kato said, is that people have told him they love how unique the PlantMe Beads are and want to keep them.

    “So wait a minute, if you want to keep it, the petroleum-plastic Mardi Gras bead is the best, because this won’t last,” he said.

    The lab is still working on ideas for a more sustainable Mardi Gras. Strain is experimenting with a different 3D printer material that biodegrades quickly without needing to be planted. Kato is talking with local schools about turning Mardi Gras bead-making into a community project. He envisions students 3D printing necklaces while learning about bioplastics and plant biology. And he is still exploring ways to make algae-based bioplastic commercially viable.

    Ultimately, however, Kato said, the goal should not be to replace one plastic bead with a less harmful one. He hopes Mardi Gras embraces the idea of less waste.

    Rhoades said Freret is moving in the same direction.

    “In 2025, we were the first krewe — major parading organization — to say, ‘No more. No more cheap beads. Let’s throw things that people value, that people appreciate, that can be used year-round,’ ” Rhoades said.

    One of the most coveted items they throw is baseball hats with the Freret logo. He sees people wearing the hats around the city, and he says other krewes have noticed.

    “I really believe that we, and other krewes, are able to inspire your larger krewes,” he said. “They want people to like their stuff. They want people take their stuff home, and use it, and talk about it, and post it on social media, and say, ‘Look what I just caught!’ ”

    ___

    Loller reported from Nashville, Tennessee.

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  • Biodegradable Mardi Gras Beads Help Make Carnival Season More Sustainable

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    Once made of glass and cherished by parade spectators who were lucky enough to catch them, today cheap plastic beadnecklaces from overseas are tossed from floats by the handful. Spectators sometimes pile dozens around their necks, but many are trashed or left on the ground. A few years ago after heavy flooding, the city found more than 46 tons of them clogging its storm drains.

    The beads are increasingly viewed as a problem, but a Mardi Gras without beads also seems unfathomable. That is why it was a radical step when the Krewe of Freret made the decision last year to ban plastic beads from their parade.

    “Our riders loved it because the spectators don’t value this anymore,” Freret co-founder Greg Rhoades said. “It’s become so prolific that they dodge out of the way when they see cheap plastic beads coming at them.”

    This year, beads are back, but not the cheap plastic ones. Freret is one of three krewes throwing biodegradable beads developed at Louisiana State University.

    The “PlantMe Beads” are 3-D printed from a starch-based, commercially available material called polylactic acid, or PLA, graduate student Alexis Strain said. The individual beads are large hollow spheres containing okra seeds. That is because the necklaces can actually be planted, and the okra attracts bacteria that help them decompose.


    2.5 million pounds of trash

    Kristi Trail, executive director of the Pontchartrain Conservancy, said plastic beads are a twofold problem. First, they clog the storm drains, leading to flooding. Then those that aren’t caught in the drains are washed directly into Lake Pontchartrain, where they can harm marine life. The group is currently preparing to study microplastics in the lake.

    The trend toward a more sustainable Mardi Gras has been growing for years and includes a small but growing variety of more thoughtful throws like food, soaps and sunglasses. Trail said there is no good data right now to say if those efforts are having an impact, but the group recently got a grant that should help them answer the question in the future.

    “Beads are obviously a problem, but we generate about 2.5 million pounds of trash from Mardi Gras,” Trail said.


    First algae beads, now PlantMe beads

    Strain works in the lab of Professor Naohiro Kato, an associate professor of biology at LSU. He first got the idea to develop biodegradable beads in 2013 after talking to people concerned about the celebration’s environmental impact. As a plant biologist, Kato knew that bioplastics could be made from plants and got curious about the possibilities.

    The first iteration of the lab’s biodegradable beads came in 2018, when they produced beads made from a bioplastic derived from microalgae. However, production costs were too high for the algae-based beads to offer a practical alternative to petroleum-based beads. Then Strain started experimenting with 3-D printing, and the PlantMe Bead was born.

    For the 2026 Carnival season, LSU students have produced 3,000 PlantMe Bead necklaces that they are giving to three krewes in exchange for feedback on the design and on how well they are received by spectators.

    One funny thing, Kato said, is that people have told him they love how unique the PlantMe Beads are and want to keep them.

    “So wait a minute, if you want to keep it, the petroleum-plastic Mardi Gras bead is the best, because this won’t last,” he said.


    ‘Let’s throw things that people value’

    The lab is still working on ideas for a more sustainable Mardi Gras. Strain is experimenting with a different 3-D printer material that biodegrades quickly without needing to be planted. Kato is talking with local schools about turning Mardi Gras bead-making into a community project. He envisions students 3-D printing necklaces while learning about bioplastics and plant biology. And he is still exploring ways to make algae-based bioplastic commercially viable.

    Ultimately, however, Kato said, the goal should not be to replace one plastic bead with a less harmful one. He hopes Mardi Gras embraces the idea of less waste.

    Rhoades said Freret is moving in the same direction.

    “In 2025, we were the first krewe — major parading organization — to say, ‘No more. No more cheap beads. Let’s throw things that people value, that people appreciate, that can be used year-round,’ ” Rhoades said.

    One of the most coveted items they throw is baseball hats with the Freret logo. He sees people wearing the hats around the city, and he says other krewes have noticed.

    “I really believe that we, and other krewes, are able to inspire your larger krewes,” he said. “They want people to like their stuff. They want people take their stuff home, and use it, and talk about it, and post it on social media, and say, ‘Look what I just caught!’ ”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Feb. 2026

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  • EPA Ends Credits for Automatic Start-Stop Vehicle Ignition, a Feature Zeldin Says ‘Everyone Hates’

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    DETROIT (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency announced an end Thursday to credits to automakers who install automatic start-stop ignition systems in their vehicles, a device intended to reduce emissions that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said “everyone hates.”

    In remarks with President Donald Trump on Thursday at the White House, Zeldin called start-stop technology the “Obama switch” and said it makes vehicles “die” at every red light and stop sign. He said the credits, which also applied to options like improved air conditioning systems, are now “over, done, finished.”

    Zeldin repeated the generally-debunked claims that start-stop systems — which are mostly useful for city driving — are harmful to vehicles, asserting Thursday that “it kills the battery of your car without any significant benefit to the environment.”

    This latest Trump administration move to cut automotive industry efforts to clean up their cars and reduce transportation-driven emissions came as Zeldin and Trump also announced a broader repeal of the scientific finding known as endangerment that has been the central basis for regulating U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

    Start-stop is a technology that automatically shuts down a vehicle’s engine when a driver comes to a complete stop, and then automatically restarts the engine when the driver takes their foot off the brake pedal. Developed in response to the 1970s oil crisis, the feature was intended to cut vehicle idling, fuel consumption and emissions.

    About two-thirds of vehicles now have it, providing drivers with anywhere from 7% to 26% in fuel economy savings, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers. Start-stop also causes a split-second lag in acceleration, a point of irritation for some consumers and automotive enthusiasts.

    Burning gasoline and diesel fuel for transportation is a major contributor to planet-warming gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and more, according to the EPA. By implementing the systems, automakers could earn credits toward meeting federal emissions reduction rules.

    “Countless Americans passionately despise the start/stop feature in cars,” Zeldin wrote in a post on X on Tuesday teasing the announcement. “So many have spoken out against this absurd start-stop-start-stop-start-stop concept.”

    The announcement made good on Zeldin’s promises last year to “fix” the feature. Start-stop is “where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy,” Zeldin said in a post on X last May. “EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it,” he wrote at the time.

    Jeep-maker Stellantis welcomes the deregulatory effort, a spokesperson’s statement said: “We remain supportive of a rational, achievable approach on fuel economy standards that preserves our customers’ freedom of choice.”

    A Ford Motor Co. statement said: “We appreciate the work of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin to address the imbalance between current emissions standards and customer choice.”

    General Motors deferred comment to the auto industry group Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

    “I’ve said it before: Automotive emissions regulations finalized in the previous administration are extremely challenging for automakers to achieve given the current marketplace demand for EVs,” said John Bozzella, president of the alliance. “The auto industry in America remains focused on preserving vehicle choice for consumers, keeping the industry competitive, and staying on a long-term path of emissions reductions and cleaner vehicles.”

    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Feb. 2026

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  • Plant-O-Rama Celebrates 30 Years: Here Are 7 Ideas We Took Away from the Symposium – Gardenista

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    After a surprise snow day reschedule, Metro Hort Group hosted its 30th Plant-O-Rama last Thursday morning at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Every year, hundreds of horticultural professionals descend on BBG for this symposium, trade show, and career fair. It is the signature event of Metro Hort, a member-based organization for horticulture professionals in the tri-state area. 

    This year’s symposium included keynote speeches by celebrated horticulturalist and author James Hitchmough and Green-Wood Cemetery‘s Joseph Charap and Sara Evans, its vice president of horticulture and director of the Living Collections, respectively. The symposium closed out with a panel discussions on the topic of “Gardens: Nurturing Plants, Communities, and People” with leaders from four of New York City’s horticulturally focused non-profit organizations: Andrea Parker of Gowanus Canal Conservancy; Jennifer Beaugrand of The Bronx is Blooming; Lisa Bloodgood of North Brooklyn Parks Alliance; and Tonya Gayle of Green City Force. All of it was wonderfully inspiring.

    Here are seven ideas to steal from this annual event:

    1. Aim for hyper-diversity.

    Above: Hitchmough managed to cram an astonishing 700 plant taxa into his former garden in Sheffield. Photograph by Richard Bloom.

    Horticulturalist, author, and emeritus professor of horticultural ecology at the University of Sheffield James Hitchmough kicked off the day with a lecture titled “Evaluating the Complexity and Diversity of Designed Herbaceous Plantings.” While many American ecological horticulturalists are focused on native plants, Hitchmough is more concerned with creating “hyperdiversity” in gardens to support biodiversity. He believes species-rich landscapes that include both native and non-invasive exotics can look exciting throughout the growing season and can reduce the seasonal hunger gaps for generalist invertebrates.  

    2. Use color as a “trojan horse.”

    Above: Hitchmough’s next personal project is his 2.5 acre garden and woodpasture-native meadow in rural Somerset, where he is putting his lifetime of research findings into practice. Photograph courtesy of James Hitchmough.

    Hitchmough’s advice for persuading more people to appreciate a naturalistic planting style is to use color as a “trojan horse.” In his research Hitchmough once grew a meadow in a public park and quizzed parkgoers about their feelings about the naturalistic planting at different stages of blossom. Park goers were much more likely to admire the wilder style when it included an abundance and variety of color. Tip: One of the ways that Hitchmough achieves hyperdiversity and continuous color is by planting what he calls an “understory” to the herbaceous layer of his gardens that blooms earlier in the season. 

    3. Lean on native “weeds.”

    Evans revealed that she often finds herself choosing native plants that are considered “weedy,” like little bluestem, because she’d rather be taming an overenthusiastic native than an invasive outsider like mugwort. It’s also an extremely cost-effective tactic. Elsewhere, Evans is paying attention to volunteer plants: When Clatonia virginiana popped up in a lawn area, they roped it off from mowing and after several years of blooming and setting seed, the spring ephemeral has spread to form drifts. 

    4. Plant baby trees. Baby old trees.

    At Green-Wood Cemetery horticulturalists are doing everything they can to preserve their mature trees, including propping up limbs. Photograph by Sara Evans.
    Above: At Green-Wood Cemetery horticulturalists are doing everything they can to preserve their mature trees, including propping up limbs. Photograph by Sara Evans.

    Much of the beginning of Joseph Charap and Sara Evans’s lecture about their innovative practices at Green-Wood Cemetery was about meeting the cemetery’s canopy loss. Charap and Evans point out that, too often, as older trees reach the end of their lives, there are no other trees in line to take their place (in both domestic and public landscapes). The team at Green-Wood is planting young trees on a massive scale, mostly bareroot because they are cheaper, easier to plant, and more successful than other young trees. They are also babying their oldest trees by creating root protection zones and branch props for aging limbs. It’s a two-pronged approach that any gardener could copy.

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  • The Garden Decoder: What Are ‘Seed Banks’? (And Why Are They Important?) – Gardenista

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    Native Plant Trust

    Above: Inside Native Plant Trust’s rare plant seed cooler, one of several repositories that make up the rare plant seed bank. Photograph by Alexis Doshas © Native Plant Trust.

    With two facilities in Massachusetts—Garden in the Woods and Nasami Farm—Native Plant Trust focuses on species endemic to the Northeast, with priority given to rare species. The bank currently stores more than 10 million seeds. “Our native plants often have complex dormancy mechanisms. We may not know how to germinate all of them, so the first step is to collect seeds,” says Johnson. “The second step is to figure out how to germinate them. Lastly, and perhaps the most important, is to make sure these populations are secure in the wild so we don’t need the seed banks down the road.” Last year, Native Plant Trust worked with a sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis) population in Vermont. This native lupine is a host plant for the endangered Karner blue butterfly. After noticing that the population in this area in Vermont was in decline, they were able to repopulate it from seed stored at Native Plant Trust decades earlier. They’ll return next year to see what the success rate is. “The genetics should just knit back together as if it was just a banner year for the plants to be producing babies,” says Johnson. 

    What can gardeners do? 

    Above: Jesup’s milk-vetch (Astragalusrobbinsiivar. jesupii), a globally rare species, grows in only three places in the world: all along a 16-mile stretch of the Connecticut River in Vermont and New Hampshire. Here, this seedling, grown in Native Plant Trust’s native plant nursery at Nasami Farm in western Massachusetts, was transplanted on site. Photograph by Lea Johnson © Native Plant Trust.

    Grow native plants. “Habitat loss and habitat fragmentation is the number one threat to native plants,” says Johnson. “When you grow native plants in your yard, you’re providing habitat and that habitat can become suitable for rare plants.” Furthermore, “native landscapes sequester more carbon and benefit insects, birds, and other wildlife,” says Havens. “Plus, they avoid contributing to the problem of invasive species, which is one of the largest threats to native plant ecosystems in our region.” And please be sure to avoid all pesticides, even organic ones, which the kill bees, butterflies, and other insects that most native plants depend upon to survive. 

    Enjoy nature responsibly and use iNaturalist. Botanists benefit from community science apps like iNaturalist. Birker notes that she and her colleagues might notice someone posting photos on the app of plants they are targeting for seed collection in bloom. They’ll know that they’ll have to get out there soon to collect. That said, while you’re out in nature, it’s crucial to stay on paths to avoid trampling on plants to snap a photo and never, ever collect from the wild. Leave that to the professionals.    

    Give back to your local native seed bank. It’s a race against the clock. Help these important institutions financially, sign up to volunteer where you can get trained to help out on projects like seed cleaning, and make your support for native plants known. It’s especially important today, when the current administration is reducing funding and protections for national parks and preserves and conservation. “Talk to your local politicians and voice your concern,” recommends Birker. “And support local nonprofits and organizations doing this work.”   

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  • Required Reading: The American Horticultural Society’s New Definitive Guide to Ecological Gardening – Gardenista

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    Since its founding in 1922, the American Horticultural Society (AHS) has published dozens of books, including deep-dive guides on single issues like propagation and starting seeds. The organization’s latest is Essential Guide to Ecological Gardening, a broad yet in-depth manual on ecological gardening practices. The book is part of many new efforts underway at AHS and the third in a new series focussed on sustainably minded gardening (AHS’s Essential Guide to Perennial Gardening and Essential Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening were published last winter). 

    The new books’ timing coincides with both a wave of interest in organic and ecological gardening practices and a tsunami of less-than-reliable advice on the internet and social media. Matt Matthus, senior director of horticulture at AHS, says that the organization felt the need to offer a comprehensive guide that reflected the latest horticultural research. “Home gardeners really want more accurate information and less hacks,” he says. “We felt there needed to be a book that top-line addresses all of these ecological trends across the country.” And while it may be hard to believe, even as recently as five years ago most garden books weren’t talking about keystone species, fire-wise landscapes, and forever chemicals in fertilizers, just a few of the many topics covered in Essential Guide to Ecological Gardening. 

    Above: AHS is headquartered at the twenty-seven-acre River Farm, which is located on part of George Washington’s original farmlands in Alexandria. Photograph courtesy of American Horticultural Society.

    One thing that stands out flipping through the book is how many photos of birds, bees, butterflies, and even toads appear in its photos, a reflection of AHS encouraging gardeners to think of their gardens as a part of their local ecosystem. But this is a book for gardeners–not conservationists–so it’s not dogmatic about planting only straight-species native plants, nor does it shame gardeners for occasionally using pesticides. Rather, it offers advice for how to make better ecological choices while maintaining the aesthetics you prefer.

    Above: In fall and winter, dozens of bird species feast on seeds in the gardens. In spring, queen bumblebees head straight to the blooms of blueberries and other spring-flowering shrubs and perennials. Photography by Janet Davis, courtesy of American Horticultural Society.

    Essential Guide to Ecological Gardening is neither a garden design guide nor a dream book of garden tours (although we glimpse many attractive gardens in its pages): It’s a handbook and a reference book that gardeners can trust. Written by the staff of one of the oldest national gardening organizations in the United States and a team of professional consultants, its content was also reviewed by a horticultural advisory committee. 

    This book will appeal to beginner gardeners, but there is much for advanced gardeners as well. Here are six tips that the Gardenista team took away from this helpful new guide:

    Cut back halfway in fall.

    Above: Ecologically diverse landscapes have many layers and include a combination of both woody plants and herbaceous ones. They include many bloom shapes, colors, and times. Photograph by Kelly Norris, courtesy of American Horticultural Society.
    Above: Ecologically diverse landscapes have many layers and include a combination of both woody plants and herbaceous ones. They include many bloom shapes, colors, and times. Photograph by Kelly Norris, courtesy of American Horticultural Society.

    By now many gardeners know that leaving old stems and leaves in place provides much-needed habitat for hibernating insects, but for gardeners accustomed to a neat and tidy cut back, this can feel messy. AHS proposes cutting plants back partially instead, writing, “Rather than cutting plants down to the ground, you can leave half to a third of the stem length in place, which provides plenty of habitat, but also gives a tidier appearance.” Come spring the fresh growth will also cover the old stems faster.

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  • Resolutions Roundup: Garden Pros Share the 10 Ways They’re Changing Their Landscapes in 2026 – Gardenista

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    With the start of the new year, our minds are a-swirl with ideas for what we’ll do in our gardens come spring. For inspiration, we asked garden and landscape professionals to tell us the changes they’re planning for their own gardens this year. Their answers run the gamut from ecological resolutions to fixes for eye sores, but one common thread runs through them: landscapes are always changing—and these garden pros aren’t bothered by that. They simply have to keep up and change alongside them.

    Rethinking lawn removal.

    Above: One of Evans’ students, Rosa, hosted a spring planting party; she and her friends planted plugs directly into her lawn. By the following summer, native wildflowers had filled in the entire area (seen from the opposite side, right). Photograph by Heather Evans.

    Heather Evans, co-founder of Design Your Wild, a newsletter and online community, says she’s not removing gras—even though she’ll be decreasing the amount of lawn in her new yard by more than 50 percent. “Instead, I’ll be planting hundreds of native trees, shrubs, and perennials into the existing lawn. The turf will act like mulch while the natives grow in and will eventually be crowded out by them. After trying every method of killing lawn before planting, I realize it’s often not necessary and even harmful, inviting invasives, disturbing the soil microbiome, and causing compaction.”

    Trying a new palette.

    Above: These native flowers are all on Evans’s moodboard for her new garden. Clockwise from top left: Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii (photograph via Texas Master Gardeners); Oenothera speciosa (photograph via Wildseed Farms); Lonicera sempervirens (photograph via Native Plant Trust); Salvia coccinea ‘Coral Nymph’ (photograph via Gardenia.net).

    Evans is also making an aesthetic change in her new Florida garden: She’s thinking in pink. “I’ll be planting species—and even cultivars!—from beyond my native range to execute my white-pink-coral floral palette,” says Evans. “I’m loving Texas natives like showy primrose, Drummond’s phlox, and pink Turk’s cap, in addition to Florida native trumpet honeysuckle, pink scarlet sage, and Pinxter azalea.” While maintaining her palette, Evans is planning to plant “two thirds for the birds” (at least 70 percent locally native species to support birds and butterflies). “I’m relying heavily on locally native shrubs and trees. I’m especially excited about white-flowering fringe tree, flatwoods plum, and Walter’s viburnum.”

    Dealing with an eyesore.

    Above: This photo shows the section of garden before Norris installed the heat pump. He says, “This project feels manageable, if not also challenging. How will we disguise this equipment without drawing more attention to it in the first place?” He plans to relocate some Joe Pye weed deeper into the border for a starter.

    The biggest change author, horticulturist, and garden designer Kelly Norris will embrace in 2026 is disguising an ugly addition to his yard: A newly-installed heat pump and exhaust vents. “It’s a reminder that home improvements, however necessary, can significantly change the experience of a home garden,” says Norris. “After lots of hand-wringing and probably much eye-rolling from our plumbers, we located it in a spot we deemed least visually consequential. It’s still a bit of an eyesore that will require reworking our prairie border, but the upside is that the old A/C condenser unit is no longer in our outdoor entertaining area.”

    Learning a new skill.

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  • The Best Garden Nonprofits to Donate to in 2025

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    As the year comes to a close, mailboxes (both real and digital) are flooded with donation requests from nonprofit organizations. This is a critical time for charities because how much they raise in the final weeks of December influences what they can spend in the year ahead. 

    Here at Gardenista we are firm believers in the transformative power of gardens, so we’re happy to direct some donor dollars to organizations that promote gardens and, more generally, plants and wildlife. Today, we’re highlighting a dozen of these deserving nonprofits.

    The Garden Conservancy

    Above: The Knoxville Botanical Garden & Arboretum is one of the organizations The Garden Conservancy supports through its Garden Futures grants. Photograph courtesy of the Garden Conservancy.

    The Garden Conservancy’s mission is “to preserve, share, and celebrate America’s gardens and diverse gardening traditions for the education and inspiration of the public.” The organization’s work includes direct support to preserve public gardens and as well as funding smaller garden-related nonprofits, but what we love most is the sharing part of their mission: The Garden Conservancy makes it possible to experience gardens in person through its Open Days program.

    The Native Plant Trust

    Originally founded in 1900, the Native Plant Trust was U.S.’s first plant conservation organization; its mission is to “conserve and promote New England’s native plants to ensure healthy, biologically-diverse landscapes.” In addition to running a public botanic garden and a native plant nursery, the Native Plant Trust offers a wealth of online and in-person courses.

    Homegrown National Park

    Planted with native species, this garden transforms a residential space into functioning wildlife habitat. It reflects Homegrown National Park’s mission to help people take simple, meaningful actions that restore the natural systems supporting all life. Photograph by Lynn O�217;Shaughnessy.
    Above: Planted with native species, this garden transforms a residential space into functioning wildlife habitat. It reflects Homegrown National Park’s mission to help people take simple, meaningful actions that restore the natural systems supporting all life. Photograph by Lynn O’Shaughnessy.

    Founded by entomologist and author Doug Tallamy, Homegrown National Park’s name stems from Tallamy’s assertion that our National Parks are too small and separated from one another to preserve native species to the levels needed, so we need to extend “national parks” to our yards and communities. The organization’s mission is to raise awareness about the biodiversity crisis, and more importantly to inspire action, “adding native plants and removing invasive ones where we live, work, learn, pray, and play.” 

    Wild Seed Project

    Based in Maine, the Wild Seed Project is one of the U.S.’s only nonprofits focussed on native seeds. The organization collects and distributes wild seeds and encourages gardeners to grow hyper-local plants from wild seed. Members receive the organization’s excellent annual publication as a perk. (Through the end of 2025, all donations to Wild Seed Project will be matched, up to $20,000.)

    Wild Ones

    Participants in a butterfly class hosted by Wild Ones’ Fox Valley Area Chapter at the UW–Madison Arboretum. Photograph by Catherine McKenzie, courtesy of Wild Ones.
    Above: Participants in a butterfly class hosted by Wild Ones’ Fox Valley Area Chapter at the UW–Madison Arboretum. Photograph by Catherine McKenzie, courtesy of Wild Ones.

    Based in Wisconsin, Wild Ones promotes environmentally sound gardening practices and aims to “preserve biodiversity by educating the public about the preservation, restoration, and establishment of native plant communities.” We love that Wild Ones has expanded their free Native Garden Design Program, which provides region-specific, professionally designed templates to help people transform conventional yards into native-dominated landscapes. There are currently more more than 100 local chapters.

    Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

    While not technically a garden-related organization, the Xerces Society’ is dedicated to the “conservation of invertebrates and their habitats,” which often dovetails with how individuals manage their home and public landscapes. The Xerces Society produces high-quality, research-backed publications that help guide effective conservation efforts; they’re Gardenista’s go-to source when it comes to garden practices that are most supportive of insects and invertebrates.

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  • Fairfax County launches new way to recycle unwanted books – WTOP News

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    Fairfax County, Virginia, is launching a new program that aims to make it easier and more convenient for residents to recycle unwanted books.

    Fairfax County, Virginia, is launching a new program that aims to make it easier and more convenient for residents to recycle unwanted books.

    Through a partnership with New Legacy Books, the county has placed a green drop-off bin at the Interstate 66 Transfer Station in Fairfax. There are currently two donation bins in place, though the program could expand to other locations if there’s enough demand.

    Residents can donate unwanted paperback, hardcover or textbooks. Any books dropped off have to be clean, dry and have ISBN codes that can be scanned on the back, according to Catie Torgersen, who leads the sustainability branch of Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program.

    “A lot of our libraries will accept donations, but sometimes they aren’t able to accept everything,” Torgersen said. “This is just another way for people to donate.”

    Most of the books will be resold, if possible, she said. The ones that can’t be sold are recycled through paper recyclers.

    “Then, the county receives a small portion of the sales that could go directly into their recycling services and help find more ways to help people,” Torgersen said.

    While paperback books can be tossed into a regular curbside recycling bin, Torgersen said hardbacks have mixed materials, which have to be separated.

    “The normal person in the normal recycling facility can’t do that, so that’s always been another hard-to-recycle item,” Torgersen said. “But because these people are collecting specifically books, they have the ability to separate the two materials and recycle them both.”

    The book program is similar to the recently-expanded partnership with Helpsy, which allows residents to drop off clothes, linens and towels.

    It’s likely the county will consider other locations to add book drop-off bins in the coming months, Torgersen said.

    “We didn’t want to inundate ourselves with books, but we’ve had a really great response from residents in other areas where we’ve done drop-off events for book recycling,” he said.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • December Global Regulatory Brief: Green finance | Insights | Bloomberg Professional Services

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    European Commission proposes simplified transparency rules for Sustainable Financial products

    The European Commission has proposed a set of amendments to the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) to make sustainability disclosure rules simpler, clearer, and more cost-efficient. The revisions aim to reduce reporting burdens for financial market participants (FMPs), make disclosures more understandable for retail investors, and introduce a clear categorisation system for sustainable financial products.

    Context

    The SFDR, in force since March 2021, established the EU’s transparency framework for sustainability-related financial products. However, the Commission’s recent review found the framework overly complex, costly to implement, and unintentionally used as a labelling regime, leading to investor confusion. The proposed changes are part of the Commission’s broader effort to streamline EU financial regulation, consistent with the February 2025 “Omnibus I” simplification package.

    Key takeaways

    • Streamlined Entity-Level Disclosures:
      • Entity-level reporting on “principal adverse impacts” will be deleted from SFDR to eliminate overlap with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
      • Only large FMPs covered under CSRD thresholds will be required to disclose their environmental and social impacts.
      • This reform significantly reduces duplication and compliance costs for smaller firms.
    • Simplified Product-Level Disclosures:
      • Product disclosures will be limited to essential, comparable, and meaningful sustainability data.
      • The aim is to improve investor understanding and comparability while reducing complexity for product manufacturers.
      • Retail-oriented presentation standards will be introduced to improve clarity.
    • Introduction of Three Product Categories:
      • Sustainable: Products investing in assets that already meet high sustainability standards.
      • Transition: Products supporting entities or projects on a credible path toward sustainability.
      • ESG Basics: Products applying general ESG integration or exclusion strategies without qualifying as sustainable or transition investments.
      • Categorized products must ensure at least 70% of investments align with their sustainability strategy and must exclude harmful sectors (e.g., human rights violators, tobacco, prohibited weapons, high fossil fuel exposure).
      • ESG-related product names and marketing claims will be restricted to products within these categories.

    Next steps

    The Commission’s proposal will now proceed to the European Parliament and EU Member States (Council) for consideration under the ordinary legislative procedure. At a future date, the Commission will issue implementing rules setting out the technical specifications for disclosures and category criteria.

    Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) consults on UK ESG Ratings Regime

    The FCA has launched a comprehensive consultation setting out the detailed regulatory framework for the UK’s new ESG ratings regime. The proposals combine baseline FCA rules with tailored requirements covering transparency, governance, conflicts of interest, and stakeholder engagement. The consultation is open until 31 March 2026 and final rules are expected in Q4 2026, with the regime going live on 29 June 2028.

    Context

    The consultation follows HM Treasury’s secondary legislation bringing ESG rating providers within the FCA perimeter. The FCA seeks to reduce harms arising from inconsistent or opaque ESG ratings and to align the regime with IOSCO recommendations.

    Key takeaways

    Given that this will be a newly regulated sector, the FCA are proposing to do the following:

    • Apply many existing baseline rules to rating providers that apply to most other FCA-regulated firms, ensuring that there is a consistent approach. Some of the existing baseline standards include the following:
    • Threshold Conditions (COND): The minimum conditions, set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), that a firm must satisfy, and continue to satisfy, to get and keep its permission. The TCs are not part of this consultation, but the FCA is open to feedback on applying COND to ESG rating providers.
    • Principles for Business (PRIN): A general statement of the fundamental obligations that firms must comply with at all times. The FCA is further proposing that ESG rating providers must always comply with Principle 7 on “Communications with clients”, while also noting that ESG rating providers cannot treat their clients as ‘eligible counterparties’ for the purposes of PRIN 3.4.1R and PRIN 3.4.2R.
    • Systems and Controls (SYSC): Sets out how firms must organize their businesses, manage risk and maintain effective internal systems and controls. One of its purposes is to underline Principle 3: ‘A firm must take reasonable care to organize and control its affairs responsibly and effectively, with adequate risk management systems’.
    • Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR): How firms must allocate responsibilities, certify key staff and apply conduct rules to promote accountability and good governance. The proposal for SM&CR is to classify ESG rating providers as “Core Firms” under SM&CR, unless a regulated firm undertakes other activities and has been categorized as an Enhanced firm will keep this Enhanced status, even if it also provides ESG ratings.
    • General Provisions (GEN): General rules that apply to all firms, including statutory disclosure statements and use of the FCA name or logo.
    • Introduce tailored rules where existing baseline requirements (mentioned above) are not appropriate or not proportionate to address the risks of harm. It is important to note, is that these rules are building on the IOSCO recommendations. These rules focus on the following areas:
      • Transparency: Minimum disclosure requirements for methodologies, data sources and objectives, so users better understand the ratings and rated entities understand how they are assessed.
      • Systems and Controls: Requirements for robust arrangements to ensure the integrity of the ratings process, including quality control, data validation and methodology reviews.
      • Governance: Requirements to maintain operational responsibility over the ratings process, including any outsourcing, to ensure appropriate oversight and compliance with the regime.
      • Conflicts of interest: Requirements to identify, prevent, manage, and disclose conflicts of interest at the organizational and personnel level, to maintain the ratings’ independence and integrity.
      • Stakeholder engagement: Requirements to provide rated entities with the opportunity to correct factual errors, procedures to allow other stakeholders to provide feedback and a fair complaints-handling procedure

    Source: FCA Consultation Paper (p.7), Overview of proposed regime

    Next steps

    The FCA is welcoming feedback on the draft rules and any questions. The deadline to respond to the consultation is 31 March 2026. The FCA expects to finalize the rules by Q4 2026. The FCA authorizations gateway intends to open in June 2027. The regime go-live is on 29 June 2028. An overview of the timeline can be found in the Consultation Paper on page 8.

    Brunei launches Sustainable Finance Roadmap to drive ESG integration

    The Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) has introduced the Sustainable Finance Roadmap (SFR) to guide the financial sector in embedding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into financial practices. The roadmap aims to support the country’s transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy and strengthen financial stability through sustainability integration.

    Context

    The SFR aligns with Brunei’s broader sustainability agenda outlined in three key policy documents:

    • Brunei National Climate Change Policy (BNCCP) – strategies for a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.
    • Economic Blueprint for Brunei Darussalam – aspirations for a dynamic and sustainable economy under Wawasan Brunei 2035.
    • Financial Sector Blueprint (FSBP) 2016–2025 – vision for a competitive and innovative financial sector.

    Key takeaways

    • Definition: Sustainable finance under the SFR integrates ESG factors into financial decision-making to promote sustainable growth and long-term social well-being.
    • Vision: A sustainable and climate-resilient financial sector.
    • Purpose: Provide strategic direction for ESG adoption across financial institutions.
    • Time Horizon: 2025–2030 (6 years).
    • Goals:
    1. Increase readiness to manage sustainability-related risks.
    2. Facilitate development of sustainable financial products and services.
    3. Enhance adoption of ESG practices in business models and strategies.
    1. Robust Sustainability Risk Management Framework – strengthen capabilities and policies to manage ESG risks.
    2. Innovative Sustainable Products and Services – promote financial products supporting national sustainability initiatives.
    3. International Cooperation – boost Brunei’s role in regional and global sustainable finance efforts.
    4. Knowledge, Skills, and Talent Development – build capacity among regulators, industry, and consumers for ESG integration.

    Next steps

    • Implementation of the roadmap begins in 2025, with milestones set through 2030.
    • Financial institutions are expected to align strategies with the roadmap and develop ESG-compliant products.
    • BDCB will issue supporting policies and frameworks to operationalize the roadmap’s pillars.

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  • The Year in Gardening: Looking Back With Joy (and Looking Ahead With Hope) – Gardenista

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    This is part of a series with Perfect Earth Project, a nonprofit dedicated to toxic-free, ecological gardening, on how you can be more sustainable in your landscapes at home.  

     . . . Do not raise
    your small voice against it. And do not 
    take cover. Instead, curl your toes
    into the grass, watch the cloud
    ascending from your lips. Walk
    through the garden’s dormant splendor.
    Say only, thank you.
    Thank you.
    —Ross Gay, Thank You 

    Even for the most optimistic of us, it can be hard to stay positive these days. But hope, it is “the thing with feathers,” and there are moments that can make us soar with joy, propelling us forward: the successful bans on pesticides like neonicotinoids; the sweet burst of a juneberry still warm from the sun; the return of the whooping crane after it teetered on the cusp of extinction. We asked a selection of our ecological gardening friends to share what keeps them going—plus one small thing we can all do in our yards next year to keep the momentum going. 

    Jeff Lorenz and Kayla Fell of Refugia:

    Above: The fluffy seedheads of the grass Andropogon ternarius ‘Black Mountain’ almost glow in the winter light along with the red branches of the red-twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) & ‘Shenandoah’ switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the background and dense blazing star (Liatris spicata) in foreground. Photograph courtesy of Refugia.

    “At this time of year, we are enamored by the stories laid bare in the landscape. Perennials that are left standing through winter are permeated with narrative: tales of shelter and sustenance, dynamic encounters of fullness and decay. While seemingly silent, they are instead performing amazing feats of survival and renewal out of sight—just like us!—silvery-white seed tufts, seedheads glittering with frost. Winter celebrates delicate details that we often miss during the showier exuberant summer months.  

    “One simple thing that everyone can do to make a difference this year is to talk to their neighbors: Gift a plant when dividing perennials, add educational signage that speaks to the jobs your garden is heroically doing (habitat! stormwater!), and label plants for curious gardeners-to-be passing by. We are not defined by the division seemingly sown around us! Instead, we can inspire others. Connectivity for plants, wildlife, insects, and people is the most powerful tool we have. Don’t be surprised to find your lawn-loving neighbor carving off a sliver to plant milkweed and coneflowers next summer, and then some.“

    Uli Lorimer, Director of Horticulture at Native Plant Trust:

    Above: Photo: Hummingbird clearwing moth visits a wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). This beautiful perennial also attracts birds, including hummingbirds, and butterflies. Photograph by Uli Lorimer.

    “December is a time of reflection as we look back on the growing season past and ponder what the upcoming season may have in store. I want to zero in on a single image that embodies what ecological horticulture means to me and why practicing its tenets gives me hope for the future. The pink firework blossoms of Monarda fistulosa reliably draw hummingbird clearwing moths to the garden, and this image I find absolutely magical. So many things lie behind the picture of a moth captured mid-air with its proboscis curled. The garden provides an appropriate host plant for the larval stage. The plants were grown and managed without pesticides, ensuring the moth isn’t harmed in its pursuit of food. Lastly, this image is a source of wonder and awe, helping me feel connected to this place and motivated to keep my eyes and heart open. So many moments in nature are ephemeral, but mystery, spirit, and magic abound when we slow down to watch. My spirit can’t wait to see what magic awaits next year.”

    Richard Hayden, Senior Director of Horticulture at the High Line:

    Above: Jasper at the Turtle Pond in New York City’s Central Park. Photograph by Richard Hayden.

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  • 3 Forces That Defined Corporate Sustainability in 2025 

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    This year will likely be remembered as a turning point for corporate sustainability. Record temperatures, political tensions and evolving regulatory expectations across regions created a more demanding environment for companies.  

    This combination of pressures forced organizations to reassess priorities and scrutinize how decisions related to impact, disclosure and risk management are made. 

    Across sectors and markets, 3 themes appeared consistently throughout the year. While they do not capture the full complexity of this period, they help explain the direction corporate sustainability took. These themes are communication, regulation and risk. 

    Communication 

    One of the most visible shifts was the recalibration of how companies communicate sustainability and impact.  

    In markets such as the United States, external references to diversity, inclusion and climate commitments declined in reports and public materials. This trend reflects the current political climate, which has turned these topics into points of contention among different stakeholder groups. Despite this reduced public emphasis, many organizations continued to operate internal programs, highlighting a widening gap between day-to-day management and the visibility companies choose to give it. 

    Scrutiny over the accuracy of environmental claims also intensified. Court rulings questioning campaigns built on weak future projections, alongside cases targeting carbon neutrality statements, reinforced the legal and reputational risks associated with climate communication. In response, companies revisited messaging, moderated campaigns and applied stricter internal filters before issuing any sustainability-related claims.  

    The result was a more cautious, though still active, conversation seeking balance between transparency and rigor. 

    Regulation 

    Sustainability regulation played a central role again this year, though its trajectory varied across regions.  

    Several countries – including Mexico, and Australia along with others in Asia and Latin America—advanced significantly toward mandatory environmental, social and governance disclosure for companies meeting certain financial or sector thresholds.  

    Most of these efforts aim for alignment with global frameworks such as IFRS standards, signaling a transition toward integrated reporting systems that combine financial and sustainability information. 

    The United States experienced a different dynamic. Political friction and legal disputes slowed federal climate-related initiatives, increasing regulatory uncertainty for companies that depend on clear disclosure requirements to plan ahead.  

    Europe took yet another path. Through its Omnibus package, the European Commission introduced measures to simplify certain reporting obligations, sparking debate over the potential implications for the transparency agenda built over recent years. 

    These developments do not represent the entire regulatory landscape, but they illustrate a year shaped by divergent rhythms and differing priorities. 

    Risk 

    The third defining element of the year was the severity of physical climate risks.  

    From the very beginning of 2025, the impact was unmistakable. Fires surrounding the Los Angeles metropolitan area generated estimated economic losses around $250 billion. The damage extended to homes, infrastructure, economic activity and human lives, with recovery still underway months later. The scale of the fires was not an isolated event but the opening signal of a year dominated by climate extremes. 

    Months later, an unusual sequence of cyclones and heavy rains caused severe flooding across parts of South and Southeast Asia. More than 1,300 people lost their lives, and damages exceeded 20 billion dollars. Entire communities, critical infrastructure, crops, ports and industrial zones were affected.  

    These examples do not capture the full extent of the year’s events, but they illustrate a pattern that continues to strengthen. The consequences of global warming now reach deeply into day-to-day operations, supply chains and the stability of entire regions. 

    Financial reports published over the year show companies acknowledging more explicitly how adverse climate conditions affect revenue, costs, capital decisions and operations. Adaptation has taken on a clearer strategic weight and is becoming part of corporate planning with a sense of urgency that was not as prominent before. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Antonio Vizcaya

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  • Ambitious plan to store CO2 beneath the North Sea set to start operations

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    NORTH SEA, Denmark — Appearing first as a dot on the horizon, the remote Nini oil field on Europe’s rugged North Sea slowly comes into view from a helicopter.

    Used to extract fossil fuels, the field is now getting a second lease on life as a means of permanently storing planet-warming carbon dioxide beneath the seabed.

    In a process that almost reverses oil extraction, chemical giant INEOS plans to inject liquefied CO2 deep down into depleted oil reservoirs, 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) beneath the seabed.

    The Associated Press made a rare visit to the Siri platform, close to the unmanned Nini field, the final stage in INEOS’ carbon capture and storage efforts, named Greensand Future.

    When the project begins commercial operations next year, Greensand is expected to become the European Union’s first fully-operational offshore CO2 storage site.

    Environmentalists say carbon capture and storage, also known as CCS, has a role to play in dealing with climate change but should not be used as an excuse by industries to avoid cutting emissions.

    Mads Gade, chief executive of INEOS Energy Europe, says it will initially begin storing 400,000 tons (363,000 metric tons) of CO2 per year, scaling up to as much as 8 million tons (7.3 million metric tons) annually by 2030.

    “Denmark has the potential to actually store more than several hundred years of our own emissions,” says Gade. “We are able to create an industry where we can support Europe in actually storing a lot of the CO2 here.”

    Greensand has struck deals with Danish biogas facilities to bury their captured carbon emissions into the Nini field’s depleted reservoirs.

    A “CO2 terminal” that temporarily stores the liquefied gas is being built at the Port of Esbjerg, on the western coast of the Danish Jutland peninsula.

    A purpose-built carrier vessel, dubbed “Carbon Destroyer 1,” is under construction in the Netherlands.

    Proponents of carbon capture technology say it is a climate solution because it can remove the greenhouse gas that is the biggest driver of climate change and bury it deep underground.

    They note the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s top body of climate scientists, has said the technology is a tool in the fight against global warming.

    The EU has proposed developing at least 250 million tons (227 million metric tons) of CO2 storage per year by 2040, as part of plans to reach “net zero” emissions by 2050.

    Gade says carbon capture and storage is one of the best means of cutting emissions.

    “We don’t want to deindustrialize Europe,” he said. “We want to have actually a few instruments to decarbonize instead.”

    Experts at Denmark’s geological survey say Greensand sandstone rock is well-suited for storing the liquefied CO2. Almost a third of the rock volume is made up of tiny cavities, said Niels Schovsbo, senior researcher at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland.

    “We found that there (are) no reactions between the reservoir and the injected CO2. And we find that the seal rock on top of that has sufficient capacity to withhold the pressure that is induced when we are storing CO2 in the subsurface,” added Schovsbo.

    “These two methods makes it a perfect site for storage right there.”

    But while there are many carbon capture facilities around the world, the technology is far from scale, sometimes uses fossil fuel energy in its operations and captures just a tiny fraction of worldwide emissions.

    The Greensand project aims to bury up to 8 million tons (7.3 million metric tons) of CO2 a year by 2030. The International Energy Agency says nearly 38 billion tons (34.5 billion metric tons) of CO2 were emitted globally last year.

    Environmental campaigners say CCS has been used as an excuse by industries to delay cutting emissions.

    “We could have CCS on those very few sectors where emissions are truly difficult or impossible to abate,” said Helene Hagel, head of climate and environmental policy at Greenpeace Denmark.

    “But when you have all sectors in society almost saying, we need to just catch the emissions and store them instead of reducing emissions — that is the problem.”

    While the chemical giant ramps up carbon storage efforts, it is also hoping to begin development at another previously unopened North Sea oil field.

    “The footprint we deliver from importing energy against producing domestic or regional oil and gas is a lot more important for the transition instead of importing with a higher footprint,” said Gade, defending the company’s plans.

    “We see a purpose in doing this for a period while we create a transition for Europe.”

    ___

    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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  • Ambitious plan to store CO2 beneath the North Sea set to start operations

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    NORTH SEA, Denmark (AP) — Appearing first as a dot on the horizon, the remote Nini oil field on Europe’s rugged North Sea slowly comes into view from a helicopter.

    Used to extract fossil fuels, the field is now getting a second lease on life as a means of permanently storing planet-warming carbon dioxide beneath the seabed.

    In a process that almost reverses oil extraction, chemical giant INEOS plans to inject liquefied CO2 deep down into depleted oil reservoirs, 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) beneath the seabed.

    The Associated Press made a rare visit to the Siri platform, close to the unmanned Nini field, the final stage in INEOS’ carbon capture and storage efforts, named Greensand Future.

    When the project begins commercial operations next year, Greensand is expected to become the European Union’s first fully-operational offshore CO2 storage site.

    Environmentalists say carbon capture and storage, also known as CCS, has a role to play in dealing with climate change but should not be used as an excuse by industries to avoid cutting emissions.

    Future plans

    Mads Gade, chief executive of INEOS Energy Europe, says it will initially begin storing 400,000 tons (363,000 metric tons) of CO2 per year, scaling up to as much as 8 million tons (7.3 million metric tons) annually by 2030.

    “Denmark has the potential to actually store more than several hundred years of our own emissions,” says Gade. “We are able to create an industry where we can support Europe in actually storing a lot of the CO2 here.”

    Greensand has struck deals with Danish biogas facilities to bury their captured carbon emissions into the Nini field’s depleted reservoirs.

    A “CO2 terminal” that temporarily stores the liquefied gas is being built at the Port of Esbjerg, on the western coast of the Danish Jutland peninsula.

    A purpose-built carrier vessel, dubbed “Carbon Destroyer 1,” is under construction in the Netherlands.

    Climate solution

    Proponents of carbon capture technology say it is a climate solution because it can remove the greenhouse gas that is the biggest driver of climate change and bury it deep underground.

    They note the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s top body of climate scientists, has said the technology is a tool in the fight against global warming.

    The EU has proposed developing at least 250 million tons (227 million metric tons) of CO2 storage per year by 2040, as part of plans to reach “net zero” emissions by 2050.

    Gade says carbon capture and storage is one of the best means of cutting emissions.

    “We don’t want to deindustrialize Europe,” he said. “We want to have actually a few instruments to decarbonize instead.”

    Experts at Denmark’s geological survey say Greensand sandstone rock is well-suited for storing the liquefied CO2. Almost a third of the rock volume is made up of tiny cavities, said Niels Schovsbo, senior researcher at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland.

    “We found that there (are) no reactions between the reservoir and the injected CO2. And we find that the seal rock on top of that has sufficient capacity to withhold the pressure that is induced when we are storing CO2 in the subsurface,” added Schovsbo.

    “These two methods makes it a perfect site for storage right there.”

    Limitations and criticism

    But while there are many carbon capture facilities around the world, the technology is far from scale, sometimes uses fossil fuel energy in its operations and captures just a tiny fraction of worldwide emissions.

    The Greensand project aims to bury up to 8 million tons (7.3 million metric tons) of CO2 a year by 2030. The International Energy Agency says nearly 38 billion tons (34.5 billion metric tons) of CO2 were emitted globally last year.

    Environmental campaigners say CCS has been used as an excuse by industries to delay cutting emissions.

    “We could have CCS on those very few sectors where emissions are truly difficult or impossible to abate,” said Helene Hagel, head of climate and environmental policy at Greenpeace Denmark.

    “But when you have all sectors in society almost saying, we need to just catch the emissions and store them instead of reducing emissions — that is the problem.”

    While the chemical giant ramps up carbon storage efforts, it is also hoping to begin development at another previously unopened North Sea oil field.

    “The footprint we deliver from importing energy against producing domestic or regional oil and gas is a lot more important for the transition instead of importing with a higher footprint,” said Gade, defending the company’s plans.

    “We see a purpose in doing this for a period while we create a transition for Europe.”

    ___

    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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  • Why Iceland Is Becoming a Model for Renewable-Powered High-Performance Computing

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    With abundant renewable energy, efficient cooling and community-first development, Iceland shows how data centers can grow without compromising the planet. Unsplash+

    As the demand for A.I.-ready digital infrastructure skyrockets, data center development has become an urgent and necessary foundation for a wide spectrum of high-performance computing technologies—and for the businesses that are increasingly dependent on them. Unsurprisingly, data center construction has surged globally. Yet as growth accelerates, teh roadblocks to building at the required pace and scale have become far more pronounced. 

    Arguably, the most critical factor in data center development today is access to power. Alex de Vries-Gao, the founder of tech sustainability website Digiconomist, estimates that by the end of 2025, energy consumption by A.I. systems could reach 23 gigawatts—twice the total energy consumption of the Netherlands.

    This poses two intertwined challenges. First, many countries simply lack sufficient power or a modern grid capable of supporting these demands. Much of the U.S. and U.K. national grid infrastructure was built between 1950 and 1970 and designed around large coal-fired plants—a post-war regeneration system now decades overdue for modernization. As coal availability waned, nuclear and renewable sources such as wind and solar began to fill the gap. Yet, these types of energy systems take time to develop and rely heavily on robust, upgraded power networks. The sudden increase in power demand resulting from the proliferation of data centers has highlighted the crucial need for investment in power infrastructure globally.

    Second, the demand for such vast power has sharpened scrutiny on the carbon footprint of data centers. As a result, data-intensive businesses are increasingly looking for data center partners that have proven sustainability credentials and can help decarbonize their IT workloads. That often means looking further afield than your local neighborhood data center provider to find a partnership that is environmentally and financially beneficial and sustainable long-term. At atNorth, we are seeing unprecedented demand for environmentally responsible A.I. infrastructure at speed and scale. Power bottlenecks caused by power availability simply cannot be allowed to become a limiting factor to growth.

    The Icelandic example

    Data centers located in cooler climates such as the Nordics can leverage highly energy-efficient cooling systems that significantly reduce the energy required to power and cool the hardware they host. The region also benefits from abundant renewable energy and relatively young, resilient power and internet networks. 

    Iceland, in particular, is a global leader in clean energy: 71 percent of its energy is generated by hydropower, and 29 percent from geothermal energy. Icelandic data centers can combine renewable energy with its naturally cool ambient temperatures to achieve exceptional energy efficiency. While global average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)—the metric of data center energy efficiency where the ideal value is 1.0 (representing 100 percent efficiency)—hovers around 1.48, Icelandic facilities average between 1.1 and 1.2, enabling customers to significantly decarbonize their IT workloads. For example, BNP Paribas lowered its total cost of ownership, cut energy use by 50 percent and reduced CO₂ output by 85 percent by relocating a portion of its IT infrastructure to one of atNorth’s Icelandic facilities.

    Temperatures in Iceland typically range from 30°F (-1 °C) in winter to 52°F (11 °C) in summer, enabling free-air cooling of some IT workloads. As compute density increases to accommodate A.I. and other high-performance applications, more advanced cooling technologies—such as Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) or Direct to Chip Cooling—that allow water (or coolants) to reduce the temperature of the computer equipment more efficiently due to superior heat dissipation have become essential. These solutions are widely available in Iceland and across the Nordic countries, which are well known for their environmentally friendly ethos and circular economy principles.

    Moreover, Iceland’s political and economic stability offers another key advantage as geopolitical uncertainty grows across regions. Businesses are now more sensitive to the physical location of their data and the legal frameworks that govern it. As a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), Iceland has adopted the E.U.’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and reinforced it with national legislation, resulting in robust safeguards for data privacy and security.

    Going beyond carbon reduction

    These factors have driven a surge in Nordic data center development in recent years, positioning the region at the forefront of the industry. While much of the world works to upgrade legacy power networks in order to start building data centers, the Nordic countries are addressing newer challenges associated with more mature data center development. Certainly, at atNorth, we have seen growing demand for a more holistic approach to sustainability and responsible operations. It is not enough to mitigate environmental impact; data center operators must deliver tangible benefits to the local communities in which we operate to support long-term sustainability and economic growth.

    Using the most sustainable materials possible is one factor that can showcase an honest commitment to care for the natural environment. atNorth’s ICE03 data center was constructed using Glulam, a sustainable laminated wood product with lower environmental impact and superior fire resistance compared to steel. Similarly, the site was insulated using sustainable Icelandic rockwool, produced from natural volcanic basalt and known for its durability, fire resistance and low ecological footprint.  

    The process of heat reuse—the recycling of waste heat from the data center cooling systems for use in the local community—is a practice that is common in the Nordic countries and growing in popularity across northern Europe. This is a fundamental part of sustainable data center design, and even in countries like Iceland, where naturally heated geothermal water is abundant, opportunities for further improvement remain. At ICE03, for example, atNorth partnered with the municipality of Akureyri to channel waste heat into a new community-run greenhouse, which will provide a space for schoolchildren to explore ecological farming practices and sustainable food production. These initiatives reduce carbon emissions for both the data center and the receiving organization while addressing specific local needs, such as fresh vegetable production in a country that imports 80 percent of its fresh produce.

    Community engagement is also becoming pivotal to the data center development process as competition over suitable land intensifies. Just as the concept of a “trusted brand” has proven fundamental in the consumer retail market—with some research suggesting that 81 percent of consumers need to trust a brand before considering a purchase—the same principle extends to regional decision-making that directly affects the lives of local people. Therefore, operators that can demonstrate a genuine commitment to good corporate citizenship will undoubtedly find more success.

    To ensure authentic integration with local communities, local hiring is essential. Over 90 percent of the workforce involved in developing atNorth’s ICE03 site came from nearby communities. The company also supports local education, charities and community projects through volunteer support and financial donations—sponsoring a local run in Akureyri, funding Reykjanesbær’s light festival and donating advanced mechatronics equipment to Akureyri University to support training for data center-related careers. 

    Building for the A.I. era—responsibly 

    As digitalization intensifies, so will the demand for high-performance data center capacity. Yet such rapid expansion carries risks that could seriously undermine long-term sustainability. The boom-and-reckoning pattern seen in industries like palm oil—where explosive growth preceded significant deforestation—serves as a warning. 

    The data center industry must learn from history and chart a new path in which digital infrastructure can be technologically advanced, environmentally responsible and locally beneficial. In short: data centers must be developed to meet A.I.-era performance demands while driving responsible growth and long-term value for clients, communities and our planet.

    Why Iceland Is Becoming a Model for Renewable-Powered High-Performance Computing

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    Erling Freyr Guðmundsson

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  • November Global Regulatory Brief: Green finance | Insights | Bloomberg Professional Services

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    Key takeaways

    • Scope reduction:
      • Sustainability reporting will apply only to firms with over 1,750 employees and net turnover above €450 million.
      • Due diligence duties will apply solely to companies with over 5,000 employees and turnover above €1.5 billion.
    • Simplified reporting standards:
      • Reporting requirements under the CSRD will involve fewer qualitative disclosures; sector-specific standards will become voluntary.
      • Large firms cannot compel smaller suppliers to provide more data than required by voluntary templates, protecting SMEs from cascading obligations.
    • Due diligence obligations:
      • A risk-based approach will replace blanket requirements. Large companies may rely on existing information and engage smaller partners only as a last resort.
      • The requirement to prepare climate transition plans aligned with the Paris Agreement will be removed.
      • Liability will be established and enforced at national level only (no EU-wide requirement).
    • Digital portal:
      • The European Commission will establish an EU-wide online portal offering templates, guidelines, and free access to all sustainability reporting obligations.
      • The platform will complement the European Single Access Point (ESAP) initiative.

    Next steps

    Trilogue negotiations between the Parliament, EU Member States, and European Commission will begin on 18 November 2025, with the objective of finalising the legislation by end-2025.

    Singapore government launched initiatives to support the development of high-integrity carbon markets

    Summary

    The Singapore Government has announced a series of coordinated initiatives to advance the development of high-integrity carbon markets, reinforcing the city-state’s role as a leading regional hub for climate finance and sustainability solutions. The initiatives, jointly led by the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), focus on three key areas: providing guidance for companies on the use of carbon credits, fostering an industry-led buyers’ coalition to drive credible demand, and introducing a new grant scheme to support financial institutions’ participation in carbon markets.

    Together, these measures aim to catalyse market growth, strengthen confidence in carbon credit integrity, and channel capital into credible projects that contribute to the global transition towards net zero.

    In more detail

    Carbon markets play an increasingly important role in facilitating global decarbonisation by mobilising private capital towards emission reduction and removal projects. However, their growth has been constrained in recent years by weak demand, limited supply of high-quality credits, and gaps in market infrastructure. To address these challenges, Singapore is introducing a comprehensive framework that strengthens both demand and supply while enhancing transparency and governance.

    A key component of this framework is the publication of the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) Guidance, developed by NCCS, MTI, and EnterpriseSG. The guidance provides a clear framework for companies on how to incorporate carbon credits into their decarbonisation strategies in a credible and transparent manner. It outlines principles for identifying high-integrity carbon credits, determining appropriate usage, and disclosing credit utilisation within corporate sustainability reporting. Developed in consultation with industry experts, academics, and international organisations, the guidance will be regularly reviewed to ensure it remains aligned with global best practices and evolving standards.

    To complement the guidance, Enterprise Singapore is engaging with major corporates across Asia to form an industry-led buyers’ coalition that aligns and aggregates regional demand for high-quality carbon credits. The coalition is expected to enhance liquidity, provide stronger demand signals to project developers, and help scale the pipeline of credible carbon projects across Asia and beyond. Details on its structure and implementation are expected in 2026.

    In parallel, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will launch a Financial Sector Carbon Market Development Grant to strengthen the financial sector’s role in carbon markets. Financial institutions play a vital part in the carbon value chain — from project financing and structuring to insurance, trading, and risk management. However, early participation has been limited by high upfront costs and the complexity of developing new capabilities in this emerging field. The new grant, supported by S$15 million over three years until 2028 from the Financial Sector Development Fund, will help offset these challenges. It will support the establishment or expansion of financial institution teams engaged in carbon market activities, as well as defray costs associated with developing innovative financing structures, conducting due diligence and verification, managing risks, and purchasing carbon credit insurance. Applications will open on 1 November 2025, with details on eligibility and process available through the MAS website.

    Through these initiatives, Singapore seeks to build a robust and trusted carbon market ecosystem, underpinned by integrity, transparency, and strong participation from both corporates and financial institutions. This effort builds on previous government actions, including the Carbon Project Development Grant launched at COP29 and ongoing Article 6 partnerships with international counterparts. Collectively, they form part of a broader strategy to scale up credible carbon finance and promote sustainable economic growth.

    Next steps

    The Singapore Government agencies will work closely with industry to promote adoption of the new VCM guidance and encourage companies to align their decarbonisation strategies with its principles.

    For the financial sector, MAS will begin accepting applications for the Carbon Market Development Grant in November, prioritising projects that demonstrate strong potential to build market capacity or innovation. This phase is expected to lay the groundwork for sustained institutional participation in carbon financing, trading, and risk management.

    EnterpriseSG will continue discussions with leading corporates to finalise the framework for the buyers’ coalition, with the goal of launching it in 2026. The coalition is expected to create a coordinated demand base that drives investment in verified, high-integrity carbon projects.

    Over the medium term, Singapore will deepen collaboration with international partners through initiatives such as Article 6 cooperation and the Coalition to Grow Carbon Markets, enhancing cross-border trust and supporting the development of scalable, transparent carbon markets.

    These efforts reinforce Singapore’s long-term vision of a credible, efficient, and high-integrity carbon market ecosystem that supports global climate goals while positioning the financial and corporate sectors for sustainable growth.

    HKMA to issue new guidance on bank climate risk management good practices

    The HKMA is preparing to roll out additional supervisory guidance on managing climate-related financial risks, highlighting three key trends observed in the banking industry.

    In more detail

    In a recent speech, Hong Kong Monetary Authority Executive Director Carmen Chu confirmed that climate risk is a financial risk impacting bank operations, collateral values, and cash flows. The HKMA is committed to solidify Hong Kong’s position as a leading sustainable finance hub by building a climate-resilient financial system, and support sustainable development in Asia and further afield. Central to this is to build a financial system that is truly climate-resilient. The Supervisory Policy Manual (GS-1) offers guidance on the essentials of climate-related risk management for banks. and two rounds of climate risk stress tests.

    HKMA has supplemented this guidance by issuing circulars sharing tools and best practices that exceed minimum requirements. Furthermore, both the pilot and second rounds of sector-wide climate risk stress tests have been used to help banks enhance their methods for measuring and assessing climate exposures.

    Following recent industry consultations and examinations, the HKMA plans to issue new guidance focusing on good practices adopted by Authorized Institutions, grouped under three themes:

    • Quantitative Frameworks: A move toward measuring climate risk with numbers, such as using metrics and limits in risk appetite statements, and leveraging financial technology (fintech) for more efficient risk management.
    • Data-Driven Approaches: Banks are bridging data gaps by utilizing tailored ESG questionnaires, alternative datasets, and proxy methods to incorporate climate factors into credit decisions.
    • Holistic Views: Banks are increasingly embedding climate considerations across all traditional risk disciplines, including operational, market, liquidity, and reputational risks. The Whole Industry Simulation Exercise (WISE) focus on “extreme weather” reinforces the need for holistic operational resilience.

    What’s next

    The HKMA is set to release additional guidance that will provide the best practices observed in the industry to further strengthen climate risk management among banks.

    HKMA to issue new guidance on bank climate risk management good practices

    The HKMA is preparing to roll out additional supervisory guidance on managing climate-related financial risks, highlighting three key trends observed in the banking industry.

    In more detail

    In a recent speech, Hong Kong Monetary Authority Executive Director Carmen Chu confirmed that climate risk is a financial risk impacting bank operations, collateral values, and cash flows. The HKMA is committed to solidify Hong Kong’s position as a leading sustainable finance hub by building a climate-resilient financial system, and support sustainable development in Asia and further afield. Central to this is to build a financial system that is truly climate-resilient. The Supervisory Policy Manual (GS-1) offers guidance on the essentials of climate-related risk management for banks. and two rounds of climate risk stress tests.

    HKMA has supplemented this guidance by issuing circulars sharing tools and best practices that exceed minimum requirements. Furthermore, both the pilot and second rounds of sector-wide climate risk stress tests have been used to help banks enhance their methods for measuring and assessing climate exposures.

    Following recent industry consultations and examinations, the HKMA plans to issue new guidance focusing on good practices adopted by Authorized Institutions, grouped under three themes:

    • Quantitative Frameworks: A move toward measuring climate risk with numbers, such as using metrics and limits in risk appetite statements, and leveraging financial technology (fintech) for more efficient risk management.
    • Data-Driven Approaches: Banks are bridging data gaps by utilizing tailored ESG questionnaires, alternative datasets, and proxy methods to incorporate climate factors into credit decisions.
    • Holistic Views: Banks are increasingly embedding climate considerations across all traditional risk disciplines, including operational, market, liquidity, and reputational risks. The Whole Industry Simulation Exercise (WISE) focus on “extreme weather” reinforces the need for holistic operational resilience.

    What’s next 

    The HKMA is set to release additional guidance that will provide the best practices observed in the industry to further strengthen climate risk management among banks.

    The Central Bank of Bahrain proposes new rules to introduce Sustainable and Sustainability-Linked Debt Instruments

    Summary

    The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) is proposing new regulatory rules to introduce and govern the issuance of Sustainable Debt Securities (SDS) and Sustainability-Linked Debt (SLD) instruments in Bahrain. These rules are intended to align with international sustainability standards, enhance market transparency, and support Bahrain’s broader ESG goals.

    The consultation invites feedback on the proposed additions to Volume 6 of the CBB Rulebook, which focuses on the offering of securities and collective investment undertakings.

    Key proposals include

    New Chapter on Sustainable Instruments: Addition of a new chapter in Volume 6 (Offering of Securities Module) covering requirements for SDS and SLD instruments.

    Eligible Instruments: Applies to bonds, sukuk, and similar debt instruments that are either:

    • Labelled as “green,” “social,” or “sustainability” (SDS), or
    • Sustainability-linked (SLD) with ESG performance targets.

    Disclosure Requirements: Issuers must provide pre-issuance frameworks and post-issuance reports aligned with international principles (e.g., ICMA Green Bond Principles, Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles).

    Verification and Reporting: Mandatory third-party external reviews (pre- and post-issuance). Ongoing annual updates are required for transparency.

    SLD-Specific Obligations: For SLDs, key performance indicators (KPIs), sustainability performance targets (SPTs), and impact of failure to meet SPTs must be clearly disclosed.

    Label Use: Use of sustainability-related labels must be justified with robust documentation.

    Next steps

    The CBB is soliciting comments from stakeholders until 30 October 2025.

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    Bloomberg

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  • Alaska Native villages have few options and little US help as climate change devours their land

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    JUNEAU, Alaska — Storms that battered Alaska’s western coast this fall have brought renewed attention to low-lying Indigenous villages left increasingly vulnerable by climate change — and revived questions about their sustainability in a region being reshaped by frequent flooding, thawing permafrost and landscape-devouring erosion.

    The onset of winter has slowed emergency repair and cleanup work after two October storms, including the remnants of Typhoon Halong, slammed dozens of communities. Some residents from the hardest-hit villages, Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, could be displaced for months and worry what their futures hold.

    Kwigillingok already was pursuing relocation before the latest storm, but that can take decades, with no centralized coordination and little funding. Moves by the Trump administration to cut grants aimed at better protecting communities against climate threats have added another layer of uncertainty.

    Still, the hope is to try to buy villages time to evaluate next steps by reinforcing rebuilt infrastructure or putting in place pilings so homes can be elevated, said Bryan Fisher, the state’s emergency management director.

    “Where we can support that increased resilience to buy that time, we’re going to do that,” he said.

    Alaska is warming faster than the global average. A report released last year by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium found 144 Native communities face threats from erosion, flooding, thawing permafrost or a combination.

    Coastal populations are particularly vulnerable, climate scientist John Walsh said. Less Arctic sea ice means more open water, allowing storm-driven waves to do damage. Thawing permafrost invites more rapid coastal erosion. Waves hitting permafrost bounce like water off a concrete wall, he said, but when permafrost thaws, the loose soil washes away more easily.

    Wind and storm surge from the remnants of Halong consumed dozens of feet of shoreline in Quinhagak, disturbing a culturally significant archaeological site. Quinhagak, like Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, is near the Bering Sea.

    Just four times since 1970 has an ex-typhoon hit the Bering Sea coast north of the Pribilof Islands, said Rick Thoman, a climate specialist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness. Three of those have been since 2022, starting with the remnants of Merbok that year.

    The damage caused by ex-typhoon Halong was the worst Fisher said he has seen in his roughly 30 years in emergency management. About 700 homes were destroyed or severely damaged, estimates suggest. Some washed away with people inside and were carried for miles. Kipnuk and Kwigillingok — no strangers to flooding and home to around 1,100 people — were devastated. One person died, and two remain missing.

    At-risk communities can reinforce existing infrastructure or fortify shoreline; move infrastructure to higher ground in what is known as managed retreat; or relocate entirely. The needs are enormous — $4.3 billion over 50 years to protect infrastructure in Native communities from climate threats, according to the health consortium report, though that estimate dates to 2020. A lack of resources and coordination has impeded progress, the report found.

    Simply announcing plans to relocate can leave a community ineligible for funding for new infrastructure at their existing site, and government policies can limit investments at a new site if people aren’t living there yet, the report said.

    It took decades and an estimated $160 million for the roughly 300 residents of Newtok in western Alaska to move 9 miles (14.5 kilometers) to their new village of Mertarvik. Newtok was one of the first Alaska Native communities to fully relocate, but others are considering or pursuing it. In Washington and Louisiana, climate change has been a driving force behind relocation efforts by some tribes.

    But many villages, including Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, “don’t have that kind of time,” said Sheryl Musgrove, director of the Alaska Climate Justice Program at the Alaska Institute for Justice. The two are among 10 tribal communities her group has been working with as they navigate climate-adaptation decisions.

    Kipnuk before the last storm had been planning a protect-in-place strategy but hasn’t decided what to do now, she said.

    Musgrove hopes that in the aftermath, there will be changes at the federal level to help communities in peril. There is no federal agency, for example, tasked with coordinating relocation. That leaves small communities trying to navigate myriad agencies and programs, Musgrove said.

    “I guess I’m just really hopeful that this might be the beginning of a change because I think that there is a lot of attention to what happened here,” she said.

    With money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2022 created the Voluntary Community-Driven Relocation Program and committed $115 million for 11 tribes’ relocation efforts, including $25 million each for Newtok and Napakiak. In Napakiak, most of the infrastructure is expected to be destroyed by 2030, and the community is moving away from the banks of the Kuskokwim River.

    That is not enough to move a village, and additional funding opportunities are scattered across other agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

    Sustained federal support is uncertain as the Trump administration cuts programs related to climate change and disaster resilience. Trump in May proposed cutting $617 million from the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ tribal self-governance and communities programs but did not specify which programs.

    The Department of Interior said in an email that new grant funding is “under review as part of a broader effort to improve federal spending accountability,” but that the Bureau of Indian Affairs was “helping tribes lay the groundwork for future implementation when funding pathways are clarified.”

    Other federal money that could help Alaska villages has already been cut. Federal Emergency Management Agency awards to Newtok and Kwigillingok for projects related to relocation didn’t arrive before the administration in April halted billions of dollars in unpaid grants.

    Trump has also stopped approving state and tribal requests for hazard mitigation funding, a typical add-on that accompanies federal support after major disasters.

    Even the data that villages need to assess how climate change is affecting them are at risk. The Trump administration has removed information related to climate change from government websites and has fired scientists in charge of the nation’s congressionally mandated climate assessment reports.

    ___

    Aoun Angueira reported from San Diego.

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  • For getting kids excited about sustainability, Fairfax Co. teacher is up for national award – WTOP News

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    Laure Grove was eager to teach at Terra Centre Elementary in Burke, because the school was initially built to be environmentally efficient.

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    Fairfax Co. teacher up for national award for getting kids excited about sustainability

    Laure Grove was eager to teach at Terra Centre Elementary in Burke, because the school was initially built to be environmentally efficient.

    In an attempt to conserve energy, the school was constructed underground. When she arrived in 2018, there were a few garden beds outside, but Grove noticed they weren’t being utilized.

    When students returned to the Fairfax County school campus after the peak of the pandemic, the garden beds needed to be cleaned up, Grove said. Many people helped lead that effort, and brainstormed what could be done inside the school building during the cleanup outside.

    What started as a small project to get the gardens ready for use again evolved into a schoolwide approach to get students involved and excited about protecting the environment. The school has an “eco club,” emphasizes recycling and composting and has buy-in from parent volunteers and local businesses.

    For leading that work, Grove has been nominated for a National Wildlife Federation award.

    “What she is instilling in our kids, and actually even our staff, will continue to have an effect for years to come, and how they take care of our world and our environment, which, as we know, is so important right now,” Principal Rebecca Gidoni said.

    Growing up in Virginia, Grove spent a lot of time working with animals and plants. Her mom worked for the National Recreation and Park Association, and her family spent a lot of time on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

    At Terra Centre, students participate in several different waste reduction programs. The school collects plastic and helps prevent it from ending up in landfills. When they reach 1,000 pounds, it can get turned into a bench. Several such benches are available in the school’s outdoor learning spaces.

    Every classroom, from kindergarten through sixth grade, has a Green Team representative. This year, the group voted to host a battery recycle center.

    Preschoolers have their own vegetable garden and usually grow a pumpkin patch. On the hilly portion of the school’s outdoor area, there’s a pollinator garden. Separately, there are a series of 720-foot bed-edible gardens.

    Last week, as part of a math unit, kindergartners made patterns with pansies in their garden bed. Fifth graders dug up potatoes that were planted last spring. As part of a social studies unit, it led to conversations about ancient civilizations.

    “This little light bulb goes off,” Grove said. “They get to do something hands-on, and they remember it, is the most important thing, and they’re able to then also articulate it, because they can recall it better.”

    To encourage spending time in the outdoor spaces, Grove helped launch a badge competition this year. A classroom gets a sticker for every 15 minutes spent outside learning.

    In the first quarter of the school year, the classes totaled 1,400 minutes of outside learning time.

    “They’re excited, and they’re guiding their own learning with enhanced concepts,” Grove said. “You get to do stuff hands-on. You get to take the stuff that might not be as thrilling in the classroom all the time and apply it in a more cool way.”

    Each week, the school hosts “Don’t Be Wasteful Wednesdays,” encouraging students to discourage waste and promote composting.

    Even parents are chipping in, Grove said. Some volunteer to help maintain the gardens. A group of dads spent a weekend putting together composting bins.

    And sixth grader Laila Turpin recalled a recent project creating a habitat for native frogs.

    “It’s more unique than other schools, because we get to be more involved with nature,” Turpin said.

    The school has a fish tank in the middle of a hallway, next to a fixture of plants being grown.

    “Everything from plastics to planting to composting, watershed, all of those real-world experiences are teaching our kids something that they could learn in a classroom, but not with the same meaning and intentionality as what we’re doing here,” Gidoni said.

    Led by Grove’s efforts, the school earned a “Green Flag” designation from the National Wildlife Federation. The honor recognizes campuses that go above and beyond in teaching students about sustainability.

    Grove, a pre-K special education teacher, called the recognition “a very big honor, because I’m just one teacher at an amazing school in Burke, Virginia. I’m sure there’s lots of other people out there doing amazing stuff too, but we have worked hard at our school, and the kids here — they’re awesome.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • Alice Fox’s Allotment Plot 105: A Visit to the Artists’s Garden and Studio

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    At first sight, there’s nothing extraordinary about Alice Fox’s allotment in West Yorkshire, England. In fact, her garden community neighbors are “mostly oblivious” to the magic she weaves there. The addition of a flax crop may have been a novelty when she first rented the plot, but the size and layout of the land, sheds, and greenhouse seem pretty standard—until you look closer.

    Peek through the window of the main shed and your eyes will be drawn to a wonderful organized jumble of plant pots, trays, tools, jars of homemade botanical inks, sketches, scribbles, samples, fragments of ceramics, wire, plastic, and other unearthed objects, as well as an ever-changing assortment of plant fibers in various stages of drying and hand-processing. This is where Fox’s uniquely beautiful and thought-provoking textile art begins to take form.

    Alice took on Plot 105 in Autumn 2017 when she started her practice-based master’s program to explore ways to achieve greater self-sufficiency in her art. Although she’d had a share in an allotment previously, with a young family, she never really had the time to give to it: “The only way I could justify it was to make it part of my work,” she says.

    In 2020, Alice self-published the story of her relationship with her allotment Plot 105 and how her engagement with the site has unfolded since taking it on. Today, her book sits in a shed, alongside the encyclopedia of gardening left by the previous tenant. Looking back, she acknowledges that her year of research “marked a fundamental shift in how I source my materials. It allowed me to grow as a gardener, giving a particular focus. It provides a space to be amongst nature, get my hands in the soil, and think while working there.”

    We met Alice in West Yorkshire this summer to learn more about her allotment, her garden, and home studio, and the evolution of her sustainable creative practice that’s deeply embedded in land and place. Let’s dig deeper:

    Photography courtesy of Alice Fox. Featured image (above) by Carolyn Mendelsohn.

    In keeping with Alice’s local approach and quest for self-sufficiency, Plot 105 is a working garden providing fresh home-grown, seasonal produce. Few changes have been made to the overall structure of the plot, except for planting a couple of trees and some fruit bushes. Most of the growing beds are used for vegetables, and there are about 12 fruit trees, taking up approximately one quarter of the space. Photograph by Carolyn Mendelsohn.
    Above: In keeping with Alice’s local approach and quest for self-sufficiency, Plot 105 is a working garden providing fresh home-grown, seasonal produce. Few changes have been made to the overall structure of the plot, except for planting a couple of trees and some fruit bushes. Most of the growing beds are used for vegetables, and there are about 12 fruit trees, taking up approximately one quarter of the space. Photograph by Carolyn Mendelsohn.
    Alice introduced a flax crop in 2017 and, since then, has learned a lot about this wonderful plant through growing and processing. Recently, she applied her knowledge to projects in new places, such as Kestle Barton in Cornwall. This experience culminated in her flax-focused exhibit Flaxen, shown at Northern Ireland Linen Biennale. Photograph by Carolyn Mendelsohn.
    Above: Alice introduced a flax crop in 2017 and, since then, has learned a lot about this wonderful plant through growing and processing. Recently, she applied her knowledge to projects in new places, such as Kestle Barton in Cornwall. This experience culminated in her flax-focused exhibit Flaxen, shown at Northern Ireland Linen Biennale. Photograph by Carolyn Mendelsohn.

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