One million plastic bottles, every minute That's the rate of humans' average purchase of plastic water bottles. One easy way to address this major pollution source: get a reusable bottle. Happy Earth Day. This MPR News Earth Week fact of the day is sponsored by All Energy Solar.
Under current conditions, 13.2 billion tons of plastic will be either litter or in landfills by 2050. However, addressing this issue isn't a hopeless cause, and there are some things we can do about it.
Individuals — especially those in wealthy, developed countries — must make major lifestyle changes to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in a meaningful way, according to a recent review of emissions-reducing actions.
Coal still rules in Minnesota, accounting for about 40 percent of electricity generation in the state as of last year. But as renewable energy technology improves and people increasingly seek environmentally friendly energy, renewable sources are gaining.
If our climate continues on its current trajectory (read: if our carbon emissions stay the same), researchers predict the Boundary Waters will transition into a savannah.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota's West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris say solar arrays and electric vehicles could help offset greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.
Gov. Mark Dayton set an ambitious goal of improving Minnesota's water quality 25 percent by 2025. But consensus on how to achieve that goal has been elusive, and there's much work left to do.
From the archives: We asked our environment reporters across the state for some tips on simple, everyday things most of us can do that can benefit the environment — or at least reduce harm. Here's what they told us.
