Arizona Sustainability News

August was Phoenixs 4th-hottest month ever
August wasn’t as hot as July — the all-time hottest month by average temperature — but it was still one of the hottest months ever recorded in Phoenix.
Sept. 1, 2023
Groundwater is dwindling. What should be done?
The Show spoke with Kathleen Ferris, a senior research fellow at the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, about Arizona's groundwater concerns.
Aug. 31, 2023
GOP in Legislature receive failing grades on environment
The Arizona Legislature wrapped up its longest session on record last month, and conservationists say in spite of the extra time, lawmakers did little to address the state’s environmental problems.
Aug. 31, 2023
Tempe gives free home energy kits to select low-income households
Tempe’s Sustainability and Resilience Office distributed home energy kits that included utility stipends, LED bulbs and smart plugs, which let you automate and control appliances from fans and refrigerators to air conditioners.
Aug. 30, 2023
Foreign firms pumping AZ water are target of Gallego bill
Arizona congressman Ruben Gallego has introduced legislation to discourage foreign companies from pumping groundwater to raise crops that get shipped overseas.
Aug. 30, 2023
Agency revises standards for wolf investigations
The Department of Agriculture compensates ranchers in eastern Arizona when their cattle are killed by Mexican wolves, a species protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Aug. 29, 2023
Video games energy use can play a role in climate change
The Show spoke with mobile reporter for CNET David Lumb about the connection between the gaming industry and climate change.
Aug. 29, 2023
Move over Hass — theres a new avocado in town
Avocado cultivation requires a lot of water, and improper planting can accelerate soil erosion. That's why researchers at the University of California Riverside are bringing a new strain of the fleshy green fruit to market.
Aug. 29, 2023
A new cookbook on Southwest plant-based cuisine brought one Diné chef to tears
Lois Ellen Frank's latest cookbook, “Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky: Modern Plant-Based Recipes using Native American Ingredients,” is a love letter to the foods and flavors from the Southwest — but most of all, the Indigenous producers who cultivate and cherish them.
Aug. 29, 2023
Voters support Arizonas public lands, groups survey says
A survey conducted by the Center for Western Priorities recently looked at voter support for public lands. It showed that about 85 percent of voters are concerned about losing those lands, as well as impacts from industry.
Aug. 28, 2023
ASU Project Cities program, Chandler partner on city parks research
Arizona State University has a program known as Project Cities, where undergraduate students and faculty work on sustainability projects chosen by local cities.
Aug. 28, 2023
Amid cutbacks, heat and drought, Arizona farmers get help from University of Arizona
Historic drought. Record heat. Severe water cutbacks. Life isn’t easy for Arizona farmers these days. Some are trying to adapt by planting new crops and using new technology. Others say they’ll leave their land fallow and install solar panels or wind turbines on the fertile soil instead. The University of Arizona’s Agricultural Extension is helping them transition to the farms of the future.
Aug. 28, 2023
2 Southwest snakes are at center of environmental groups lawsuit
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit on Aug. 22 accusing two federal agencies of failing to protect the habitats of two snake species in Arizona and New Mexico.
Aug. 22, 2023
Scottsdale seeing more water conservation, desert landscape interest
Despite July’s record heat, Scottsdale says it cut water use by 7% compared to the same time last year.
Aug. 21, 2023
Water-short cities in the West want to use every last drop, even when it comes from sewage
Cities throughout the Colorado River basin are looking to stretch out their existing water supplies in the face of climate change and steady demand. Some are turning to direct potable reuse, which treats wastewater until it’s clean enough to drink.
Aug. 21, 2023
U.S. wildlife officials to consider protections for pinyon jays
The population has dwindled by 80% in the last 50 years and play an essential role in the health of pinyon and juniper forests.
Aug. 17, 2023
One year after passage, conservationists celebrate Inflation Reduction Act
President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act a year ago to help promote clean energy and reduce the impacts of climate change. The act has had positive effects for Arizona residents.
Aug. 16, 2023
Study finds microplastics in heart tissues
Plastic production has swelled from 1.5 million tons in 1950 to 390 million tons in 2021. Today, microplastics are found on land, sea and air, and humans take them in through food, breathing and body cavities. But what about fully enclosed organs, like the heart?
Aug. 16, 2023
Phoenix still in drought, even as feds ease restrictions
The federal government is slightly easing restrictions on Colorado River water after a wet winter helped boost reservoir levels. But Phoenix water managers say the city will remain under a stage one water alert.
Aug. 16, 2023
Upstream of Colorado River, 10,000 wells have created an industrial wasteland
Eastern Utah’s Uinta Basin has more than 10,000 active oil and gas wells. Local environmentalists have dubbed it Mordor — a grim reference to “The Lord of the Rings.” The sparsely populated area has air quality as poor as Beijing.
Aug. 16, 2023

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