Mike Trojan and Associates

Environmental Site Assessment in Austin and throughout Texas

  NPR Topics: Environment

Breaking news on the environment, climate change, pollution, and endangered species. Also featuring Climate Connections, a special series on climate change co-produced by NPR and National Geographic.

Red Carpet Awaits The Star In The 'Eco-Dress' At the Oscars this year, one star will grace the red carpet with an "eco-dress."

Changing Behaviors To Save Energy Energy Star labels and miles-per-gallon vehicle ratings aren't enticing enough consumers toward energy-saving options, according to economist Hunt Allcott. Allcott explains how new research in behavioral economics might help lead consumers to more energy-efficient choices.

Can Technology Solve Nuclear's Problems? President Obama has pledged support for nuclear power, but problems including how to dispose of the waste persist. Ira Flatow and guests look at the latest nuclear technology, from microreactors to waste storage, and compare the cost of nuclear to other energy sources.

Yucca Mountain As Metaphor in About A Mountain When writer John D'Agata moved his mother to the suburbs of Las Vegas, he began looking at the history of the government’s plan to store nuclear waste deep in Nevada's Yucca Mountain. The resulting boo—-- About a Mountai—-- is a reporter's notebook that reads like poetry.

6.4 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Taiwan The quake Thursday morning caused power outages and buildings to sway hundreds of miles to the north. Local news reports said at least one person was injured.

Creatures From A Distant Planet? Right here, right where we live, are creatures so extraordinarily spooky, in landscapes so deeply strange, they might as well be on the Planet Zantar.

The New Republic: How Good Is Wal-Mart's Green? It's a fairly big deal that Wal-Mart announced plans to reduce 20 million tons of greenhouse-gas emissions from its suppliers by 2015. But Bradford Plumer wonders if this could really offset the company's damage.

New Research Sheds Light On Antarctic Ice Melting There may be no polar bears at the South Pole, but there sure is a lot of ice. In fact, more than 90 percent of the Earth's glacial ice is in Antarctica. Now, new research shows the continent's ice is melting in more places than previously known. Host Guy Raz speaks to scientist Jane Ferrigno of the U.S. Geological Survey about the Antarctic Peninsula's ice retreat.

Florida's Deep Freeze Puts The Squeeze On Tomatoes It's been a tough winter for Florida's tomato crop. A devastating freeze last month wiped out production by 70 percent. The state provides almost all of the tomatoes consumed in the U.S. during this time of year. Farmers are struggling, and soon consumers will notice it too.

Chile Quake Far Stronger Than That Of Haiti The earthquake that struck Chile Saturday morning unleashed 500 times as much energy as last month's disastrous earthquake in Haiti. More than 100 people have been reported dead after the temblor. NPR's Guy Raz and Richard Harris discuss the scientific mechanics of the quake.

Iceberg Threatens 'March Of Penguins' Colony An enormous iceberg in Antarctica plowed into a peninsula made of ice and snapped it off, creating a second gigantic iceberg. The new 48-mile-long floating island of ice could make life difficult for the penguin colony made famous by the movie March of the Penguins.

Can Underwater Parks Protect Coral? With global threats like ocean warming and acidification, it's a tough time to be a coral. Marine ecologists John Bruno and Elizabeth Selig analyzed over 8,000 coral surveys from all over the world to see if local management through Marine Protected Areas had any positive effect on coral.

Fate Of Offshore Wind Farm In Government's Hands The government is expected to decide next month whether a private developer can build the country's first offshore wind farm off Cape Cod, Mass. The project has been on a winning streak with court victories and state approvals, but it hasn't won the support of local officials or American Indians.

Belief In Climate Change Hinges On Worldview When it comes to climate change, some look at the facts presented and see a coming catastrophe, while others see a hoax. This difference in interpretation, social scientists say, has more to do with each individual's existing outlook than with the facts.

Natural Gas As A Climate Fix Sparks Friction Some local chapters of environmental groups find themselves battling their national leadership over issues like natural gas. The national groups see natural gas as a less-harmful alternative to coal. But local groups fear the damage that gas production could bring to their fresh water and landscapes.