Climate Solutions

Letter from the Editor

A letter from Executive Editor Matt Murray about Climate Solutions.

By Matt Murray

Don’t throw away your old baby supplies. Here’s how to give them a new life.

Here’s how to give baby clothes, toys and strollers new life once they are no longer needed.

By Sarah Raza

Why schools are ripping up playgrounds across the U.S.

As extreme heat worsens, schools nationwide are increasingly replacing asphalt playgrounds with green, cooler spaces.

By Anna Phillips

These states tried, and failed, to cut food waste. One succeeded.

A study of five states’ food waste bans found that most had no effect — except Massachusetts.

By Anna Phillips

Climate LeapA series examining the next batch of cutting-edge technologies to displace the world’s biggest sources of global warming emissions.

How water could be the future of fuel

A new generation of fuels could power planes and ships without warming the planet.

By Nicolás Rivero, Emily Wright and Mark Felix

Scientists may have found a radical solution for making your hamburger less bad for the planet

Scientists are studying how to genetically modify the makeup of cows’ gut microbiomes to prevent their planet-warming methane emissions.

By Shannon Osaka and Emily Wright

Editors’ picks

Does a slushy really help you cool down on a hot day?

Whether it’s a Slurpee, Frappuccino or frozen margarita, a slushy drink can bring your body temperature down fast on a hot day.

By Nicolás Rivero

How to give your old sneakers a second life

More than 300 million pairs of shoes end up in U.S. landfills each year. Your worn-out sneakers could have more value than you think.

By Allyson Chiu

This appliance might be all you need to ditch your AC this summer

In many parts of the world, on many days, a ceiling fan is all you’ll need.

By Samanth Subramanian

Can rooftop solar panels survive hurricanes?

Rooftop solar panels are surprisingly resilient in the face of extreme weather, but wind and hail damage may not be covered under your home insurance policy.

By Nicolás Rivero

How ancient healing hot springs could fuel a clean energy future

One hot spring town shows how Japan could turn its underground cauldron of geothermal heat into clean energy, without risking its centuries-old onsen tradition.

By Nicolás Rivero and Julia Mio Inuma

Does a slushy really help you cool down on a hot day?

By Nicolás Rivero

Scientists may have found a radical solution for making your hamburger less bad for the planet

By Shannon Osaka and Emily Wright

How to give your old sneakers a second life

By Allyson Chiu

Perspective

This appliance might be all you need to ditch your AC this summer

By Samanth Subramanian

Green SpacesBlueprints for a more resilient planet

This old-school building material could take over city skylines

Architects are experimenting with a greener way to build.

By William Booth

An architect has found a way to build flood-proof homes

A star architect is building swaths of flood-resistant homes out of bamboo. What makes the material so “marvelous”?

By Nick Aspinwall

Uncharted TerritoryA look at the new frontier of ocean exploration, and ways to harness the sea's power for regeneration.

The high-tech hunt for one of the world’s most elusive sharks

Armed with new DNA tools, scientists are tracking animals’ genetic trail, helping us understand the breadth of life on Earth like never before.

By Dino Grandoni and Photos and videos by Greg Lecoeur

Alaska’s newest gold rush: Seaweed

In Alaska, ocean farming could chart a different path from the sort of extraction that’s defined it for more than two centuries.

By Juliet Eilperin

The race to map the world’s seagrass — before it disappears

Seagrasses are one of the world’s most productive underwater ecosystems, but they've long been overlooked.

By Allyson Chiu

Can rooftop solar panels survive hurricanes?

Rooftop solar panels are surprisingly resilient in the face of extreme weather, but wind and hail damage may not be covered under your home insurance policy.

By Nicolás Rivero

The one thing you should look for on clothing labels when you go shopping

Why 100% cotton, 100% linen and even 100% polyester can be better for the planet than blended fabrics.

By Anna Kramer

Your phone’s emoji library is incomplete. Here’s what’s missing.

Many of Earth’s plants, animals and organisms aren’t in your phone’s emoji library. We’ve created 8 emojis to help compensate.

By Hailey Haymond, Dino Grandoni, Kasha Patel and Emily Sabens

How to stop stains and keep your clothes out of the landfill

These simple tips can help you prevent fashion waste.

By Allyson Chiu

(Marijan Mura/DPA/Picture-Alliance/Getty Images)

This is the future of lawn mowers

Electric lawn mowers are becoming increasingly popular among homeowners. Here’s why experts say you should consider one.

By Allyson Chiu

Why you shouldn’t buy a basic window AC unit

A basic window unit is typically cheaper than other models and relatively easy to install, but they guzzle energy and can contribute to emissions.

By Allyson Chiu

The future of paper could come from gene-edited trees

Scientists are working to develop a tree that could ease the production of paper, resulting in less energy use and less pollution.

By Dino Grandoni

The surprising thing sharks can teach us about life

In her new memoir, marine biologist Jasmin Graham chronicles her work in creating opportunities for women of color in shark sciences.

By Hope Corrigan

What you can learn about salmon from its packaging

What do all those labels mean? We examined more than a dozen salmon packages and talked to experts to find out.

By Naema Ahmed and Allyson Chiu

Does ‘compostable’ plastic actually break down? Here’s what to know.

Making sure a product has been properly certified is one way to know if it will really break down in commercial composting operations.

By Allyson Chiu

Biden wants government to stop buying single-use plastics

The administration also seeks tougher regulations on plastics manufacturers, which use fossil fuels to make many products in everyday use.

By Allyson Chiu

How the nation’s driest state is using cash to free up water

Nevada is testing out a pilot program that encourages farmers to retire their water rights in an effort to reduce over-drafting of precious groundwater.

By Anna Phillips

How to power your home through an outage without a gas generator

Solar and battery technology doesn’t produce pollution and some home systems can help users save on utility costs.

By Allyson Chiu

Inside America’s billion-dollar quest to squeeze more trees into cities

We followed an arborist around D.C. to find out why it’s so hard to plant urban trees.

By Bishop Sand

Why scientists think they may finally have found a way to recycle clothes

It’s almost impossible to turn old threads into new clothes, but scientists are working to change that.

By Nicolás Rivero

How to dress to stay cool — and stylish — in sticky summer heat

Dressing for summer heat isn’t just about wearing less. Scientists and stylists say it’s about thoughtfully choosing fabrics, colors and fit.

By Nicolás Rivero

(Mark Felix/For The Washington Post)

How water could be the future of fuel

By Nicolás Rivero, Emily Wright and Mark Felix

(Illustration by Emily Sabens/The Washington Post; iStock)

Water or electrolyte drinks: Which is better when it’s hot out?

By Allyson Chiu

Here’s how to know when it might be dangerously hot outside

With temperatures climbing across the United States, it’s critical to know when you might be at risk of experiencing dangerous levels of heat.

By Allyson Chiu

This EV weighs 55,000 pounds and digs giant holes

By Nicolás Rivero

This city just made it illegal to advertise SUVs. Here’s why.

By Shannon Osaka

Clearing the air on turbulence and climate change: What you need to know

By Rachel Pannett

Perspective

I shopped at a refill store for the first time. Here’s what it was like.

By Allyson Chiu

The world agreed to ban this dangerous pollutant — and it’s working

By Sarah Kaplan

Linen or cotton: Which fabric keeps you cooler in sticky summer heat?

By Nicolás Rivero

Don’t crank down your thermostat when it’s hot out. Do this instead.

By Allyson Chiu

What not to eat when it’s hot out

By Allyson Chiu

As New York retreats from charging drivers more, these cities are pushing ahead

By Oliver Staley

Could spraying sea salt into the clouds cool the planet?

By Nicolás Rivero

The people and organizations tackling our biggest environmental challenges