Converting cow manure to fuel is growing climate solution, but critics say communities put at risk

Converting cow manure to fuel is growing climate solution, but critics say communities put at risk

PIXLEY, Calif. — The stench of cow feces, urine and ammonia forces residents to keep windows and doors closed in parts of California’s farming country. Some people constantly run air purifiers at home to counter the smell and, they say, fight off air-related ailments. “We have a lot of health problems going around in this … Read more

Make mine medium-rare: Men really do eat more meat than women, study says

Make mine medium-rare: Men really do eat more meat than women, study says

CHICAGO — Vacationing in Chicago this week from Europe, Jelle den Burger and Nirusa Naguleswaran grabbed a bite at the Dog House Grill: a classic Italian beef sandwich for him, grilled cheese for her. Both think the way their genders lined up with their food choices was no coincidence. Women, said Naguleswaran, are simply more … Read more

Dozens of hikers became ill during trips to waterfalls near the Grand Canyon

Dozens of hikers became ill during trips to waterfalls near the Grand Canyon

Dozens of hikers say they fell ill during trips to a popular Arizona tourist destination that features towering blue-green waterfalls deep in a gorge neighboring Grand Canyon National Park. Madelyn Melchiors, a 32-year-old veterinarian from Kingman, Arizona, said she was vomiting severely Monday evening and had a fever that endured for days after camping on … Read more

Toxic garlic should have prompted EPA to warn against gardening near Ohio derailment, watchdog says

Toxic garlic should have prompted EPA to warn against gardening near Ohio derailment, watchdog says

The Environmental Protection Agency should conduct additional soil studies near the site of a toxic train derailment in Ohio and warn people it might not be safe to garden there after independent testing showed high levels of chemicals in locally grown garlic, a watchdog group said Thursday. In a petition filed with the federal agency, … Read more

Cooking and coughing: Respiratory diseases plague Kenya as more people burn wood to save money

Cooking and coughing: Respiratory diseases plague Kenya as more people burn wood to save money

NAIROBI, Kenya — Piles of firewood surrounded Jane Muthoni in her kitchen made of iron sheets. The roof, walls and wooden pillars were covered in soot. As she blew on the flame for tea, the 65-year-old was engulfed in smoke. “I’ve used firewood all my life,” she said. “Sometimes I usually cough from inhaling the … Read more

Things to know about FDA warning on paralytic shellfish poisoning in Pacific Northwest

Things to know about FDA warning on paralytic shellfish poisoning in Pacific Northwest

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says consumers should avoid consuming shellfish from Oregon and Washington state as they may be contaminated with toxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. At least 31 people have been sickened in Oregon so far, according to state health officials. Here’s what to know about the federal agency’s advisory. The … Read more

Climate records keep getting shattered. Here is what you need to know

Climate records keep getting shattered. Here is what you need to know

WASHINGTON — Month after month, global temperatures are setting new records. Meanwhile, scientists and climate policymakers warn of the growing likelihood that the planet will soon exceed the warming target set at the landmark Paris 2015 climate talks. Making sense of the run of climate extremes may be challenging for some. Here’s a look at … Read more

The UN says a quarter of the world’s children under 5 have severe food poverty

The UN says a quarter of the world’s children under 5 have severe food poverty

KALTUNGO, Nigeria — The 9-month-old twins cried nonstop and tugged at their mother, seeking attention but also food. They had received little in the past 24 hours, and there were signs of deeper hunger in the heads too big for their tiny bodies. “Not much milk comes out,” said their 38-year-old mother, Dorcas Simon, who … Read more

AP analysis finds 2023 set record for US heat deaths, killing in areas that used to handle the heat

AP analysis finds 2023 set record for US heat deaths, killing in areas that used to handle the heat

David Hom suffered from diabetes and felt nauseated before he went out to hang his laundry in 108-degree weather, another day in Arizona’s record-smashing, unrelenting July heat wave. His family found the 73-year-old lying on the ground, his lower body burned. Hom died at the hospital, his core body temperature at 107 degrees. The death … Read more

Paris aims for the most sustainable Olympics yet; organizers say plan isn’t perfect

Paris aims for the most sustainable Olympics yet; organizers say plan isn’t perfect

PARIS — Of all the decisions Paris Olympics organizers made about where to hold each sport, sending surfing competitions to the other side of the world — in the Pacific waters of Tahiti — provoked the strongest reactions. Tahitians and others railed against the building of a new viewing tower on Teahupo’o reef because of … Read more