NPR will be focusing on the topic of climate change all next week by looking at activities and initiatives that might help mitigate the impacts. Climate Solutions Week will feature stories every day on various NPR programs on WAER’s broadcast schedule that highlight local or regional success stories.
The Climate Solutions Week theme of “Local Lessons” is in response to the federal government aggressively walking back policies intended to address global warming. The stories cover energy projects, tax policies, recycling ideas, and initiatives that harness nature to reduce carbon footprint.
In many cases, the stories from other states and countries align with environmental coverage by WAER's newsroom and on Deeper Shade of Green.
NPR’s CLIMATE SOLUTIONS STORY SCHEDULE:
WBUR’s Bianca Garcia produced a story on how fast-growing Miyawaki forests are being planted in neighborhoods to cool down urban areas and provide some carbon capture. Deeper Shade of Green raised the question: Can New York plant 25 million trees, and can it impact climate change?
A story slated for Morning Edition sheds light on the value of finding a new use for the 2000 pounds of trash each US resident throws away each year. WAER stories on textile recycling and packaging reduction cover aspects of the ‘circular economy’ in which materials for new products come from recycling instead of mining raw materials, reducing both landfill needs and climate emissions.
Geothermal networks are being used in Denver to help heat and cool buildings, in many areas the largest source of planet warming emissions. This story from reporter Ishan Thakore is planned for Morning Edition, Wednesday, May 20. If interested in this technology, check out the Deeper Shade of Green episode on heat pumps and the New York HEAT act to increase their usage and reduce use of fossil fuels for home and office heating.
A Climate Solutions Week story will air Saturday, May 23 on NPR’s Life Kit on greenspaces in cities to reduce concrete, help manage rainwater, and provide carbon capture. Managing our land use is also the focus of WAER’s coverage of World Wetlands Day, and the importance of natural areas to wildlife, drinking water and climate.
- Planned: Monday, May 18, 2026 | Morning Edition
Climate Solutions Week Tablesetter Julia Simon kicks off the week in a conversation with [show host TBD]. Reporter: Julia Simon - Planned: Monday, May 18, 2026 | All Things Considered
Montana Tribes’ Climate Action Plan Tribal sovereignty enables the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in Montana to carry out its climate action plan despite regressive policies at the state and federal levels. At the heart of this story is Mike Durglo Jr., who's made it his mission to carry out climate action while also helping other tribes do the same. Reporter: Ellis Juhlin - Planned: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | Morning Edition
Renewable Energy Projects in Utah A coalition of Utah communities is building enough new renewable energy projects in the next four years to cover residents’ needs. That’s a big shift in a state where fossil fuels currently dominate the power grid. This work continues despite the federal government rolling back climate policies. Reporter: David Condos - Planned: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | All Things Considered
Undergrounding Power Lines in Michigan On March 31, 2025, northern Michigan suffered a catastrophic and historic ice storm that significantly damaged power lines, leaving an estimated 200,000 without electricity for four days. In the aftermath, residents pushed utilities and state regulators at listening sessions to bury more electric lines in order to protect against future extreme weather. We’ll look at why undergrounding works for some utility providers and not others, touching on growing calls for state regulators to incentivize burying lines, rather than passing on costs to ratepayers asking for it. Regulated utilities already bury power lines, to some degree, but say high costs and more maintenance are often why it’s not a more common practice. Research shows the Great Lakes region may see more ice storms capable of last year’s damage, as climate change threatens to shift the freezing line further north. Reporter: Vivian La - Planned: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 | Morning Edition
Denver Geothermal Network In cities, the largest source of planet-warming emissions is often buildings. Heating and cooling skyscrapers, or convention centers, often requires burning lots of fossil fuels. Now, Denver is trying a greener solution instead. Reporter: Ishan Thakore - Planned: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 =| All Things Considered
Portland Tax for Climate Projects Portland, Oregon, has a one-of-a-kind fund that taxes multi-billion-dollar companies and puts that money into a fund that is now $1.7 billion and growing. That money is now used to invest back into the community to build out electric bike programs, low-income solar and more. Reporter: Monica Samayoa - Planned: Thursday, May 21, 2026 | Morning Edition
UK Beavers Mitigate Flooding About 400 years ago, beavers were hunted to extinction across Britain. Now they’re being re-introduced as little climate warriors. Scientists harness their natural dams to mitigate flooding. Reporter: Lauren Frayer - Planned: Thursday, May 21, 2026 | All Things Considered
Miyawaki Mini-Forests as a Climate Solution Across the U.S., communities are planting fast-growing Miyawaki forests to help neighborhoods cool down and adapt to the longer, hotter summers predicted as the climate changes. WBUR's Bianca Garcia begins this story on the East Coast and then hands the microphone to Northwest Public Radio's Courtney Flatt and Lauren Gallup. - Planned: Friday, May 22, 2026 | Morning Edition
College Trash to Treasure Each American throws away nearly 2,000 pounds of trash each year. Giving items a second life keeps them out of the landfill - and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. One Illinois University is teaching students recycling skills that will not go to waste. - Planned: Friday, May 22, 2026 | Here & Now
Renewable Energy Project Transforms Old Landfill A renewable energy project to transform an old landfill into a solar array in Cincinnati is moving forward despite the loss of federal funds. When it's finished, the solar array will power either city buildings and nearby low-income households. Reporter: Isabel Nissley - Planned: Saturday, May 23, 2026 | Weekend All Things Considered
Neighborhoods Rethinking Green Spaces NPR’s Life Kit plans to collaborate with Harvest Public Media's Up from Dust podcast to provide solutions for neighborhoods to rethink their own green spaces: native plant beds, rain gardens, and ripping out concrete, etc.
