ZAQS.ORG

They want to be 'Altadena strong.' Finances are making it tough. -- Nine months after the Eaton Fire, an Altadena family navigates the red tape that is hampering recovery for those who lost it all in the blaze. How much of their daughter's childhood will be spent in limbo? The third in our series from Olive Avenue. Read Parts 1 and 2.

10 days ago

Fighting wildfire with fire: California residents, once wary, embrace 'controlled burns' -- California once suppressed "controlled burns," an Indigenous practice. Residents are now embracing it to reduce the growing threat of wildfire.

20 days ago

How Jane Goodall inspired my daughter: It started with chickens. -- With the world remembering Jane Goodall, here's how one child sees her legacy: "She realized something true that nobody else recognized."

21 days ago

The EV tax credit is ending. How could that affect the US car market? -- Electric vehicle sales jumped after the U.S. announced it would end a tax credit. Without the incentive, sales may dip, although automakers may offer discounts to lure buyers.

25 days ago

How to create affordable housing for more people, and make a whole city a sponge -- Progress roundup: Copenhagen's sponge-city strategy protects from floods, and more places in the U.S. adopt social housing to lock in affordability.

29 days ago

As cities seek ways to prevent floods, a California town has a success story to share -- Disasters in Texas and North Carolina over the past year underscore how costly interior floods can be. After Roseville, California, was hit by destructive floods in the 1980s and '90s, the city turned itself into a model of preparedness and hazard mitigation.

1 month ago

Where cellphones help users save money, and pricey calls are now free -- Progress roundup: To better connect incarcerated New Yorkers with loved ones, the state is paying for phone calls. In Africa, mobile money helps people save.

1 month ago

Katrina holds lessons as US debates role of states and FEMA in disaster response -- Hurricane Katrina was a wake-up call for states as well as for federal disaster response. Lessons in resilience have born fruit, but a proposed scaling back of FEMA's role is stirring debate in an era of rising storm costs.

1 month ago

Ford is a bellwether: Electric vehicles are coming, despite Trump policy shifts -- Ford has a stunning goal: a small electric pickup priced below $30,000. The company seeks a new "Model T moment," responding to competition from China more than to Washington politics.

2 months ago

20 years after Hurricane Katrina, the heart of New Orleans beats on -- After Hurricane Katrina, the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history, New Orleans has worked to rebuild and revive – a recovery achieved in part through music and culture.

1 month ago

How a city's hardship opened eyes to wider problem-solving -- Progress roundup: Flint, Michigan, completes pipe replacements for clean water; India's Gujarat state pilots pollution trading and lowers emissions.

2 months ago

Yes, AI is power-hungry. But there's more to surging electricity prices. -- Rising electricity bills are stinging consumers across the United States. Experts say the trend reflects rising demand for electricity – including from AI – but also the need for upgraded and more adaptable power grids.

2 months ago

Rise in extreme heat spurs efforts to keep workers safe -- Summers have been getting longer and hotter, with more days of extreme heat. A pending federal rule would create safety guidelines for outdoor workers regarding breaks, water access, and more.

2 months ago

Where a women's tax is canceled, and businesswomen's decisions valued -- Progress roundup: Malta brings free period products to schools, a study in Kenya and Senegal finds women's decision-making superior to men's, and more.

2 months ago