Residential solar is surging in the U.S. The price of the average solar panel is down more than 60 percent in the past five years, and more and more solar customers are earning credit for the extra energy they produce for the grid. But that practice – known as “net metering” – has some utilities worried about the future. In a number of states, utilities are fighting to cut back on net metering, as concerns grow about the cost of maintaining the grid and adapting to the changing energy picture. For this month’s Environmental Outlook, we look at what the surge in solar could mean for consumers…and for the future of the electric grid.
As the effects of climate change become increasingly obvious, ideas once thought of as radical are becoming part of the mainstream debate. Cristopher Flavelle of the New York Times explains the promise and perils of geoengineering.
Rethinking leadership in the U.S. African AmericanStudies professor Eddie S. Glaude Jr. says Americans have looked to the political class to create a just democracy for too long – and it hasn't worked. In a new book he argues that we are the leaders we have been looking for and explains what that means for the 2024 election.
Menopause. Once a taboo topic, the "m" word is having a moment – among celebrities, in the media, and in Washington, where President Biden recently signed an order that supports research into women's health. Dr. Sharon Malone says it's about time, and explains why understanding "the change" is critical for a woman's ability to get – and stay -- healthy.
Donald Trump regularly ends his rallies with prayer. He has repeatedly compared himself to Jesus. And last week he started selling a version of the Bible. Robert P. Jones of the Public Religion Research Institute weighs in on Trump’s growing embrace of Christianity.