Category: KC Climate

Just Outside Kansas City, a Giant Solar Farm Project is Pitting Neighbor Against Neighbor

By | September 14, 2022 |

Frank Gieringer walks between rows of apple trees where his customers can pick their own fruit. Gieringer lives near the border of where NextEra Energy Resources wants to build a 2,000-acre solar farm.

Johnson and Douglas County approved regulations allowing the construction of what would be the largest utility-scale solar farm in Kansas. But while residents say they support green energy, there’s a vocal contingent pushing back against building 2,000 acres of panels so close to their communities.

Electric Vehicle Adoption Hinges on Better Access to Charging Stations

By | May 24, 2022 |

An Electrify America Charging Station for electric vehicles.

Missouri was recently ranked seventh in the nation when it came to the number of registered electric vehicle drivers and charging locations. But the region still has gaps when it comes to electrification.

Pondering the Business and Politics of Climate Change

By | May 23, 2022 |

In this Feb. 1, 2021 file photo, emissions from a coal-fired power plant are silhouetted against the setting sun in Kansas City, Missouri.

American Public Square will convene a panel discussion at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, at Donnelly College, in Kansas City, Kansas, called “The Politics of Mother Nature – The Climate is Changing – Should You?”

Climate Change Highlights Value of 19th Century Plan for ‘A City Within a Park’

By | May 18, 2022 |

The bur oak in the foreground is one of several trees the Heartland Tree Alliance has planted at Seven Oaks Park in Kansas City, Missouri. Mature trees in the park make it a rare cool spot in the neighborhood, according to heat data collected last year by the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Civic, government and nonprofit leaders are evoking 19th century planner George Kessler’s “city within a park” concept to help address the effects of climate change in Kansas City.