Sustainability

Activists sit inside City Hall on July 13, while the Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee deliberates on updating building codes. Groups like the Sierra Club and Sunrise Movement have been prominent during these meetings.

How New Building Codes Could Help Fight Climate Change

The Kansas City Council is set to continue discussing implementation of more energy-efficient building codes at their Aug. 10 meeting.

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John Hooker and Mike Loesch begin installation of solar panels on the roof of a Columbia, Missouri, home.

Inflation, Energy Prices Complicate Consumer Calculus Regarding Renewables

The decision to embrace renewable energy amid a changing climate has become more complex in recent months, complicated by rampant inflation, soaring energy prices and a volatile economy.

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Graphic illustrating use of air sensors.

Here’s How Residents Along Troost Avenue Can Help Measure Kansas City Air Quality

KC Digital Drive and The Kansas City Beacon are co-hosting an event April 30 to discuss air quality sensors that measure climate, temperature and particulate matter in the air.

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Smithville Mayor Damien Boley on a bike path.

‘Ten Years to Save the Planet’: Kansas City Metro’s Small-town Mayors Take Up Climate Fight

Mayors and local officials founded Climate Action KC, and are taking measurable steps to reduce emissions and create healthier communities throughout the Kansas City metro.

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Center pivot irrigation systems like this one in Finney County pump water up from the Ogallala aquifer to spray on crops. This part of southwest Kansas experienced some of the state's worst aquifer declines last year as drought pushed farmers to pump more water from underground.

How Kansas Could Lose Billions in Land Values as its Underground Water Runs Dry

The water in the Ogallala aquifer is worth billions of dollars to western Kansas, but it’s rapidly disappearing. And it’s been a challenge to find ways to slow the depletion.

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