Nevada’s Lithium Could Help Save the Earth. But What Happens to Nevada?

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By Meg Bernhard, The New York Times. 

Excerpt: ...the expansion of renewable-energy infrastructure is fundamentally reshaping the landscape of the West, often at the expense of ecosystems. Lithium mining in particular alarms conservationists. Depending on the type of process used, mining can pollute groundwater, emit carbon dioxide, create toxic waste and destroy habitats. As companies scramble to acquire mineral rights, in many cases under an antiquated mining law, some conservationists are criticizing the fact that there isn’t a federal plan to protect the landscape, without which they fear a ruinous mining free-for-all. This rush to mine has put them in tension with proponents of the federal government’s green-energy projects, who warn against slowing an urgent process. Conservationists, in turn, worry that those supporters are being shortsighted in their disregard for the value of biodiversity.... 

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2024 was the hottest year on record, breaching a critical climate goal and capping 10 years of unprecedented heat

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Warmer, more crowded cities bring out the rats

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