People work to clear the rubble near the village of Nuan Seetaga following the 8.3 magnitude strong earthquake which struck on Tuesday, on October 3, 2009 in Pago Pago, American Samoa

A Village Responds to Disaster

When a tsunami struck American Samoa in 2009, the key to a swift response was Indigenous institutions that drew on local knowledge and community training.
Corn field and stormy sky, strong wind is blowing and bending plants in cultivated landscape

Biofuels: Feeding the Earth or Feeding the Engine?

Around the world, biofuels, so-called green energy sources, are waving major red flags.
A stylized vector cartoon of a hand putting coins in an Earth shaped money Box

Debt-for-Nature Swaps: Solution or Scam?

Are debt-for-nature swaps—forgiving debt in exchange for investments in the environment—an innovative approach to debt relief or a form of recolonization?
Peziza pseudoviolacea

The Vital Near-Magic of Fire-Eating Fungi

As wildfires grow in size and severity, researchers are learning more about the burn scar pioneers that are foundational to ecosystem recovery.
Evo Morales speaking at a press conference at the World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, Cochabamba, Bolivia, 2010

Cochabamba People’s Agreement: Annotated

In April 2010, representatives from 140 countries gathered in Bolivia to outline an explicitly anti-capitalist, decolonial agenda for the sake of the planet.
A firefighter runs so not to be surrounded by fire as he tries to extinguish a wildfire burning near the village Vlyhada near Athens on July 19, 2023 in Athens, Greece.

The Social-Ecological Nature of Wildfire

How do we meet the challenge of increasingly devastating wildfires?
Watercolor painting of the earth by Martin Eklund

Planetary Health: Foundations and Key Concepts

The groundwork for the field of planetary health was laid by a range of disciplines and movements, including medicine, ecology, health, and feminism.
An advertising poster for Brauerei Hölle (Hell Brewery), Radolfzell

What is a Symbol?

A symbol can be any object, character, color, or even shape that represents an abstract concept without explanatory text. But wait, there's more!
People walk on the Jialing River bed during a drought period on December 12, 2007 in Chongqing Municipality, China.

How Can Cities Keep Water Clean Now and in the Future?

As "megacities" grow in Africa and Asia, assuring residents long-term access to clean water may require a multidisciplinary approach.
A green Oregon Oak covered in moss with many branches

What is Old Growth, and Why It Matters

Old growth forests are often famed for their beauty, cultural and historical significance. But there's more to old growth than just the age of the trees.