Environment
L.A.'s Proposed No-Kill Policy Raises Hackles on Both Sides
Los Angeles is home to millions of feral cats. Controlling that population used to mean putting the cats to sleep, but L.A. may soon be a no-kill city. » continue reading
Growing Sea Lion Population a Nuisance for Some Port Town Residents
It's man vs. nature -- a very loud and smelly one. Residents in some SoCal port towns are struggling to deal with their large sea lion populations. » continue reading
Oysters May Offer Insight Into Our Changing Oceans
The California seafood industry supports thousands of jobs, bolsters the economy, and brings us delicacies such as Pacific oysters. But it's all at risk. » continue reading
Artist to Change Billboard Blight with Bamboo
Many see the thousands of billboards in L.A. as blight. Artist Stephen Glassman hopes to change that by converting them into natural bamboo art projects. » continue reading
Fracking Still Unregulated Despite Quake Connection
The controversial drilling method called "fracking" could potentially open up vast new supplies of oil and gas, but some believe it could also be causing earthquakes. » continue reading
What Climate Change and Rising Seas Mean to the California Coastline
Val Zavala talks to Joshua Willis, a climate scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena and an expert on the role of oceans in the world's climate. » continue reading
'Chasing Ice' Director on Climate Change: Seeing is Believing
Filmmaker Jeff Orlowski discusses his new documentary on climate change, "Chasing Ice," which captures some shocking images of the world's melting glaciers. » continue reading
Map: All the Billboards in Los Angeles (With or Without a Permit)
We've plotted the billboards and given you the tools. Now explore the city's sign landscape -- and help us verify the city's records. » continue reading
Billboard Confidential Update: L.A. City Council Allowed Illegal Billboards to be Erected
An update to our ongoing investigation into the politics of L.A.'s billboard industry. A recent ruling could mean thousands of digital billboards are going dark. » continue reading
How Do You Financially Prepare for a Major Disaster?
Early estimates are that Hurricane Sandy may cost as much as $50 billion. While insurance will pick up some of those costs, a lot of people will be on the hook for damages, repairs, lost wages -- the list goes on. » continue reading
Is Sandy Evidence of a Rise in 'Superstorms' Caused by Climate Change?
Politicians from the governor of New York to former President Clinton are pointing to Hurricane Sandy as proof of global warming. But does science agree? » continue reading
Tiny Houses
Val Zavala examines the growing movement of people choosing to live in tiny spaces. » continue reading
The 'F' Word: Unregulated Fracking at Oil Wells Raising Concerns
Fracking. Our correspondent unearths whether the controversial process is going on in Southern California and why it's become such a dirty word. » continue reading
Up in the Air: The Fight for Clean Air in Boyle Heights
Boyle Heights is surrounded by factories, railroads and some of the busiest freeways in the U.S. Now residents are trying to stop the pollution. » continue reading
SoCal Rewind: Asthmatic L.A.
Today, Boyle Heights. Seven years ago and 7 miles downwind, Huntington Park. Air quality, for some, has long been a matter of social justice. » continue reading
Split Rail: Calif. Bullet Train Still Proves Divisive
Gov. Brown recently reignited the battle over high-speed rail by urging that the project move ahead. So we ask again whether the bullet train is a boon, or just a boondoggle. » continue reading
10 Technologies Helping the Military Go Green
By land, sea and air, the military is exploring ways to wean itself off fossil fuels. Here are 10 techs it hopes will help it reach its goal. » continue reading
Extended Interview: Jeremy Seifert, Dumpster Diver and Director
An extended interview with dumpster diver turned director Jeremy Seifert. » continue reading
Military Goes Green
The fatigues aren't the only things that are green in the military. Correspondent Brian Rooney shows how the military is adopting sustainability and going green. » continue reading
Extreme Green: Dumpster Diving to Prevent Food Waste
Val Zavala tags along on a Dumpster Diver tour and learns how some people are preventing waste by rescuing discarded food from the trash. » continue reading
The Great Green Rush: Desert Solar Energy Leaving Tortoise in the Dust?
Correspondent Judy Muller travels to the Mojave Desert to witness the "green rush," where the endangered desert tortoise is in a race to survive. » continue reading
Guide: Seven Incredibly Old Mojave Desert Plants
Miles of desert scruff may summon up only middle-of-nowhere feelings, but take a closer look and you'll be spotting plants that can or have lived thousands of years. » continue reading
Extreme Green: Minimalist Lives With Just 50 Things
A man tries to simplify his life by whittling his personal possessions to just 50 Things. » continue reading
Suncatchers: A Solar Tech Rundown
The sun provides enough energy in one hour to power all of society for a year...if we can catch it. Here's a look at current technologies. » continue reading
Video: Watch Baby Tortoises Hatch
Watch a baby desert tortoise hatching. » continue reading
Minimalist Math: A (Brief) Guide to Living Small
Six (or maybe five) quick rules to help you minimize your life. » continue reading
Tourist Detraction
It's visible for miles across the Los Angeles Basin — a beacon, beckoning to tourists. But how do you get there? » continue reading
Options and Obstacles in Greening the City
Improved infrastructure and more park space equal lower obesity rates. That means happier people and lower healthcare costs. So what's stopping the greening of Los Angeles? » continue reading
Giants in Danger
Ship strikes off the coast of Southern California are leaving these giants of the deep maimed, and often, dead. » continue reading
Whale Songs
Listen and watch as whales chat, sing, and do that thing they do. You might be surprised by what scientists know (and don't know) about whale songs. » continue reading
Tagging Blue Whales
How do you get close enough to a whale to put a tag on it? Very carefully. Listen to whale expert John Calambokidis describe it. » continue reading
Leimert Park’s Hidden Passage to Health
There's a little known trail in South L.A. that could help put more residents on a path to health. The problem? Not enough people know about it. » continue reading
More Delays For L.A. Sign Ordinance
In a city some residents have complained is plagued by "billboard blight," officials have put off sending a revised sign ordinance to the city council...yet again. » continue reading
Creating Healthy Neighborhoods
The infrastructure itself can affect our health, yet urban planning often skews against poor and minority communities, say some observers. » continue reading
Obesity Epidemic Hits South L.A. Harder Than Most
Obesity is a problem for Americans in all walks of life, but it's worse in areas with poor infrastructure and few parks. » continue reading
