ALEXA ST. JOHN

Climate solutions reporter

St. John is a climate solutions reporter based in Detroit. She covers electric vehicles, batteries and other environment-related topics.

Biden promised to clean up heavily polluted communities. Here is how advocates say he did

Just a week after taking office, President Joe Biden signed an executive order prioritizing environmental justice.

Blackouts in extreme weather drive demand for cleaner backup power

In many communities people turn to diesel or gasoline generators for temporary power when extreme weather brings power outages.

July ends 13-month streak of global heat records as El Nino ebbs, but experts warn against relief

Earth’s string of 13 straight months with a new average heat record came to an end in July. That’s according to the European climate agency Copernicus.

Tropical weather brings record rainfall. Experts share how to stay safe in floods.

The extreme weather seen in places across the United States shows it doesn’t take a catastrophic hurricane to cause significant damage.

Tropical Storm Debby is expected to send flooding to the Southeast. Here’s how much rain could fall

The Debby storm system could cause historic rainfall and flooding in parts of the Southeast, including Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina.

Google falling short of important climate target, cites electricity needs of AI

Google, which has an ambitious plan to address climate change with cleaner operations, came nowhere close to its goals last year, according to the company’s annual Environmental Report Tuesday.

Graduating seniors seek degrees in climate change and more US universities deliver

Many high school students in the United States are sensitive to the ongoing climate crisis, and some are demanding more paths that allow them to work on solutions to the planet’s warming.

Community colleges offer clean energy training as climate-related jobs expand across America

As students across the nation consider jobs that play a role in solving the climate crisis, they’re looking for meaningful climate training.

Teen and Miss USA quit their crowns, citing mental health and personal values

The winners of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA resigned from their titles within days of each other. Their decisions this week shine a spotlight on the Miss Universe Organization, which runs both pageants.

Sweetgreen says a cleaner farming method will offset adding steak to its menu. What is it?

The announcement of Sweetgreen salad chain that it’s adding beef to its menu led to strong reactions online, with customers questioning the company’s carbon neutral plans.

What is a tornado emergency and how is it different from a warning or a watch?

Tornado emergencies have been called in Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa and more states over the past few weeks during recent periods of severe weather.

High school students, frustrated by lack of climate education, press for change

Distress about the Earth’s future is driving many young people to act. In the U.S., middle and high school students are appearing before their school boards and state legislatures to demand more climate curricula.

After deadly Oklahoma tornado, storms bring twisters to the Midwest

Severe storms have battered parts of the Midwest, unleashing a curtain of heavy rain, gusty winds and tornadoes in the region.

Tornadoes spotted in Oklahoma as hail pelts Kansas. Forecasts warn more is to come

Tornadoes touched down Monday evening in rural Oklahoma as large hail pelted parts of Kansas. Forecasters have issued a rare high risk warning for the two states.

Biden expands 2 national monuments in California significant to tribal nations

President Joe Biden has expanded two culturally significant California landscapes: the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in Southern California and Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Northern California.

Bounce house swept up by wind kills one child and injures another

An Arizona family is mourning the death of their two-year-old son, who was killed when a strong gust of wind swept away the bounce house he was playing in.

‘Vampire facials’ were linked to cases of HIV. Here’s what to know about the beauty treatment

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report last week that documented the first instances of HIV transmissions contracted through unsterile injections used while receiving “vampire facials,” cosmetic procedures involving microneedling.

Biden marks Earth Day by going after GOP, announcing $7 billion in federal solar power grants

President Joe Biden has marked Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal grants to provide residential solar projects serving 900,000-plus households in low- and middle-income communities.

Climate change concerns grow, but few think Biden’s climate law will help, an AP-NORC poll finds

A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows 45% of U.S. adults say they’ve become more concerned about climate change over the past year.

Scientists say coral reefs around the world are experiencing mass bleaching in warming oceans

Reef scientists say coral reefs around the world are experiencing global bleaching for the fourth time due to prolonged warming of the oceans.

Biden awards $830 million to toughen nation’s infrastructure against climate change

The Biden administration is handing out almost $830 million in grants for 80 projects around the country aimed at toughening infrastructure against the extreme weather of climate change.

EPA awards $20 billion in green bank grants for clean energy projects nationwide

Vice President Kamala Harris and other top officials traveled to North Carolina to announce $20 billion in grants for clean energy initiatives.

Federal EV charging stations are key to Biden’s climate agenda, yet only 4 states have them

Electric vehicle charging ports are a key part of President Joe Biden’s effort to encourage drivers to move away from gasoline-powered cars and trucks that contribute to global warming, but only four states have them.

Concerned parents are beginning to see progress on their push for healthier electric school buses

Fewer than 1% of the nearly half million school buses on the roads in the U.S. ran on electricity as of the end of 2023, even though this kind of clean bus has been available for years.

Tired of diesel fumes, these moms are pushing for electric school buses

Each day, around 20 million students in the United States ride to school in diesel-fueled school buses, exposed to clouds of exhaust linked to asthma and lung cancer.

Auto dealers up campaign urging Biden administration to halt EPA tailpipe emission limits regulation

A group of more than 4,700 auto dealers in the United States have sent a letter to President Joe Biden, urging the president to halt regulators’ efforts to require cars to emit less pollution.

Engine maker Cummins to repair 600,000 Ram trucks in $2 billion emissions cheating scandal

Engine maker Cummins Inc. will recall 600,000 Ram trucks as part of a settlement with federal and California authorities that also requires the company to remedy environmental damage caused by illegal software that let it skirt diesel emissions tests.

For consumers shopping for an EV, new rules mean fewer models qualify for a tax credit

U.S. consumers looking to get a tax credit on an electric vehicle purchase will have fewer models to choose from under new rules that limit the countries where automakers can buy battery parts and minerals.

The year in clean energy: Wind, solar and batteries grow despite economic challenges

Led by new solar power, the world added renewable energy at breakneck speed in 2023, a trend that if amplified will help Earth turn away from fossil fuels and prevent severe warming and its effects.

White House backs industry effort to standardize Tesla’s EV charging plugs

The White House is lending its support to an auto industry effort to standardize Tesla’s electric vehicle charging plugs for all EVs in the United States, part of a broad effort to stimulate their sales to help combat climate change.