ENVIRONMENT

Health concerns over tobacco use have hurt tobacco farmers-the number of farms growing tobacco in the United States dropped from 512,000 in 1954 to 56,977 in 2002.

More and more couples are saving money and giving a boost to small businesses by having local food trucks cater their big day.

If you have awful associations with the word potpourri, you're not alone. I have memories of Nana's house smelling like dried rose petals and anise. I swore I would never make my own potpourri, and my house would never smell like Nana's!

An adult white killer whale, otherwise known as white orca, has been spotted for the first time during a research cruise by a group of Russian scientists and students.

Flag carrier Qantas is on an apparent collision course with the New South Wales (NSW) government insofar as the construction of a second Sydney airport is concerned.

Actor Mickey Rourke is well known for his love of dogs. He was reportedly heartbroken over the loss of Loki, his Chihuahua, three years ago.

Attention Earth Day shoppers: The most highly anticipated, wildly expensive energy-saving light bulb out there, the L Prize-winning winning 60-watt equivalent LED from Philips, will hit store shelves this Sunday.

A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists examines an electric vehicle’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

Australia's carbon dioxide emissions went up in 2011 due to more vehicle use and gases that leaked from coalmines. It resulted in the release of 546 million tonnes of more C02 from those two sources. The data came from Australia's report of the National Greenhouse Accounts to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

To address the high cost of aviation fuel, flag carrier Qantas is experimenting with the use of refined cooking oil to power its jets.

A Qantas flight between Sydney and Adelaide today is using a 50-50 mix of conventional fuel and refined cooking oil. The biofuel costs far more than conventional fuel, partly due to its importation from the United States.

Plans for conserving Australian species rely on successfully collaborating across regions and across jurisdictions. It makes sense: species don't recognise state or local government boundaries. But at the same time, funding for conservation is premised on competing, not cooperating. How can these collaborative approaches succeed without secure and stable financial support?

Everyday laundry and cleaning tasks are some of the worst offenders when it comes to 'greening' your home. We all know what the main culprits are, but there are plenty of little things you can do to make a difference and save money too...

In response to complaints from businesses that their cost of compliance with environmental laws is going up, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard ordered on Thursday the streamlining of state and federal laws.

Less than three months before the Gillard government starts to collect the carbon tax on July 1, the measure continues to generate criticism from various sectors of Australian society. A tax expert questioned the carbon tax's constitutionality on Tuesday and charities warned on Wednesday of its impact on the services it provides poor people.

Scientists are hatching a plan to turn discarded eggshells into eco-friendly bioplastics, with potential uses ranging from medicine to food packaging.

Watch in awe as the world's eddying ocean currents swirl in Van Gogh-esque grandeur.

Anti-environmental behavior reaches a tipping point of public disapproval, signaling that the sustainability message has permeated the masses.

A group of teens and young adults are suing the U.S. government, pushing it to protect the atmosphere as a 'public trust' asset. But first, a judge must decide whether to let an industrial trade association join the feds' defense.

Can plants talk? A new research found that plants “make clicking noises to communicate” with other plants, aside from reacting to sounds.

The vulnerability of Pacific Island countries to climate change has been the subject of significant media coverage, including Kiribati's recent request that its people be moved to Fiji to avoid rising seas.

New documentary to focus on the unsustainable demands on the Colorado River system.

High-gain nuclear fusion could soon be a possibility according to new computer simulations.

Xstrata won its legal battle against environmentalists and farmers to operate the open cut mine in Surat Basin in southern Queensland. The legal victory for Xstrata came after a court ruled that environment change is not sufficient reason to stop the development of one of the biggest coal mines in Australia.

International carbon markets are on the nose in some quarters. From some on the left they are seen as a cheap way to absolve polluters' sins without having a real impact on reducing emissions.

Qantas will use vegetable cooking oil for a historic test flight between Sydney and Adelaide on April 13.

General Electric backed the Australian carbon tax, which the government will start to collect on July 1. GE said on Monday that it would allocate more funds to pursue carbon reduction technologies.

Loud natural-gas plants and other sounds keep vital scrub jays away from pinyon pine trees.

One of my favourite tips for a greener home is to make your own laundry powder and dishwashing powder. For a fraction of the cost of environmentally safe detergent, you can make a HUGE amount of green detergent.