A sweltering heat wave has enveloped the Pacific Northwest and parts of California and Arizona, placing about 1.2 million people under extreme heat alerts. Officials warn that overnight temperatures remain dangerously high, with no immediate relief in sight.

Polyvinyl butyral (PVB) is on track to grow from USD 1.5 billion in 2025 to USD 1.9 billion by 2030, signaling a 5% annual rise. Fueled by the automotive, construction, and renewable energy sectors, the market reflects shifting safety standards, green regulations, and consumer demand for environmentally friendly materials.

Southern California is under siege from a record-shattering heatwave that has triggered escalating wildfires. With temperatures rising daily and no respite in sight, relief for residents remains days away.

Hawaii is taking decisive steps to promote a future of sustainable tourism by cutting down on cruise ship calls and rolling out clean fuel initiatives. Through smaller vessels and fewer deployments, the state aims to reduce emissions while preserving its natural beauty.

Google has achieved a remarkable 33-fold reduction in AI query energy consumption in just one year. The company’s Gemini system now processes text queries using only 0.24 watt-hours, a development poised to foster more sustainable AI technologies amid mounting data center demands.

Aalo Atomics, a Texas-based company specialising in modular nuclear technology for AI data centers, has raised US$100 million in Series B funding. This significant injection of capital underscores the growing interest in nuclear-powered solutions to meet escalating data demands.

China’s coal consumption plummeted by 2.6% in the first half of 2025 while its electricity demand grew about 5%. Meanwhile, the United States recorded a 14% spike in coal-fired electricity. This divergence highlights two vastly different approaches to meeting power needs in the face of climate change.

Household electricity bills in the United States have jumped by 10% since Donald Trump re-entered the White House, according to a new report. Researchers point to the president’s active support for data centers and a curtailment of clean energy projects as drivers of these rising costs.

Millions of residents across the Southwest are on high alert as a massive heat wave threatens triple-digit temperatures through the weekend. Officials are opening cooling centers and urging caution, while tragic heat-related deaths underscore the urgency of the warnings.

Historic floods along Milwaukee’s Kinnickinnic River destroyed a homeless encampment on Aug. 9, and outreach workers say several residents have yet to be found. Nearly two weeks later, the search continues as families and advocates voice a single plea: “We just want to find him.”

Door Engineering has unveiled the FF70 Hurricane Door, a four-fold system certified to withstand pressures up to 65 PSF. Announced from Mankato, Minn., the rigorously tested door is aimed at facilities that face the most demanding storm conditions.

On Thursday, Aug. 21, the Rangeley Region Guides’ & Sportsmen’s Association will combine its monthly potluck with a talk by forester Julie Davenport. The evening in Oquossoc Village will focus on the growing challenges facing Maine’s forests and is open to the public.

Wildfires are tearing through Spain and Portugal, torching a record expanse of countryside. Fanned by an unrelenting heatwave and months of drought, the flames have forced hurried evacuations and left firefighters racing to protect threatened towns.

In a sharply worded counterpoint, columnist Lucy Rehm urges Minnesota lawmakers to keep the state’s e-bike subsidy program. She argues the incentives “help build a state that works for everyone” and warns that abandoning them would amount to letting partisan bickering trump practical solutions.

Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss the state’s socio-economic progress and the near saturation of its welfare schemes. The meeting precedes the Prime Minister’s anticipated visit to Assam on September 8, a significant event marking new milestones in the state’s development journey.

A groundbreaking wind-powered cleaning system is restoring solar panel efficiency to 96%, eliminating the need for external energy sources.

Cal Fire has begun construction at the Ramona Air Attack Base to install a new fire retardant delivery system for its C-130 aircraft, a move officials call “a game changer” for wildfire response. This significant upgrade aims to enhance the speed and effectiveness of fighting California wildfires.

Recent devastating flash floods in Texas, New Jersey, and Vermont are stark reminders of the increasing threat of natural disasters. Maine must take proactive steps to prepare for similar events to protect its communities.

In a pivotal move, the Trump administration has shut down the EPA’s Office of Research and Development. This closure halts critical analyses of environmental hazards, including toxic chemicals, climate change, and water pollution, raising concerns about the future of environmental risk assessments.

Volunteers in Sierra Madre distributed relief kits containing essential supplies to communities impacted by the January wildfires. Some volunteers, themselves wildfire survivors, joined efforts to support others in need.

A possible tropical system is forming off Africa’s coast, with development expected within the next week, according to the National Hurricane Center.