The Cool Down

US utility bills are climbing, and these AC tweaks can cut costs without a new HVAC

High summer heat and rising power prices are squeezing household finances, but cutting cooling costs does not always mean ...
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Hawai'i signs clean fuel law, setting a path to cut transportation emissions 50% by 2045

Hawaiʻi is taking aim at one of the toughest parts of its climate footprint: transportation. Gov. Josh Green has signed a new clean fuel law that puts the state on track to cut transportation ...
The Cool DownOpinion

As US-Iran fighting lifts gas prices, Big Oil banks $30 million an hour in excess profits

During the first days of the latest U.S.-Iran conflict, the 100 largest oil and gas companies in the world were bringing in ...
The Cool Down

After California residents line up to object, developer withdraws plan for giant data center

Residents objected to the project's anticipated electricity use, pollution, and noise, while also arguing that a large ...
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California offers $3,500 EV rebate for first-time buyers, and Hyundai, Rivian opt in

Hyundai and Rivian are both opting into California's instant rebate of up to $3,500 for people buying their first electric vehicle. As USA Today detailed, the duo's moves offer a measure of help after ...
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Western Europe's hottest June sends EU cooling demand soaring, and power prices jump

Record June heat in western Europe is having effects beyond the thermometer. Across the EU, households are using far more air conditioning, which is pushing up electricity demand and wholesale power ...
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Cyclospora concerns drive more US shoppers to turn to garden-grown produce

Concern about Cyclospora-related illness is leading more people to debate whether produce from a home garden is safer than what they buy at the grocery store. Experts say growing your own can lower ...
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Ring camera captures 9-foot alligator crashing through a Florida pool screen at dawn

A Ring camera recorded a massive alligator this week smashing through a screened enclosure and sliding into a Florida homeowner's backyard pool, turning the footage into a jolting wake-up call. The ...
The Cool Down

Colorado bear lounges on backyard patio feet from barking dog, then calmly strolls away

Residents near one Arvada, Colorado, backyard got an unusually close look at local wildlife after a large black bear was ...
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Virginia regulators weigh $10 bill credits against long-term rate fears in Dominion merger

Dominion Energy is asking Virginia regulators to approve a massive utility merger that could reshape electric service for millions of people, raising fresh questions about whether a bigger company ...
The Cool Down

Bermuda brings in snake-sniffing dogs after rattlesnake report near resort golf course

Bermuda has stepped up its search after a rattlesnake was spotted near a resort and golf course, with specialist handlers and ...
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Kenya rhino, zebra orphaned days apart form a bond so close keepers call them 'twins'

A rescued rhino and zebra in Kenya are giving the internet a rare kind of wildlife story — one shaped by grief, recovery, and an unexpectedly sweet friendship. After losing their mothers in separate ...