Articles in Environment

Convoy of Hope is teaming up with other organizations to give away a newly built green home to one of the victims of the Joplin tornado.  Tuesday is the one year anniversary of the tornado, which killed 161 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.  KSMU’s Shannon Bowers has the story.

The end of May means one thing to the young people of the Ozarks: it's when school is out and summer has begun. For many, summer vacation includes more time spent in local recreational waters like streams and rivers. However, water in these swimming areas can contain harmful bacteria and parasites from wastewater runoff. In order to prevent sickness, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department is partnering with the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks to monitor different stream and river locations for E. coli and coliform bacteria. KSMU’s Rebekah Clark has details.
 

In an effort to improve Springfield’s wastewater system, City Council will vote Monday (5/7) on whether to authorize the City Manager to work directly with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to implement new guidelines. KSMU’s Samuel Crowe has the details.

Many people heard about the destruction of Mercy Hospital in Joplin during the tornado last May. Mercy is now operating out of an interim location while a new full-scale hospital is being built in a new location. The other major hospital in town, Freeman Health System, has had to expand its services to meet the needs of the community. KSMU’s Brittany Donnellan reports.

On Thursday, Students for a Sustainable Future (SSF), a group from Missouri State University, will host a solar-powered concert called Ecopalooza. This event will focus on promoting sustainable living and raise support for the group’s Beyond Coal campaign, a movement to get the MSU administration to pledge to transition from coal-powered electricity to 100% renewable energy. KSMU’s Rebekah Clark has more.

The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold an open house-style meeting for the public to discuss its plans for railways—both passenger and freight—across  the state. KSMU’s Brittany Donnellan reports.

White-nose syndrome continues to spread across the United States.  The disease has killed millions of bats in eastern North America since it first appeared about five years ago.  KSMU’s Michele Skalicky takes an in-depth look at white-nose syndrome and what biologists in Missouri are doing to try to prevent the movement of the illness in the state… 

A disease that’s estimated to have killed at least 5 and a half million bats in the United States has been confirmed in Missouri.  KSMU’s Michele Skalicky reports… 

Traffic between Ozark and Branson on Highway 65 will be reduced to two lanes starting next week.  KSMU’s Brittany Donnellan reports.

City Council has decided not to amend the smoking ban ordinance, but rather to allow the decision to head back to voters.  KSMU’s Matthew Barnes was at Monday night's council meeting and has this report.

This month is Social Work Awareness month. It’s a time to focus on the work done by social workers across the country.  This afternoon, as part two of our three-part series, we’re profiling a young man on the path to achieving his dream of becoming a social worker so that he can make more of an impact among the homeless community.  KSMU’s Melanie Foehrweiser has details.