The Cool Down8/27/2026
Canadian woman's 52-year-old air conditioner wins contest for oldest working unit
"If you look after something, it will look after you."
Environment — Sustainability
Progress in protecting the planet — green energy, species recovery, ocean cleanup, and conservation wins
2385 stories
The Cool Down8/27/2026
Washington State expands low-cost heat pump program across 4 counties with $11.1 million
"These upgrades will also lower energy bills, improving affordability while also promoting resilience to the impacts of extreme weather."
The Cool Down8/27/2026
UK heat pump owners call cooling 'a revelation' as 95F days drop to 70F indoors
Testing has also shown that using heat pumps for cooling can work in real-world conditions.
The Cool Down8/27/2026
California dozer crews show how bulldozers help keep 95% of wildfires to 10 acres or less
"Every resource works efficiently in the first moments of a fire to keep it small."
The Cool Down8/27/2026
Why this custom laundry room was planned around the dryer vent, not the cabinets
Laundry room design decisions are easy to overlook, yet each one can influence day-to-day comfort, maintenance, and utility bills.
The Cool Down8/27/2026
San Antonio calf dubbed 'Moodini' escapes pasture, bolts from Walmart parking lot into drainage tunnel
"This bull calf apparently had little regard for municipal law."
The Cool Down8/27/2026
Two injured harbor seal pups released off Canadian coast after 3-month rehab
At intake on May 29, Jimmy Two-Shoes weighed 18.5 pounds and still had remnants of his umbilical cord.
The Cool Down8/27/2026
Nearly 14-foot king cobra rescued after family finds it hiding in their courtyard
These encounters are becoming seemingly common in India.
The Cool Down8/27/2026
After a tense hour, Assam rescuers pull highly venomous monocled cobra from tea-estate bungalow
Many conflicts are not random acts of aggression but the result of shrinking habitat.
The Cool Down8/27/2026
Blue mistflower can host 25 monarchs at once in Texas, native plant expert says
"From September through December, the amount of butterflies this thing attracts is honestly comical."
The Cool Down8/27/2026
Emaciated dog rescued from California parking lot finds forever home in a 'foster fail'
"I don't know for sure, but my hunch is that he, at some point, had a family because he was trained."
The Cool Down8/27/2026
At New Mexico's lone bear rehab, orphaned cubs learn to forage without their mothers
When bears repeatedly return to homes, livestock, or other human spaces, the consequences can be severe.
The Cool Down8/27/2026
UK police call reptile experts after snake hitches ride on patrol car
"I genuinely couldn't believe what I was seeing."
The Cool Down8/27/2026
This 1897 UK terrace has little insulation, but a heat pump still kept it warm through winter
"This house is exactly the sort of property people are often told isn’t suitable for a heat pump."
The Cool Down8/27/2026
California crews intercept boat coated in invasive golden mussels before it enters Folsom Lake
"If it gets there, it's going to be a problem."
The Cool Down8/26/2026
'Ditching oil ... pays off fast': Homeowner eyes heat pumps after spending $3,000 on winter oil supply
Swapping out an old system for an efficient heat pump can reduce costs substantially.
The Cool Down8/26/2026
Arizona's century-old 'swamp cooler' still cuts cooling costs in the driest heat
These coolers had spread across parts of the Southwest by the 1930s, including New Mexico and Nevada.
The Cool Down8/26/2026
Seaweed coating keeps strawberries fresh at room temperature longer than a fridge, study finds
The layer dries fully clear, and anyone who would rather not eat it can rinse most of it off.
The Cool Down8/26/2026
Massachusetts pantry uses haddock chowder to stretch food budgets, and boost protein options
The setup gave the pantry ready-made seafood meals that many clients were happy to receive.
The Cool Down8/26/2026
UK region opens no-cost group-buying program for rooftop solar, battery storage
"We must do what we can to help people cut their energy bills."