• Energy

Climate Change-Fueled Weather Increasing Power Outages

• blackout
• electric grid
• extreme weather
• heat
• microgrids

By Ashira Morris, ODP Staff Writer Last year, the average American household experienced eight hours without power, as storms hammered electrical systems built with less erratic climate conditions in mind. That average outage time is double what it was five years ago. But only looking at the average obscures the experience of people who lived […]

• Health

Lancet Says Climate Change Wreaks Havoc on Public Health

• COVID-19
• extreme weather
• heat illness

By Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer This week, the medical journal Lancet published their annual report on health in relation to climate change, subtitling it: “code red for a healthy future.” The report delves beyond the obvious effects of wildfires, hurricanes, and extreme weather events — looking at food security; livelihoods; human physical and mental […]

• Weather

Flooding Devastates Tennessee and Northeast U.S.

• extreme weather
• flash flooding
• tropical storm

By Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer In Tennessee, 22 people have been killed and dozens more have been declared missing after flash floods inundated the state. In the wake of this tragedy, emergency workers are searching door-to-door for missing persons. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Henri has induced heavy rain and flooding on much of the Northeast. […]

• Weather

Detroit Hit With Torrential Rain, Massive Flooding

• Detroit
• extreme weather
• Flooding
• Gretchen Whitmer
• Michigan
• rain

Detroit Flood 2021- what a mess and more rain is on the way ! @Local4News #flood #Detroit pic.twitter.com/jQtDk2doBD — Karen Drew (@KarenDrewTV) June 26, 2021 by Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer Over the weekend, seven inches of rain fell onto Detroit and Wayne County, Michigan, bringing devastating flooding that fully submerged cars on freeways and […]

• Weather

2021 Hurricane Season is Here, NOAA Predicts It Will Be “Above Normal”

• extreme weather
• FEMA
• Hurricanes
• NOAA

by Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer This year’s Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1 and lasts until Nov. 30, is about to bring a higher-than-average storm formation, just like last year, according to the NOAA. The agency predicted “above normal” hurricane activity, with a 70% probability of 13 to 20 named storms. Six to […]

• Climate Change

Oh No! Climate Change Threatens Global Tea Production

• black tea
• climate change
• Drought
• extreme weather
• farmers
• Flooding
• heat
• Kenya
• tea

According to a new report from Christian Aid, Kenya, which produces half of all black tea consumed by the UK, may lose a quarter of its growing capacity by 2050, and the tea that makes it into drinkers’ cups may taste a lot different than before.  The decline of tea farming has implications for economies worldwide, including Kenya, India, China, and Sri Lanka.

Why This Matters: Tea is the most popular drink other than water globally and the tea industry employs more than 3 million people in Africa alone.