In our annual Future of the Environment issue, we take a look at the monumental problems facing our world as we continue into the 21st century, as well as solutions ranging from the audacious to the everyday to, quite literally, save the planet.
This year we turn much of our focus toward a bold blueprint for the city of the future. Check out our interactive tour of a future green megalopolis, the 10 most audacious engineering solutions for saving the planet, as well as the most problematic cities, industries, and projects looming on the horizon.
The Good News
A Green Megalopolis: The Plan
What does the eco-conscious megacity of tomorrow look like? Launch our interactive tour to find out
10 Audacious Ideas to Save the Planet
Making a dent in the climate crisis is going to take more than solar panels and recycled toilet paper. Scientists are finding ever more creative ways (pig pee! DIY tornadoes!) to clean up the Earth
Green DIY Guide
It’s not too late to reverse the damage. See some bold steps any DIYer can take
Charging Ahead
A smart power strip delivers just the right amount of juice
Riding Clean
Powered by environmentally conscious energy sources, these DIY vehicles put traditional gas guzzlers to shame
Google Earth Environment Guide
Crunching massive, geographical data visualizations used to require expensive mapping software and powerful computers. Now, Google Earth is becoming the go-to application for scientists who need a cheap way to animate huge sets of 3-D data right on their home desktop.
And the Bad News
Ten Problem Cities
Arsenic-laced drinking water, lead-contaminated soils and choking air pollution are sadly just the start in some of the world’s dirtiest places
Five Ways You’re Killing the Planet
The everyday actions that are wrecking the environment, and how you can quit.
The Five Dirtiest Industries
See how construction, Hollywood and even your town council are screwing things up
Five Looming Eco-Disasters
Five upcoming projects with potentially devastating environmental consequences