drought A ‘Megadrought' Unrivaled in 1,200 Years is Challenging the American West The last time a drought of this magnitude hit the American west, it was 800 A.D. Charlemagne was reigning as Holy Roman Emperor over in Europe. NBCLX climate storyteller Chase Cain shows you how climate change led to the current “megadrought” and how it is impacting farmers.
desalination Desalination Turns Ocean Water Into Drinking Water — So Why Hasn't It Solved Droughts? More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, but only 0.5% it is actually accessible to us. Removing salt from ocean water, known as desalination, can create drinkable water during a time of extreme drought and soaring demand. So what’s the problem?
rebound How A Warming Climate Is Cooling Coffee Supplies You might have noticed that your morning cup of coffee is costing a lot more these days— nearly double since last year— and climate change is partly to blame. But small businesses like Nguyen Coffee Supply in New York and FRINJ Coffee in California are working to protect the industry with a more sustainable product.
social media Are Kids Addicted to Social Media? This State Wants to Make Platforms Pay “We’re in the middle of what appears to be a completely unprecedented mental health crisis predating COVID among America’s teens,” says Ed Howard of the Children’s Advocacy Institute. Howard explains how platforms like Instagram and TikTok are designed to keep you scrolling for as long as possible, plus a new California bill that would hold the apps’ developers accountable if...
gas prices US Gas Prices Reached a Record High, But Californians Have It Worst. Here's Why Gas prices across the country have surged in recent weeks, with San Francisco recently becoming the first U.S. city where gas costs over $5 a gallon on average. NBCLX storyteller Cody Broadway breaks down why prices are higher in California and whether drivers will have relief at the pump anytime soon.
SoFi Stadium Confusing, Epic, Bittersweet: SoFi Stadium Gets Mixed Reviews From Inglewood Locals SoFi Stadium, the $5.5 billion home of Super Bowl LVI, has made Inglewood, California, the site of the most expensive stadium in the world, and promised hospitality jobs and attention for an area that’s struggled with high crime and unemployment. But for city residents, it has also brought rising property values that threaten to price out some longtime residents and...
Chloe Kim Olympic Champion Chloe Kim: ‘Honestly, Snowboarding's the Only Thing I'm Good At' Growing up in California, Chloe Kim is always asked why she picked snowboarding over surfing or skating. But the Olympic gold medalist says she’s just grateful she found the sport that she loves.
animals These Beer-Loving Slugs Grow to Almost 10 Inches and Are Plentiful in Northern California Pacific banana slugs are the second-largest type of land-dwelling slug, growing up to almost 10 inches in length. Greg Bledsoe got a close-up look at these bright-yellow creatures during his Family Geography Project in Northern California’s Mendocino Woodlands.
California The Story Behind Von Dutch, the Hot Rod Brand of the '00s A new docuseries explores the once-global obsession with Von Dutch, a fashion label that drew inspiration from a hot rod car artist’s work and was seen on celebrities like Paris Hilton, Dennis Rodman and Halle Berry in the 2000s. Director Andrew Renzi tells us more about the series “The Curse of Von Dutch: A Brand to Die For,” out...
ocean pollution Meet the Marine Scientist Turning Ocean Trash Into Works of Art Marine scientist and artist Ethan Estess gets packages from people all over the country with waste pulled from the oceans that he then turns into art. The goal of his work is not just to clean up garbage and create art — but to draw attention to policies creating the waste. NBCLX contributor Greg Bledsoe brings his Family Geography Project...
