November is National Adoption Month, a time to boost awareness of the need for adoption and the number of children in foster care seeking permanent homes. Throughout the month, Indiana courts will hold hearings on pre-scheduled days to legalize adoptions for families who have successfully completed the requirements. Michelle Savieo, Indiana Adoption Program manager for the Department of Child Services, said the courts have celebrations, and bring in providers who can offer resources to these families. .
By Anya Kamenetz for Grist.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collaboration Jesika Gonzalez will tell you that she wasn t the biggest fan of Porterville, California, while she was growing up. "When I was younger, I was very, like, angsty," the 18-year-old said as she flicked her purple hair over her shoulder. "Whatever, this town s small, nothing to do." Porterville is a predominantly Hispanic working-class town in the Central Valley of California, where environmental hazards include some of the worst air quality in the state; the past year s torrential rains that inundated hundreds of acres of farmland; and a heat wave that pushed temperatures past 110 degrees Fahrenheit this July. " .
This Saturday, North Carolinians who are dedicated to fighting climate change and air pollution will be honored at the annual CleanAIRE Affair fundraiser. CleanAIRE NC, a nonprofit environmental group, will present the 2023 Blue Sky Awards to recognize their honorees commitment. Yancey Fouché, director of sustainability at Davidson College, is among this year s honorees. .
A new government report highlighted the urgent need to keep food waste out of landfills, noting 30% to 40% of food produced in the U.S. is never eaten. The percentage of food waste is especially alarming for states with the highest rates of food scarcity such as New Mexico. .
A new analysis found Utah oil and gas companies waste an estimated $48 million worth of natural gas per year, enough to meet the annual needs of more than a fifth of residential customers in Utah, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. The large majority of the gas, 87%, is lost due to leakage from producers. Ashley Miller, executive director of the nonprofit Breathe Utah, said leakage needs to be addressed to ensure better air quality and protect the overall health of Utahns and the environment. .