Our stories this week include:
Cleveland-Cliffs got $500M to decarbonize. It might use it to double down on coal: Cleveland-Cliffs is changing course from its plan to decarbonize its Middletown steelworks using hydrogen. Now, the manufacturer has applied for an air permit to prolong its fossil fuel-burning future for the next few decades. It hopes to pay for the project with hundreds of millions of public dollars. WYSO’s environment reporter Adriana Martinez-Smiley followed the issue.
Scientists realize high hopes at Ohio nuclear-site-turned-nature-preserve: This week on Today from the Ohio Newsroom - Ecologists have been transforming a southwest Ohio nuclear site into a nature preserve for two decades and using a slimy barometer to track their progress.
Springfield's mow-to-own program leads to 'cleaner, more vibrant neighborhoods' Mowing season is underway. And about a decade ago, the city of Springfield started a program to cut down on the number of vacant lots peppering its neighborhoods. It’s called the Mow-to-Own program – and it’s just what it says. Residents can mow a vacant or abandoned parcel for the season and then the city will give them the property. Kim Fultz is the Code Compliance Manager for Springfield. Speaking with WYSO’s Jerry Kenney, she details how it works, calling the program a win-win for neighbors and the city.
This small nonprofit has an outsized impact on the lives of trans Ohioans: This week on Translucent, Lee Wade highlights an Ohio-based nonprofit working statewide to support the rights and visibility of trans and gender-diverse people.
How seeing the Earth from above changed what we knew about life on the ground: UNESCO World Heritage Sites are special places around the world that are recognized for their outstanding cultural or natural importance. These sites are officially protected under an international agreement called the World Heritage Convention. In Ohio, several places have received this recognition. There is an interesting connection between how some of these sites were identified through early aerial photography and the work done at McCook Field and Wright Field. Dan Patterson has the story.
BirdNote: BirdNote tells vivid, sound-rich stories about birds and the challenges they face. Their mission is to "inspire listeners to care about the natural world — and take steps to protect it. As listeners tune in to the lives of birds, their connection with nature deepens. They become champions for conservation and stewards of places important to birds and people."
