Amal Ahmed
By Amal Ahmed:
Climate Change Will Drive Up Energy Use in Texas and Beyond
Can a $2.5 Billion Bond Deal Fix Harris County’s Inequitable Flood Control?
The uneven patchwork of drainage infrastructure in Harris County means that some of Houston’s poorest neighborhoods are still waiting for basic flood protections.
When Raul bought his home in 1999, he had no way of knowing that just two years later, Tropical Storm Allison, as it inundated Houston with more than 30 inches of rain, would submerge his street in a northeastern neighborhood … Read More
Whiplash Weather in the Valley Brings Fears of Flood, Drought, and Wildfires
Parts of the Rio Grande saw major flooding early this summer. But it’s not enough to stave off talk of drought.
It’s a tired Texas truism: If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute. In mid-July, morning temperatures in the Dallas-Fort Worth area fell to 67 degrees, almost breaking a record low set more than 100 years ago. Earlier this … Read More
If a Glacier Melts in the Arctic, the Texas Coast Feels It
A Q&A with the two Rice University anthropologists who will dedicate the world’s first memorial to a glacier lost to climate change.
One of the many casualties of unchecked climate change is Arctic ice. Each year, the ice seasonally melts, but it has recently been receding faster in the summer than it can refreeze in winter. This rapid disappearance has accelerated sea … Read More
TCEQ Report Could Pave the Way for Chemical Plants to Emit More Hazardous Air Pollutants
A new assessment from the agency downplays the risks of ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen.
When the wind blows across Port Arthur, a predominantly African American city on the Gulf Coast, it’s likely carrying toxic gasses like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and benzene into residents’ lungs. Bordering the city are two sprawling oil refineries, one … Read More
Without Transmission Lines, Renewable Energy Still has a Long Way to Go — Literally
In Superpower, author Russell Gold tells the story of a Houston businessman’s ambitious plan to transform the electric grid.
If you want to understand the future of renewable energy, look to Texas. That’s the argument Russell Gold makes in his new book Superpower: One Man’s Quest to Transform American Energy. Texas is a global wind powerhouse, producing far more … Read More
Nurdle by Nurdle, Citizens Took on A Billion-Dollar Plastic Company — and Won
A federal judge ruled that a “serial” polluter in Lavaca Bay can face more than $100 million in penalties.
A federal judge ruled last Thursday that Formosa Plastics, a petrochemical company outside Port Lavaca, can be held liable for violating state and federal water pollution laws. According to a lawsuit filed in 2017, the company violated its environmental permits … Read More
