Sustainability at the Smithsonian

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Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Centering Relationships Between People and Place: A Critical Step Towards Improving Science's Contributions to Society

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National Museum of the American Indian

Connecting Community and Collections

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Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Harnessing the Wisdom of Indigenous Communities for Marine Conservation

A swarm of yellow fish and silver fish with yellow tailfins swim around a coral reef

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Adult Fish Aren't Truly 'Protected' in Many Marine Protected Areas

American bison

Earth Optimism

Six Animals the Smithsonian Has Helped Save From Extinction

Black monkey perches in a tree staring directly at camera

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Eight Weird and Wondrous Discoveries From 2023

Underwater photo of a pink and gold coral reef in bright blue water, with small blue and yellow fish. A blurry reflection of the reef appears in the water at the top of the photo.

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

New Study Reveals Large Holes In America’s Ocean Protection. Here’s How We Can Fix Them.

Sustainability News From Smithsonian Magazine

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More Than 98 Percent of Costa Rica’s Energy is Renewable—Here’s How

The Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station. Geothermal power has long been popular in volcanic countries like Iceland, where hot water bubbles from the ground.

INNOVATION

Is Geothermal Power Heating Up as an Energy Source?

Workers install solar panels on the roof of King's College Chapel in Cambridge, England.

SMART NEWS

How King's College Added 438 Solar Panels to a 500-Year-Old Chapel

The Aria Resort & Casino, a striking pair of curved buildings on the Las Vegas Strip, bills itself as eco-friendly and water-efficient.

INNOVATION

Las Vegas Is Going All In on Its Water Conservation Plan

Minerals and algae form patterns in the scalding hot water at Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park's Midway Geyser Basin. Yellowstone National Park has more than 10,000 thermal features, making it the largest concentration of active geysers in the world.

INNOVATION

How a Microbe From Yellowstone's Hot Springs Could Help Feed the World

Climate Change News

Poppy Field, Claude Monet, 1873

SMART NEWS

Climate Activist Vandalizes a Monet With an Apocalyptic Image

A partially dried bed of Lake Pátzcuaro in Michoacán, Mexico. Rising temperatures and decreased rainfall are contributing to droughts in the area.

SMART NEWS

Mexico City's Reservoirs Are at Risk of Running Out of Water

A couple of atypically colorful logbook pages from the Bengal of Salem, Massachusetts, housed at the Providence Public Library. The ship sailed around the Pacific Ocean from 1832 to 1835.

SCIENCE

How a Trove of Whaling Logbooks Will Help Scientists Understand Our Changing Climate

From 1979 to 2020, severe turbulence in some locations increased by as much as 55 percent, according to a 2023 study.

SMART NEWS

Climate Change Is Making Airplane Turbulence More Common and Severe, Scientists Say

An orange tributary of the Kugororuk River.

SMART NEWS

Alaska's Rivers Are Turning Orange as Thawing Permafrost Releases Metals Into Waterways

Baobab trees can reach 100 feet tall, and they support entire ecosystems and communities with their large structures and natural resources.

SMART NEWS

Scientists Uncover the Ancient Origins of Baobab Trees in Genetic Study

A tuna crab on the sand in San Diego in 2002, a year when large numbers of the creatures washed up on shore.

SMART NEWS

Why Are Tuna Crabs Swarming Off the Coast of San Diego?