Rachel Beyer

1 week ago | thecooldown.com | Rachel Beyer

You probably don't hear much about timber theft, but it's a problem that causes more damage than you'd think, especially when it's on land that's supposed to be protected. One case in West Virginia, as WCHS TV reported, shows how serious the consequences can get. A man was sentenced for cutting down trees on public land and selling them for profit, which raises a lot of questions about how we take care of shared green spaces and whether the people who damage them are being held accountable.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Rachel Beyer

Egypt could soon receive more support in building out its clean energy plans. While visiting India in March, Egypt's Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Hassan El-Khatib, met with Ranjit Gupta, CEO of OCIOR Energy, according to an Egypt Oil & Gas report. Egypt is aiming to grow its renewable energy sector in a way that supports long-term jobs and investment. During the visit, El-Khatib and Gupta talked about expanding clean energy investments in Egypt.

2 weeks ago | thecooldown.com | Rachel Beyer

Honolulu's famous coconut palms are facing a serious threat. An invasive insect known as the coconut rhinoceros beetle has made its way into busy parts of the city, including areas near Ala Moana Beach Park. Experts say this could be just the beginning and that the beetles are difficult to stop. As reported by Civil Beat, the coconut rhinoceros beetle has been found in new parts of urban Honolulu, including near a major condo tower right by the coastline.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Rachel Beyer

If you've been thinking about getting solar panels, you've probably heard about the Tesla Powerwall. It's a home battery that stores extra solar energy so you can use it later, like at night or during a power outage. But is it worth the money? A CNET article found that the Powerwall 3 is cheaper than many other options right now. It said the Powerwall 3 costs about $1,065 per kilowatt-hour of storage — or around $14,400 total before installation, per EnergySage.

2 weeks ago | thecooldown.com | Rachel Beyer

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum thinks the United States should bring some old coal plants back online to keep up with electricity demand — made more pressing with the rise of energy-draining artificial intelligence. "We've got to keep every plant open," Burgum said during the CERAWeek energy conference, as Reuters reported.