Environment & Science

It might seem counterintuitive, but harvesting holiday trees year after year is better for the environment than using an artificial one, experts said, especially amid the proliferation of plastic piling up in landfills.

Officials on Wednesday reviewed several preliminary transportation policy strategies for the Valley's priority climate action plan. The plan’s focus is to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions across the region.

More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, receiving about 7% of the total funding awarded. Statewide, $335 million in grants were announced Wednesday.

"Turn around, don't drown", warned a spokesperson for PennDOT. More than once today, people in the Valley have had to be rescued from their cars after driving into water that shut their engines off, trapping the drivers.

Some parts of the Lehigh Valley saw more than four inches of rain from Sunday into Monday, with precipitation still falling.

Schools are closing early and a large swath of the region is under a flood warning until at least 3:15 p.m. as the storm system that inundated the area overnight moves north.

The winter, or December, solstice takes place this year between sundown on Dec. 21 and sunrise Dec. 22

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission at 11 a.m. on Wednesday is holding a meeting at its Allentown office to brainstorm and prioritize ways to decarbonize transportation across the region. Decarbonization is the process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.

Many spots could receive 2 to 3 inches of rain, forecasters warn, with areas of flooding possible Sunday night as another coastal storm targets the region.

Amid the joy and festivities, environmental advocates are urging residents to keep sustainability in mind during what can be a time of year when trash and waste spikes.

The dry, scorching start to September will slowly begin to ease on Thursday as severe weather takes aim at the Lehigh Valley.

Relief from the brutal heat and humidity has been pushed to later in the week, forecasters say. Wednesday's temperatures will climb into the 90s with heat indexes inching past 100 degrees.

A Red Cross volunteer from the greater Lehigh Valley just got back from assisting displaced people in Hawaii following devastating wildfires there. Her job was to try and reconnect families.

Olivia Teel became the city’s forester in June. A native of the Lehigh Valley, who also studied environmental science at a local university, Teel’s devotion to the environment extends past working hours.

The Lehigh Valley's public pools will all be closed come Labor Day, rounding out a rather unusual August. But with blazing temperatures coming up at the beginning of September, it's vital to keep an eye out for heat exhaustion.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

During National Preparedness Month, those with the American Red Cross are helping people stay ready for anything. They say they are responding to twice as many disasters than they were 10 years ago.

WLVR's Ryan Gaylor talks with reporters Molly Bilinski and Olivia Marble.

Sunny days and warm temperatures are ahead in the Lehigh Valley forecast. Outdoor plans for the Labor Day weekend should go off without a hitch.

While three out of four Lehigh Valley residents are either “very” or “somewhat” concerned with loss of open space, about a third expressed concerns about the quality of air and drinking water in the region. Read the latest in our "Life in the Lehigh Valley" series.

The panel approved the motion 3-2, rezoning 275.7 acres of farmland near Bethlehem Landfill from Rural Agricultural to Light Industrial. While some residents are outraged, officials say tax rates will stay low.

The program empowers high schoolers to be local leaders when it comes to caring for the environment.