California becomes first state to order solar on new homes
Most new units built after Jan. 1, 2020, will be required to include solar systems as part of the standards adopted by the California Energy Commission.
United States
This archive collects solutions-journalism stories and milestones from the United States — covering policy wins, community-led efforts, scientific advances, and social progress happening across the country. Each entry highlights what’s working and why it matters.
Ohio voters approve gerrymandering reform for U.S. House seats
Ohio voters approved a gerrymandering reform proposal Tuesday that would change how the state draws congressional district lines following the next US Census.
Hawaii legislature passes bill banning sunscreens containing chemicals that kill coral reefs
The Hawaiian state legislature just passed a bill that would ban the sale of sunscreens containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate. Research has shown these chemicals are toxic to coral.
Illinois Senate votes to require LGBT history curriculum be taught in schools
The Illinois Senate has approved a bill that requires public schools to teach “the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State.”
N.J. governor signs law requiring paid employee sick leave
New Jersey becomes the 10th state to enact sick-leave legislation. Under the law, employers are required to provide one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
Seattle vacates hundreds of marijuana charges going back 30 years
The City of Seattle on Friday filed a motion asking the court to vacate hundreds of marijuana possession convictions going back three decades and adversely impacting people of color.
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, dedicated to victims of American white supremacy, opens in Montgomery, Alabama
The Memorial overlooking the Alabama State Capitol demands a reckoning with one of the nation’s least recognized atrocities: the lynching of thousands of black people in a decades-long campaign of racist terror.
Wells Fargo commits $200bn towards low carbon projects by 2030
The US banking giant said more than $100bn of its commitment was earmarked for clean technology, renewable energy, green bonds, low emission transportation and other projects that “directly support the transition to a low carbon economy”.
U.S. wind energy sector now employs 105,000 people
The fast-growing clean sector now employs 105,500 men and women across all 50 states after a bumper year of 9 percent growth, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).
Google Cloud hits 100% renewable energy goal
“Over the course of 2017, across the globe, for every kilowatt hour of electricity we consumed, we purchased a kilowatt hour of renewable energy from a wind or solar farm that was built specifically for Google.”