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High Country News

High Country News

A nonprofit independent magazine of unblinking journalism that shines a light on all of the complexities of the West.

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HCN has covered the lands, wildlife and communities of the Western U.S. for more than 50 years. Get to know the West better by signing up to receive HCN’s on-the-ground reporting and investigations in your inbox.

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Sarah Sax

Posted inNovember 1, 2023: November 1, 2023

The climate crisis is pushing Washington’s prisons to the brink

by Sarah Sax and Christopher Blackwell November 1, 2023January 24, 2024

Why not let people out?

José Gregorio Díaz Mirabal, General Coordinator of the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA) speaks at the United Nations Permanent Forum of Indigenous Issues.
Posted inArticles

Free, prior and informed consent ‘is more than just a checklist’

by Sarah Sax April 21, 2023January 24, 2024

Avoiding a new wave of green colonialism is an urgent concern among attendees of the world’s largest gathering of Indigenous peoples.

Posted inJune 1, 2022: A Legacy of Weapons and War

When the heat is unbearable but there’s nowhere to go

by Sarah Sax June 1, 2022January 24, 2024

How last year’s record-breaking heat wave caused misery and chaos for Washington’s incarcerated population — and why it’s set to happen all over again.

Posted inArticles

What’s missing in California’s solar debate

by Sarah Sax March 10, 2022January 24, 2024

Energy justice advocates are pointing out a gaping hole in making renewable energy more accessible: community solar.

Posted inMarch 1, 2022: The Cloning Conundrum

Portland community leaders bring the heat to building standards

by Sarah Sax February 22, 2022January 24, 2024

An activist collective says making buildings carbon-free is just the start.

Posted inArticles

Wildfires’ unequal impacts on pregnant people

by Sarah Sax February 2, 2022January 24, 2024

An interview with one researcher studying the effect of wildfire on pregnancy outcomes in the West.

Posted inFebruary 1, 2022: Essential

The beauty and complexity of farm work in Washington

by Sarah Sax February 1, 2022January 24, 2024

Artwork created by farmworkers and their communities paints an authentic picture of farm labor in Washington.

Posted inFebruary 1, 2022: Essential

A just transition for farmworkers

by Sarah Sax February 1, 2022January 24, 2024

As agricultural laborers continue to bear the brunt of climate change, activists in Washington chart a new path for climate justice.

Posted inJanuary 1, 2022: Water Rights and Responsibilities

‘Cultural resources are not a renewable thing for us.’

by Sarah Sax January 1, 2022January 24, 2024

The West’s largest green energy storage project would destroy a Yakama sacred site. Now, the nation is fighting back.

Posted inJanuary 1, 2022: Water Rights and Responsibilities

A shellfish company gets into the weeds

by Sarah Sax December 28, 2021January 25, 2024

The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community shows how eelgrass and aquaculture can coexist in Puget Sound.

Posted inArticles

Winter without snow is coming

by Sarah Sax December 14, 2021January 24, 2024

Parts of the Mountain West could be nearly snowless for years at a time in just a few decades.

Posted inArticles

Bringing the fight against dams to COP26

by Sarah Sax November 12, 2021January 24, 2024

Indigenous activists and allies from Oregon to Chile are highlighting how dams harm the climate and Indigenous peoples worldwide.

Posted inArticles

Can younger generations spur corporations to divest from fossil fuels?

by Sarah Sax November 4, 2021January 24, 2024

Youth activists in Seattle call out banks and insurance companies for fueling the climate crisis.

Posted inArticles

Home after fire: A new housing model aims to give kids stability

by Sarah Sax October 8, 2021January 24, 2024

Wildfires often hit low-income, minority families the hardest. Talent, Oregon, offers a home-grown solution to the displacement that follows.

Posted inArticles

Why investing in libraries is a climate justice issue

by Sarah Sax September 13, 2021January 25, 2024

For vulnerable communities, libraries are increasingly becoming a refuge in times of disaster.

Posted inArticles

Why does the IPCC report matter?

by Sarah Sax August 13, 2021January 24, 2024

Researcher Amy Snover explains what the assessment says about climate change in the Northwest and how communities can prepare.

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Most popular stories

  • People brace for impacts on land, water and wildlife after feds fire thousands over holiday weekend
  • Trump’s funding cuts leave the nation vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire
  • ICE in your community? Here’s what to know.
  • Bringing black abalone back from the brink
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Featured Stories

People brace for impacts on land, water and wildlife after feds fire thousands over holiday weekend

People brace for impacts on land, water and wildlife after feds fire thousands over holiday weekend

ICE in your community? Here’s what to know.

ICE in your community? Here’s what to know.

Trump’s funding cuts leave the nation vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire

Trump’s funding cuts leave the nation vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire

The West in Perspective

AI on public lands and Biden’s environmental legacy

by Jonathan Thompson

We must protect our sacred lands

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