An unusual late October Nor’easter puts a snowy twist on Halloween 2011.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful … oops, wrong holiday!

But you’ll excuse my confusion. Instead of tramping through rustling leaves, little ghouls and goblins from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts will be trudging through crunchy snow tonight on their trick-or-treat rounds. With school canceled in many towns, they’ve certainly had more time to work on their costumes. That is, if parents and officials deem it safe enough for them to venture out amid downed trees and power lines.

There are probably two reasons for the weird weather that constantly dominates recent news headlines.

M. Sanjayan, lead scientist of The Nature Conservancy, told the CBS Early Show today that there are probably two reasons for the weird weather that constantly dominates recent news headlines. The latest is the unusual snowfall seen along the Northeast on the weekend lead-up to Halloween. In some places, there was more than two feet of snow.

A new “progress report” by a U.S. government agency reiterates that our nation’s investments – including city, state, and private investments – are at risk.

With 10 natural disasters this year that have each cost more than $1 billion, the United States can now make the claim of being home to the most costly damage caused by extreme weather on Earth.

At Natex, apparently, they’re not just churning out “rubbers” and providing decent livings for local people, they’re helping to save the forests too.

“Welcome to the only factory in the world that makes condoms using natural latex,” proudly states the hair-netted young woman as she begins our tour. “We currently make 100 million condoms a year, but we plan to double that beginning next year.” Clearly, business is booming for Natex, a condom factory in the small town of Xapuri (sha-pu-ree) in the state of Acre, Brazil.

By approving what will be the nation’s first state-administered carbon market, set to be enacted in 2013, a key element of making all Californians healthier by reducing our carbon pollution is now a reality.

Starbucks says Central American coffee yields are down due to pests, storms and changing rainfall.

We spent three full days travelling to this place deep in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, and three more searching: slashing though thick tangles of vines, braving legions of biting ants, and wading waist-deep through murky waters. The gold we’re searching for are the numbers that will help us determine the amount of carbon stored in the world’s rainforests.

Weird weather like droughts and floods made for a scary season for some pumpkin growers in 2011.

In the short video at the top of this post, I provide a brief introduction to REDD+. Pay attention because there’s a quiz at the end! So tune in, and test your knowledge of this complex, but exciting, new idea. And, leave a comment on what you thought about the video below.

Colleagues from The Nature Conservancy share memories of Professor Wangari Maathai as activist for people, peace and tree planting