Data, Reports & Resources

NRDC is a leader and trusted source in environmental policy and research. 

From reports to issue briefs, we ensure accountability through peer review led by our Science Office, which provides data and scientific analysis that help shape and guide NRDC’s policies and positions. We also offer a range of other resources, such as 101 guides and consumer-focused scorecards to increase access to knowledge about how everyone can be a catalyst for change. 

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A man picks a tomato from a dumpster filled with discarded food.

Food Waste 101

GuideUnited StatesShelia Hu
An overview of why we throw away so much food, how it impacts people and the planet, and what we can do to waste less.
A bee landing on a blooming purple flower

Neonics: The Toxic Truth

Fact SheetUnited States, Minnesota, Michigan, California, ColoradoAllison Johnson, Daniel Raichel, Lucas Rhoads, Lena Freij
Pesticides kill bees, pollute water, and threaten our health.
A plastic cup among a pile of wet leaves and branches on the ground

Single-Use Plastics 101

GuideUnited StatesCourtney Lindwall
Here’s everything you need to know about the most ubiquitous (and avoidable) kind of plastic waste: the kind made to be tossed in mere minutes.

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Flint Water Crisis: Everything You Need to Know

GuideFlintMelissa Denchak
After officials repeatedly dismissed claims that Flint’s water was making people sick, residents took action. Here’s how the lead contamination crisis unfolded—and what we can learn from it.

Jackson Water Crisis

Fact SheetMississippi, JacksonSarah Tallman, Kimberly Leefatt
The drinking water system in Jackson, Mississippi, has suffered from serious safety and reliability problems for decades. Despite recent attention from federal officials, including a lawsuit filed against the city of Jackson in late 2022, the water system’s problems have…

Causes and Effects of Lead in Water

GuideUnited States, Flint, Michigan, IllinoisKeith Mulvihill

How this harmful neurotoxin got into our taps and what it’ll take to get it out.

Waiting Game: How the Interconnection Queue Threatens Renewable Development in PJM

ReportUnited States, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C.Dana Ammann
New NRDC analysis has found that even under recent reforms, the country’s largest grid operator is unlikely to approve new renewable projects quickly enough to meet even mandatory minimum state standards.

Fighting for Safe Drinking Water in Flint

OverviewMichigan, Flint
Partnering with NRDC and ACLU, residents of Flint, Michigan took their local government to court in a battle for safe drinking water.

Lead Pipes Are Widespread and Used in Every State

SurveyUnited States, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Missouri, Wisconsin, Indiana, Texas, MinnesotaErik D. Olson, Alexandra Stubblefield
An NRDC survey estimates that there are at least 12.8 million water pipes that are, or may be, lead, spread across the entire country. Use our map to find out about your state.

Water Webinars 2020: Sharing Experiences Across the Americas

OverviewChile, Mexico, United States, CaliforniaAmanda Maxwell, Ed Osann, Tracy Quinn, Corinne Bell, Becky Hammer, Claire O'Connor, Joan Leary Matthews
NRDC and local partners are organizing a series of webinars about ensuring that more people and ecosystems are able to access clean water.

What's in Your Water? Flint and Beyond

ReportUnited States, Michigan, FlintErik D. Olson, Kristi Pullen Fedinick
The devastating lead contamination of the tap water in Flint, Michigan highlights potentially disastrous gaps in the provision of safe drinking water to all Americans—especially the most vulnerable.

The Clean Power Plan and State Pathways to Cutting Carbon Pollution

Issue BriefUnited States, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Montana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, VirginiaAriana Gonzalez, Ashok Gupta, Noah Long, Luis Martinez, Katharine McCormick, Walton Shepherd, Dylan Sullivan, Mark Szybist, Samantha Williams, Starla Yeh

Promote Clean Energy in Latin America

OverviewChile, Colombia, Costa Rica, MexicoCarolina Herrera, Amanda Maxwell
NRDC experts are working with local leaders to reduce their nations’ dependence on dirty and unreliable energy sources by using public policy, innovative technologies, and finance solutions.