News & Commentary

A World Without Bees? Here’s What Happens If Bees Go Extinct

May 2, 2022 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Assessing our chances of survival without the prodigious pollinator.

Biden’s Clean Trucks Proposal Is Too Slow on Ditching Dirty Diesel

April 29, 2022 Latest NewsUnited StatesCourtney Lindwall

Communities in high-traffic corridors need trucks to stop polluting their air—and they need it now.

Biden’s Choice for the Council on Environmental Quality: Brenda Mallory

April 14, 2021 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

A top environmental lawyer, Mallory is the first African-American to oversee the system that keeps the public informed about projects—and pollution—in their communities.

Meet Michael Regan

March 11, 2021 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

Biden’s pick to head the EPA is a seasoned fighter in the battle for clean air and a champion for environmental justice.

Fossil Fuel Air Pollution Kills One in Five People

February 19, 2021 Latest NewsInternationalClara Chaisson

The global toll of premature deaths attributed to the burning of coal, gasoline, and diesel is breathtakingly high, with new research doubling previous estimates.

A Growing Concern: Microplastic Pollution on Farm Fields

February 2, 2021 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

Scientists are showing that we are sending tons of tiny plastic particles into our soils each year, potentially affecting crops and our health.

How to Start Saving the Planet in 100 Days: the Joe Biden Edition

January 25, 2021 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

Here’s what we want to see from our new president on the environmental front between now and May.

What Biden Should Get Done on Day One (or Close to It)

January 20, 2021 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

Our next president could address many pressing environmental and public health issues right away—some with just a stroke of the executive pen.

Wildfires Can Spark Widespread Contamination of Public Water Supplies

October 22, 2020 Latest NewsUnited StatesJodi Helmer

In communities devastated by fires, scientists have found extremely high levels of toxic chemicals, like benzene, in tap water.

Local Change Is Creating Big Impact

October 8, 2020 Latest NewsUnited States

A rundown of some of our most significant wins in communities across the country.

New York State Assembly Passes Ban on Toxic Teflon Chemicals in Food Packaging

July 23, 2020 Latest NewsNew YorkCourtney Lindwall

Most Americans already have detectable levels of PFAS in their blood. Prevention through protections like these are key.

Air Quality Is Worsening for Half of the World’s People

July 2, 2020 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

A new study shows that most of us humans are likely inhaling more air pollution each year.

Experts Urge People All Over the World to Stop Killing Bats Out of Fears of Coronavirus

June 2, 2020 Latest NewsInternationalJason Bittel

Attacking bats does nothing to protect people from COVID-19 and sometimes, it can make things worse.

Murder Hornets Are Scary. But Pesticides Are Scarier.

May 21, 2020 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

While everyone is freaking out about invasive hornets, the largest threats to America’s pollinators remain unchanged.

By 2070, More Than 3 Billion People May Live Outside the “Human Climate Niche”

May 14, 2020 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

If we don’t act now to curb climate change, we may be faced with the migration of a third of the world’s future population.

We Can’t Go “Back to Normal.” We Have to Get to Someplace Better.

May 1, 2020 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

As the world slows down in response to COVID-19, we’re being given the chance to recalibrate our systems toward justice, equity, and planetary health.

Trump’s Anti-Environment Agenda for 2020: When Opportunism Knocks

April 10, 2020 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

As the country focuses on fighting a pandemic and mourning its victims, the Trump administration sees a perfect time for showering the fossil fuel industry with gifts.

How Healthy Is America’s Public Health Infrastructure?

March 27, 2020 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

COVID-19 is revealing strengths—and weaknesses—that deserve our attention.

The Trump Administration Wants to Set Water Safety Back 50 Years

January 31, 2020 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

With their latest rollback, the president and the EPA chief show that they either don’t understand how water pollution works—or simply don’t care.

Australia Is Burning. Jakarta Is Drowning. Welcome to 2020.

January 10, 2020 Latest NewsInternationalJeff Turrentine

The planet is sending us an unmistakable signal that we need to wake up and take real action to combat the climate crisis. And this is the decade we need to do it.