News & Commentary

When Art Captures the Wind and the Rain—and a Bit of Ourselves

March 16, 2020 PerspectivesConnecticutPatrick Rogers

“Weather Report” fills a Connecticut museum with the works of 25 artists who explore what’s happening in the atmosphere and, inextricably, to us.

The Art of Agnes Denes May Be as Big (and Long-Lasting) as Her Legacy

March 10, 2020 PerspectivesNew York CityPatrick Rogers

In her mixing of art, mathematics, and environmentalism, Denes has been making “future works” since the 1970s.

What Does the Plastic Bag Ban Mean for New Yorkers?

February 27, 2020 ExplainerNew York, United StatesCourtney Lindwall

Here’s everything you need to know before plastic carryout bags disappear from the Empire State on March 1.

For a Rare Woodpecker in the Longleaf Pine Forest, It's a Hard-Knock Life

January 21, 2020 DispatchFlorida, EastRobynne Boyd

Conservationists have worked hard to help the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker recover, but say there’s still lots more to do. The government seems to disagree.

A Fearless Defender for Our Future

January 6, 2020 NRDC in ActionBoston, Washington, D.C., United StatesJeff Turrentine

President and CEO Gina McCarthy started out as a public health agent in small-town Massachusetts, rose to become head of the EPA under Obama, and now guides NRDC into its next chapter.

Needing Water, Georgia Stirs Up a 200-Year-Old Dispute With Its Northern Neighbor

October 29, 2019 DispatchGeorgiaAustyn Gaffney

As droughts parch the Southeast, interstate squabbles heat up over the Tennessee River (and the Chattahoochee . . . and the Flint . . . and the Apalachicola).

The Fate of This Coral Species Rests in a Dark Room in Tampa

October 28, 2019 Latest NewsFloridaJason Bittel

Scientists have coaxed Atlantic pillar corals to spawn in captivity for the first time—a breakthrough that could save the species from extinction.

Damage from Florida Everglades Oil Hunt Persists

October 3, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, FloridaAlison Kelly

A Lack of Balance: Runoff and Harmful Algal Blooms

September 9, 2019 Expert BlogCalifornia, Los Angeles, New JerseyCorinne Bell

There’s a lot local agencies and regulators can do to help prevent algae blooms that threaten public health.

Are Kentucky Farms Under Attack from Flocks of Ravenous Vultures? Not Quite.

September 6, 2019 ExplainerUnited States, KentuckyJason Bittel

Scientists respond to an Associated Press article that paints black vultures and turkey vultures as “flying fiends.”

Explore the New England Marine Monument From Your Armchair

September 4, 2019 Expert BlogEastBrad Sewell

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is conducting a live exploration of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument for the first time since its designation three years ago.

House to Vote on Banning Offshore Drilling

September 2, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, FloridaAlexandra Adams

A chance to protect our oceans, coasts, and economies.

Showing Migrating Monarch Butterflies Some Southern Hospitality

August 26, 2019 DispatchMexico, Texas, HoustonRobynne Boyd

Non-native tropical milkweed fuels monarchs on their journey through southern states, but when cooler weather hits, the plant can bring parasites and starvation. Here’s what butterfly-loving southerners can do.

When Will the Endangered Florida Panther Catch a Break?

August 22, 2019 Expert BlogFloridaAlison Kelly

We must demand action by fighting any rollbacks of Florida Panther protections under the Endangered Species Act and oppose further development of its remaining habitat. The survival of this iconic cat depends on it.

An Artist Who Finds Uncommon Meaning in Common Trees

August 21, 2019 PerspectivesNew York CityPatrick Rogers

Hugh Hayden’s exquisite wooden sculptures and installations comment on race, immigration, and the American environment.

The Ohio River Defines the Borders of Five States—But Its Pollution Doesn’t Stop at State Lines

August 21, 2019 DispatchPennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, IllinoisSusan Cosier

In a move that could open the door to industrial waste and interstate squabbles, the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission is making its water quality standards voluntary.

You Can Now Weigh In On New Right Whale Protections

August 19, 2019 Expert BlogEastDr. Francine Kershaw

There are now around only 400 right whales left and less than a quarter of those are breeding females. At the current rate of decline, we will lose our iconic East Coast whale forever in just a few decades.

Could the Climate Crisis Spell the End for Maine Lobster?

August 19, 2019 DispatchMaineNicole Greenfield

The state’s thriving lobster industry owes a lot to smart fishery conservation measures implemented over the past three decades. But given the Gulf of Maine’s rapid warming, how far can these interventions go?

NYS Paint Waste Bill Awaits Cuomo’s Finishing Touch

August 13, 2019 Expert BlogNew YorkEric A. Goldstein

Leftover paints—one of the more problematic items in the municipal waste stream—are likely to be fished out of millions of garages and basements from Montauk to Niagara Falls and disposed of properly, thanks to a forward-looking law recently passed by…

More Land Use for Bioenergy Risks People and Planet

August 8, 2019 Expert BlogInternational, EastSasha Stashwick

A new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on climate change and land use sounds the alarm about the risks of turning large swaths of land around the world to grow crops for various forms of so-called…