News & Commentary

Farm-to-Glass Supports Organic Farming

November 16, 2023 Expert BlogWashington, D.C., Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Michigan, Maine, CaliforniaAllison Johnson

Cheers! NRDC and our partners toasted a good cause on Capitol Hill: growing organic!

Washington State Acts on Snake River Restoration

August 30, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, WashingtonGiulia C.S. Good Stefani

If the federal government proposes a pathway to comprehensive Snake River restoration, we will all benefit from the important planning and progress underway in Washington State.

Cover Crops for Every Climate

February 17, 2023 Expert BlogWest, Midwest, East, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Idaho, New Mexico, TexasLara Bryant, Dr. Daniel Rath

Cover crops are adaptable, valuable, and effective enough that farmers can benefit from them in every region of the United States—even cold or dry areas.

Equitable Building Decarbonization Across the Country: 2022

December 14, 2022 Expert BlogCalifornia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, OregonCaroline Keicher, Joe O'Brien-Applegate

Policies and programs aimed at new construction and existing buildings continue to gain traction as communities and elected officials realize the feasibility and benefits of ambitious and equity-centered action.

Washington on the Verge of “Cleanest Homes in the Nation”

September 29, 2022 Expert BlogWashingtonAlejandra Mejia Cunningham

The Washington State Building Code Council is poised to extend requirements that all new residential buildings must use high efficiency space and water heating equipment that can run on 100% clean power.

States Commit to Clean and Healthy New Buildings

May 17, 2022 Expert BlogWashington, ColoradoAlejandra Mejia Cunningham

These are two states that have recently felt the devastating consequences of the climate crisis and are now taking action to ensure their homes and buildings stop relying on polluting fossil fuels quickly as possible.

Oregon Looks to “Reach” Code for Energy, Carbon Savings

February 1, 2022 Expert BlogOregonRalph Cavanagh

Senate Bill 1518, to be considered during Oregon’s “short” February 2022 legislative session, is a critical pushback against the embedded lowest common denominator aspect of building codes when it comes to energy and climate.

Washington State Adds Emergency Rules to Protect Workers from Heat and Wildfire Smoke

August 13, 2021 DispatchWashingtonLora Shinn

But many advocates point out that to fully address our new climate reality, we also need national solutions.

The Kansas Energy Story—and Opportunity

April 22, 2021 Expert BlogKansasGabrielle Habeeb, Ashok Gupta

Kansas may not be the first state that comes to mind when you think “renewable energy powerhouse”—but it has become one.

How Cities Are Centering Equity in Benchmarking Policies

April 20, 2021 Expert BlogDenver, Colorado, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Seattle, WashingtonCaroline Keicher

A new resource from the City Energy Project—Incorporating Equity into Energy Benchmarking Requirements: Guidance for Policy and Program Practitioners—helps cities understand the opportunity to leverage benchmarking and transparency policies to address racial and social equity.

Stressed by Heat, Farmworkers Deserve Federal Protections

March 26, 2021 Expert BlogCalifornia, Washington, MinnesotaTeniope Adewumi-Gunn

Unprotected from many basic workplace rights and in the face of a growing climate crisis that threatens their well-being, farmworkers deserve federal safeguards from extreme heat and its dangerous effects.

Proposed Settlement Aims to Clean Up Mercury in the Penobscot River Estuary

March 19, 2021 Expert BlogMaineNancy Marks

After two decades of litigation, a proposed consent decree from Maine People’s Alliance, NRDC, and Mallinckrodt US LLC could accelerate the recovery of Maine’s largest river.

Seattle Gets Most Fossil Fuels Out of New Large Buildings

February 2, 2021 Expert BlogUnited States, Washington, SeattleElizabeth Stampe

Seattle’s City Council just voted unanimously to pass strong updates to the city’s building energy code that will significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels in new buildings.

A Catalyst for the Midwest’s Clean Energy Transition

December 1, 2020 NRDC in ActionKansas City (Kansas), St. Louis, Missouri, New York CityBrian Palmer

Ashok Gupta spent decades cleaning up New York’s grid and reducing its reliance on dirty fuels. Now he’s working to bring the clean energy future to the Midwest.

Farmers and Salmon Advocates Agree: It’s Time to Talk about the Snake River Dams

January 2, 2020 DispatchWashington, OregonJodi Helmer

What used to be an idea touted mainly by salmon fishers and environmentalists is bringing around some farmers who’ve long depended on barge shipping to get their crops to market.

America’s Dairyland May Have a PFAS Problem

October 11, 2019 DispatchMidwest, Wisconsin, MaineSusan Cosier

The toxic chemicals have been showing up in milk around the country, prompting midwestern farmers to take a closer look at their land.

Oregon Is Having a Tiny Home Boom

February 3, 2017 DispatchOregonBecca Cudmore

Some members of the small-house movement live off the grid—but Oregon’s cities want them to stay on it.

Greening the Playing Fields

March 14, 2016 NRDC in ActionPhiladelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland (Oregon), BostonAmanda MacMillan

How the sports industry became one of the planet's most powerful allies.