News & Commentary

The Pork in the Road

April 21, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBarry Estabrook

Two paths are before us—but only one leads to a sustainable future of healthful, humane food production. Which one to take? (Hint: Follow the pig with the spring in its step.)

Food Fetish

April 17, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesTracie McMillan

On our farms, in our stores, and at our dining tables, aesthetics and efficiency are at war. Everybody loses.

Beauty and the Best

April 17, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

Don't be fooled by superficial good looks: If you truly love food, you’ll accept it as-is, blemishes and all.

Climate Change Vs. the Blob

April 14, 2015 Latest NewsCaliforniaBrian Palmer

A new study says a stubborn blob of warm ocean water is exacerbating the California drought.

Bathroom Bandits

April 13, 2015 Latest NewsCaliforniaKatherine Ellen Foley

Law-breaking urinals? California's water rules will force new fixtures to toe the water line.

Pesticide Patrol

April 2, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

A new report says the most widely used weed killer probably causes cancer.

There Goes the Neighborhood

April 2, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

How humans use land is dramatically decreasing biodiversity worldwide.

12-Piece McNuggets, Hold the Antibiotics

March 4, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

McDonald’s just promised to serve us antibiotic-free chicken. Is its commitment credible?

The Fishing Industry on Acid

February 23, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Ocean acidification will hit coastal communities like these the hardest.

Back from the Dead Zone

February 23, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

Doing just a little to curb fertilizer pollution in the Mississippi could go a long way to breathing life back into the Gulf.

Off the Rails

February 17, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Oil trains keep jumping the tracks, setting towns ablaze, and contaminating water supplies. Here’s why.

Give Peas a Chance?

February 10, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

As lunchroom fights rage in Congress, some school officials are offering both carrots and sticks.

More Than a Drop in the Bucket

January 28, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

Making sure the Clean Water Act covers small streams and headwaters would protect the drinking water of millions of Americans.

The Sour Side of Strawberries

January 22, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

California is regulating a harmful pesticide used on strawberries and other crops, but does it go far enough?

Coal Miner's Slaughter

January 6, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Living in a coal town is hazardous to your health.

Stop Polluting Our Water, Ash Holes!

December 19, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

The EPA has finally set standards for hazardous coal ash pits. Too bad they’re not good enough.

The First Step Is Admitting You Have a Problem

December 5, 2014 Latest NewsUnited States

The EPA won’t acknowledge nutrient pollution from farms and sewage, because then it would have to do something about it.

Weed Eaters

November 24, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesAlisa Opar

These guys want you to eat weeds—and they’ll show you where to find ’em.

Slipping Through the Cracks

November 7, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

We’re losing billions of gallons of fresh, clean water thanks to leaky pipes.

Dam Shame

November 3, 2014 Latest NewsUnited States

Five of America’s worst.