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Aerial view of the National Petroleum Reserve in northwestern Alaska

The Biden Administration Protects Millions of Acres of Arctic Alaska

April 19, 2024 Latest NewsAlaskaJenny Shalant

The new Special Areas Rule in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska could boost biodiversity and empower Indigenous Peoples to defend the lands they’ve relied on for generations.

Two adults and a child walk along a sandy shoreline

“Forever Chemicals” Called PFAS Show Up in Your Food, Clothes, and Home

April 10, 2024 ExplainerUnited StatesMolly M. Ginty, Courtney Lindwall

These toxic chemicals are so common in consumer products and manufacturing that they’re everywhere—including inside our bodies.

A river with green trees on either side, with yellow hills in the background

In Planning for Climate Change, Native Americans Draw on the Past

March 11, 2024 ExplainerUnited States, CanadaTim Vanderpool

Across North America, Indigenous tribes and nations are consulting their traditional ecological knowledge to help prepare for a warming world.

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How Long Does It Take to Get a FEMA Buyout for a Flooded Home?

September 12, 2019 ExplainerUnited States, KentuckyKeith Mulvihill

Millions of people in America could be displaced by rising sea levels and repeated flooding. Yet, as Kentucky resident Olga McKissic learned, it can take years to get the help needed to move to higher ground.

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.”

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.

Latin America Can Be a Climate Leader with Better Land Use

August 21, 2019 Expert BlogBrazil, Chile, Mexico, ColombiaCarolina Herrera

One climate priority where Latin America can and must make critical progress and show leadership is land use.

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.

Colorado Revs Up, Adopts Zero Emission Vehicle Program

August 16, 2019 Expert BlogColoradoDr. Simon Mui

Colorado joins 10 other states that have already adopted ZEV programs.

World Wildlife Conference: Last Chance for Vaquita

August 14, 2019 Expert BlogWest, California, MexicoZak Smith

The smallest porpoise species, found only in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico, has only around ten individuals left, making it the most critically endangered marine mammal on the planet.

Denver Doesn’t Want Its Edible Bounty to Go to Waste

May 22, 2019 DispatchDenverLora Shinn

Food waste and food insecurity are two sides of the same coin. This creative initiative aims to tackle both.

Hawaii Stands Up for Its Sharks With Fishing Ban

April 24, 2019 DispatchHawaiiStarre Vartan

The Aloha State is on track to become the first in the nation to ban shark fishing outright, creating a critical safe harbor for these threatened animals.

10 Denver Organizations Win Grants to Fight Food Waste

February 12, 2019 Expert BlogDenverElizabeth Balkan

With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, NRDC is providing grants to 10 local Denver businesses and non-profits, whose ongoing work will contribute to the achievement of our goals to reduce food waste in the capital of Colorado.

We Made It Only Two Days Into the New Year Before a Species Went Extinct

January 24, 2019 Latest NewsHawaiiJason Bittel

Hawaiians will never again hear the song of George the Snail. The fate of Achatinella apexfulva is a cautionary tale of decorative gardens, imported cannibals, and snail sex (or lack thereof).

Governor Polis Takes Bold Action to Advance EVs & Clean Air

January 17, 2019 Expert BlogColoradoDr. Simon Mui, Noah Long

Colorado's new governor is starting out the new year with a plan to reduce transportation carbon emissions to protect the environment and public health.

A Small Town’s Battle Against Radioactive Fracking Waste

January 9, 2019 DispatchKentuckyAustyn Gaffney

After an illegal dumping of close to 2,000 tons of dangerous sludge and contaminated materials across the street from two schools, a Kentucky community struggles with what to do next.

Facing Down the Ivory Sellers, Pangolin Poachers, and Giraffe Traders

December 10, 2018 NRDC in ActionNew York, California, Hawaii, United States, ChinaNicole Greenfield

Elly Pepper, deputy director of NRDC’s Wildlife Trade Initiative, says there’s much that U.S. advocates can do to end the illegal marketplaces endangering animals across the globe.

These Coloradans Want to Ditch Their Diesel School Buses

December 6, 2018 DispatchColoradoCorey Binns

Citing poor air quality and high asthma rates, local environmental advocates are pushing for a cleaner ride to school for their children.

The Festering Sanitation Crisis at Our Border

December 3, 2018 DispatchArizona, Mexico, CaliforniaTim Vanderpool

As the Trump administration ratchets up its rhetoric demanding billions for a wall, American communities along the Mexico border are in need of basic services, like reliable sewage treatment.