News & Commentary

America’s Failing Drinking Water System

October 5, 2023 ExplainerUnited States, Buffalo, Houston, Puerto Rico, California, FlintNicole Greenfield

First, Flint, Michigan; then, Jackson, Mississippi. Communities around the country wonder if their water quality problems will lead to the next national crisis.

Mount Vernon: Where Environmental Injustice Became a Sewage Nightmare

June 27, 2022 NRDC in ActionNew YorkNicole Greenfield

For decades, residents of this majority-Black suburb of New York City have been dealing with a noxious infrastructure crisis with little recourse. Finally, they’re getting some relief.

What Is Congestion Pricing?

May 25, 2022 ExplainerUnited States, New York City

Fees charged for driving on busy city roads reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality while also generating sorely needed funding for the transit systems that many people rely on for their daily commutes.

This Lawyer Is Leading the Fight for New York’s Clean Energy Future

May 25, 2021 NRDC in ActionNew York, New JerseyShelia Hu

Senior attorney Kimberly Ong is taking on the dirty fossil fuel industry in a state that has the eyes of the nation: “Where New York goes, other states have the chutzpah to follow.”

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.

A Translator for the Climate Crisis, Grief Included

May 4, 2020 NRDC in ActionNew York City, New York, Birmingham, AlabamaKaren L. Smith-Janssen

Writer, editor, teacher, and podcast host Mary Annaïse Heglar uses the art of storytelling to help people feel less alone in facing the climate crisis—and to build the movement for climate justice.

Mobilizer for Change

May 1, 2020 NRDC in ActionNew York CityCourtney Lindwall

Community manager Tejal Mankad is working to amplify the voices of today’s younger, more diverse environmental movement and to foster more awareness and action among NRDC’s 2.2 million social followers.

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.

Justice Warrior on the Affordable Energy Front

June 12, 2019 NRDC in ActionVirginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New YorkKaren L. Smith-Janssen

Dawone Robinson is righting the inequities that low-income communities of color face in accessing the benefits of energy efficiency—like more comfortable homes and lower energy bills, for starters.

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.

Making Art and Environmental Activism One and the Same

October 5, 2018 NRDC in ActionNew York, Illinois, ChicagoNicole Greenfield

Director of art partnerships Elizabeth Corr is the visionary behind NRDC’s artist-in-residence program, its museum collaborations, and its mission to fuse art and advocacy.

How Can I Fix Mold and Lead Paint Issues in My House on a Small Budget?

July 9, 2018 ExplainerUnited States, New York City

Both problems pose significant health risks, but many people grappling with them can’t afford major renovations—and can’t move out. NRDC attorney Albert Huang shows us the range of solutions to consider.

Why Women Rule NRDC’s Science Center

March 27, 2018 NRDC in ActionSan Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York City, Ahmedabad, India, United StatesJenny Shalant

And why female leaders tend to be more attuned to issues of environmental equity.

Why We Need the EPA

February 14, 2017 ExplainerPuerto Rico, New York City, United States, ClevelandBrian Palmer

Let’s not forget what America looked like before we had the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Our rivers caught on fire, our air was full of smog, and it stank (literally).

No Environmental Justice, No Peace

January 17, 2017 NRDC in ActionNew York, North DakotaMelissa Denchak

When social inequity is the issue, NRDC campaigner Rob Friedman falls back on the basics: people skills.

NRDC's Commitment to Green Starts with Its Offices

April 29, 2016 NRDC in ActionNew York City, Chicago, Santa Monica, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, BeijingMelissa Denchak

Each one of our six workplaces in the United States and China is a model of earth-friendly design.

Going Deep to Save Our Ocean Treasures

April 27, 2016 NRDC in ActionNew York, New JerseyLora Shinn

How NRDC helped form an unlikely alliance to help protect 38,000 square miles of unique habitat in the Atlantic.

Is Water a Human Right?

March 3, 2016 ExplainerUnited States, Flint, New York, Jackson, Michigan, MississippiBrian Palmer

A look at what U.S. and international laws have to say about our right to clean drinking water.

The Battle for Jamaica Bay

January 19, 2016 NRDC in ActionNew York City, New YorkNicole Greenfield

Pollution was killing one of New York City’s greatest natural treasures—until NRDC stepped in.

Busting the Mold

December 31, 2015 NRDC in ActionNew York City, New YorkSarah Engler

A landmark class-action lawsuit settlement has 400,000 New York City public housing residents breathing easier.