News & Commentary

Nick Offerman "Face Plants" to Show Benefits of Cover Crops

September 20, 2023 Expert BlogLos AngelesArohi Sharma

Nick Offerman's quirky new video concludes with the tagline, "Don't treat soil like dirt," and is a key part of NRDC's campaign to promote cover crops in the next Farm Bill.

California Legislative Roundup

September 18, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaVictoria Rome

Key bills on climate accountability and health reach Newsom’s desk

How Missing Water System Boundaries Affect Our Communities

September 15, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, CaliforniaSusan Lee

The lack of public water system boundary information in the United States puts public health at risk.

New Report Details Strategies for Tackling Building Embodied Carbon

September 13, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaLauren Kubiak, Jaden Kielty

A new report released today from Arup in partnership with NRDC details the policies adopted and needed to reduce emissions from embodied carbon in California.

New Bill Marks Climate Transition for California Landscapes

September 12, 2023 Expert BlogCalifornia, NevadaEd Osann

Irrigating ornamental turf grass at non-residential locations will be phased out, beginning in 2027.

AB 1373: Vital to Meeting CA’s Energy Goals Reliably and Affordably

September 6, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaMohit Chhabra, Merrian Borgeson

AB 1373 includes important tools to bring new and diverse energy resources online and keep California’s energy transition on track.  

With AB 363, California Can Continue Momentum to Protect Bees

September 1, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaLucas Rhoads

By passing a bill to rein in non-agricultural uses of bee-killing neonics, California can build on a good year for pollinator protections. 

CARB Must Reform LCFS Program

August 23, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaKiki Velez

Will CARB listen to the community voices calling for change to the LCFS Program?

Breathing Easy: Truckers’ Health and the Rise of Zero-Emission Trucks

August 18, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, CaliforniaGuillermo A. Ortiz

Truck drivers face a hidden health crisis due to diesel exhaust emissions. Zero-emission trucks can safeguard drivers’ well-being while bringing positive changes to the industry and the planet.

The Canal: Underserved Community Organizes for Climate Justice

August 18, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaJocelyn Rojas

Below the hills of Marin County, residents in the shoreline Canal district build toward climate resilience through community-led sea level rise adaptation.

From Highways to Healthy Communities

August 17, 2023 Expert BlogFresno, Los Angeles, CaliforniaZak Accuardi

Following the Federal-Aid Highway Act's signing in 1956, California fully built out its interstate and state highway system, expanding mobility access for car-owners, stimulating economic development, and creating thousands of jobs. But these benefits came with unacceptable and avoidable costs.

California Walks Away from Hundreds of Millions of Dollars for Safe Drinking Water

July 28, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, CaliforniaCorinne Bell

The federal government has dedicated $15 billion to removing lead from our drinking water systems, but California is leaving funds on the table.

California Climate & Energy Policy Update: Summer 2023

July 27, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaMerrian Borgeson, Michele Knab Hasson

California has made strides in reducing emissions, spurred by the increasingly devastating impacts of climate disruption communities across the globe.

Golden State Natural Resources’ Biomass Boondoggle

July 19, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, CaliforniaRita Frost

Community leaders, environmental groups, and residents oppose greenwashed biomass production and export scheme in California.

Organic Needs a Boost in the Farm Bill

July 12, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, California, Iowa, Washington, D.C.Allison Johnson

Our public investments in organic food production have not kept pace with the organic sector’s growth – and that’s a missed opportunity for domestic economic development. The Opportunities in Organic Act would help U.S. farms meet consumer demand by reducing…

Equitable Rate Reform FAQ

June 30, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaSylvie Ashford, Mohit Chhabra

Improving how we pay for shared electric system costs in California

Connecting Youth to Nature Supports Equity and Climate Change Goals

June 29, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaChris Clark

Helping youth overcome barriers and connect to blue spaces supports current equity goals and lays the foundation for a bright future in the climate movement

Want to save the planet? Save the bus

June 7, 2023 Expert BlogCalifornia, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose (California)Zak Accuardi

California, with the fifth largest economy in the world, is at risk of steering public transit off a fiscal cliff. It's time for the State's leaders to take action to protect transit riders and transit jobs.

California Pesticide Bills on the Move—Again

June 2, 2023 Expert BlogSacramento, CaliforniaLucas Rhoads

The California Assembly  passed two bills that would help address widespread contamination of the state’s environment with pesticides like neurotoxic neonics.

CA Assembly Passes Climate-Resilient Food & Farming Bill

June 1, 2023 Expert BlogCaliforniaArohi Sharma

To help reduce agriculture-related emissions and create a more resilient food system, Assemblymember Lori Wilson introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 408, the Climate-resilient Farms, Sustainable Healthy Food Access, and Farmworker Protection Bond Act of 2024. The Assembly passed AB 408, sending…