News & Commentary

Meet the activists and NRDC staff propelling change, read our expert analysis, and learn about the latest challenges and solutions to advancing a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable world.

Latest News

Stay on top of the latest research, policy updates, publication releases, and environmental news. 

Explainer

Get a breakdown of complex climate, public health, nature, and equity topics to inform your activism.

Dispatch

Read about activists tackling climate justice and other environmental causes in their communities and beyond.

Perspectives

Discover intersectional viewpoints from activists and artists on the environmental issues of the moment.

NRDC in Action

Find out how NRDC protects people and the planet by learning about some of our key fights.

Expert Blogs

Hear from our policy advocates, scientists, and litigators about the challenges and solutions for building a healthier and more just world.

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Climate Change Is Worsening Houston’s Housing Crisis

DispatchHouston, TexasTim Vanderpool
Since Hurricane Harvey, homelessness has gone up, some public housing residents are living in severely damaged homes, and others have been cast out to remote suburbs—to the detriment of local well-being and the economy.

Before Flint, Before East Chicago, There Was Smeltertown

DispatchFlint, Indiana, Texas, NewarkLauren Villagran
After a 1970s CDC study showed that the mostly Mexican-American population of this Texas town had dangerously high blood lead levels, its buildings were demolished and its residents were booted.

The Petcoke Problem: Where to Store the Risky Tar Sands Refining By-Product

ExplainerUnited States, Canada, Chicago, Detroit, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Virginia
Petroleum coke, typically stored outdoors in big open piles, can blow right into nearby homes and cause serious health problems. Unsurprisingly, communities are fighting Big Oil to keep this noxious material out of their backyards.

Airplanes vs. Bullet Trains: The Race Is On in Texas

Latest NewsTexasJeff Turrentine
Fifty years ago, Southwest Airlines revolutionized regional air travel. Now another Texas-based business is launching a counterrevolution on the ground—and the carbon savings could be huge.

The Long Road to Safer School Buses

NRDC in ActionWashington, California, New Jersey, TexasAmanda MacMillan
A landmark NRDC study showed that standard-issue diesel-spewing school buses could put kids at risk of cancer—and drove a national effort to clean the vehicles up.

Healing the Anacostia's Troubled Waters

NRDC in ActionWashington, D.C., MarylandJeff Turrentine
After two centuries of neglect, NRDC is helping revitalize Washington, D.C.'s forgotten river.

The Soil Savior

DispatchTexasJeff Turrentine
A Texas farmer is bucking tradition by putting soil health above all else. The result? Water-retaining, nutrient-rich pay dirt.

6 Cities That Are Ready for Climate Change

ExplainerNew York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Portland (Oregon), San AntonioKim Castleberry
By embracing green infrastructure, these urban areas have a solid defense against increased drought or flood.

NIMBY By Any Other Name

DispatchMarylandJeff Turrentine
Light-rail proponents in Maryland just won support from their Republican governor. Why is a self-styled “environmental” group standing in their way?

Yes, in Your Backyard

PerspectivesTexasBrian Palmer
Texas tells local governments not to mess with oil and gas.

Toxic Two-Step

DispatchTexasJeff Turrentine
When politicians and corporate polluters step onto the dance floor in Texas, the state’s environmental agency provides the music.