News & Commentary

Has Oil Spill Cleanup Improved at All?

May 27, 2015 ExplainerCalifornia, WestBrian Palmer

Why are we cleaning up the Santa Barbara oil spill with shovels and buckets?

The Dirt on Dirt

May 13, 2015 ExplainerUnited States, InternationalBrian Palmer

The world’s soil helps us grow food and store carbon. So why are we letting it waste away?

Not a Creature Was Stirring—Except for the Power Meter

May 7, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Nearly one-quarter of home energy goes to energy vampires. Who can save us?

Dirty Departed

April 29, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Dear coal industry, stop reminiscing over outdated power plants. They’re holding you—and us—back.

The Blue-Light Special

April 28, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

Could aircraft lights in tune with bird vision help prevent costly and dangerous collisions?

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.)

The Black Death

April 20, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Does coal have a future in the United States?

The Silent Killer

April 17, 2015 ExplainerUnited States, International, New YorkClara Chaisson

Extreme heat kills more often than we think, and climate change is only going to turn it up a notch.

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.

You Really Fracked Up This Time, Feds

March 25, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Three ways the new drilling rules for federal lands fall short.

May it Sleaze the Court

March 23, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Utilities want the Supreme Court to reverse life-saving pollution standards on a technicality.

Social Media Slaughter

March 12, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

Social media and e-commerce sites are the new battlegrounds for the illegal wildlife trade.

Another Reason to Dislike Coal Companies

March 11, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesBrian Palmer

They're ripping off taxpayers.

Bird's Eye View

February 20, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJason Bittel

The story of one region’s seagulls reveals the enormous and surprising influence humans have on the environment.

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 Dept. of Solar Radiation Management

January 25, 2015 ExplainerUnited States, InternationalBrian Palmer

Is attempting to block the sun’s heat a good idea—or a reflection on our pathetic efforts to cut carbon emissions?

Trying on Sustainability

January 13, 2015 ExplainerUnited StatesJeff Turrentine, Elizabeth Royte

The companies that make and sell most of the world’s clothing insist they want to operate without endangering workers, polluting waterways, or using toxic chemicals. But clean practices can be a hard sell.

Coal Ash, Fly Ash, Bottom Ash, and Boiler Slag

January 9, 2015 ExplainerUnited States, InternationalBrian Palmer

A top-to-bottom tour of fossil fuel sludge.

Wrap Party

December 11, 2014 ExplainerUnited StatesSusan Freinkel

Looking for another reason to worry about fracking? We're going to bubble-wrap the entire planet with the overabundance of plastic it produces.