News & Commentary

Will California Say Bye-Bye to the Plastic Bag for Good This Time?

September 23, 2016 DispatchCaliforniaBecca Cudmore

Two ballot initiatives involving the bag ban are on the ballot this November—but one of them is not what it seems.

The Food That Once Saved Condors May Now Be Poisoning Them

August 19, 2016 Latest NewsCaliforniaJason Bittel

A new study finds that condors that dine on the bodies of marine mammals consume worrying levels of toxic chemicals such as DDT.

Sometimes Art Has to Get Gritty—Especially When Big Oil Provides the Muse

August 10, 2016 PerspectivesChicagoSusan Cosier

A new exhibit displays the many forms of petcoke and the Chicagoans determined to rid it from their communities.

Reducing the Nuclear Threat

May 18, 2016 NRDC in ActionPennsylvaniaMelissa Denchak

Since the 1970s, NRDC has been fighting to protect the earth—and its citizens—from the serious risks that come with nuclear power.

Getting the Lead Out of Gasoline Around the Globe

March 24, 2016 NRDC in ActionUnited States, AfricaPatrick Rogers

How NRDC spearheaded the solution to an “impossible” environmental problem and protected the health of millions of children.

The Dirt on Antibacterial Soaps

March 15, 2016 NRDC in ActionUnited StatesNicole Greenfield

After almost 40 years and an NRDC lawsuit, the FDA is about to burst the triclosan bubble.

2,4-D: The Most Dangerous Pesticide You've Never Heard Of

March 15, 2016 ExplainerUnited StatesDanielle Sedbrook

This toxic herbicide comes with known health risks, but it’s still being used on crops, in parks, and maybe even in your own backyard.

All About Alar

March 14, 2016 NRDC in ActionUnited StatesMelissa Denchak

How a growth regulator sprayed on apple trees inadvertently became a major player in NRDC's fight to protect children from toxic pesticides.

Whole Foods Jumped the Shark with Plastic-Enclosed Oranges — But “Convenience” Is Not the Enemy

March 11, 2016 Latest NewsUnited StatesJeff Turrentine

A grocery-store gaffe sparks an ethics debate over plastic packaging and the merits of convenience foods.

Why Is it So Easy for Officials to Cover Up Drinking Water Scandals?

March 8, 2016 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Vague regulations let government officials hide drinking water contamination from the public.

What’s In Your Pajamas?

January 21, 2016 PerspectivesUnited StatesRocky Kistner

A new film follows a father on his quest to uncover the industrial chemicals his daughters encounter via everyday products.

Toxin Avenger

January 18, 2016 DispatchUnited StatesSarah Engler

By following hundreds of children from the womb through adolescence, Dr. Frederica Perera has become a public-health superhero.

The Fight Against Flame Retardants

January 18, 2016 NRDC in ActionCaliforniaAlexandra Zissu

Thanks to a long-overdue regulatory update and a new labeling law, shoppers can finally find safer furniture.

Fixing the Fashion Industry

January 5, 2016 NRDC in ActionChinaSarah Murray

The overseas textile mills that make our clothes are incredibly wasteful and polluting. NRDC's Clean by Design program is changing that.

The Most Eye-Opening Stories of 2015

December 28, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesClara Chaisson

Ten environmental visuals from this year that deserve another look.

Flexibility Test

December 23, 2015 ExplainerUnited States, New JerseyElizabeth Royte

Plastic-pouch food packaging is showing up everywhere—except at recycling facilities.

The Blue (Plastic) Planet

October 15, 2015 ExplainerInternationalBrian Palmer

You've probably heard that there's a lot of plastic swimming around in our oceans. But do you know how much? (Spoiler alert: It's way more than you think.)

Resistance Movement

September 8, 2015 Latest NewsUnited StatesAlisa Opar

Pesticide pollution actually creates toxin-tolerant frogs—to a point.

Hey, Congress, Quit Blaming the EPA

August 18, 2015 DispatchColoradoBrian Palmer

We’ve created a situation where one bad call can contaminate 300 miles of river with toxic metals. That’s a systemic failure, not an individual failure.

Tuna Time Bomb

August 13, 2015 Explainer

A new study says the mercury levels in tuna are high—and getting even higher.