News & Commentary

Bison Back East

December 29, 2014 DispatchIllinois, MississippiSusan Cosier

Wild buffalo now roam east of the Mississippi for the first time since the 1830s, playing a crucial role in restoring Illinois grasslands.

Missed Connections

December 24, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesJason Bittel

Climate change could affect the way all kinds of creatures interact with each other.

Two Steps Forward…

December 22, 2014 Latest NewsWestAlisa Opar

A major bill passed by Congress last week included good news for conservation in the West—and some serious setbacks.

Ants: The Best Kind of Litterbug

December 22, 2014 Latest NewsNew York CityPerrin Ireland

Think before you squish that ant—those little guys are great at cleaning up our big messes.

Stop Polluting Our Water, Ash Holes!

December 19, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

The EPA has finally set standards for hazardous coal ash pits. Too bad they’re not good enough.

Whatever the Light Touches

December 18, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Rooftop solar installations and huge solar farms are both booming.

Spitting into the Wind

December 17, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesBrian Palmer

Property owners fight wind farms, but the numbers are in: They have no effect on property values.

Preemies and Plastic: A Growing Problem?

December 16, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesSusan Cosier

A chemical used in medical equipment could cause health problems in an already vulnerable population: preemies.

Mad Libs: The Lima Climate Summit Was [Adjective]

December 15, 2014 Latest NewsInternational

How these countries fill in the blanks in the Lima climate agreement will dictate our future.

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.

The Sound and the Fury

December 11, 2014 DispatchCanadaKim Tingley

On the trail of the "Windsor hum," a mysterious noise that’s making Canadians crazy.

Save the Ringed Seal, Save the Planet?

December 11, 2014 Latest NewsArcticJason Bittel

The government proposes the biggest critical-habitat designation ever to protect ringed seals from Big Oil and climate change.

Whatever Shall We Do with All this Extra Oil?

December 11, 2014 Latest NewsUnited States

Oil companies want the crude-export ban lifted. Is that a good idea?

What's a Sulcus?

December 10, 2014 ExplainerInternational

You've got plastic microbeads in your sulcus. (And that's not a good thing.)

Knocking the Wind Out of an Industry

December 10, 2014 Latest NewsUnited States

By failing to renew the wind-production tax credit, Congress is killing fledgling wind farms.

Speed Kills

December 9, 2014 Latest NewsUnited States

Carbon emissions warm up the planet much faster than we thought.

The Professional Dumpster Diver

December 9, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesAlisa Opar

This guy is picking through your trash—but don’t worry, it’s for a good cause.

From Peru to Paris

December 8, 2014 Latest NewsInternational

Are the climate talks in Lima making progress? Here’s how you can tell.

Appetite for Destruction

December 8, 2014 Latest NewsUnited StatesAlisa Opar

Drought is forcing black bears to descend on western towns for a pre-hibernation snack.

The First Step Is Admitting You Have a Problem

December 5, 2014 Latest NewsUnited States

The EPA won’t acknowledge nutrient pollution from farms and sewage, because then it would have to do something about it.