News & Commentary

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.

How California Will Weather Drought

January 5, 2016 ExplainerCalifornia, United States, West

Researchers outline four key actions the Golden State must take to ensure there's enough water to go around.

5 Ways Building Up the San Joaquin River Has Helped California

December 31, 2015 NRDC in ActionCaliforniaLora Shinn

An NRDC lawsuit has led to the comeback of the Golden State’s second-largest river (and its salmon).

No Photos, Please

October 23, 2015 DispatchWyomingAlisa Opar

New Wyoming laws stifle freedom of speech and make citizen science illegal.

The Soil Savior

October 15, 2015 DispatchTexasJeff Turrentine

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

In a Flash

September 2, 2015 PerspectivesWest, United StatesAlisa Opar

A wildland firefighter documents one of the worst fire seasons on record.

Hotter = Drier

August 19, 2015 Latest NewsCaliforniaBrian Palmer

A new study shows how climate change is making the California drought worse.

Hot Water

August 18, 2015 ExplainerWest, United StatesBrian Palmer

Uranium mining threatens aquifers that could provide the drought-stricken West with emergency water supplies.

Hey, Congress, Quit Blaming the EPA

August 18, 2015 DispatchColoradoBrian Palmer

The Gold King mine accident is on you, too.

Foster Farms Says No to Superbugs

August 13, 2015 NRDC in ActionCaliforniaNicole Greenfield

How NRDC took an American poultry giant to task for its overuse of antibiotics.

The Farmer Who Weeded Out Chemicals

August 12, 2015 DispatchCaliforniaLaura Fraser

Organic farmer Jim Cochran proves that growing nontoxic strawberries isn’t just possible, it’s profitable.

Up (and Down) a Creek

August 11, 2015 Latest NewsColoradoClara Chaisson

Here’s what you need to know about the EPA spilling three million gallons of wastewater into a Colorado river.

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (from Distant Flames)

August 7, 2015 ExplainerUnited States, Colorado, Alaska, CaliforniaAlisa Opar

Wildfires may be harming the health of people who live hundreds or thousands of miles from the flames.

Innovation Has Not Run Dry!

July 8, 2015 Latest NewsCaliforniaAlisa Opar

As summer heat compounds four years of drought, Californians are coping with water shortages in some wacky and smart (and desperate) ways.

Roam, Roam on the Range

June 24, 2015 DispatchMontanaAlisa Opar

This Montana cattle ranch is trying to ensure its operations benefit wildlife—and yes, that means wolves, too.

Fearing the Burn

May 26, 2015 Latest NewsWestAlisa Opar

Western states prepare for an “explosive” wildfire season.

Toxic Two-Step

May 15, 2015 DispatchTexasJeff Turrentine

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

Climate Change Vs. the Blob

April 14, 2015 Latest NewsCaliforniaBrian Palmer

A new study says a stubborn blob of warm ocean water is exacerbating the California drought.

Bathroom Bandits

April 13, 2015 Latest NewsCaliforniaKatherine Ellen Foley

Law-breaking urinals? California's water rules will force new fixtures to toe the water line.

Old Cow, New Tricks

March 10, 2015 DispatchWestAlisa Opar

Desert-friendly cattle that came over with Columbus might be better bovines for the drought-plagued West.