News & Commentary

When Art Captures the Wind and the Rain—and a Bit of Ourselves

March 16, 2020 PerspectivesConnecticutPatrick Rogers

“Weather Report” fills a Connecticut museum with the works of 25 artists who explore what’s happening in the atmosphere and, inextricably, to us.

The Art of Agnes Denes May Be as Big (and Long-Lasting) as Her Legacy

March 10, 2020 PerspectivesNew York CityPatrick Rogers

In her mixing of art, mathematics, and environmentalism, Denes has been making “future works” since the 1970s.

What Does the Plastic Bag Ban Mean for New Yorkers?

February 27, 2020 ExplainerNew York, United StatesCourtney Lindwall

Here’s everything you need to know before plastic carryout bags disappear from the Empire State on March 1.

Ten Environmental Stories to Mark a Decade in Latin America

December 20, 2019 Expert BlogInternational, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, BrazilAmanda Maxwell, Carolina Herrera, Jessica Carey-Webb, Marilyn Kunce

The Latin America team at NRDC reflects on the incredible environmental milestones we've witnessed in our work, and beyond.

Massachusetts Misses an Opportunity to Advance Climate Goals

November 6, 2019 Expert BlogUnited States, MassachusettsKathy Harris

Are Kentucky Farms Under Attack from Flocks of Ravenous Vultures? Not Quite.

September 6, 2019 ExplainerUnited States, KentuckyJason Bittel

Scientists respond to an Associated Press article that paints black vultures and turkey vultures as “flying fiends.”

An Artist Who Finds Uncommon Meaning in Common Trees

August 21, 2019 PerspectivesNew York CityPatrick Rogers

Hugh Hayden’s exquisite wooden sculptures and installations comment on race, immigration, and the American environment.

NYS Paint Waste Bill Awaits Cuomo’s Finishing Touch

August 13, 2019 Expert BlogNew YorkEric A. Goldstein

Leftover paints—one of the more problematic items in the municipal waste stream—are likely to be fished out of millions of garages and basements from Montauk to Niagara Falls and disposed of properly, thanks to a forward-looking law recently passed by…

Giant Wooden Birds Are Flocking to Broadway

August 2, 2019 PerspectivesNew York CityCourtney Lindwall

Nicolas Holiber’s reclaimed-wood sculptures highlight the threat of climate change to avian city-dwellers.

2019: A Banner Year for the Environment in NYS

July 18, 2019 Expert BlogNew YorkRich Schrader, Jhena Vigrass

NRDC and our regional partners secured a broad array of environmental victories—from a statewide ban on plastic bags in grocery and retail stores to a far-reaching food waste recycling law to the most ambitious state climate law in the nation.

Cape Cod’s Gray Seal and White Shark Problem Is Not Black-and-White

November 9, 2018 ExplainerUnited States, MassachusettsJason Bittel

After a rare shark bite takes a life, some in this beach region want to go after the seals.

When We Talk About Wolves, We Talk About People

November 1, 2018 Expert BlogMinnesotaDr. Jennifer Sherry

Separating our human-human conflicts from wolves and placing value on wolves interacting in nature as part of a larger ecosystem is perhaps the most ethical approach we can take in navigating the human-wolf relationship.

Drilling Off VA Coast: An Invitation for Climate Havoc

September 20, 2018 Expert BlogVirginiaFranz Matzner

The public is keenly aware that auctioning off public ocean waters to oil giants is not in the national interest. From catastrophic spills like the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster that oiled the entire Gulf region, to “minor” spills and almost…

Ethereal Fog Sculptures Are Rolling Through Boston’s Parks

September 11, 2018 PerspectivesBoston, United StatesClara Chaisson

Fujiko Nakaya’s vaporous creations respond to wind, humidity, temperature, and dew point, making visible the invisible forces all around us.

Virginians Fly Flags of Resistance in the Fight Against Two Pipelines

August 17, 2018 PerspectivesVirginiaPatrick Rogers

Armed with 1,000 blue pennants—one for each waterway put at risk by the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast Pipelines—communities are taking up their battle stations.

Northam Brings Virginia's Energy Future into Sharper Focus

August 10, 2018 Expert BlogVirginiaWalton Shepherd

While the Trump administration puts the nation in reverse on cleaning up vehicle pollution, Governor Ralph Northam put the Commonwealth on the road to cleaner energy in announcing yesterday a $14 million investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across…

National Identity and Wildlife Vividly Collide in This Street Art

June 19, 2018 PerspectivesNew York City, United StatesPatrick Rogers

For South African artist Sonny, biodiversity loss cuts “To the Bone.”

"The Last Three" Bids a Sad Farewell to Rhinos on the Brink of Extinction

March 28, 2018 PerspectivesNew York City, United StatesPatrick Rogers

There were three northern white rhinos left when Australian artists Gillie and Marc Schattner unveiled their monument in New York City. Now there are just two.

Haunting Views of a Planet Declining Faster for Some Communities Than for Others

March 12, 2018 PerspectivesNew York City, United StatesIngrid Abramovitch

Environmental awareness and social justice mix provocatively at the Whitney Museum’s new show, “Between the Waters”

City Council to NYC Mayor: Clean Up Our Waters!

December 15, 2017 Expert BlogNew York CityLarry Levine