News & Commentary

Meet the activists and NRDC staff propelling change, read our expert analysis, and learn about the latest challenges and solutions to advancing a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable world.

Latest News

Stay on top of the latest research, policy updates, publication releases, and environmental news. 

Explainer

Get a breakdown of complex climate, public health, nature, and equity topics to inform your activism.

Dispatch

Read about activists tackling climate justice and other environmental causes in their communities and beyond.

Perspectives

Discover intersectional viewpoints from activists and artists on the environmental issues of the moment.

NRDC in Action

Find out how NRDC protects people and the planet by learning about some of our key fights.

Expert Blogs

Hear from our policy advocates, scientists, and litigators about the challenges and solutions for building a healthier and more just world.

The Petcoke Problem: Where to Store the Risky Tar Sands Refining By-Product

ExplainerUnited States, Canada, Chicago, Detroit, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Virginia
Petroleum coke, typically stored outdoors in big open piles, can blow right into nearby homes and cause serious health problems. Unsurprisingly, communities are fighting Big Oil to keep this noxious material out of their backyards.

Why Build a Seawall When You Can Plant Some Grass?

DispatchAlabamaRobynne Boyd
As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers considers including “living shorelines” among its preferred erosion controls, Alabama is already leading the way to healthier coasts.

Our Favorite National Parks

NRDC in ActionColorado, California, Minnesota, Alaska, New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, Arizona, Hawaii, Michigan, Montana, Tennessee
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, NRDC’s very own wilderness fanatics share their most treasured park memories.

Saving a Reef from Being Loved to Death

NRDC in ActionMexicoNicole Greenfield
How NRDC joined a small town’s fight to protect Mexico’s Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park from big resorts and other destructive development.

NRDC's Commitment to Green Starts with Its Offices

NRDC in ActionNew York City, Chicago, Santa Monica, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, BeijingMelissa Denchak
Each one of our six workplaces in the United States and China is a model of earth-friendly design.

Greening the Playing Fields

NRDC in ActionPhiladelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland (Oregon), BostonAmanda MacMillan
How the sports industry became one of the planet's most powerful allies.

Life on the Mississippi, Now

DispatchMissouri, Illinois, MidwestBarry Yeoman
We've spent billions of dollars on dikes, locks, and levees in a vain attempt to subdue what Mark Twain called "that lawless stream." Is it time to let the river have its way?

Our Man in Chicago

NRDC in ActionChicago, MidwestEmily Voigt
Henry Henderson knows that achieving energy independence and creating new jobs go hand-in-hand.

The Great Oyster Crash

DispatchOregon, WestEric Scigliano
Ocean acidification hits the Pacific shellfish industry.

A Dirty Battle in Chicago's Backyards

NRDC in ActionChicago, Illinois, IndianaNicole Greenfield
Residents of the Windy City are fighting the tar sands industry from spreading its toxic petcoke around town.

Spreading Their Wings

DispatchChicagoSusan Cosier
Butterflies bred in a Chicago lab are fluttering their way back to Illinois swamps.