Pollution
Wildfires Are Fueling a Toxic Combo of Air Pollutants
The 2020 fire season subjected half the western U.S. population to a stew of particulate matter and ozone
Pollution89 articles archived since 1845
Pollution
Rivers Dump Mercury into Coastal Fisheries
Most of the pollutant arrives at the coasts by river
Oceans
Half of the World’s Coastal Sewage Pollution Flows from Few Dozen Places
An analysis of roughly 135,000 watersheds reveals that large amounts of key pollutants come from human wastewater, not just agricultural runoff
Climate Change
Climate Change Is Acidifying and Contaminating Drinking Water and Alpine Ecosystems
Hotter, drier mountains leach more metal into streams from abandoned mines and natural deposits
Automobiles
Access to Electric Vehicles Is an Environmental Justice Issue
We must build tomorrow’s transportation infrastructure with equity at its core
Climate Change
How Airborne Microplastics Affect Climate Change
Like other aerosols, these tiny particles scatter and absorb sunlight, influencing Earth’s temperature
Pollution
Assessing COVID Risk and More with Air Quality Monitors
The consumer devices track pollutants as well as CO2—a proxy for potentially virus-laden human breath
Pollution
Landmark Ozone Treaty Could Prevent More Than 400 Million Cases of Cancer
The Montreal Protocol has helped heal the ozone layer that blocks harmful ultraviolet rays
Engineering
Winged Microchips Glide like Tree Seeds
The tiny sensors could gather and transmit environmental data as they drift through the air
Pollution
Tiny Robots Could Clean Up Microplastic Pollution
In a proof-of-concept study, microscopic self-propelled devices found and broke down microplastic particles
Pollution
Plant Absorbs Toxic RDX Contamination
Modified switchgrass can sop up weapons chemicals on military ranges
Pollution
Electric School Buses Reduce Pollution, but New Infrastructure Deal Slashed Funding
Advocates worry that reduced funds will not go to the communities most in need
Public Health
People of Color Breathe More Unhealthy Air from Nearly All Polluting Sources
A trend of disproportionate exposure to deadly air pollution among Asian, Hispanic and Black people persists in most cases regardless of the emission source, a study finds
Water
What’s Really in Your Water?
Rapid at-home tests for contaminants are on the way
Pollution
Hunger Strikers Seeking Environmental Justice Win Air-Pollution Delay
A hunger strike in Chicago and concerns raised by city and state politicians have slowed the planned move of a metal scrapper to a working-class, predominantly Latino community
Fossil Fuels
Large Methane Leaks Reveal Long-Standing Shortfalls in Oversight
New rollbacks could make controlling fugitive emissions from oil and gas infrastructure even harder
Pollution
COVID-19 Has Worsened the Ocean Plastic Pollution Problem
A drastic increase in use of masks and gloves, plus a decline in recycling programs, is threatening the health of the seas
Pollution
Light Pollution from Coastal Cities Reaches Seafloor
The artificial night sky brightness could harm creatures that dwell in the ocean depths
Pollution
Strongest Evidence Yet Shows Air Pollution Kills
The finding comes as the Trump administration has been rolling back clean air regulations
Pollution
How the Environment Has Changed since the First Earth Day 50 Years Ago
These charts show that while progress has been made in some areas, humanity still has a major impact on the planet
