pollution

December 20, 2016

The consequences of plastic waste for humanity could be more severe than climate change.

It's not just about a pipeline. Native activists say Dakota battle is their biggest stand in decades.

November 04, 2016

Clashes over an oil pipeline slated to cross historic Native territory in North Dakota continue after more the 140 people were arrested in protests last week. The increasingly high-stakes face-off is one of the biggest actions by Native Americans in years.

Conflict & Justice

#NoDAPL has momentum, but will it drive Native Americans to vote?

November 03, 2016

Sacred-site preservation and civic engagement are not the same.

Development & Education

Education and funding are critical issues facing native communities in the US

The Takeaway

November 02, 2016

On an Indian reservation in Nebraska, state and federal politics interfere with the effort to simply educate the kids.

Conflict & Justice

Protesters say mass arrests won't stop their fight against a North Dakota oil pipeline

October 28, 2016

"One thing that I repeatedly heard," says Jenni Monet, a journalist on the scene, "is that this fight is not over."

Arts, Culture & Media

The Standing Rock Sioux 'know what they're doing' in North Dakota

September 12, 2016

For weeks, members of the Standing Rock Sioux have gathered in Cannonball, North Dakota, standing against the Dakota Access pipeline. The government has now halted construction pending reassessment of the project.

Here's where to find some of the cleanest air in the world

May 13, 2016

Want to visit a place with clean air? Really clean air? Maybe the cleanest of any urban area in the world? We check out a place north of the Arctic Circle that gets an A+ in the newly updated WHO Global Urban Ambient Pollution Database.

She loved to run. In India, she couldn't. It was unhealthy.

April 21, 2016

The haze is often so thick that people drive with their fog lights on until mid-morning. New York's air, in comparison, "feels as clear as water from a mountain stream." Rhitu Chatterjee writes.

Fighting the haze at the Grand Canyon

April 16, 2016

There's still visibility issues at the Grand Canyon, but things seem to be getting better. Here's how.

A new book documents China’s exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources

November 24, 2014

The recent agreement between the US and China to reduce greenhouse emissions made headlines — and rightly so. It was a big step for both nations. But, striking a balance between environmental protection and economic ascendance is much more complicated than that. In China especially, it seems, for every step forward, there are often two steps back. Its actions in Tibet are a prime example, according to a newly-published book.

Climate change is fueling a spike in wildfires across the Americas

August 02, 2015

Wildfires have burned millions of acres across Canada and the US this spring and summer. They're burning hotter and faster than before — a phenomenon scientists have linked to climate change.

Sweden's capital is on its way to becoming fossil fuel free by 2040

February 18, 2016

Imagine a city where a rush-hour backup might involve just a few cars, and the air is clean because just about everything runs on zero-carbon energy. That's the goal for the Swedish capital, Stockholm.

Louisiana's coastline is disappearing at the rate of a football field an hour

September 23, 2014

Hurricane Katrina was bad, but the future could be considerably worse, a new report says. "One of the greatest environmental and economic disasters in the nation's history is rushing toward a catastrophic conclusion, so far unabated and largely unnoticed."

Arts, Culture & Media

The Standing Rock Sioux 'know what they're doing' in North Dakota

September 12, 2016

The $50 billion plan to save Louisiana's wetlands

July 19, 2015

The state of Louisiana is disappearing at an incredible rate, and its sinking deltas threaten some of the nation's crucial oil, gas and fisheries industries. But Louisiana has a “Hail Mary” plan to save it. Industry and government have created an unprecedented plan to save and rebuild these wetlands over the next 50 years — and say failure is not an option.

Listening to the Deep Ocean

December 29, 2011

Scientists are establishing a worldwide network of deep-sea listening posts connected to the Internet. It allows researchers -- and the public -- to hear whales, ships, and other underwater sounds. But the US Navy is uneasy.

For these activists, oil and art just don't mix

January 02, 2015

After scoring some big victories in the US in 2014, the movement to get institutions to cut their ties to fossil fuel companies is broadening its focus in the UK to include big name museums and even toy companies.

Florida's natural springs are changing — and disappearing

September 05, 2015

Florida’s springs are a wonder, bubbling up crystal clear from the state’s limestone aquifer. But persistent drought, agriculture and a growing population are polluting some once pristine springs, turning them green, murky and full of algae.

Beijingers don masks to defend themselves against dirty air — and to make a fashion statement