Pete Myers

How smoke from Australia’s megafires ate away at the ozone

How smoke from Australia’s megafires ate away at the ozone

Wildfire smoke can change the chemistry of the stratosphere, resulting in chlorine molecules that deplete the ozone layer
The brilliant inventor who made two of history’s biggest mistakes

The brilliant inventor who made two of history’s biggest mistakes

A century ago, Thomas Midgley Jr. was responsible for two phenomenally destructive innovations: leaded gasoline and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). These were hailed as genius inventions at the time. What can we learn from them today?

The little-known world of caterpillars

The little-known world of caterpillars

An entomologist races to find them before they disappear.
man girl dinner meal food
Photo by Tyson on Unsplash

Toxic chemicals we consume without knowing it

Toxic chemicals are increasingly present in our food and beverages. Here are some keys ways to limit their impact on our health.
Phosphorus saved our way of life—and now threatens to end it

Phosphorus saved our way of life—and now threatens to end it

Fertilizers filled with the nutrient boosted our ability to feed the planet. Today, they’re creating vast and growing dead zones in our lakes and seas.
Covid lawsuits weakened public health, U.S. pandemic preparedness

Covid lawsuits weakened public health, U.S. pandemic preparedness

Lawsuits and legislation fueled by covid backlash have stripped public health officials of powers, leaving the United States unprepared for the next pandemic.
Ocean plastic pollution reaches 'unprecedented' levels

Ocean plastic pollution reaches 'unprecedented' levels

The world’s oceans are polluted by a “plastic smog” made up of an estimated 171 trillion plastic particles that if gathered would weigh around 2.3 million tons, according to a new study.

Opinion: Why is the E.P.A. so timid in the East Palestine train disaster?

Opinion: Why is the E.P.A. so timid in the East Palestine train disaster?

By acting as a reluctant regulator, the E.P.A. has left people at the site of the derailment desperate for answers.
From our Newsroom
save the whales

Op-ed: A lingering Trump-era regulatory trick could push orcas, salmon to extinction

The Biden EPA and the Fish and Wildlife Service are not basing their pesticide risk assessments on the best-available independent science.

climate change protest

Op-ed: Mourning family and climate change in the age of loss and damage

Grief is a consequence of the natural cycle of life and death, but it can be exacerbated by negligence and unjust approaches to climate change.

phthalates parabens personal care products

Get phthalates, parabens out of the bathroom drawer to reduce breast cancer risk: Study

Women who switched to paraben- and phthalate- free shampoos, lotions, soaps and deodorants had fewer cancer-associated changes to breast tissue cells.

environmental justice

LISTEN: Robbie Parks on climate justice and mental health

“It’s not just moving people around that’s going to solve public health disasters.”

Adrift: Communities on the front lines of pesticide exposure fight for change

Adrift: Communities on the front lines of pesticide exposure fight for change

Rural communities of color and farmworkers are disproportionately exposed to some of the most dangerous chemicals used in agriculture.

environmental justice reporting

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