Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund As millions still lack basic necessities after the devastation of Hurricane Maria, we must help to rebuild this U.S. territory in every way possible—including addressing the impacts of climate change. Joe Raedle/Getty Two weeks after Hurricane Maria hammered Puerto Rico with 115-mile-per-hour winds and nearly three feet of […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy The following is a guest blog from Dr. Chelsea Rochman, who is currently an Assistant Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. Lately, there has been a lot of news about marine debris, specifically plastic, being discovered in remote corners of the Earth. Plastics have been found near the […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing to roll back rules for fracking on federal land, in yet another example of the Trump administration’s efforts to wipe out safeguards protecting the environment and human health from fossil fuel development. The BLM fracking rules were finalized in 2015 […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy The concept of ocean planning has been around for many years, both here at home and internationally. In the U.S., we have started to see theory move into practice over the past decade. At its core, ocean planning is about shared data, local engagement and innovative management principles so that diverse groups […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund The nation’s second annual Energy Efficiency Day is today and serves to remind us of the incredibly important role smarter energy use plays in America’s transition to a cleaner, healthier, more affordable energy system. Many state and local governments, utilities, and consumers are doubling down on efficiency programs […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund This blog was authored by Pat Remick, NRDC’s senior energy communications strategist and one of NRDC’s many energy efficiency enthusiasts. It’s officially Energy Efficiency Day so why not celebrate the virtues of smarter energy use—and the savings–by joining the Light Bulb Challenge and pledging to swap out at […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund The U.S. EPA announced that it is reconsidering landmark clean car standards that were poised to provide deep reductions in carbon pollution and save consumers $92 billion at the pump. The agency determined in January (during the Obama Administration) that the standards for model years 2022 to 2025—originally set […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s illegal suspension of rules to cut methane pollution from drilling operations on public lands is the latest example of the Trump administration’s cavalier disregard for vital public health and environmental safeguards. The Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) today proposed to suspend its Methane and […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy We are celebrating the life of a true ocean hero, Tony Amos, who died last month after a recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Tony dedicated his life to the animals and beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, and left an impression on many of us here—myself included. The first time I met […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund Authored by my colleague Rachel Fakhry. This is part one of a series of blogs highlighting recent progress in onshore and offshore wind energy, as well as discussing some of the continued opportunities, challenges and threats the industry is faces in the near term. This first blog focuses […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy A few months ago, I stated the obvious in an article for Greenbiz: non-governmental organizations (NGOs) alone will not turn the tide on ocean trash. Ocean Conservancy has always believed in strength in numbers when it comes to our International Coastal Cleanup. A few days ago, hundreds of thousands of volunteers dedicated their […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund How can limited public funds be used most efficiently to stimulate large amounts of private investment in clean energy and resilient, twenty-first century infrastructure? This was the key question addressed at the Fifth Annual Green Bank Congress in New York City as part Climate Week NYC and alongside […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund Early analysis of the Trump tax plan has found the $2.4 trillion plan is heavily skewed toward helping big businesses and the wealthy—with everyone else receiving a pittance. For decades, the tax code has benefited corporate polluters while leaving behind those who are most at risk from environmental […]
Last week, we wrote about a victory for American consumers after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a San Francisco ordinance requiring warning labels on soda advertisements. The court said the labels were “deceptive” and “misleading” and violated the First Amendment. This week, excessive California warning labels are back in the spotlight after the […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has recommended that his boss, President Trump, do what no President has done before: fundamentally change and substantially diminish America’s national monuments. “Energy dominance” is a theme that has permeated Zinke’s statements and actions as Interior Secretary. And though Zinke has not […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund While the federal landscape has radically shifted, clean energy records are being shattered and climate progress has continued thanks to local action, ever-improving economics, and consumer interest, according to NRDC’s Fifth Annual Energy Report, America’s Clean Energy Revolution, published today. The report includes highlights on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and broader […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund This week, Congress will return to its annual budget debate. The budget process should be about responsible fiscal management and making choices regarding how best to use taxpayer dollars to support public priorities. What we’ve seen so far leaves serious doubt whether Republican Leadership will follow that principle. […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund Royal Dutch Shell’s Arctic oil drilling rig arrived in Elliott Bay, May 2015. iStock In January 1969, an oil spill from an offshore drilling platform off California’s Santa Barbara County coast spewed an estimated three million gallons of crude, swiftly turning a 35-mile stretch of idyllic Pacific shoreline […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund You may not be aware that the US Department of Interior controls one fifth of the land in the United States—including our national parks, and 35,000 miles of coastline—and manages the drinking water of one in 10 Americans. Most people also probably aren’t aware that President Trump and […]
Published by the Natural Resources Defense Fund A recent report card of state energy efficiency policies and programs shows that even in this era of partisan divide, blue and red states alike are embracing smarter energy use as a key strategy for reducing harmful pollution, saving consumers money, creating jobs, and driving economic growth. The […]