air pollution

Newly discovered documents confirm that the petroleum and automobile industries funded the early climate science of Charles David Keeling at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) from 1954 to 1956. Keeling became known for the “Keeling Curve,” which demonstrated the upward trajectory of the planet’s carbon dioxide levels. The documents show that industry leaders were […]

Air pollution emissions in the United States have decreased considerably since the Clean Air Act of 1970 was enacted, but the benefits have not always been equally felt. According to a new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the amount of the improvements is largely dependent on demographics, with socioeconomic […]

The smell of campfire smoke is as associated with summer nights as woodsmoke from fireplaces and woodstoves is with winter. It adds an ancient scent and particles to the air that stick to your skin, hair and clothes. Wildfire smoke likewise doesn’t just leave an acrid smell behind. Its remnants contain harmful chemical compounds called […]

Many people have heard that switching to a more plant-based diet has health benefits. But while adjusting your diet may be a personal choice, its impacts are far from just individual. According to a recent study by an international team of researchers, shifting our diets to ones that are more plant-based could prevent as many […]

The United States Supreme Court agreed on Wednesday to hear oral arguments in a case looking to stop the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing a federal regulation — the “Good Neighbor” Rule — that protects people in states downwind from industrial and coal plant pollution that drifts across state lines, a press release […]

While major wildfires in the U.S. have typically afflicted the west coast in recent years, a a new study based on data from over 30 years has found an increase in the size and frequency of wildfires on the opposite side of the country. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, reviewed large wildfires, over […]

In metropolitan areas around the globe, public transportation is going greener. Many cities are working towards eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning away from fossil fuels — which are responsible for roughly 75% of climate warming GHGs — to renewable energy, and electrifying bus fleets is a priority.  Diesel exhaust from fossil fuel-powered buses contributes […]

In recent years, many people have learned first-hand how destructive wildfires can be. Even if they weren’t forced to evacuate their homes, millions in Canada and the United States have had to breathe acrid air polluted with wildfire smoke. A new study has found that an increase in the severity and frequency of wildfires in […]