environment

By Brett Wilkins Citing the imperative to “protect the residents and natural resources of St. James Parish and to prevent public health and environmental harms across our jurisdictions,” attorneys general from four states and the District of Columbia on Monday sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers asking it to thoroughly evaluate […]

What Is Biodiversity? Polar bears, honeybees, mango trees and coral reefs are all examples of the countless animal and insect species, plant life and ecosystems that comprise the planet’s vast biodiversity. Every living organism has a role to play in an intricate web of connectedness, no matter the size, and without them, there would be […]

By Reynard Loki The natural world is in a state of crisis, and we are to blame. We are in the midst of the Sixth Extinction, the biggest loss of species in the history of humankind. So many species are facing total annihilation. Nearly one-third of freshwater species are facing extinction. So are 40 percent […]

By Amanda Fong Eating produce with the seasons can help consumers access fresher, more nutritious while directly supporting their local farmers and economies. Eating seasonally often coincides with eating locally, Jerusha Klemperer, FoodPrint director, tells Food Tank. “Local shopping and eating is more likely to be seasonal shopping and eating.” This also comes with a […]

By Reynard Loki A controversial oil refinery on St. Croix, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, is in the government’s crosshairs after a third incident in just three months has sickened people. On May 5, after gaseous fumes were released from one of the oil refining units of Limetree Bay Refining, residents of the unincorporated […]

By Reynard Loki A federal appeals court has ruled that unless the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can prove that the pesticide chlorpyrifos is safe, it must be banned. The chemical, which has been widely used on agricultural crops for more than 50 years, has been linked to neurological development issues in children, with mounting evidence […]

By Anne Petermann On August 18, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a petition by researchers at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) seeking federal approval to release their genetically engineered (GE) Darling 58 (D58) American chestnut tree into U.S. forests. Researchers claim the transgenic D58 […]

What is fracking? Fracking is a process of blasting water, chemicals and frac sand deep into the earth to break up sedimentary rock and access natural gas and crude oil deposits. The fracking industry, which has sought to promote the practice as safe and controlled, has preferred the term “hydraulic fracturing.” Fracking emerged as an […]