environmental health

Plastic has a long lifespan. It’s probably shortening yours.

How bad are plastics for humans? A new report says we need to look at their entire lifecycle.

Kids who breathe polluted air have higher rates of mental illness

Even a little pollution may have a big effect.

This artist is using technology to bring nature back into the city

From butterfly bridges to moth cinemas, Natalie Jeremijenko's work highlights the mutualistic relationships between humans and the natural world.

A Big Week for Public Health, Grassroots Activism

This has been a big week for clean air, public health, and grassroots activism that is moving America beyond coal. First, we can breathe easier this week knowing that more aging, polluting coal plants are being retired as South Carolina Gas & Electric announced the retirement of six coal boilers.  As I’ve said with other […]

We Did It! Americans Cheer EPA for First-Ever Protections Against Toxic Mercury

Are you one of the over 800,000 people who submitted a comment to the Environmental Protection Agency supporting proposed mercury pollution protections? Are you one of the hundreds who attended a public hearing in Chicago, Atlanta, or Philadelphia to support the draft standards? Are you one of the hundreds who attended a hair testing event […]

Another Congressional Attack on Clean Air

Why should you care about the Cross State Air Pollution Rule? Because it could save your life, or the life of someone you love. Congress is continuing its attacks on clean air this week, and the latest target in their crosshairs is the life-saving Cross State Air Pollution Rule. This clean air safeguard would require […]

Get the lead out: Clean air tied to decline in violent crime

Research ties the decades-long drop in violent crime to reduced urban lead poisoning.

Keeping Up with the Solar (and Wind) Joneses

Earlier this year, my husband and I put up solar panels at our home – the first solar project in our historic West Virginia town. Well, just last week, inspired by our project, our neighbor installed a solar system three times bigger than ours. He expects it will generate the vast majority of the electricity […]

Breaking: Major victory — deal reached to retire old, dirty Potomac River Coal Plant

Only a few short weeks ago, I stood on a boat in front of the ancient, dirty, and deadly GenOn coal plant in Alexandria, Virginia, and introduced Michael R. Bloomberg, philanthropist and Mayor of New York City, who then announced a game-changing gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies to the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign. Today, major […]