Pollution

Reported

Illegal Manure Pollution in Water — and Cancer — on the Rise in Iowa

A new report maps manure spills in Iowa, where factory farms produce 109 billion pounds of manure per year.

Climate•3 min read

Investigation

UN Green Climate Fund Investing in Factory Farming, Report Finds

Development banks are scaling factory farming in the places already worst hit by climate change.

Climate•6 min read

Reported

Dead Zones Are Growing, but With Government Action, Hope Isn’t Lost

In places with no enforceable limits on nutrient pollution, addressing the problem will remain elusive.

Climate•9 min read

Investigation

Breathing Wildfire Smoke as Babies Sickened These Monkeys for Decades

An early-life wildfire exposure sickened these monkeys for decades.

Climate•5 min read

Reported

The Supreme Court Rolled Back Clean Water Protections, but Some Iowans Are Fighting Back

A proposed state law would help the state tighten its control over pollution from factory farms.

Climate•7 min read

Reported

Poop From Mega-Dairies Ends Up in Drinking Water, Drone Footage Reveals

Residents that live near industrial dairies find brown drinking water flowing from the tap.

Climate•4 min read

Explainer

How Much Does the U.S. Contribute to Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

A breakdown of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by state, sector, year and type of gas.

Climate•9 min read

Analysis

Why Fish Are Disappearing in Bangladesh

There were once more than 300 native freshwater fish species in Bangladesh, but many have disappeared or are on the verge of extinction.

Climate•7 min read

Reported

Toxic Pollutants a Growing Concern for Pregnant Mothers and Babies

Links between exposures to toxic pollutants, like agricultural pesticides, and maternal health outcomes remain under-researched.

Climate•11 min read

Analysis

Can We Turn Plastic Waste Into Edible Protein?

A team of scientists has developed a surprisingly simple process to convert plastic waste into edible protein. The applications could be revolutionary.

Climate•5 min read

Analysis

Air Pollution From Factory Farms Is Killing Us

A new study has revealed that air pollution from factory farms causes more than 12,000 deaths every year and disproportionately affects low-income areas and communities of color.

Climate•6 min read

Explainer

Milk Pollution in Rivers: The World’s Clean Water Is at Risk

Milk pollution in rivers is a serious problem. About 2.1 billion people still do not have access to safe drinking water, and many of them have the dairy industry to…

Climate•7 min read

Explainer

How Does Dairy Farming Cause Water Pollution?

Environmentalists have been at odds with corporate agriculture for years, and while dairy farmers often slip under the radar, they're not off the hook. So we asked, how does dairy…

Climate•10 min read

Perspective

The World’s Recycling System Is Failing

Did you know China stopped purchasing the majority of the world’s recyclable items over a year ago? Citizens are placing recyclable items into bins with good intentions, but most of…

Climate•6 min read

Explainer

Your Guide to Slashing Single-Use Plastic

Plastic consumption is on the rise, but so are the innovative ways to ditch it. This guide will help you to reduce single-use plastic and set you up for plastic-free…

Climate•8 min read

Reported

95 Noxious Chicken Farms

The lifetime asthma rate in Somerset County is 21%, compared to the statewide rate of 12%. In Wicomico County, 1 in 4 children can expect to be diagnosed with the…

Climate•1 min read

Reported

Chicken Farms Are Making it Harder to Breathe on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

Residents of Somerset and Wicomico want the state to investigate the air for pollutants coming from chicken manure. Their elected officials don’t see the need.

Climate•7 min read

Explainer

What Is Manure Runoff?

Manure from agricultural operations and livestock farms is the main source from which phosphorus and nitrogen enter surface and groundwater. Rainwater and over-irrigation cause these elements to seep into waterways…

Climate•1 min read

Reported

What the Most Polluted Places on Earth Look Like

Here's what the most polluted places on Earth look like. About 12,000 years ago, the last ice age ended, and the world saw the birth of human civilization. But now,…

Climate•1 min read

Reported

Who Is The World’s Biggest Polluter?

The world's top 20 meat and dairy companies emit more greenhouse gases than Germany.

Climate•2 min read