pollution

Plastic Soup Photos Illuminate Ocean Pollution

By Chidinma Onuoha / On April 23rd, 2019

Plastics have transformed every aspect of our lives. Yet the very properties that make them attractive—they are cheap to make, light, and durable—spell disaster when trash makes its way into the environment. Recent bans on single-use straws and bags have increased awareness of this issue. But, for most people, the full extent of our plastic problem is difficult to grasp.

#ForewordFriday: Our Plastic Crisis

By Jada Mosley / On April 12th, 2019

Plastics have transformed every aspect of our lives. Yet the very properties that make them attractive spell disaster when trash makes its way into the environment.

Reflections on Houston in a Time of Contradiction

By Samantha Harvey / On October 16th, 2017

From a city strangled by fossil fuels, a call to fight for a more equitable future emerges.

On Wildfires and Pollution

By Jason Leppig / On August 22nd, 2017

A new study from the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres suggests that naturally caused forest fires emit three times as much pollution as previously estimated. The pollution is in the form of particulate matter, which is one of the most dangerous forms of pollution. These measurements were compared to controlled forest fires intentionally set, and the findings showed that controlled fires produced less particulates.