Natural Resources

Plastic-chomping caterpillars could potentially help solve the world's environmental plastic waste problem. These creatures chomp through plastic, even polyethylene, a non-biodegradable plastic that is clogging up our landfills and seas. They have gut microbes that are essential in the…

Countries in East Africa are experiencing fast-growing locust infestations, threatening the food security of the region. Desert locusts can consume their body weight of food and travel over 90 miles in a day. 23.6 million people in the region already face food insecurity, according to the U.N. The…

The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ended federal protection for water ways, decreasing the types of water ways that could receive federal protection from pollution under the Clean Water Act. The new rule will allow farmers and oil developers to work on wetlands and…

-- Washington Post Australian and British researchers began a new strategy in a section of the Great Barrier Reef to help coral reefs rebound from climate change. Through their process, “acoustic enrichment,” they played sound recordings of healthy coral reefs in dying ones in order to attract…

Many people mistake youth homelessness as living on the streets, but this is in fact not the case. Homeless youth are those living without stable housing, and commonly partake in "couch-surfing", which is jumping from couch to couch of their family and friends, but a couch is not a home. Federal…

Pacific Gas and Electric Company plans to shut off electricity to 940,000 customers in Northern California. This decision was made to combat the risk of more wildfires in the upcoming windy season. Multiple counties have experienced fires in the past week such as the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County,…

In addition to experiencing the world’s second deadliest Ebola outbreak, the city of Goma in the DRC is experiencing even more basic concerns due to the lack of running water. For more information, click here.

For the first time in 20 years, the EPA proposes new rules on how local water systems should manage lead in drinking water. The new proposals require water authorities to devise plans when they are at risk of reaching the 15 parts-per-billion limit of lead in water and notify customers within 24…

Last fall, officials in Newark, New Jersey handed out water filters to the public in order to ease the problem of lead contamination in the drinking water. The EPA, however, has concerns for the effectiveness of these filters, which has led to water bottles to be distributed throughout the city…

Vanessa Romo of NPR reports that the U.S. Coast Guard has announced that after 14 years, the oil spill seeping into the Gulf of Mexico is finally being contained. After years of legal battles with various environmental groups, Taylor Energy has begun an oil collecting method which has effectively…

Science Times: In recent years, researchers have been exploring methods to cut back on air pollution as a result of its strong correlation with cardiovascular disease. These efforts include lessening the use of wood and coal and finding more eco-friendly forms of transportation. Read the full…

Recently, the Environmental Working Group and Northwestern University conducted a study with which they found that 43 states are exposing its residents to a dangerous chemical via their water supply. These chemicals are referred to as PFAS and have been shown to lead to birth defects, cancer, and…

A five-year study conducted by the Environmental Working Group estimates that cancer-causing contaminants, such as arsenic and chromium, found in public water systems could potentially result in 15,000 cancer cases over a lifetime. Undisclosed water systems were placed in four categories of risk,…

Research conducted by the environmental advocacy group Environmental Working Group estimated that about 15,500 cancer cases in California were the direct result of contaminants found in public water systems. Much of the cancer risk was driven by an unsafe level of arsenic, which occurs naturally in…