Good News

Our top 5 good news stories of 2020

Because we could all use a little more cheer.

We can all agree that 2020 was a challenging year.


Good news feels hard to come by lately. And when you work in environmental news, it can seem even more rare.

Yet, the year was not without progress (yes, seriously!). Check out five good news stories from our newsroom that you may have missed below.

1. A Northeast US climate initiative has had a major side benefit—healthier children

Researchers estimate a climate effort in the Northeast U.S. helped the region reduce toxic air pollution and avoid hundreds of asthma and autism cases, preterm births, and low birth weights.

2. Roadmap points Europe toward safer, sustainable chemicals

EU Commission releases ambitious strategy for getting hormone-disrupting chemicals out of food, products, and packaging.

3. Solar power on the rise at US schools

Report finds an 81% increase in K-12 schools using solar power over the last 5 years.

4. Pittsburgh’s Black farmers work to grow a new future

A small group of new farmers have seeded a movement to change the local food industry.

5. Derrick Z. Jackson: A Rhode Island city gets serious about climate justice

In its climate action plan, Providence, Rhode Island, is giving frontline residents' health equal billing with carbon reduction. Other cities should pay attention.


Banner photo: Ebony Lunsford-Evans, owner of FarmerGirlEB in Pittsburgh, helps a customer. (Credit: Brian Cook)

The mystery vehicle at the heart of Tesla’s new master plan

Elon Musk says a new Tesla will rewire the company and help save the world, but he won’t tell investors what it is.
Sunrise in the woods

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The next labor secretary will face a big shortage of clean-energy workers

The construction and manufacturing sectors are short hundreds of thousands of workers.

The 5 most common recycling mistakes, and how to avoid them

How to handle plastic bags, batteries, milk cartons, metals, and...bowling balls.

Deforestation Inc.: How 'green' firms prevent climate action

A new 9-month long cross-border investigation exposes the flaws of “green” forestry labels. Environmental auditors overlook harm by “sustainable" companies, hindering climate efforts.

After epic floods, Pakistani farmers slowly recovering

The floods in summer 2022 were Pakistan's worst natural disaster since the country's founding in 1947.
Myanmar blood teak for the super rich
Doug/Flickr

Blood teak for the super rich props up a cruel regime

Myanmar's forests are under threat from the lucrative trade of valuable wood. An investigation has revealed how despite sanctions, teak is flooding Europe.
Scotland bans environmentally harmful desflurane gas anaesthetic
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command/Flickr

Scotland first to ban environmentally harmful anaesthetic

Desflurane gas has a global warming potential 2,500 times greater than carbon dioxide, NHS data suggests.
From our Newsroom
oil and gas wells pollution

What happens if the largest owner of oil and gas wells in the US goes bankrupt?

Diversified Energy’s liabilities exceed its assets, according to a new report, sparking concerns about whether taxpayers will wind up paying to plug its 70,000 wells.

Paul Ehrlich

Paul Ehrlich: A journey through science and politics

In his new book, the famous scientist reflects on an unparalleled career on our fascinating, ever-changing planet.

oil and gas california environmental justice

Will California’s new oil and gas laws protect people from toxic pollution?

California will soon have the largest oil drilling setbacks in the U.S. Experts say other states can learn from this move.

popular stories 2022

Our 5 most popular reads from 2022

A corpse, woodworking dangers, plastic titans ... revisit the stories that stuck with our readers this past year.

Pittsburgh environmental

What I learned reporting on environmental health in Pittsburgh in 2022

For a lot of people, 2022 felt like the first “normal” year since 2020. It didn’t for me.

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