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)

record warm winter
Sarah/Flickr

New York’s record warm winter: good for sunbathing, bad for ski slopes

A wildly erratic season has been a blessing for haters of mittens and blizzards, but a potential disaster for businesses that rely on snow and ice.
Sunrise in the woods

Get our Good News newsletter

Get the best positive, solutions-oriented stories we've seen on the intersection of our health and environment, FREE every Tuesday in your inbox. Subscribe here today. Keep the change tomorrow.

This weather network, tied to one of Steve Bannon’s platforms, doesn’t talk about climate change

Meteorologists at WeatherNation have raised concerns about Real America’s Voice, the conservative channel with which it shares an owner.

Jimmy Carter, the president who tried to save the planet

Jimmy Carter was one of the most consequential U.S. presidents when it comes to protecting the environment, experts say.

Gautam Adani: Will tycoon’s wealth woes hit India’s green energy dreams?

Adani Group has seen its market value plunge after a US firm made fraud allegations against it.

How Scotland pays back for Malawi climate damage

Scotland is one of the first countries in the world to stump up cash for climate change "loss and damage" in poorer countries.
clean energy minerals
Peehee Muhuh/Thacker Pass. Credit: Ian Bigley (CC BY-NC 2.0)

In push to mine for minerals, clean energy advocates ask what going green really means

This story was originally published in The New Lede, a journalism project of the Environmental Working Group, and is republished here with permission.

Keep reading...Show less

How do I compost at home? New technology makes going green easier

New technology and services are making it easier to compost, whether you live out in the country or in a 400-square-foot apartment.
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.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.