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.

The totals are in — here are the five most viewed stories from our newsroom in 2022.


1. A corpse in a barrel in a drying reservoir

corpse in a barrel in a drying reservoir

Our weekend columnist Peter Dykstra is always on the lookout for the weird and wacky in the environmental realm.

With this column, he found it.

2. The hidden, potential cancer-causing, danger in woodworking and art supplies

BADGE BPA chemical

Reporter Meg Wilcox did a deep dive on a scary chemical that's common in woodworking and art supplies. Might want to check this one out before your next craft night.

3. The Titans of Plastic

petrochemical shell pennsylvania plastic

In collaboration with the excellent Sierra Magazine, reporter Kristina Marusic gives readers a clear-eyed look at the multi-faceted impacts of plastics production.

4. For clean beauty brands, getting PFAS out of makeup might be easier said than done

PFAS in makeup

We spent a good part of the beginning of 2022 examining PFAS chemicals in everyday products. This investigation into makeup caught the eye of readers.

5. Chemicals in everyday products are spurring obesity, warns a new review

chemicals obesity

Our weight depends on more than diet and exercise. Reporter Grace van Deelen reported on the latest research examining a concerning class of chemicals called "obesogens."


People walking through a subway hallway in a blur.

Trump White House tells agencies to ignore climate costs when writing rules

The Trump administration has eliminated the use of the "social cost of carbon" in federal rulemaking, reversing decades of climate policy and economic analysis.

Lisa Friedman reports for The New York Times.

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Gloved hands installing rooftop solar.

Trump’s energy strategy backfires as oil falters and renewables stall

U.S. energy firms are retreating from drilling and halting clean power projects as President Trump’s policies trigger market instability and investor anxiety.

Evan Halper reports for The Washington Post.

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Silver electricity grid against a blue daytime sky.

Political promises collide with a century-old grid as the Pacific Northwest struggles to build green energy

Oregon and Washington pledged to lead the country in renewable power, but a federal bottleneck and lack of investment in transmission lines have left them trailing behind Republican-led states.

Tony Schick and Monica Samayoa report for ProPublica and Oregon Public Broadcasting.

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Electric vehicle battery with a monitor device plugged in.

Massachusetts battery startup takes major step toward making gas cars obsolete

A small startup in Massachusetts has built and road-tested a solid-state battery that could one day make electric vehicles cheaper, safer, and longer-lasting than gas-powered cars.

Jack Ewing reports for The New York Times.

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Christian cross standing under purple and blue evening sky.

Church leaders launch guide to challenge fossil fuel financiers through faith and law

As climate fears mount among children worldwide, the World Council of Churches has released a new handbook to help religious communities pressure financial institutions to move away from fossil fuel investments.

Jenni Doering reports for Living on Earth.

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shallow focus photography of wheat field with a tractor harvesting during daytime.

Intensive farming depletes European and UK soils, weakening climate defenses

A majority of European and British farmland has lost its natural ability to store water and carbon due to decades of over-farming, worsening floods, droughts and food insecurity, a new report finds.

Fiona Harvey reports for The Guardian.

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Industrial plant against backdrop of rising sun and blue sky.

Shell plastic plant's nighttime flaring alarms Pennsylvania residents and draws regulatory scrutiny

A flaring event at Shell’s massive ethane cracker in Beaver County lit up the sky for days, prompting health complaints and community concern over transparency and safety.

Kiley Bense reports for Inside Climate News.

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From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

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