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."


Two children looking at a sheep walking in a green field

Opinion: Could climate change be a good news story for Irish agriculture?

The intensity of the weather changes that have impacted across Ireland and the rest of Europe over the past number of years must be fully recognized.

A man in an orange safety vest looking at a deforested section of a hillside

‘Planetary boundaries’ necessary for flourishing of life have been massively breached, scientists warn

The planetary life support systems relied upon by humans have deteriorated to their worst levels ever recorded amid ongoing pollution and habitat destruction, according to a key yet grim annual update by scientists.

A sign that says 'sorry no fuel' next to a gas station pump

Fuel prices, AI and disasters complicate UN climate efforts

World and business leaders gathering in New York face mounting pressure to address climate change as extreme weather, high fossil fuel prices and rapidly growing electricity demand from AI reshape the global energy debate.

A government building in a downtown area with a tall building in the background

How to stick up for renewable energy projects near you

Showing up at local government hearings to support a proposed wind, solar, or battery project could be the most effective climate action you ever take.
A woman in a face mask walking along a tree-lined street with a cup of coffee

Dirty air is killing Europeans and costing trillions. These cities prove change is possible

From London's ULEZ to Sofia's clean air zone, European cities are proving that cleaner air is achievable – but there's still much work to do.
A view of downtown Tampa, Florida along the Hillsborough river against a night sky

How Florida ties localities’ hands on everything from environmental regulation to worker protections

By allowing state laws to override local ordinances, actions like Senate Bill 180 are making Florida "less free," one advocate says.

An open door in the middle of a desert with a sunset behind

Opinion: We have a climate imagination problem

We’re missing an emotional architecture for change: how it feels to want a different future and believe we can reach it, writes Solitaire Townsend.
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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