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."


U.S. president Donald Trump speaking into microphone
Credit: Gage Skidmore/https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Trump claims ‘wind mills’ kill whales but quietly torpedoes the science

The Interior Department defunds two vital research programs that track North Atlantic right whales near active offshore wind construction sites.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaking into microphone
Credit: palinchak/BigStock Photo ID: 194524414

UN chief defends science and weather forecasting as Trump threatens both

The United Nations chief delivered a strong defense of science and meteorology on Wednesday, praising the U.N. weather agency for helping save lives by keeping watch for climate disasters around the world.

Will COP30 finally prioritize Indigenous voices?

Will COP30 finally prioritize Indigenous voices?

Indigenous and community leaders see the upcoming U.N. climate talks in the heart of the Amazon Basin as an unprecedented opportunity to infuse global climate ambitions with justice and inclusiveness.
A man and woman inspecting a solar panel

How can Canada help workers through a green transition?

A new report from the C.D. Howe Institute says Canada must strengthen job training and improve occupational data to help fossil fuel workers transition into renewable energy roles.

floating homes on seacoast
Credit: Photo by Chaitanya Maheshwari on Unsplash

What if flood-threatened homes could float?

Elizabeth English noticed many raised homes floated up with Hurricane Katrina’s flood waters and remained structurally sound after the water receded, dropping them back onto their foundations.
Brown-skinned hand grasping cocoa pod
Credit: Photo by Jeffrey Valenzuela on Unsplash

Green by tradition: Africa's path to lower carbon footprint

Climate change is wreaking havoc across the globe, and Africa is no exception. Yet, the continent is turning to its roots, leveraging indigenous knowledge and practices to cut carbon emissions. These community-driven initiatives are showing promising results.
coral reef with tropical fish
Photo by Francesco Ungaro on Unsplash

2 iconic coral species are now functionally extinct off Florida, study finds – we witnessed the reef’s bleaching and devastation

The crucial reef-building corals were decimated by a marine heat wave in the Florida Keys. Can advances in restoration help them recover?
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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