environmental news stories
Credit: Julie Lopez/Unsplash

Our 5 most read stories of 2023

Revisit the stories that most resonated with our readers this year.

It's always interesting to what stories touch people.


As with much of the internet, there often seems to be no real rhyme or reason. However, this year we found our audience remains engaged on PFAS chemicals in consumer products like oat milk and contact lenses. We also saw readers hungry for information on the East Palestine, Ohio, train spill and aftermath.

Check out what others have been reading. Below are our top five most read stories from the past year.

1. Testing finds glyphosate in two popular oat milks

glyphosate oat milk

Two out of 13 popular brands of oat milk had detectable levels of the controversial herbicide glyphosate, according to a report from Mamavation.

2. 800,000 tons of radioactive waste from Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry has gone “missing”

fracking radioactive

Waste from the oil and gas industry contains toxic and radioactive substances. Disposal of this waste is supposed to be carefully tracked, but 800,000 tons of oil and gas waste from Pennsylvania oil and gas wells is unaccounted for, according to a study.

3. Are you putting PFAS on your eyeballs?

PFAS contacts lens

Eighteen kinds of soft contact lenses have detectable levels of organic fluorine, an indicator of the group of chemicals known as PFAS, according to a report from Mamavation.

4. After the eighth catastrophic train derailment in the greater Pittsburgh area in five years, advocates demand better protections

train derailment

In February, about 50 Norfolk Southern train cars derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, about an hour northwest of Pittsburgh, causing an explosion and subsequent fire that continued burning through Sunday night.

5. The EPA has disclosed additional, concerning chemicals released during the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio

Ohio train derailment

In February, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a letter to Norfolk Southern Railway Co. that cited additional chemicals released during the company’s Feb. 3 train derailment in Ohio that were not previously known to the public.

house overlooking a lake

UN court hears historic case as island nations confront climate threats

Small island nations are urging the International Court of Justice to clarify obligations under international law to address climate change, citing rising seas as a threat to their survival.

Molly Quell reports for The Associated Press.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
sun setting near lake
Credit: www.twin-loc.fr/Flickr

A decade-old marine heat wave offered a chilling preview of ocean changes to come

Ten years after a marine heat wave decimated ecosystems off California’s coast, researchers warn that such events, exacerbated by climate change, are becoming the new norm.

Delger Erdenesanaa reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Justice symbol made of leaves

Funding for environmental justice grants at risk under new administration

Environmental justice organizations fear critical funding allocated under the Inflation Reduction Act could be rescinded as the incoming Trump administration signals plans to cut climate-focused grants.

Kristoffer Tigue, Dennis Pillion, Dylan Baddour and Marianne Lavelle report for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
Two Black people looking at a computer

Trump’s climate rollback plans could harm Black communities most

As Donald Trump prepares to take office, his climate agenda threatens environmental protections, risking severe consequences for Black communities in pollution-heavy areas.

Adam Mahoney reports for Capital B.

Keep reading...Show less
Hydrogen tank

Midwest’s hydrogen plans spark debate over clean energy standards

The Midwest Hydrogen Hub has received $22.2 million in federal funding to advance clean hydrogen production, but critics argue its reliance on fossil fuels undermines its environmental claims.

Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco reports for Grist.

Keep reading...Show less
Glass building

Activists urge insurers to cut ties with fossil fuels in London protests

Thousands gathered in London to demand that insurance companies stop underwriting fossil fuel projects, emphasizing their pivotal role in the climate crisis.

Keerti Gopal reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
steel plant infrastructure

Steel industry lags in renewable energy transition, study finds

The world’s largest steelmakers remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels, with renewable energy accounting for minimal use across the industry, a new survey reveals.

David Stanway reports for Reuters.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Resident speaks at an event about the Midwest hydrogen hub organized by Just Transition NWI.

What a Trump administration means for the federal hydrogen energy push

Legal and industry experts say there are uncertainties about the future of hydrogen hubs, a cornerstone of the Biden administration’s clean energy push.

unions climate justice

Op-ed: The common ground between labor and climate justice is the key to a livable future

The tale of “jobs versus the environment” does not capture the full story.

Union workers from SEIU holding climate protest signs at a rally in Washington DC

El terreno común entre los derechos laborales y la justicia climática es la clave de un futuro habitable

La narrativa de “empleos vs. proteger el medio ambiente” no cuenta la historia completa.

unions and labor movement

LISTEN: Pradnya Garud on the role of unions in climate justice

“They’ve been able to combine forces and really come forward to bring social and environmental change.”

People advocating against the US hydrogen hub build out

Hydrogen hubs test new federal environmental justice rules

A massive push for hydrogen energy is one of the first test cases of new federal environmental justice initiatives. Communities and advocates so far give the feds a failing grade.

photos of people protesting the hydrogen hub buildout

What’s hampering federal environmental justice efforts in the hydrogen hub build-out?

“Organizational change in large bureaucracies takes time.”

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