A Teachable Moment With Plastic-Encased Oranges
A grocery-store gaffe sparks an ethics debate over plastic packaging and the merits of convenience foods.
Jeff Turrentine
OnEarth's articles editor, Jeff Turrentine is a former editor at Architectural Digest. He is also a frequent contributor to Slate, the Washington Post, the New York Times Book Review, and other publications.
Have Teachers Absorbed Climate-Denying Dogma?
We don't let flat-Earthers influence our science curricula. So why should climate skeptics have a say?
When a Small-Government Philosophy Rules the Day
The crisis in Flint, Michigan, reveals the dangerous downside of treating public safety as just another line item.
Apocalypse Soon
In the budding cli-fi genre, dystopian settings can be real-life motivators.
The Public Transit Paradox
Gas is crazy cheap. Car sales are through the roof. So why isn’t taxpayer support for mass transit tanking?
Can COP21 Save the World?
How can we save the world? During the United Nations climate conference, we can—and should—find our inspiration in history. Look to Winston Churchill.
Can Canada's New Prime Minister Back Up His Talk on Climate Change With Meaningful Action?
Under Justin Trudeau, Canada has a chance to make amends for a decade of climate inaction. But if it’s ever to catch up, it needs to start right now.
Keeping Climate Science Out of Classrooms
School officials in Utah think sixth graders are too young to be taught about climate change—but the perfect age to be misled about it.
Keeping Sustainability Out of Our Dietary Guidelines
Did Big Ag’s beef-loving cowboys just lasso the 2015 Dietary Guidelines? It sure does look that way.
It’s Time to Come Clean With Iowans About the Problems With Ethanol
The fact that corn-based ethanol is renewable doesn’t make it sustainable. When will presidential candidates stumping in Iowa admit as much?
The Old College Try
Students are pushing their schools to divest from fossil-fuel companies. Administrations are pushing back. History tells us who will win.
How Conservative Pundits Have Become the Most Vocal Champions of Smart Urban Planning
A new generation of conservative pundits is cheerfully blurring the line between red and blue—by embracing smart growth and New Urbanism.
Climate Deniers Are Coming for Your Children
In states whose economic engines run on dirty fuel, teaching kids about climate change is under new attack.
Forgive Them, Father
As Pope Francis prepares to deliver a powerful message on climate change, deniers are beginning to realize they haven’t got a prayer.
The City of the Future: Can Los Angeles Reinvent Itself All Over Again?
Three bold plans to turn L.A. into a better, more sustainable version of itself, one that will be able to meet the formidable water, air, and climate challenges of the 21st century.