Pollution

I grew up drinking and bathing in the toxic waters around a military base in North Carolina. Thirty years later, I went back to investigate.

• By Lori Lou Freshwater

Natural burials offer a greener alternative to traditional cemeteries, but Big Funeral is fighting back.

• By Sophie Yeo

Blue-green algae has bloomed again in Lake Okeechobee, filling waterways with putrid sludge that can contaminate local water and marine animals.

• By Rebecca Renner

Vietnam either has to change the way it approaches shrimp farming or face the loss of hundreds of hectares of land.

• By Zoe Osborne

Seagulls search for food near a sewage discharge area next to piles of plastic bottles washed away by the water on the seaside of Ouzai, south of Beirut, on July 19th, 2018.

• By Pacific Standard Staff

Those living near factory farms have to contend with noxious odors, toxic emissions, and swarms of insects, and have had little success in obtaining relief—but that is changing.

• By Sacoby Wilson

The proposed mine would sit within Cenderawasih Bay National Park, while parts of it also overlap onto or border the Wondiwoi Mountains Nature Reserve—both protected areas.

• By Basten Gokkon

Because of Volkswagen's deceptive actions, 10.7 million defective vehicles were sold to customers around the world.

• By Ashley Hackett

Groups of volunteers clean up plastic waste on a beach in Lima, Peru, during World Environment Day on June 5th, 2018.

• By Pacific Standard Staff

Campaigns against single-use plastic waste are picking up steam.

• By Ashley Hackett

Instead of shaming disabled consumers who rely on straws, let's hold producers of plastic financially responsible for their waste.

• By David M. Perry

Europe announced it will seek to ban the use of certain common plastic items, including plastic cutlery, straws, plates, swabs, and fishing gear.

• By Pacific Standard Staff

Touching asbestos doesn't scare Pierrette Théroux, founder of the Asbestos Historical Society. As a child, she woke to dustings of asbestos, fallen overnight like snow.

• By Crystal Chan

As scientists sort out the best way to capture and measure the harmful microfibers that now litter most of the world's freshwater, we have no choice but to keep drinking.

• By Morgan Baskin

News and notes from Pacific Standard staff and contributors.

• By Pacific Standard Staff
• Member Exclusive

A federal judge in California blocked the city of Oakland's attempt to prevent the shipment of coal through a proposed cargo terminal.

• By Kate Wheeling

For generations, oil refineries brought jobs—and pollution—to the residents of Wilmington. Can a new generation of youthful activists make it a healthier place to grow up?

• By Mimi Kirk

Even after 35 years of efforts to resolve the issue, toxic farm water is being pushed into a local park and showing up in the eggs of local bird species.

• By Matt Weiser

California, the most polluted state in the country, is engaged in a fight with EPA to keep higher auto emissions standards.

• By Ashley Hackett

"This is where we make our living. This is how we live."

• By Kevin Stark & Winifred Bird

A round-up of images from Viewfinder, Pacific Standard's daily photo feature.

• By Pacific Standard Staff

A swan sits in its nest in a lake near Queen Louise's Bridge in central Copenhagen, Denmark, on April 17th, 2018.

• By Pacific Standard Staff

The massive amounts of plastic trash in marine environments may be leading to toxic metals entering the food chain.

• By Danielle Beurteaux

In 2012, Little Village residents helped shut down a coal plant. Now, a redevelopment company plans to build a distribution center in its place, bringing more dirty trucks to the neighborhood.

• By Sophie Yeo