Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)’s Post

Director of Food Waste Yvette Cabrera talks with Waste360 about what her role entails, the work she leads, and the importance of building a better food system. https://lnkd.in/e_eeUqjB

People working in the environmental space are constantly exposed to setbacks and losses associated with climate change. The American Psychological Association (APA) acknowledges the growing state of “eco-anxiety,” and calls for climate communicators, planners, policymakers, public health professionals, and other leaders to take mental health issues seriously.

NRDC teamed up with Governors Island Arts to present “Other of Pearl,” a new art exhibit about climate change by artist Jenny Kendler. The exhibit points out extractive activities as the origin of the climate crisis, and asks visitors to confront resulting environmental issues like pollution, ocean noise, and sea-level rise.   At the conclusion of the exhibit, the pearl sculptures from the show will be auctioned to raise funds to help create a new oyster reef alongside project partner Billion Oyster Project.    “Other of Pearl” is located on New York City’s Governors Island and is free and open to the public through the end of October: https://lnkd.in/eam-fhRA Photos by Timothy Schenck and Julienne Schaer

For the last four decades, federal judges deferred to expert officials at agencies like the EPA and FDA to reasonably interpret and implement laws. This was known as Chevron deference—but today, the Supreme Court threw it out, sidelining experts and making the U.S. less safe. Here’s how it used to work: Congress wrote a law that cut the air pollution that crosses state lines and harms communities downwind. Because it's so complicated, Congress left some details for the EPA’s air pollution team to figure out. The EPA came up with a cost-efficient plan, but some judges tried to say that their own preferred policy was required instead. In 2014, the Supreme Court stepped in and said the EPA could determine the plan because of Chevron deference. With that deference gone, judges can now easily overrule policy experts. There are over 850 unaccountable federal judges across the U.S., with different ideologies and backgrounds. They should not be allowed to impose their own policies—and political views.

Corporate polluters and their allies shouldn't get to control our water standards. And yet in North Carolina, they successfully pressured environmental agency leadership to delay critical rulemaking on toxic chemicals called PFAS. Without regulation, these dangerous chemicals invade our water, plants, animals, and eventually our bodies. That's why state-level action is desperately needed and long overdue, says NRDC expert Corinne Bell. https://lnkd.in/eeYNdvss

This month, temperatures hit 125 F as nearly two million people made the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The region has experienced climate change at an increasingly alarming rate over the past 40 years, warming 50% faster than the rest of the Northern Hemisphere. As extreme weather events like this become more frequent across the globe, even the most innovative mitigation tactics may prove ineffective.

The creators of the Emmy-winning HBO show “HACKS” worked with NRDC’s Rewrite the Future program to reflect climate change in the critically acclaimed third season of the series. NRDC is incredibly proud to be part of this work! https://lnkd.in/emitp3U8

The Western Arctic has some of the most pristine wildlands in the U.S., where several species—spanning from beluga whales to caribou to even polar bears—rely on the rich resources from this area for their survival. It’s a vast ecological treasure that’s also home to dozens of Indigenous communities. In a recent victory, the Biden administration put 10 million acres off-limits to oil and gas leasing across the Western Arctic. However, the work does not stop there. The administration will be accepting public comments on a new plan—one that will aim to protect even more Arctic lands from the exploitative and dangerous practices of the oil industry. Help protect the Arctic: https://lnkd.in/eCgXYVGR PHOTOS: 1. Beluga whale - Steven J. Kazlowski/Alamy 2. Colville River - Joel Sartore/Alamy 3. Teshekpuk caribou - Bob Wick/Bureau of Land Management 4. Teshekpuk Lake - Paul Andrew Lawrence 5. Semipalmated plover - Mark Newman/Getty Images 6. Polar bear - Cheryl Strahl Photography, CC BY-NC 4.0

In the Southeast Side of Chicago, strong community efforts have played a crucial role in securing new environmental rules for polluters in Illinois. Just four years ago, activists led protests against industrial metal scrapper General Iron, ultimately resulting in the denial of its permit to operate. Now, Illinois has agreed to new rules for big polluters working in marginalized communities across the state—a huge step toward its goal of ending sacrifice zones. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g8C2FmC4