Emily Atkin

3 weeks ago | heated.world | Emily Atkin

The news of Walmart's exit from the plastic pact came just two months after the company announced it would not meet its publicly-advertised goals for plastic pollution reduction and recycling-and had, in fact, increased its use of virgin plastic in private-brand packaging. In that announcement, which was also reported on only by trade publications, Walmart said "many factors outside of our control" contributed to the failure.

1 month ago | heated.world | Emily Atkin

The giant tax and spending legislation Republicans are advancing through Congress is basically a copy-paste of a secret oil industry wish-list HEATED reported on five months ago with the investigative outlet Field Notes. In that wish-list, the American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC)-a large oil industry trade group-asked the Trump administration for two major things: To stop taxing excess emissions of methane, a powerful pollutant responsible for nearly a third of climate change.

1 month ago | heated.world | Emily Atkin

The nation's top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., took a swim with his family in a poop-contaminated stream this weekend. Rock Creek, which flows through much of Northwest Washington, is used to . The creek has widespread "fecal" contamination and high levels of bacteria, , and the city has banned swimming in all of its waterways for more than 50 years because of the widespread contamination of Rock Creek and other nearby rivers.

1 month ago | f.mtr.cool | Emily Atkin

Here’s something you don’t hear every day: A notable climate change law is about to be signed in the United States. Hawaii state lawmakers on Friday approved what’s known as the “green fee,” a first-of-its-kind effort to charge visitors for climate adaptation efforts. Once signed into law by Gov. Josh Green, the green fee will raise Hawaii’s existing transient tax on hotel rooms, vacation rentals and other short-term accommodations from 10.25 percent to 11 percent starting next year.

1 month ago | progressivehub.net | Emily Atkin

A .75% tax will not destroy Hawaii’s economy. But unchecked climate change will. By Emily Atkin, HeatedHere’s something you don’t hear every day: A notable climate change law is about to be signed in the United States. Hawaii state lawmakers on Friday approved what’s known as the “green fee,” a first-of-its-kind effort to charge visitors for climate adaptation efforts. Once signed into law by Gov.