Meg Wilcox

Boston

Environmental Journalist at Freelance

Enviro journo covering food + ag, water, enviro health + justice, sustainabilty. Words @CivilEats @EnvirHealthNews @ensiamedia @GreenBiz & others @sejorg

Articles

What Deep Cuts to NOAA Mean for U.S. Fisheries

3 weeks ago | civileats.com | Meg Wilcox

On a cold, bright April day, Sarah Schumann and Dean Pesante are painting the bottom of their fishing boat, the 38-foot Oceana, to prevent barnacles and weeds from attaching. They’re almost ready for the spring fishing season at Point Judith, Rhode Island, New England’s second most valuable fishing port. Schumann and Pesante harvest bluefish, dogfish, scup, and bonito using gillnets that they set daily at the mouth of the Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island Sound.
Mast Reforestation generates carbon credits by burying burnt trees

2 months ago | trellis.net | Meg Wilcox

Mast Reforestation, a post-wildfire restoration company, has developed a novel carbon credit that retires more quickly than traditional reforestation credits and offers a co-benefit of replanting forests on scorched landscapes. For sustainability professionals seeking to offset their company’s hardest-to-cut carbon emissions, the company’s first tranche of carbon removal credits will become available this month on puro.earth.
Natural building materials gain attention after California fires

Mar 3, 2025 | trellis.net | Meg Wilcox

As Southern California recovers and rebuilds after January’s devastating fires, a thriving ecosystem of architects, engineers, builders and entrepreneurs is working to move natural building materials into mainstream construction. Homes built with straw bale, adobe, hemp and other natural materials show better fire resistance than traditionally built homes, which are increasingly built using flammable plastics.
Uncategorized | Trellis

Mar 3, 2025 | trellis.net | Meg Wilcox |Jim Giles |Heather Clancy |Jesse Klein

Exploring the Future of Oil Markets Post-Trump’s Reelection Unlock the future of energy with S&P Global! As Donald Trump begins a new term, these insights reveal how his policies will reshape the oil market. From increased production to evolving international relations, stay ahead of the curve.
How companies are reducing plastic in buildings

Jan 22, 2025 | trellis.net | Meg Wilcox

As Southern California begins its long recovery from the devastating wildfires of recent weeks (and as new fires break out in San Diego), public officials warn of a new threat: unsafe drinking water in affected areas, due to plastic underground water pipes failing. What’s more, modern homes are so full of plastic — from foam insulation to luxury vinyl tiles to paints — that when they burn they can become that sicken their owners.
Can Flooded Farmers Count on USDA Disaster Relief?

Nov 27, 2024 | civileats.com | Meg Wilcox

When Hurricane Helene ripped through North Carolina this September, Nicole DelCogliano sheltered with her two daughters in Asheville, while her husband rode out the storm alone on their 16-acre organic vegetable farm, Green Toe Ground, in nearby Yancey County. After the storm subsided, DelCogliano fretted for hours until finally a text came through from an unknown number: “Farm flooded,” her husband, Gaelan Corozine, wrote. “I’m safe.
4 ways companies can limit deforestation now | Trellis

Oct 17, 2024 | trellis.net | Meg Wilcox

The European Union’s proposed one-year delay of its deforestation regulation (EUDR) has provoked sharp reaction from advocates who urge companies to get on with their no-deforestation commitments. The delay is “a grave threat to the world’s forests, already under severe pressure,” said Mighty Earth, in a statement. The 2024 Forest Declaration Assessment reported that 15.74 million acres — or 9 million soccer fields — of forest were lost in 2023 alone.
For Restaurants Cutting Their Carbon Footprint, Composting Food Scraps Is Just the Beginning

Oct 15, 2024 | eater.com | Meg Wilcox

This story was produced in collaboration with Civil Eats. Rifrullo Café, a cozy farm-to-table restaurant in Brookline, Massachusetts, hums with customers on a steamy July mid-morning. Patrons sip coffee on the shady sidewalk patio. Inside, people hunch over laptops or chat with friends, waiting for Turkish poached eggs with harissa-spiced eggplant or cinnamon custard French toast.
How Restaurants are Tackling Hidden Sources of Waste

Oct 15, 2024 | civileats.com | Meg Wilcox

This is the fourth article in a five-part series about restaurants and climate-change solutions, produced in collaboration with Eater. Rifrullo Café, a cozy farm-to-table restaurant in Brookline, Massachusetts, hums with customers on a steamy July mid-morning. Patrons sip coffee on the shady sidewalk patio. Inside, people hunch over laptops or chat with friends, waiting for Turkish poached eggs with harissa-spiced eggplant or cinnamon custard French toast.
Is Recycled Plastic Safe for Food Use?

Aug 27, 2024 | civileats.com | Meg Wilcox

Recycled content in food packaging is increasing as sustainability advocates press manufacturers to cut their use of virgin plastic. Since 1990, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency responsible for ensuring food contact materials are safe, approved at least 347 voluntary manufacturer applications for food contact materials made with recycled plastic, according to a database on its website.