Environment Archives

A photo of people preparing a meal on a wood oven

Reporter’s Notebook: Indoor air in India can be just as bad as the country’s toxic smog. Was I wrong to be surprised?

India's polluted skylines regularly make international news. But it’s only now coming to light that air quality inside homes, which mainly affects women in the kitchen, can be just as bad.

by Disha ShettyApr 11, 2022

Photo of a woman sweeping a street while covering her face and head with a towel; smog in the background.

Air pollution's impact on women's health is slipping under the radar, public health experts warn

Evidence is clear that air pollution is linked to higher rates of miscarriages, pregnancy complications and stillbirths, affecting women’s reproductive health. But public health experts say that air pollution’s impact on women's health is not getting the attention it needs.

by Disha ShettyApr 3, 2022

This story was co-published with Scroll and Health Policy Watch.

Money in the forecast: Women reap unexpected gains from India's investment in early weather warning systems

India’s investment early weather warning systems was expected to help a predominantly male field of fishermen. But data suggests it may have unexpectedly led to major financial gains for women since the systems were launched a decade ago. Experts say the unintended win shows that gender is still a blind spot for climate policymakers.

by Disha ShettyFeb 25, 2022

This story was co-published with The Wire.

A photo of a woman walking with two children

In the Sundarban, climate change has an unlikely effect — on child sex-trafficking

Child trafficking is on the rise in one of the most climate vulnerable places on earth—revealing blind spots in climate policy, experts tell contributor Ritwika Mitra.

by Ritwika MitraJan 20, 2022

This story was co-published with The Wire.

A photo of a family posing for a photo on a porch

‘No fish means no food’: How Yurok women are fighting for their tribe’s health

Their salmon have all but disappeared, so Yurok mothers are fighting for their tribe’s health and food sovereignty.

by Lucy SherriffOct 4, 2021

Photo of firefighter looking out at body of water reflecting flames

Female ‘Hotshot’ Firefighters Want Action on Reproductive Health Risks

A system "built for men" exposes women to chemicals that have been linked to miscarriage, birth defects and slowed fetal growth.

by Lucy SherriffAug 11, 2021

In Nigeria, gas giants get rich as women sink into poverty

As international gas companies like Eni, Shell and Exxonmobil reap millions of dollars, women in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region say gas flaring is destroying their land and livelihoods.

by Shola LawalJun 10, 2021

Are chemicals poisoning the world’s female workers?

Women are disproportionately exposed to deadly substances—and may be getting disproportionately sickened by them.

by Lucy SherriffJun 1, 2021

A photo of a woman filling up jugs of water from a water pump

‘Water Warriors’: The US Women Banding Together to Fight for Water Justice

Women have been deeply embedded in the movement for clean water and sanitation for decades, which has become even more pressing amid the pandemic.

by Jessica WashingtonApr 20, 2021

This story was published in partnership with The Guardian and The Fuller Project.

A photo of a heart-shaped Valentine's Day balloon in the snow

Lessons from Texas: Advocates Warn of Extreme Weather’s Link to Domestic Violence

When a winter storm paralyzed Texas last month, millions of people in the state were left without power or heat or drinkable water. Traveling was dangerous and cell service was spotty. At the Houston Area…

by Jessica WashingtonMar 12, 2021

In Afghanistan, Climate Change Complicates Future Prospects for Peace

Afghanistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, and one of the least equipped to handle what’s to come.

by Sophia JonesFeb 3, 2020

This article was originally published in National Geographic.

‘I Need the Money But I Feel Guilt.’ How a Drought-Resistant Crop Turned Women in Kenya into Reluctant Drug Lords

Khat is one of the most popular — and lucrative — drugs in the region, bringing in $400,000 a day in Kenya alone for its primarily women sellers.

by Jillian Keenan, Nasibo KabaleAug 20, 2019

This article was originally published in TIME Magazine.

Amid Smoldering E-Waste In The West Bank, Activists Fight For Reform

Burning electronic waste to extract metals for resale is toxic, illegal, and common in the Palestinian Territories. Can activists forge a new path?

by Shira RubinJun 18, 2018

This article was originally published in Undark.

Women in Ghana Battle a U.S.-Owned Gold Mine for Land and Livelihood

Yaa Konadu wasn’t at the farm when the men came to take it away from her. “Come,” said one of her workers, who called the 74-year-old grandmother at her home in town with the bad…

by Sophia JonesDec 14, 2017

This article was originally published in Sierra Magazine.

Trump Pulled Out of the Paris Climate Agreement—And Women of All Ages Will Feel It

Women and girls are bearing the brunt of the consequences of climate change.

by Christina AsquithJun 2, 2017

This article was originally published in Glamour.

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