Looking back at the most popular blog posts from 2013 we find a wide variety of subjects generated substantial readership.

unEARTHED readers were all over the map this year. Your concerns are wide and varied.

And that should give us all hope.

So, counting down (just in case you missed one) here are the Top Ten Most Read unEARTHED blog posts of 2013.

10. Watching Our National Parks Fade From View
Haze from coal-fired power plants obscures our greatest national treasures

“Drops of sunscreen-infused sweat sting your eyes as you climb towards the summit; a small price to pay for the panoramic views that lie ahead. But after finally conquering every switchback, your view of far-stretching vistas is obscured, not by sweat, but by haze created by coal-fired power plants—a polluting problem that afflicts many of America’s 400 national parks …” (continue reading)

9. Wake and Smile, the Nightmare is Over
Landmark law moves Nevada from coal to renewables

“It felt like I was waking up from a nightmare. I wasn’t really sure what was true or false. I was confused. My heart was racing. I was excited. Maybe, I thought, this nightmare is over.” … (continue reading)

8. Driven From Predator to Prey: Sharks Face Extinction
Millions lose their fins and lives to the sharkfin soup market

“Every year, Discovery Channel’s ‘Shark Week’ concludes its program with a familiar saying: ‘Sharks have more reason to fear us than we have to fear them.’ This comforting thought—more people are killed each year by falling coconuts than by sharks—has never been so true …” (continue reading)

7. Pollution Killing Manatees at Record Pace
Yet, industry group seeks to removed endangered species status

“I’m sad to report that 2013 has become the deadliest year ever for Florida’s endangered manatees. So far this year, 769 manatees have died (Jan. 1 through Oct. 29), the largest annual manatee die-off in Florida since record-keeping began, according to the Save the Manatee Club …” (continue reading)

6. Going to Extremes In Arctic: Is it Worth It?
Industry not ready for offshore drilling in treacherous waters

“As Royal Dutch Shell continues to make perfectly clear, industry is not prepared to safely explore for oil in the pristine waters of America’s Arctic. Shell’s Arctic operations have been called the “gold standard” of the oil industry and if this is the best they’ve got, the industry is not Arctic ready …” (continue reading)

5. Our Nation’s Most Endangered River—The Colorado
Unrestrained thirst puts Colorado atop American Rivers’ threat list

“The Colorado River has been called the lifeblood of the west; it defines our geography, sustains our fish and wildlife, feeds and powers our cities. Without it, our lives and heritage would be fundamentally different—which is why Earthjustice and the conservation community have fought for years to preserve and protect this great river …” (continue reading)

4. TIME Magazine Envisions a World Without Honeybees
Spoiler: It’s not a world anyone wants to live in

“TIME Magazine‘s cover this week depicts a single bee, its wings flapping in frenzied motion on a stark black background. It forebodingly reads, “A WORLD WITHOUT BEES: THE PRICE WE’LL PAY IF WE DON’T FIGURE OUT WHAT’S KILLING THE HONEYBEE” …” (continue reading)

3. Crisis In Court: Mega-farms Trying to Seize Salmon Water
Court hearings this week may decide fate of Klamath/Trinity River salmon

“This is the time of year when Chinook salmon head back up the Klamath/Trinity River system to spawn—if they have abundant, cold water. But this year—this week—powerful business interests are in court trying to seize that water, putting tens of thousands of salmon, and an entire generation of their offspring, in peril …” (continue reading)

2. Raw Sewage and a Raw Deal in Rochelle, GA
When the town’s toilets flush, guess what ends up in African-American yards

“You’ve heard of this place if you pay attention to news; last weekend the national media was reporting on the local high school’s first interracial prom … ever …” (continue reading)

And the most read unEARTHED blog post of the year is …

1. Supreme Court Preserves Victory Over Oil/Gas Development
Action prevents development leases in Utah’s red rock country

“It is rewarding to successfully wrap-up a case. This can be especially true when our work protects special places, preserving them for future generations. It is a pleasure to be able to point at a map and say, ‘Those are the places that were saved.’ …” (continue reading)