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The Latest by Daniel Hubbell

Intern

April 29, 2013

Goldman Prize Winners: Making a Difference

By Daniel Hubbell  /  Washington, D.C. Office

It is easy sometimes to feel like the problems of the world are just too large for any one person to tackle. Whether it is a global issue like climate change or more local struggles against ancient coal plants polluting the neighborhood, it feels like there are always powerful interests standing in the way. That’s …

April 3, 2013

Renowned Scientist Quits NASA Over Climate

By Daniel Hubbell  /  Washington, D.C. Office

Dr. James Hansen has never been shy about standing up for his scientific principles. In 1988, speaking before Congress, Dr. Hansen laid out a blunt truth, “It is time to stop waffling so much and say that the evidence is pretty strong that the greenhouse effect is here.” The statement caused an eruption of controversy, …

February 27, 2013

NAACP Joins Charge to Protect Clean Air Standards

By Daniel Hubbell  /  Washington, D.C. Office

Even in today’s divided political climate, taking a stance against mercury and arsenic in our air does not seem like it should be controversial. The gasses, along with other known toxics like chromium, cadmium and selenium are among 84 known air pollutants emitted every year by coal and oil fired power plants. They have cost …

January 23, 2013

Court Acts In Favor Of Cleaner Air

By Daniel Hubbell  /  Washington, D.C. Office

The mention of soot conjures images of black clouds pouring out of unfiltered cars, or of cities lost in dark fog. At times in our history, soot pollution has helped stain entire ecosystems black, famously causing moths in Britain to change color from white to black to better hide in their environment. These images are …

December 13, 2012

Tr-Ash Talk: From Dirty Past To Sunny Future

By Daniel Hubbell  /  Washington, D.C. Office

In his address at the Tribal Nations Conference, President Obama spoke with his usual eloquence about invigorating growth on tribal lands, and the perfect example of this new growth is the Moapa solar project on the Moapa River Indian Reservation. Situated just 30 miles north of Las Vegas, the site will generate up to 350 …

November 20, 2012

The Shiny Scary Truth About Chromium

By Daniel Hubbell  /  Washington, D.C. Office

Chromium shows up in surprising places in modern society—most notably on car bumpers and furniture to improve how they look. Too often, the facilities that do this kind of plating put the carcinogen hexavalent chromium into the air in local communities where they operate. The highly toxic chemical was made infamous by Erin Brockovich’s work …

October 15, 2012

Restoring The River Of My Childhood

By Daniel Hubbell

After growing up in Massachusetts suburbia, I have fond memories of canoeing with my family on the town’s river, the Sudbury. Gliding along, we would keep our eyes peeled for turtles on the rocks or fish under the boat, and maybe if we were very lucky a heron drying off in the afternoon sun. Once …