Environment & Climate

California has the worst air in the nation. Yet in the Los Angeles region, home to some of the country’s foulest air, kids are now breathing considerably easier. Wait — how does that work?

The tragedy in Flint continues to fill headlines. But nearly every community is at risk from some form of lead contamination. In our webinar this week, veteran reporters and experts offered journalists fresh ideas for covering such stories.

When reporting on risk factors that shape health, it's not uncommon for critics to suggest you've confused causation with correlation. Here are three steps you can take to ensure your reporting can weather such storms of doubt.

Does a forthcoming ban on smoking in public housing promote the health of residents or amount to "nannying the poor"? Reporter Jennifer Bihm looks into the issue.

Let's say you asked for data during the early stages of reporting, but the agency in question told you, "Tough luck." Contributor William Heisel offers tips on how to fill an empty spreadsheet with pluck and will.

If you have a story that needs to be told, don't wait for a huge attachment to show up in your inbox. Hunt for the data that will help you tell your story. And keep in mind that a data expert can be an invaluable guide along the way.

In California's Sonoma County, some families face living conditions that include high levels of dangerous mold and other asthma triggers. When landlords don't act, problems can fester for years, leading to a host of health problems.

Short of government action, residents living in substandard housing are banding together or stepping forward on their own to turn up the heat on unresponsive landlords. Some are seeking legal assistance to force repairs, with some cases escalating to lengthy civil lawsuits.

In California's Sonoma County, an alarming number of tenants live in housing so run down that it poses a risk to their health and safety. For Karla Orozco's family, the hazards included mold, rats and cockroaches, a broken heater, and sewage backups.

The effect of squalid housing on people’s health is difficult to determine in California's Sonoma County, since there is no study, stockpile of data or government agency that tracks illness in connection with living environments.