Cities & society

Residents of the wildfire-choked San Joaquin Valley desperately want something done about their air quality – but they want researchers to approach the work in a new way.

A study led by Economics Professor Matthew Gentzkow and Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Professor Hunt Allcott investigated how quitting social media affected users’ political views leading up to the 2020 presidential vote.

Mastercard’s chief sustainability officer discusses how companies can avoid greenwashing and align with their social and environmental values.

A new white paper from Stanford researchers analyzes Western investor-owned utilities’ wildfire mitigation plans, highlighting those that are leading the way and identifying steps utilities with exposure to wildfire risk should be taking.

A new study of air pollution in U.S. homes reveals how much gas and propane stoves increase people’s exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to childhood asthma. Even in bedrooms far from kitchens, concentrations frequently exceed health limits while stoves are on and for hours after burners and ovens are turned off.

Stanford scholars are exploring the connection between plastic and disease, rethinking how plastic could be reused, and uncovering new ways to break down waste.

Stanford economist Paul Milgrom won a Nobel Prize in part for his role in enabling today’s mobile world. Now he’s tackling a different 21st century challenge: water scarcity.

Programs and policies that help households go beyond stocking up on food and medical supplies to invest in longer-term protections could overcome the risk perception gap and support adaptation to rising climate-related threats.

 A new study finds that factory and warehouse rooftops offer a big untapped opportunity to help disadvantaged communities bridge the solar energy divide.

As policymakers consider updates to the Bay-Delta Plan, a Stanford analysis outlines challenges and strategies to support future water security in the San Francisco Bay Area in the face of climate change.

Stanford-led research shows methane emissions from a large share of U.S. oil and gas facilities are three times higher on average than the level predicted by official government estimates.

Black Americans have long called on one another to “lift as you climb,” stressing the mutual responsibility to increase access to a work space when you are the first in your community to enter it. This guiding principle set the tone for a recent webinar convened by Earth system science assistant professor Elliott White Jr. and hosted by the Woods Institute for the Environment.

A new report looks back at the most impactful environment and sustainability research from Stanford scholars in 2023.

Difficulties in connecting charging sites to the grid pose the biggest delays in bringing publicly accessible EV charging stations online.

Researchers found almost no agreement among four widely used poverty measurement approaches.

A recent workshop made progress toward centralized tracking of how ecosystem protection and restoration are linked with climate and socio-economic progress in Belize.

A new white paper from Planet, Microsoft, the Natural Capital Project, and the Gund Institute shares approaches for companies to meet environmental reporting requirements.

Stanford experts share their favorite tips for incorporating sustainability into your life at home, at work, and in your community.