The poet Rachel Richardson learns, through writing and motherhood, to defy fear.
Erin X. Wong
Erin X. Wong is an editorial fellow at High Country News, covering clean energy and environmental justice. They actively report on informal recyclers, also known as waste pickers, in the U.S. and around the world. If you have tips or would like to speak on this topic, please email them at erin.wong@hcn.org or submit a letter to the editor. Follow them on Twitter at @erinxy.
Posted inArticles
How communities, officials and developers can work together on renewable energy development
Researcher Katherine Hoff explains how negotiation and dialogue can smooth the energy transition.
Posted inArticles
How to solve local opposition to green development
Bespoke community benefits agreements can offer residents tangible gains in return for the disturbance of development.
Posted inJanuary 2025: The West's Most Wanted
Who voted in the 2024 election?
Many Democrats stayed home, while independents swung to the right.
Posted inArticles
2024 set the stage for clean energy on public lands
Thanks to Biden administration policies, the momentum behind the energy transition could be hard to stall.
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Western voters reject ranked-choice voting
The alternative electoral system has many benefits, but public opinion remains mixed.
Posted inNovember 2024: The Once and Future Prairie
How the climate is changing your energy bill
Wildfires and winter storms are costing utilities and families.
Posted inArticles
The California Forever debate moves underground
A billionaire-backed company will continue sowing support, while residents weigh their options.
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How carbon removal can help curb wildfires and build houses
Local governments in the Four Corners back homegrown carbon-removal projects.
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Arizona and Nevada edge toward Harris and Walz
The Democratic ticket is hitting home in Western swing states with young, minority and independent voters.
Posted inArticles
Is your community ready for a wildfire?
Local governments throughout the West are investing in wildfire defense. Here’s how to know if yours is one of them.
Posted inAugust 2024: In the Wake of the Floods
A silicon revival in the West
Is the region ready to produce the world’s most advanced technology?
Posted inArticles
What a Kamala Harris presidency could mean for the West
Harris has prioritized protecting public lands and pursued accountability for polluters, but her track record on tribal affairs is mixed.
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Project 2025’s extreme vision for the West
The demolition of public lands, water and wildlife protections are part of conservatives’ plan for a second Trump term.
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Repeal of the Chevron doctrine will have profound consequences for federal rulemaking
Climate, public lands and tribal law regulations are now likely to face legal challenges.
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Supreme Court curtails agencies’ ability to enforce regulations
The repeal of the bedrock Chevron doctrine throws climate and conservation laws into doubt.
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An environmental justice coalition for all
How has Biden’s record on conservation served communities of color?
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Meet the tree-sitters who occupied a ponderosa pine
The Oregon activists call attention to ongoing clearcuts in old-growth forests.
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The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is still a bipartisan unicorn
As a competing bill emerges, supporters defend RAWA as the ’gold standard.’
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How Western ports anchor U.S. supply chains
The Baltimore bridge collapse highlights the nation’s dependence on the shipping industry.