2014: A Look Back at 2014’s Biggest Environmental Stories + Peek Ahead

"A warning from our feathered friends; water woes in California, Ohio and West Virginia; concerns about chemicals in food and cosmetics … it was a busy 2014.

The biggest stories of 2014 are going to set the stage in 2015. We see these developments on the horizon: bolstered research and tracking of antibiotic-resistant bacteria; states leading the charge on bans on neonicitinoids, a class of pesticides linked to bee colony collapse; and heightened focus by scientists on emerging contaminants in our water.

The year began with headlines about Russia’s polluted Olympic village and a massive chemical spill in West Virginia. It ended with delegates from 200 countries taking steps to commit every country on the planet to reducing fossil fuels."

Brian Bienkowski reports for Environmental Health News January 2, 2014.