Callie Broaddus

“We can’t recycle our way out of this crisis.” That’s according to California’s Democratic State Senator Ben Allen-- just one of many politicians around the country proposing to ban all straws, bags and other single-use plastics. At the overwhelmed Recycling Center in Burbank, California, Kreigh Hample says, “Our packaging has gone up exponentially in just the last few decades… it’s a sad story in the way we eat, the way we dispose of things and the way that we’re living.” A throwaway culture may be convenient, but the costs include cleaning it up with taxpayer money--not to mention worldwide pollution. China now requires recycled products so pure that the bottom’s gone out of the market, but the plastics industry is bigger than ever. Former EPA official Judith Judith Enck says half the world’s plastics have been produced in the past 13 years. One new process has developed from coal fracking, and development is being encouraged by President Trump with support from the fossil fuel industry. But just 9% of the plastic produced is getting recycled. Some goes to landfills, but the rest turns into worldwide pollution. Images of plastic waste floating by the acre in the Pacific Ocean are all too familiar; microplastics are turning up from the depths of the seas to the remotest parts of the Arctic. In Texas and other states, it’s illegal to ban plastic products. But, in Sacramento, Allen says it’s time to hold the plastics industry accountable. California is big enough to influence the nation’s economy, so his efforts are being scrutinized by politicians and advocates around the country.

Evacuation orders for the Saddleridge fire have been lifted.

A state bill called AB 5 would require businesses that rely on independent contractors to reclassify them as employees and offer benefits such as health insurance and sick pay. There’s…

Are you an EV owner who has trouble finding a charging station? Are you a renter who's hesitant to go electric? Do the environmental benefits outweigh the inconvenience?

California’s healthcare system wouldn’t function without the contributions of people born abroad.

One homeowner was foreclosed on earlier this year because of her participation in a program which provides LA County homeowners with no-money-down loans for eco-friendly home…

For people experiencing homelessness, a gym membership can offer more than an opportunity to exercise.

The fur industry in California is worth $300 million, and fur is an important part of some people's family history. But some say the industry is cruel.

Butterfly Beach in Montecito is popular among beachgoers. But 30 years from now, there won’t be much of it left to enjoy.