No. 22, April 5, 2018

Hello again, Revelator readers.

This week the yellow lance mussel finally gained much needed protection under the Endangered Species Act. It's one of the lucky ones — dozens of other American freshwater mussel species are also at risk of disappearing forever due to pollution, climate change and other threats. That's not just bad for mussels, it's bad for America's rivers and streams and everything that depends on clean water. Find out more about why mussel extinction sucks — and what some scientists are doing to prevent it.

You know what else sucks? EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt just pulled President Obama's signature fuel-economy rules, which would have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 540 million metric tons. This deregulatory push is a gift to the automotive industry and one more step by the Trump administration that will make climate change even worse.

Government might sometimes fail us, but there are all kinds of ways individuals can help the environment. Several new books coming out this month discuss ways to live a fossil-free life or even a zero-waste lifestyle. Other books being published in April look at Cecil the lion, how to reclaim public lands, indigenous rights and a whole lot more. Check out the full list of this month's new eco-books.

In case you missed it:

Our recent investigation dug deep into the environmental health problems on the U.S.-Mexico border caused by decades of neglect on the part of both countries. Read our series, "A Border Betrayed."

Send us your tips:

What other stories should we be covering? We welcome your ideas and inside scoops. Drop us a line anytime.

Coming up:

We have a ton of other great stuff in the works in the days and weeks ahead, including a look at how Trump budget cuts could cause an environmental crisis in Hawaii. Look for links in next week's newsletter, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest headlines as they happen. And while you're on social media, we hope you'll share our stories with your friends.

Feel free to forward this newsletter, too — every new reader makes a difference.

That's it for this week. As always, thanks for reading.