Climate Politics
Drop the ‘Natural’ in Natural Gas, Climate Activists Urge US Officials
Environmentalists say the term misleads the public about the damage caused by methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas.
Since almost two centuries ago — not long after it was identified bubbling up in a creek in western New York — the flammable below-ground substance composed of methane and other hydrocarbons has been called “natural gas” in the US.
Now, some environmental activists say it’s time to ditch that label.