2021 was the fifth-hottest year on record and close to 1.2 degrees C (2.1 degrees F) warmer than the preindustrial average, according to an analysis from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The last seven years were the hottest ever “by a clear margin,” the analysis found, thanks to rising concentrations of greenhouse gasses, which hit new highs last […]
Currently, a manufacturer serving the United States has little incentive to consider what happens to its products after the end of their useful life. Proper disposal, be it recycling or landfilling, is the responsibility of consumers and their local disposal and recycling services. Two states have passed new laws that will extend that responsibility to the producer – specifically, for […]
Wouter van Tol, head of sustainability at packaging maker DS Smith, is working with new seaweed-based materials to deliver more alternatives to today’s frequently unrecyclable food packaging. The London-based company’s North American unit recently announced an aggressive initiative to adopt seaweed-based fiber in its products. We discuss why it’s still hard to recycle even common forms of fiber packaging, like […]
Did you know that 91% of the plastic produced has never been recycled? Yet calls to eliminate single-use plastics lost their force in the initial panic of the pandemic and the rush to secure personal protective equipment (PPE). As we get ready to end our second year of COVID-19, we have learned a lot, yet it is still common to […]
On this special edition of the First Friday Webinar Series, held on Friday, January 7, we welcomed special guests Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, and Craig Hoover, Executive Vice President of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, for an update and discussion of 30×30. During the webinar, Enric reflects back on a presentation he made during the 2019 AZA Annual […]
Last year, deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado region, one of the largest savannas in the world, reached its highest level since 2015, according to newly released data from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Following that announcement, an INPE researcher said the government would stop monitoring deforestation in the Cerrado, owing to a lack of funds. “It’s extremely worrying,” Mercedes […]
“The Red List” might sound like something from the Cold War. But the Red List has nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with chemistry. The Red List is actually a list of “worst in class” materials, chemicals, and elements the green building industry tries to avoid. And even if you are not a construction professional, knowing about […]
The combination of cold winter weather outside and heated rooms inside takes a toll on our skin — and that includes the lips. But you can avoid cracked and irritated lips this winter with easy-to-make natural lip treatments. We’ve gathered nine DIY lip mask recipes to keep your lips hydrated and nourished all winter long. While each recipe is unique, […]
This week’s inspiration comes from American biologist Edward O. Wilson, who reminds us that we can influence cooperative behavior by treating others with empathy: “Empathy is a kind of gaming, through which the individual communicates with the group and the group thereby organizes itself.” How can you play the empathy game better today? Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire […]
In France, where junk food ads must include messages imploring consumers to snack less and eat more fruits and vegetables, car ads will soon be required to include messages encouraging people to walk, bike, or take public transportation, French media report. “Decarbonizing transport is not just switching to an electric motor,” Barbara Pompili, France’s ecological transition minister, said in a […]