(117) Chocolate Prices To Keep Rising As West Africa’s Cocoa Crisis Deepens
In its most sobering assessment to date, according to data compiled since 2022 and obtained by Reuters, Ghana’s cocoa marketing board Cocobod estimates that 590,000 hectares (1.45 million acres) of plantations have been infected with swollen shoot, a virus that will ultimately kill them. The virus first reduces yields before finally killing the trees. Once […]
(116) Guatemala’s Rivers of Garbage
The pollution in Guatemala’s Las Vacas River is extremely severe, which environmentalists say is resposible for 2% of all plastic emissions that reach the world’s oceans. It is also known for its high percentage of contamination has become a health risk, a metal collector has said. According to data from Las Vacas Hydroelectric, the Las […]
(115) ‘They Lied’: Plastics Producers Deceived Public About Recycling, Report Reveals
Companies knew for decades recycling was not viable but promoted it regardless. Plastic producers have known for more than 30 years that recycling is not an economically or technically feasible plastic waste management solution. “The companies lied,” said Richard Wiles, president of fossil-fuel accountability advocacy group the Center for Climate Integrity (CCI), which published the […]
(114) Millions Of Plastic Pellets Wash Up On Spanish Beaches
Countless tiny plastic pellets are washing up on the shores of northern Spain and local authorities declared an environmental emergency on Tuesday after a shipping container fell off a transport vessel last month. The spill was first reported to authorities on Dec. 13 when hundreds of thousands of tiny white balls began washing up on […]
(113) As EVs Surge, So Does Nickel Mining’s Death Toll
In the mineral-rich fringes of Indonesia, whose nickel will feed EV giants like Tesla, the deaths of miners continue to mount.
(112) Asbestos – Cancer Causing Substances
Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that are resistant to heat and corrosion. Because of these properties, asbestos has been used in commercial products such as insulation and fireproofing materials, automotive brakes, and wallboard materials. Asbestos causes cancer through inflammation and cell damage over many years. This unique […]
(111) Light Pollution Is Getting Worse, And Earth Is Paying The Price
Out of all the various pollutions humans create, light pollution gets the least attention. Light pollution can come in several forms: light trespass is when unwanted light escapes from one property into adjacent properties; over-illumination is using excessive light where it isn’t needed; light clutter is the redundant clusters of lighting found in many urban […]
(110) ” Clean the World” Recyclers Collect Unwanted Soap From Hotels For The Needy
Clean The World, a nonprofit founded in 2009 that recycles bar soap from over 8,000 hospitality partners, including Marriott International, for those in need. By collecting, melting, reforming and packaging partially used soap left behind by hotel guests, the nonprofit has distributed nearly 70 million bars of soap in more than 120 countries, including Romania, […]
(109) Artificial Intelligence Is Booming— So Is Its Carbon Footprint
Microsoft, Alphabet’s Google and ChatGPT maker OpenAI use cloud computing that relies on thousands of chips inside servers in massive data centers across the globe to train AI algorithms called models, analyzing data to help them “learn” to perform tasks. AI uses more energy than other forms of computing, and training a single model can […]
(108) ‘Polyester-Eating’ Enzymes To Help Combat Global Textile Waste
Approximately 70% of clothes worn today are made of polyester textiles and they are often sent to landfill or incinerated at end of life. Now, researchers at the University of Portsmouth’s Centre for Enzyme Innovation are using their enzyme technology (which has previously been used to recycle single-use plastics, including PET) to help combat polyester […]