By Christopher Thompson We marvel at flying animals because it seems like they can access anywhere, but a first study of its kind has revealed that wind can prevent seabirds from accessing the most important of habitats: their nests We marvel at flying animals because it seems like they can access anywhere, but a first […]

By Ryan Johnson New York state lawmakers could pass as early as Wednesday one of the nation’s most ambitious plans to slow climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. That would make it the second U.S. state to aim for a carbon-neutral economy, following an executive order signed by former California […]

By Christopher Thompson The effect of climate change on economic growth is up to six times stronger in the world’s poorest countries. In a song that everybody knows, Leonard Cohen once famously sang “the poor stay poor, the rich get rich.” This statement has purchase beyond the realm of music – it holds true in global economics. Cross-country inequality […]

By Christopher Thompson My bagels come individually wrapped in sealed plastic bags. At the counter, if I’m not paying attention, they’re carefully packed together in another plastic bag, before being placed inside a third plastic with the rest of my shopping. Japan’s obsession with hygiene combined with its pride in “omotenashi,” or customer service, dictates […]

By Ryan Johnson A new study of climate changes and their effects on past societies offers a sobering glimpse of social upheavals that might happen in the future. The prehistoric groups studied lived in the Amazon Basin of South America hundreds of years ago, before European contact, but the disruptions that occurred may carry lessons […]

By Christopher Thompson 1. Your coffee cup probably isn’t recyclable Items composed of different kinds of materials present a big challenge for recyclers. The billions of single-use coffee cups discarded each year are a classic example: a thin, plastic coating inside the cup may prevent leakage, but it’s extremely difficult to separate it from the […]

By Christopher Thompson The oil and gas industry is ramping up petrochemicals — building blocks of plastics —right as the global outcry intensifies over plastic waste. The big picture: Most people associate oil companies’ products mainly with gasoline. But they also generate plastics that are interwoven into all facets of our lives. This durable material […]

By Christopher Thompson While banning single-use plastics may seem like a “strong environmental move,” contrary to popular belief, the alternatives are seemingly worse. One of the alternatives is biodegradable plastic. It delivers convenience and returns the waste to the earth after use, but the concept isn’t as utopian as it seems. Biodegradable plastics put the […]

By Christopher Thompson Each year the world environmental day comes as a reminder of how profoundly the human civilisation is dependent on its ecology. Although every year the unique themes fixed by UN focus on various global environmental concerns, the theme for 2019 namely ‘Air Pollution’ holds an exceptionally special relevance. The last couple of […]

By Ryan Johnson It’s great that philanthropists are pouring money into environmental causes. But it would be better for the planet if billionaires didn’t exist at all During a commencement address this week, Michael Bloomberg announced that he’s spending $500m to help the United States move closer to a carbon-neutral future. We should be very […]