By Ryan Johnson It’s well known that ocean plastics harm marine life, but could the eight million metric tons of plastic that enters the seas each year also make it harder for us to breathe? That’s the troubling implication of a new study published in Communications Biology Tuesday, which found that plastic pollution can have […]

By Christopher Thompson In a twist, the investors include Chinese companies interested in having access to wastepaper or bottles. The halt on China’s imports of wastepaper and plastic that has disrupted U.S. recycling programs has also spurred investment in American plants that process recyclables. U.S. paper mills are expanding capacity to take advantage of a […]

By Ryan Johnson Extreme heat adds stress to the electricity grid. Large storms are not the only cause of power outages. In the Los Angeles area, rising temperatures could lead to more frequent blackouts. Stephanie Pincetl of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability co-authored a recent report about how extreme heat will affect […]

By Christopher Thompson US reportedly opposed deal, which follows concerns that villages in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia had ‘turned into dumpsites’ Almost all the world’s countries have agreed on a deal aimed at restricting shipments of hard-to-recycle plastic waste to poorer countries, the United Nations announced on Friday. Exporting countries – including the US – […]

By Ryan Johnson New research shows affected areas are losing ice five times faster than in the 1990s, with more than 100m of thickness gone in some places Ice losses are rapidly spreading deep into the interior of the Antarctic, new analysis of satellite data shows. The warming of the Southern Ocean is resulting in […]

By Christopher Thompson Port Fourchon, LA — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s rollback of certain provisions of a rule intended to prevent a repeat of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig disaster will maintain safety and environmental protections, the agency claims, as advocacy groups announce their intention to fight the move. BSEE […]

By Christopher Thompson Most likely, when you toss your plastic trash into a recycle bin you believe you’re doing the right thing. You think your plastic waste gets magically whisked away to a recycle center where it will be transformed back into more useful plastic items. Recycling feels like a harmless way to get rid […]

By Ryan Johnson Authorities declared an environmental emergency on Tuesday for metropolitan Mexico City, one of the world’s most populous megalopolises, as smoke from nearby wildfires pushed pollution to levels deemed potentially harmful to human health. Environmental authorities advised residents to avoid outdoor activities and exercise and remain indoors with windows and doors shut. It […]

By Ryan Johnson Hundreds of volcanoes exist in the United States. Most are considered dormant and haven’t erupted for more than 10,000 years. That doesn’t mean that they can’t or won’t. Dr. Gary Michelfelder, assistant professor in the department of geography, geology and planning at Missouri State University, says that though you may not know […]

By Christopher Thompson If you bring a tote bag to the grocery store, you’re not necessarily saving the planet. When you visit the supermarket, is it better for the planet to carry home your groceries in a paper, plastic or reusable tote bag? The answer is more complicated than you might think. Plastic bags are […]