By Christopher Thompson Report says plastics adding to death tolls in the developing world from easily prevented diseases Mismanaged waste is causing hundreds of thousands of people to die each year in the developing world from easily preventable causes, and plastic waste is adding a new and dangerous dimension to the problem, a report has […]

By Christopher Thompson Which kind of diamond is better for the environment and the world we live in: a diamond from a traditional mine or one made in a laboratory? Some recent reports suggest the answer may not be so clear. At the very least, these reports provide evidence of tensions between two different sectors […]

By Christopher Thompson Hawaii Attorney General Clare E. Connors has joined forces with a coalition of 18 states, plus the District of Columbia, in opposing the “deep and punishing” cuts the Trump Administration has proposed for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The administration has proposed cutting EPA’s budget by $2.8 billion – or 31 percent […]

By Ryan Johnson It is the collective duty of states to ensure the survival of Earth. Born to former farmers who now own a business exporting perishable herbs from Hawaii to the continental United States, my family has witnessed first hand how climate change has impeded crop development in the past 40 years. The agricultural […]

By Christopher Thompson After 12 days of negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations, countries have agreed to treat plastic as hazardous waste. Germany is considering a ban that would go even further. Almost every country in the world, except the United States, agreed to a deal on Friday that would sharply reduce the […]

By Ryan Johnson Despite our attempts to take responsibility for recycling, the true value of recyclable materials is not being realised. Cross-contamination of plastics and dirty packaging means that over half of the items going into the recycling bin aren’t recycled. Recyclable materials are very valuable in their pure state but the cost and difficulty […]

By Christopher Thompson U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono and Jeff Merkley introduced legislation on Wednesday that would require the EPA to study the effects of ozybenzone and octinoxate on the environment and human health Hawaii lawmakers want the environmental protection agency to study how chemicals in sunscreen impact coral reefs. U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono and Jeff […]

By Christopher Thompson Insects are ‘the glue in nature’, says Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson, underpinning the food and water we rely on Humanity must save insects, if not for their sake, then for ourselves, a leading entomologist has warned. “Insects are the glue in nature and there is no doubt that both the [numbers] and diversity of […]

By Ryan Johnson Scientists in Cambridge plan to set up a research centre to develop new ways to repair the Earth’s climate. It will investigate radical approaches such as refreezing the Earth’s poles and removing CO2 from the atmosphere. The centre is being created because of fears that current approaches will not on their own […]

By Christopher Thompson About 2.8 planets would be needed if rest of world followed suit, biocapacity data shows Europe is using up natural resources so quickly that the planet’s ability to replenish itself over the year would be exhausted by this Friday if everyone consumed as much, a new analysis has found. It would take […]