By Christopher Thompson Every stage of the plastic lifecycle releases harmful carbon emissions into the atmosphere, contributing to global heating Plastics are among the most ubiquitous materials in our economy, our lives, and our environment. They are also among the most pervasive and persistent pollutants on Earth. In recent years, stark images of beaches, waterways […]

By Ryan Johnson Ghost nets float throughout the world’s oceans. The abandoned fishing gear travels with the currents, trapping marine life along the way, polluting the waters and killing dolphins, sea turtles, and fish. Now a recent haul in the Pacific shows there may be an effective way to pick up this trash relatively rapidly. […]

By Christopher Thompson The textile industry has had a reputation for massive waste and water usage for years, but a focus on moving away from fast fashion, the textile industry could become more sustainable. Everything we buy has to end up somewhere, right? We all know waste is a problem. And yet single-use consumerism has […]

By Ryan Johnson We make good-faith efforts to help the planet by recycling, but what we really need to do is even simpler Вid you ever decide to get off a jammed freeway and take the backroads even though deep down you knew that it wouldn’t be any faster? Are you constantly switching to the […]

By Christopher Thompson With the impacts of a warming planet becoming more apparent every day, climate change is taking center stage in the race for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Most of the candidates have articulated commitments or released plans to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions through legislation, administrative actions, international diplomacy and other initiatives. […]

By Ryan Johnson When Cleveland’s Cuyahoga caught fire, it was as much about urban blight as environmental crisis. It was like a game of telephone. In the first whispers, which appeared in local newspapers on June 23, 1969, Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River didn’t burn. A floating oil slick did, for only 25 minutes, damaging a couple […]

By Christopher Thompson  Almost half of packaging used by supermarkets cannot be recycled, an investigation has found. Which? – a company which studies and tests the things we buy – looked at the packaging of 46 of the most popular items from 11 supermarkets. The average percentage of packaging – including cardboard, glass and plastics […]

By Ryan Johnson Sorry to be so personal, but you are probably pooping plastic. Human beings have covered the planet with plastics because these malleable, man-made polymers are so useful and versatile. Unfortunately, researchers are finding particles of discarded, degraded plastic everywhere from Antarctica to the North Pole, even in the ocean depths. (See Health […]

By Christopher Thompson Using farms to capture and store more carbon in soil is becoming trendy, but the science is still not settled on how much it can help to address climate change. A growing number of farmers are exploring the potential of capturing and storing greater amounts of carbon dioxide in soil as a […]

By Ryan Johnson Your blood sugar and impulsive behavior may influence behavioral flexibility or your ability to respond to changes in the environment. A study published in the journal Nutrition Research found that measures of impulsivity and blood sugar regulation can be used to predict behavioral flexibility. Both psychological and physiological factors influence behavioral flexibility […]