Island residents should consider an “ethics of place” approach to their surroundings. When Aldo Leopold developed what he called “land ethics,” he realized from his experience in the New Mexico-Arizona territory (circa 1909) the need to transform how we think about the natural environment. This involved an evolution of aesthetic and ethical consciousness devoted to […]

Another holiday season has come and gone, which means vacations, New Year’s resolutions, and holiday waste.  So, as the waste piles up, what are the most environmentally friendly means of disposal?  In this week’s “Issues of the Environment,” WEMU’s David Fair gets some trash-removing tips from Angela Porta, who is the outreach and zero waste […]

A new study links the buildup of greenhouse gas emissions to more frequent heat waves, floods and droughts in the Northern Hemisphere. Greenhouse gases are increasingly disrupting the jet stream, a powerful river of winds that steers weather systems in the Northern Hemisphere. That’s causing more frequent summer droughts, floods and wildfires, a new study […]

More Florida cities have banned plastic straws and styrofoam. Last week, the City of St. Petersburg decided to ban the products. In Southwest Florida, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Marco Island have all banned plastic straws. “We take our ocean for granted,” Caroline Rusher said. “We live in a beautiful place.” Plastic garbage is not something […]

NASA satellites are offering new insights into how glaciers in Antarctica and Asia are responding to warmer temperatures. Climate change is affecting the world now, and one of the most obvious ways is by melting glaciers. This month, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Earth Observatory published satellite-based images showing how glaciers in two parts of the world, Antarctica […]

When you place a plastic beverage container in a recycling bin, you are an important part of the product’s life cycle, helping that packaging to be used to make something new, over and over again. An astounding 70 per cent of what people toss in the trash is actually recyclable, but very few people recycle […]

The holidays are a time for generosity and tasty food, but its environmental impact can be a bit more sobering. Want to make your holidays more eco-friendly? You’re not alone. According to data by Stanford, it’s the peak time for rubbish heading to landfills, with Americans producing a full 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year […]

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – As public discourse heats up over climate change, state lawmakers will consider a new carbon tax to push consumers to make more eco-friendly choices. The proposed carbon tax would not only be paid for by motorists, but also by large producers of carbon emissions like power plants, airlines and shipping companies. “The idea is […]

Claims of a ‘pause’ in observed global temperature warming are comprehensively disproved in a pair of new studies published today. An international team of climate researchers reviewed existing data and studies and reanalysed them. They concluded there has never been a statistically significant ‘pause’ in global warming.  This conclusion holds whether considering the ‘pause’ as […]

HILO, Hawaii (AP) – A company in China that offered to help those displaced by the recent eruption of Kilauea volcano has sent its first prefabricated container home to the state. But the home remains in storage in Honolulu because it does not meet local regulations. The Hawaii Tribune Herald reported Friday that Hawaii County Managing […]