Dutch government to pay livestock farmers to shut down their businesses
In attempts to drastically cut national emissions by 2030, the Dutch government has approved a €1.5 billion scheme to buy out local livestock farmers. The aim is to reduce two greenhouse gases – nitrous oxide and methane – from contributing to global heating. By now, it is common knowledge that...
Current in Change
Humanitarian crisis looms as hundreds killed in Sudan clashes
Sudan's ongoing clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have left over 180 people dead and close to 2,000 injured according to the UN. For years, Sudan's clashes between the military and various armed groups have continued to destabilize the...
Extinction Rebellion volunteers protect the London Marathon
The London Marathon coincided with four days of continuous protests from Extinction Rebellion around the capital. Aware that many were concerned about disruptions, members of the eco-outfit actively protected the event to safeguard its reputation. Extinction Rebellion members decided that showing discretion was the best course of action last weekend. In the...
The shocking living conditions of the UK’s migrant farmers
The people who pick and ultimately provide your fruit and veg are being gravely exploited by their employers. But what can we do to change it? The UK has a tendency to pride itself on fair wages and progressive working conditions. But just like our self-proclaimed status as an economic...
World likely to breach 1.5C climate threshold by 2027
In its latest assessment, the World Meteorological Organisation has warned we are fast approaching a tipping point that could collapse Antarctic ice and cause a huge rise in sea levels. According to the World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) latest assessment, our planet is almost certain to experience new record temperatures in...
A shellfish-inspired solution could reduce textile dye pollution
Researchers at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi have developed a new nanomaterial that can effectively clean up dyes and pollutants from wastewater. The mechanism was inspired by the systems of various shellfish, in particular, mussels. The textile industry uses 1.3 trillion gallons of water to dye garments annually. That’s enough...
Intensive farming is the primary driver of bird decline in Europe
New research has identified the use of pesticides and fertilisers in agriculture as the leading cause behind the continent’s dwindling avifauna populations. According to more than 50 researchers who analysed data collected by thousands of scientists in 28 countries over nearly four decades, intensive farming is the primary driver of bird decline in Europe. The report, which found the continent’s avifauna populations to have dropped by about a...
GaeaStar’s new coffee cups are made using only clay
San Francisco and Germany-based startup GaeaStar has developed a new disposable coffee cup made from clay. It can be thrown on the ground and discarded with no negative effect on the environment. Most of the time, throwing used coffee cups on the ground and walking away is selfish, lazy, and deserving of criticism. However, these new clay coffee cups created by startup GaeaStar could be the exception to the rule....
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is now its own ecosystem
The gigantic floating mass of ocean plastic debris has now become home to hundreds of plant and animal species. While an interesting phenomenon, it's not exactly something to celebrate. Humans have influenced the natural world for as long as we’ve existed, but only a handful of man-made inventions have impacted the planet as much as plastic. A major phenomenon created by our plastic obsession is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP)....
How SeaForester is reforesting our oceans
SeaForester’s simple new technology could bring a valuable carbon sink back from the brink. When we talk deforestation, it’s normally about trees and animals on dry land. But it’s a problem that goes much further – all the way into the deep blue sea. Each year we lose three million hectares of marine vegetation. Over the past fifty years the world's kelp forests have declined by 50%. This is in part due...
