New report shows drastic decline in global wildlife
According to a leading scientific assessment warning that humanity is ‘losing the war’ to save nature, wild species populations have shrunk on average by 69 per cent since the 1970s. A bleak new report from WWF in collaboration with the Zoological Society London on biodiversity loss has revealed that the...
Current in Planet
Something is making the Earth spin faster
Scientists just recorded the planet’s shortest day since records began. Now they’re considering dropping a second off their atomic clocks to keep them aligned with rotation. If you’ve been reading my articles this week, then you may have developed something of a sense of dread towards the state of things...
The UK puts eco-rules in place ahead of the Queen’s funeral
Millions of people will be visiting London this weekend for the historical moment Queen Elizabeth II is laid to rest. The UK is urging people to think twice about how they travel to the city, what they bring along, and what they will inevitably leave behind. As news broke of...
How eco-friendly are ‘green’ household cleaning products?
Greenwashing is a common practice across various industries, but what about when it comes to ‘planet-friendly’ cleaning products? Two universities in the US teamed up to investigate. In the age of heightened awareness over bacteria and viruses, many of us are using cleaning products more frequently to ensure our homes...
What jellyfish can tell us about the health of the ocean
Swarms of jellyfish are becoming increasingly common sightings for beachgoers. Their abundance reveals valuable and slightly worrying information about the health of our oceans. You don’t have to live near the coast to know that life in the ocean has become tumultuous. Endless plastic pollution, overfishing, warming waters, and continued loss...
Compostable coffee balls could overtake traditional pods
Adopting a waste-free lifestyle is a major part of sustainability for the future. Eliminating single-use plastics from our daily routine is one of the lowest-hanging fruits, and one company has developed a way to make home and office coffee breaks completely compostable. It’s hard not to notice the immense amount...
King Charles advised to abandon Cop27 plans by Liz Truss
The UK prime minister has reportedly raised objections to King Charles attending Cop27 in Egypt next month. Last year in Glasgow, he called for world leaders to adopt a ‘war-like footing’ on the threat of climate change. Having hosted Cop26 in Glasgow last year, it appears the UK could already be tempering expectations on climate action for the next summit. News broke at the beginning of the week that King Charles...
Hawaii closes last-standing coal plant and strives for renewables
In light of ambitious US green targets, several states are moving towards renewable energy. For the Hawaiian islands, that means closing its last standing coal-powered facility. This week, the Governor of Hawaii David Ige announced that the state’s last remaining coal-fuelled power plant had halted operations for good. The arrival of the facility’s last coal shipment in July signalled a major turning point for Hawaii’s reliance on its most pollutant sources...
UN member states fail to pass Ocean Treaty on fifth attempt
The high seas are arguably the last lawless place left on the planet. A UN member state meeting in New York hoped to finally create a policy that prevents the overfishing and mistreatment of our oceans – but it has failed. Coastal waters (and all life within them) may belong to the closest nearby nation, but the remaining two-thirds of the world’s oceans are treated as international waters, otherwise...
Four accomplishments in gender equality in the 21st century
Only one hundred years ago, women finally received the right to vote in the United States. On National Women’s Equality day, we’re taking a look at how various sectors have become more gender inclusive and where they have room to improve. Achieving true gender equality is an ongoing fight that has lasted throughout generations. Since the turn of the 21st century, women have begun to take up space in places they...
