The River Oden wildlife killer case may have been solved
Mass fish, bird, and mollusc deaths were reported in Germany’s River Oder over the months of July and August. Germany’s Liebniz Institute of Freshwater Ecological and Inland Fisheries think they have figured out what could’ve caused it. Golden algae – scientifically known as Prymnesium parvum’ – is a rare and...
Current in Planet
Why cycling has to be the future of travel
Getting people to switch from cars to bikes won’t be an easy feat, but if achieved, it would create positive change for the planet, our health, and overall quality of life. In certain parts of the world, cycling is the norm for the majority of the population. The city of Amsterdam...
Forest Green Rovers lead charge on eco-friendly football
Based in Gloucestershire, the Forest Green Rovers have become the world’s greenest football club. Their latest goals are reducing CO2 emitted during travel to and from games and to build a modern stadium made entirely out of timber. It’s unfortunate that most of the things we enjoy emit greenhouse gases...
This eco-friendly pregnancy test is made entirely from paper
Each year, over 12 million plastic pregnancy tests are thrown out in the UK alone. In a bid to reduce waste caused by single-use plastic items, one company has designed an at home test made entirely out of paper. When listing personal care products that generate unnecessary plastic waste, items...
Cities are becoming too hot for trees
According to a new study, climate change is threatening the health and survival of trees grown in urban areas to keep them cool, with more than half of the species already feeling the heat. If you spent your summer in a city, likelihood is you were forced to endure...
How the climate crisis has changed perspectives on city design
Architectural innovation will be absolutely vital to help us withstand life in a warmer world. What will future buildings look like and how can we adapt the ones that currently stand? Cities are nothing without their multi-storey buildings and iconic, shiny, glass skyscrapers. We’ve become accustomed to gawking at their...
Ukraine’s valuable seed bank is at risk of being lost to war
Global food supplies have already been tightened due to the ongoing war, but the future of agriculture could also be at risk if Ukraine’s largest seed bank is destroyed by Russian attacks. Farmlands in Ukraine are some of the most fertile on Earth. The nation’s nutrient rich soil stores moisture for longer and produces high crop yields, making it cheaper and far more low maintenance than farmland in other parts of...
US Senate passes the nation’s first ever climate legislation
Getting the Inflation Reduction Act passed is one of Joe Biden’s most impactful moves as President yet. It will seek to avert global climate catastrophe by drastically reducing US greenhouse emissions, but also lower prescription drug costs for citizens, and increase taxes paid by large corporations. Environmentalists, climate activists, and social justice warriors rejoice, because this week is starting out with some fantastic news. In a historic move, the US Senate...
Earth nearing multiple ‘irreversible’ climate tipping points
A major scientific reassessment has uncovered that five critical planetary systems are at risk of breaking beyond repair – even if nations restrain warming to 1.5°C, the lower threshold stipulated by the Paris Agreement. This time last year, a devastating report from the IPCC warned us that the world was well and truly running out of time to act against climate change. Signed off by 234 scientists from more than 60...
Haarlem has banned meat adverts from public spaces
In an effort to reduce consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, Haarlem in the Netherlands has made the bold decision to outlaw ads for intensively farmed meat on buses, shelters, and screens. Acknowledging the link between animal exploitation and the worsening climate crisis, a Dutch city will become the first in the world to outlaw meat adverts from public spaces. The drastic measure – following reports from the...
