Welcome back to another Good News Friday! There’s been a lot happening in the climate sphere as the COP26 draws to a close. The snippets below highlight clean energy funding, carbon-neutral aviation goals, and indigenous forest conservation projects.
Expansion of clean energy: World leaders, representing more than 35 countries and large firms, have pledged $400 billion to the expansion of clean and renewable energy. The commitments also aim to provide reliable energy to developing countries. The targets include cutting the number of people without access to electricity in half by 2025, achieving universal energy access by 2030, quickly transitioning to clean energy sources, and minimizing disparities in power access.
US targets net-zero aviation by 2030: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated during the COP26 climate talks that the US aims to have all air travel be carbon neutral by 2050. The goal was supported by an analysis by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Given the fact that the aviation industry accounts for 2.5% of all CO2 emissions, this pledge could have significant implications for climate change mitigation.
Indigenous forest conservation: During COP26, the Peoples Forest Partnership announced that the US aims to contribute $20 billion in funding by 2030 to support Indigenous community-driven forest conservation and restoration projects. According to the group’s estimates, this initiative could lead to a carbon emission reduction of at least 2 billion tons per year as well as protect approximately 500 million hectares of biodiverse tropical forests.
There were a lot of good news articles to choose from this week. Here’s to hoping these wonderful initiatives will be successful! Check back next week for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!
Welcome again to another Good News Friday! We hope that your fall break was restful and that your first week back went relatively smoothly. For this edition, we will hear about the return of blue whales to the coast of Spain, large companies committing to zero-emission shipping, and the trend of “rewilding” in urban spaces.
Blue Whales Return to Spain: In 2017, a blue whale was spotted off the coast of Spain for the first time since the 1980s. More blue whales have been spotted in the years following. These sightings suggest that the moratorium on whaling has allowed the nearly extinct whale population to recover in the past 40 years. However, climate change still threatens the sea giant’s habitat and migration patterns.
Retail Corporations Commit to Zero-emissions: A coalition of companies, including Amazon, Ikea, and Patagonia have pledged to use only ocean shipping vessels that are zero-emissions by 2040. The coalition also urged government officials to implement market based strategies that support the development of zero-carbon shipping fuels, making them competitive with fossil fuels. Given that cargo ships emit up to 3% of the world’s carbon dioxide, this initiative has significant implications for the shift to a carbon neutral economy.
Rewilding Revitalizes Urban Spaces: According to architect Stefano Boeri, vertical forests (Bosco Verticale) are “a home for trees that also houses humans and birds.” Covered in trees, shrubbery, and perennial plants, these residential spaces are an example of “rewilding,” a growing global trend that introduces greenery and nature into urban environments. Architect and Professor Steffen Lehmann states that the rewilding movement helps solve contemporary challenges of biodiversity loss, urban overheating, and climate resiliency.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the stories this week, and wish you the best getting back into the swing of things. Check back next week for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!
It’s that time of the semester again: midterms week. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by exams, essays, and/or p-sets, we hope that a bit of happy environmental news will help lift your spirits.
Jane Goodall has hope for the future: Primatologist Jane Goodall, best known as the world expert on chimpanzees, recently released a book with Douglas Abrams titled “The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times.” In it, she argues why hope is a “crucial survival trait,” and offers inspiring stories of human intellect and environmental resilience. Since it’s so easy to become jaded or apathetic around environmental issues, Goodall shares an important message to reignite hope and foster an ethos of sustainability.
2. Protected Peruvian crops potentially facilitate climate adaptation: The Marcapata Ccollana preserve in the Andes is the home of a Quechua-speaking Indigenous community that has preserved ancient ways of farming over 100 varieties of root vegetables. The government of Peru has recently declared this region a protected agrobiodiversity zone. This status protects food security because agricultural biodiversity is necessary for climate change adaptation.
3. Startup makes edible protein flour using bacteria: A Finnish Startup named Solar Foods has developed a process for growing protein in a bioreactor using only water, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and bacteria for fermentation. The resulting product is a white, tasteless flour that can be flavored or added to many different foods to increase the nutritional value. If production scales up to economically practical quantities, we could experience a reinvention of protein for mass consumption.
Thanks for reading and best of luck during midterms, everyone! Please tune in next week for more positive environmental news and in the meantime, feel free to take a look at previous posts or share some good news with us!
Thank you again for tuning into Good News Friday this week! We’re definitely getting into the swing of the semester, so a few positive reminders are always helpful. Today we’ll learn about urban agriculture in Paris, a plan to protect against heatwaves and the end of outsourced coal-fired power in China.
Futuristic Urban Greenhouses: The Garden City Project of the Crescent Moon in Paris stunningly showcases how sustainability can be incorporated into urban design. Located in the city’s largest park, the project includes rooftop gardens, small greenhouses, and even a cattle farm. Urban agriculture has a variety of social and environmental benefits, including recreation, improved air quality, and food production.
Biden’s Extreme Heat Protection Plan: The climate change-exacerbated heat waves of this past summer have had a devastating toll throughout the US. In response, the Biden administration has launched a plan to protect against extreme heat, which disproportionately affects the elderly and marginalized populations. The initiatives include, but are not limited to, increased workplace inspections and an expanded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. However, we hope that the administration can tackle the root of the problem in addition to mitigating the consequences.
China Exits Overseas Coal: Nearing the November climate summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that the heavily fossil-fuel dependent country would stop investing in coal-fired power plants abroad. This is part of his commitment to carbon neutrality by 2060. This decision is given in the wake of Japan and Korea’s termination of overseas coal power last year.
Thank you for reading this week’s summary of positive environmental updates. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!
Welcome back to another semester of Good News Fridays! We thought that this would be a great way to kick off the blog again, and we are so excited to share positive environmental news with you each week. In this post, we’ll cover the recovery of panda populations in China, a carbon-sinking cement, and a drought-resistant seed coating.
Giant Pandas Rebound: Wild giant pandas in China have reached a population of approximately 1,800, and the Chinese government has officially designated them as no longer an endangered species. They are still classified as vulnerable, but this is a promising result of conservation efforts. Additionally, there have been increases in the number of other threatened species such as snow leopards, crested ibis, and Tibetan antelope.
Carbon-Sequestering Paint: A graduate from the Royal College of Art, Kukbong Kim, has developed a paint made from concrete residue which can sequester 20% of its weight in carbon dioxide. Approximately 8% of global carbon emissions are due to the cement in concrete. Thus, Kim hopes that this carbon sinking paint, deemed Celour paint, will eventually offset the emissions from the cement it is manufactured from. The product has the dual benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and diverting concrete waste from landfills where it can have detrimental effects on the surrounding environment.
Drought Resistant Seed Coating: Scientists have developed a seed coating made of biodegradable waste products which can allow seeds to survive and germinate in water scarce conditions. The coating consists of an outer layer of pectin derived from orange peels and an inner layer of beneficial bacteria and material from silkworm cocoons. The hope is that this will reduce the need for fertilizer and increase crop yields.
Thank you for reading our first Good News Friday of the semester! We wish you a great start to your new schedules, and hope that you will stick around for the weeks to come.
As an ending to this environmental justice series for the semester, it is important that we shine light on the positive things being done and how you all can continue with this forward momentum. Although the history of environmental injustices is grim and its toll on low-income/minority communities has proved detrimental, we can continue showing up for these communities and making a difference. All around the country and world, there will continue to be people in need of our help so that they can be provided with the contaminant-free water, non-toxic air, and clean natural environment that they deserve. One’s socioeconomic status or race should not factor into whether or not they are afforded a clean environment. It should neither impact the decisions of whether large corporations find it admissible to put certain communities in danger. As a collective, we have the privilege of being in a position to mitigate the effects of past environmental injustices and prevent future instances from occurring.
One particular way that students and community members can use their voices to speak out against environmental injustices is to contact their state representatives. States like Arizona, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and plenty more have environmental justice committees that focus on not only the preservation of natural resources but also its outstanding impact on particular communities in the state. By reaching out to representatives and asking questions, we can all become more knowledgeable about the efforts being made and the laws being enacted to help disproportionately disadvantaged communities. Through actions such as cold-calling, sending emails, holding protests, etc. we can make a substantial difference if enough pressure is applied to get some of these proposals approved by the committees. Through these actions and partnering with grassroots organizations with common goals, the Princeton community can do its part and embody the values that make this campus so special. Through service and advocacy, we have already been able to push forward many really important sustainability initiatives, and I am confident we will continue to make positive contributions to surrounding and distanced communities.
To give tangible examples, in the state of New Jersey, there are numerous grassroots organizations and departments such as the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance, Clean Water Action, and the Clean Air Council. They all focus on unique aspects of the environmental justice movement to help impact the water quality, air quality, and the quality of life in areas around the state. Many students can get in touch with these organizations to see what ways that can help, whether that be attending cleanup events, cold-calling for increased funding for projects, or simply spreading awareness to other students through social media. There are so many ways we can help out so I hope that everyone leaves this environmental justice series with more knowledge and an eagerness to help in any way that is best for you!
Recycling is often hailed as “the consumer’s solution to climate change,” and companies tout their sustainability focuses, emphasizing “recyclability” and “going green.” In truth, however, recycling is a deeply flawed system, and we are quickly seeing the consequences of its limitations.
Plastics are particularly difficult to recycle and can cause confusion when we ask ourselves “Which bin does this go in?” One especially confusing aspect is the (in)famous recycling sign. Found on nearly every plastic item, one of the most common sustainability myths is that anything with the recycling sign can be recycled. In this article, we’ll dive into the history of the symbol, what it really means, and why we have to watch out for greenwashing.
The History
In 1970, in response to a design contest for the first Earth Day, college student Gary Anderson designed the Universal Recycling Symbol (URS).
The issue, however, is that in 1988, the US Society of the Plastics Industry developed something called the Resin Identification Code (RIC) system. The purpose of this system was to simplify recycling of plastics for programs across the US by differentiating the different types; each type has to be recycled separately from the others to ensure success. The way they chose to portray this information is by placing a number, 1-7, within a simplified version of the URS, and each number corresponds to a different type of plastic.
Immediately, we see a problem emerging; a system used to identify plastics (which aren’t all recyclable) uses a sign that signifies that something is recyclable.
Meanwhile different variants of the symbol were also developed, with some indicating that something is recyclable, others that the item is made of recycled materials, and still others emerging.
The invention of the RIC system, combined with the development of different variations of the symbol, has today created a complex, confusing knowledge system. What started off as a seemingly simple idea has now been co-opted and actually makes recycling more difficult for American consumers.
So why is this a problem?
The biggest problem is contamination. This occurs when recycling is done incorrectly and can arise from trying to recycle things that are dirty, made from an non recyclable material, or otherwise not sorting things correctly. Contamination is a huge problem in the recycling industry, and it is time consuming and inefficient to sort contaminated bins, so they are often just sent to the landfill as trash.
In addition, even when done correctly, plastic is always downcycled. What this means is that it loses value every time that it is recycled. So, after only 1 or 2 goes, even the most recyclable plastics have to be turned into a final, nonrecyclable product. Thus, the need for virgin plastic isn’t stopped by recycling and is slowed at best.
There is also very little demand for post-consumer materials. Transporting and recycling materials (even when they are not contaminated) is inefficient and costly, so it is often cheaper to just use virgin materials. This is why many types of plastic (think 3-7) are rarely accepted – there is just no monetary incentive to do so. This problem is further emphasized by the fact that the US can no longer ignore our problem and sell waste to other countries.
On an individual level, recycling is also difficult. Companies have caught on that more and more people are looking for sustainable options. However, instead of opting for sustainable practices, many have just turned to greenwashing. This is the concept of using symbols like the color green, plants, or the words “environmentally friendly” on marketing. Now, to determine if something is actually sustainable, consumers have to research and invest time into their purchasing choices. Not everyone is willing to do this, and corporations get away with branding their products as something they aren’t.
Recycling standards also change by location and time, so people must stay up to date and informed to recycle properly. Changes often aren’t communicated broadly or clearly, and this leads to further contamination in our recycling streams.
So what now?
The state of affairs seems gloomy, certainly. But, recycling isn’t a completely moot point. By improving the system we currently have while also developing and working towards something better, we can collectively work towards brighter futures.
The first step is moving away from plastics in general. Decreasing our use will not only reduce how much is sent to be recycled (and later landfilled), but also lower demand. Plastic is made from oil, after all, so it is in our favor to produce as little as possible. Finding alternatives is a big part of this.
On a personal level, find reusable versions of the most common single-use items. Things like utensils, dishware, and cups are some of the most common products made from plastic (and usually aren’t recyclable due to food contamination). On a larger scale, encourage research into alternatives and support legislation that focuses on plastics/recycling to help shift our society away from our plastic reliance.
Once we’ve started to eliminate unnecessary use, paying attention to what we do have to use can help reduce contamination. This requires learning about whether products are actually recyclable and/or sustainable and not falling prey to companies looking to make money. One resource that makes this especially easy as a Princeton student is the Recycling App. Supported by the Office of Sustainability, students can look up most items to determine if and where they can dispose of specific items. Many cities have similar guidelines online, available to residents looking to be informed about the practices in their hometowns.
As consumers, we have a responsibility to learn about what happens to the products we use and to play an active role in improving the system we live in.
Welcome again to another Good News Friday! The semester is coming to a close, and we hope that we’ve been able to brighten your weeks in a small way. For this edition, we will read about an Indigenous victory relating to protecting salmon populations, the new EPA stance against environmental racism, and Elon Musk’s latest and greatest battery farm.
Gitanyow people protect sockeye salmon: While sockeye salmon populations have experienced a dramatic decline in British Columbia (B.C.), populations are still thriving in Gitanyow territory around Meziadin Lake. Unfortunately, B.C.’s free-entry mining system allows any individual or company to stake a claim and mine on any unprotected territory in the province, including private land and Indigenous territory. Thus, The Gitanyow Nation is now taking matters into their own hands and developing protection schemes, following examples set by other First Nations across Canada.
EPA takes stance against environmental racism: While governmental enforcement of pollution violations has dropped drastically in the wake of the pandemic, new EPA head Michael Regan is taking steps to reverse this trend. Regan issued a directive to “infuse equity and environmental justice principles and priorities into all EPA practices, policies, and programs,” calling the EPA to “strengthen enforcement of violations of cornerstone environmental statutes and civil rights laws in communities overburdened by pollution”. This directive is a promising guideline for the EPA to shift away from a legacy of environmental racism to one of environmental justice.
New battery for renewable energy: In 2016, a crazy lightning storm caused power outages in South Australia. In response, Elon Musk and Tesla built an enormous 100 MW battery that powered the entire area. Taking this one step further, Musk and the government of Victoria, Australia are planning to build an even larger 300 MW battery farm. The Victorian Big Battery Megapack will be the largest facility of its kind in the world and will help make renewable energy more accessible and competitive.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the stories this week. Check back next time for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!
Welcome back to Good News Friday and happy Earth Month! I hope you’re ready to read some positive picks from recent environmental updates. This week, we have a conservation-themed edition, with promising news about the recovery of bald eagles, pygmy hogs and the Iberian lynx.
Bald eagles rebound: In 2009, conservationists estimated that there were approximately 72,000 bald eagles in the lower 48 states. However, the most recent 2019 estimates place the rebounding population at 316,700, meaning that bald eagle populations have quadrupled in the past decade. According to Deb Haaland, the first Native American secretary of the Interior, “The bald eagle has always been considered a sacred species to American Indian people. Similarly, it’s sacred to our nation as America’s national symbol.” Bryan Watts, the director of the Center for Conservation Biology at William & Mary, says that the bald eagle recovery indicates what can be accomplished when a culture collectively decides to value something.
Image credit: A. J. T. Johnsingh, CC BY-SA 3.0, no changes
Hope for pygmy hogs: The pygmy hog is the smallest and rarest pig in the world. They used to thrive in the sub-Himalayas, but habitat loss has resulted in their near extinction. However, a captive breeding and reintroduction program led by the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP) has raised their chances for recovery. There’s still a long way to go, but this program, in combination with grassland conservation, gives hope for restoring the miniature wild pig populations.
Iberian lynx populations recover: Another example of a successful target conservation story is the recovery of the Iberian Lynx populations. In 2002, the Iberian lynx was already extinct in its native Portugal, and fewer than 100 cats remained in Spain. However, a cumulation of targeted conservation efforts has allowed the species to come back from the brink of extinction, with more than 1000 wild members today. These efforts include captive breeding and reintroduction, rewilding of lynx ranges, wildlife corridors, and increasing prey populations.
That’s all for this week! Tune in next time for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!
Crumbling pipes and tainted water have continued to plague communities of color across the nation. The subsequent lead poisoning that comes with the corrosion of these lead pipes is at the forefront of the conversation around environmental justice issues.
In places like Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we see the detrimental effects of this lead poisoning. 2018 Wisconsin blood testing data for children under the age of six were collected into a report by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The results are alarming; in certain jurisdictions, the percent of children with more than 5 mcg/dL of lead in their blood is as high as 9.5%. This proves to be a significant anomaly from the expected percentage when we look at the many other jurisdictions in Wisconsin with less than 4%.
This disproportionate variation between the lead poisoning of children in different jurisdictions can, of course, have many contributing factors not associated with environmental racism. However, a 2019 study done at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee reported that “the risk of elevated childhood blood lead levels is greatest in majority non-White Milwaukee County neighborhoods with high poverty and low homeownership.” The Milwaukee Common Council is now trying to address the obvious unfair circumstances that put communities of color in a more vulnerable position when it comes to lead exposure. “Not only do we have inequities for risk for children in Milwaukee, but that’s been compounded by a lack of access to services for children whose blood lead levels fall between 5 µg/dL and 20 µg/dL,” Hellen Meier, associate professor at UWM, says. The Coalition on Lead Emergency’s (COLE) chair, Rev. Dennis Jacobsen, says that more efforts are being made to create programs that certify that properties are lead-safe before they are rented out to people, particularly in low-income or BIPOC neighborhoods.
How harmful is lead actually?
Lead is a very harmful poison that has the ability to affect almost every organ in a child’s body. Even when blood lead levels are at the lowest measurable values, the toxin can still compromise the child’s reproductive, neurological, and cardiovascular systems. Depending on the amount and duration of exposure, lead can cause “gastrointestinal disturbances”, such as anorexia, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Lead also has concerning effects on a child’s neurological development. Researchers say that, globally, lead accounts for approximately 10 percent of intellectual disability cases that are categorized to have an unknown origin. A 2009 study also estimated that up to one in four cases of ADHD amongst 8 to 15-year-old children may be attributed to lead poisoning. These statistics make the regulation and mitigation of lead exposure even more pertinent as it shows the serious impact lead has on the physical and neurological development of young children all over the world.
How are we working towards mitigating this issue?
The long-term solution to ending this harmful exposure to lead is to replace the lead pipes that are corroding and causing this neurotoxin to be digested in people’s drinking water. However, the dismantling and replacement of this lead-based pipeline infrastructure would take years and a large budget. The more feasible option is to figure out how much lead is actually coming into people’s homes through tap water so we can find more effective ways to mitigate this issue. This past October of 2020, researchers from the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis officially came up with a solution using acid. Senior Elizabeth Johnson and graduate student Weiyi Pan tried many different methods but eventually discovered that slowly passing an acidic solution through a commercial filter would free 100% of the lead captured by that filter. They have come up with the most accurate method to date that would help researchers collect data to see just how much lead would be potentially entering households.
In the conclusion of their research report, the scientists stated that “additional experiments are needed regarding different tap water conditions and PbO2 solids.” They encouraged residents to send their used filters to laboratories so more in-depth data could be taken in a variety of conditions. These field studies would help researchers and utilities select reliable methods for analyzing Pb exposure and corrosion control effectiveness in the pipeline infrastructure. With this new method, we could potentially move one step closer to mitigating the lead exposure amongst young children and lessen the harmful effects it has on their development.
