Read the full story at Science Daily.
Plastics are often derived from petroleum, contributing to reliance on fossil fuels and driving harmful greenhouse gas emissions. To change that, scientists are trying to take the pliable nature of plastic in another direction, developing new and renewable ways of creating plastics from biomass.
Read the full story from Waste360.
Perfection is the enemy of the good. Until we accept the fact that making less waste is more important than recycling—and not the other way round—we will flounder in our pursuit of a greener environment. Let’s stop giving source reduction lip service. Instead, let’s acknowledge and celebrate its immense achievements.
Read the full story at GreenBiz.
Two of the world’s most iconic food and beverage brands have launched ambitious initiatives aimed at significantly reducing waste and increasing the recycled and biobased content of their packaging. Together, they mark the acceleration of a yearslong war on waste.
- McDonald’s Corp. last week announced plans to make 100 percent of its consumer packaging from “renewable, recyclable and certified materials” by 2025. It also pledged to offer consumer package recycling in all of its restaurants worldwide by that date.
- A few days later, the Coca-Cola Company announced “World Without Waste,” a global goal to help collect and recycle “the equivalent” of 100 percent of its packaging by 2030, as well as to make bottles with an average of 50 percent recycled content by then.
The twin announcements signal a new era among large consumer brands to take responsibility for their packaging. It’s coming in an age of increased global concern over the prevalence of plastic and other waste materials in waterways and oceans, not to mention streets and landscapes around the world. It also comes at a time when brands such as Coke and McDonald’s recognize that their global growth ambitions could be stymied by consumer, activist and governmental pushback against mounting waste streams.
Read the full story in the Texas Tribune.
Dozens of small and rural utilities in the state have for years provided water that contains illegal levels of radiation, lead and arsenic. Lack of resources is largely to blame — but there’s more to it than that.
Read the full story at Earth911.
After the winter holidays, I get into decluttering mode. This is especially true with regard to my daughter Sofie’s stuff. She accrues so many new toys as gifts, and I swear the tiny plastic pieces multiply while we’re sleeping! Pretty soon my internal clutter meter goes off, and I know it’s time to purge.
This can be tough since kids tend to cling to their possessions. Yes, you can do it covertly when your child is not around (a mom’s confession: I sometimes do this), but it will serve you better in the long run to involve kids in the art of letting go.
Read the full story at e360.
Eastern cougars once roamed every U.S. state east of the Mississippi, but it has been eight decades since the last confirmed sighting of the animal. Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has officially declared the subspecies extinct and removed it from the U.S. endangered species list.
Read the full story in the Washington Post.
Widespread use of a futuristic energy technology to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere would create severe environmental problems, scientists argue in a new critique, casting doubt on one potential method of helping humanity escape the worst effects of climate change.
Read the full story at Canadian Cattlemen.
The Certified Sustainable Beef Framework released December 7 by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) is the set of documents that Canadian beef producers and primary processors will be able to follow to prove their operations are sustainable, chart improvement through the years, and help consumers sort out questions about sustainability.
See also: National Beef Sustainability Assessment and Strategy
Read the full story from the USDA.
Working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), farmers apply a system of conservation strategies to keep valuable fertilizer on their land and out of nearby waterways. Filter strips move row crop operations away from streams and function as collection centers for nutrient runoff. Cover crops reduce soil erosion and hold nutrients in place. No-till practices also reduce soil erosion and improve field-level water infiltration capacity.
Read the full story from Environmental Leader.
A CDP report published today analyzed 16 of the world’s largest publicly-listed automotive companies that responded to an extensive questionnaire last year. The report identified best and lowest performing automakers as well as major opportunities emerging while the industry enters a low-carbon transition.
The report, called “Driving Disruption,” assessed companies across key areas aligned with recommendations from the G20 Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD): transition risks, transition opportunities, and climate governance and strategy.
