Read the full story in e360.
Leading scientists and conservationists are proposing that up to 50 percent of the earth’s land and oceans be protected in the coming decades. While some view the goal as unrealistic, proponents say it is essential for preserving the natural systems on which life itself depends.
In recent years, federal, state, and international authorities have established various health-based regulatory values and evaluation criteria for a number of specific per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in response to growing concerns with contamination. At this time, the U.S. has no federally enforceable PFAS standards, leaving individual states to navigate various avenues for addressing PFAS contamination. Some states have established legally enforceable values for certain PFAS in drinking water, groundwater, surface water, soil, or other environmental media. Other states and regulatory agencies have opted for non-enforceable values such as guidance levels, screening numbers, or advisories that may apply to PFAS compounds for which promulgated standards do not exist.
ECOS compiled information on state PFAS standards, advisories, and guidance values into this white paper to help federal, state, and international authorities avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts, as well as understand and communicate about differences in guidelines. This paper outlines ECOS’ findings on from 23 states on their processes, rulemaking requirements, and other considerations for establishing PFAS guidelines.
ISTC’s Salvage Yard Environmental Guidebook and Self-Audit Checklist helps salvage yard operators better understand the environmental issues, comply with state and federal environmental regulations, and implement best management practices to minimize risks and liabilities.
The manual details best management practices for safely managing all types of waste found in salvage yards, including spent air bags and lithium-ion batteries, as well as pollution prevention options.
Read the full story in the Toronto Sun.
The federal government is looking at treating plastic bags and straws the same way it deals with asbestos, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.
This page from U.S. EPA contains links to citizen science tools from EPA and other federal and non-governmental organizations.
This site provides resources to help you get started with creating applications for citizen science projects, analyzing data and communicating results. Technologies are divided into several usage patterns: citizen engagement and open data, field data collection and quality control, project status; and communicating results.
We hope this guide will help you:
- Learn more about citizen science and connections with libraries.
- Discover STEM-related issues of interest or concern to your
communities.- Connect existing programs and communities to projects on SciStarter.
- Access resources to help people learn about and engage in citizen science
projects.- Access information, resources, projects, and even instruments needed to collect and analyze data.
- Plan Citizen Science Day events.
- Sustain ongoing engagement in citizen science.
Read the full story in Fast Company.
No more standing over the bins, trying to decide whether your empty container is trash or recycling.
Read the full story from the World Resources Institute.
Climate actions have often fallen into one of two strategies: mitigation efforts to lower or remove greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere, and adaptation efforts to adjust systems and societies to withstand the impacts of climate change. The separation has led to the misinformed view that addressing climate change means pursuing either mitigation or adaptation.
This divide is counterproductive and dangerous, especially for coastal villages, farmers, small island nations and other communities at the frontlines of climate impacts. The reality is that adaptation and mitigation are two sides of the same coin. In fact, methods and technologies that both curb climate change and cope with its impacts already exist.
It is not always possible or practical to work solely on actions that are both adaptive and mitigating. Nor are these actions a silver bullet to solving the climate crisis. Simply put, where they make sense, governments and communities should pursue such actions. Below are five solutions that can both curb climate change and help us cope with its impacts at the same time:
Read the full story in The Guardian.
We love ordering goods and food at a click – but this creates mountains of packaging waste and millions of transport miles
Environmental News Bits 
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