The winning projects of a global competition for innovative carbon-free and resilient urban projects were announced in Oslo and sent to us by C40 CITIES. Have a look.
Coffee-drinkers rejoice! Coffee giant Nespresso has this week signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Anglo-Australian metals and mining megalith Rio Tinto to use the world’s first responsibly-sourced aluminum for its coffee pods.
Nespresso Coffee Pods To Use Responsibly-Sourced Aluminum From Rio Tinto Read More 👉
Originally published by NexusMedia. by Marlene Cimons It was predictable that one day Adisa Azapagic, who studies the carbon footprint of various foods, would get around to chocolate. Little was known about the environmental impact of producing that guilt-and swoon-inducing pleasure, and for many, ignorance was bliss. “My husband wasn’t amused when I suggested he consider
Death By Chocolate Read More 👉
Rachel Carson’s influential book Silent Spring, which documented the effects of the indiscriminate widespread use of pesticides on the environment, was published back in 1962, nearly 60 years ago now. Since that time, the book has often been cited as one of the drivers behind environmental action and regulation of various kinds. Following the release,
The processes by which fertile topsoil is created are slow ones, to put it in mild terms. Generally speaking, the timespans necessary to turn glacial rock dust into something that agricultural crops can possibly grow in aren’t relevant when considered from the perspective of what’s needed to plant this year’s crops. The processes by which
Topsoil Fertility Decline & Soil Erosion — A Few Musings Read More 👉
An ocean dead zone is an area where there is not enough oxygen dissolved in the water to allow aquatic creatures to breath. To put it in perspective, imagine a person locked in a sealed chamber in which the level of oxygen is slowly but steadily decreased until they lie gasping for breath until they
Ocean Dead Zones Multiplying Rapidly, Threatening Food Source For Hundreds Of Millions Read More 👉
Much of the Middle East is now slated to essentially turn to desert over the coming decades and centuries owing to climate change, and exacerbated by poor human judgment and short-sighted activities. It bears remembering that much of what is now the Middle East and the Mediterranean was before the human population expansion of the
Today the largest Danish supermarket retailer Dansk Supermarked Group announced that they are introducing a plant based “minced meat” early next year in 600 stores serving 1.5 million customers across the country. On a Danish scale — with a population of 5.7 million — this is a massive push compared to the already known Impossible Foods who
Plant Based “Minced Meat” Being Introduced On A Large Scale in Denmark Read More 👉
A few months ago, Amazon (AMZN) bought Whole Foods at a whopping $13.4 billion, with a promise to bring cheap, organic, nutritious, low carbon*, and pesticide-free food to the masses. Soon after the acquisition, Whole Foods cut prices by as much as 43%, bringing prices of organic food at or below non-organic food. Currently, Amazon
Amazon and the Future of Food Read More 👉
While everyone is talking about electric cars and autonomy as a huge disruptor to the global economy, there is another elephant in the room that not many people seem to notice — lab-grown meat! A few days ago news broke that China bought $300 million worth of lab-grown meat from three Israeli-based companies — SuperMeat,
Talk About Disruption — Lab-Grown Meat Has Arrived! Read More 👉
When you think of insecticides you probably think of dangerous chemical compounds that allow modern industrial agriculture (and its high yields) to occur, but that also have some negative effects on the environment and also on human/animal health. The effects of a certain class of insecticides on honeybees, for instance, may well be what comes
While many people have pointed out the reality that cutting one’s consumption of meat is a notable means of reducing one’s carbon footprint, I haven’t heard many people bring up the subject of meat consumption by pets… Image by Patricia Marroquin/UCLA Considering how the practice of keeping a “pet” dog or cat has become vastly
Cats & Dogs Create Insane Amount Of Global Warming Emissions Read More 👉
Our #FakePresident has removed the United States for the Paris climate accords, leading some Americans to experience ecoanxiety. That’s a relatively new term that American Psychological Association used to describe the feelings of dread and helplessness the follow from “watching the slow and seemingly irrevocable impacts of climate change unfold, and worrying about the future
Beans For Beef: The Climate Change Initiative That Anyone Can Do Read More 👉
A dead zone larger than New Jersey is expected to appear in the Gulf of Mexico later this year. Similar dead zones are found in the Great Lakes and the Chesapeake Bay. A report by Mighty, a global environmental group headed by Henry Waxman, a former US Congressman, claims the dead zones are the result
Massive Dead Zone In Gulf Of Mexico Blamed On Meat Industry Read More 👉
Honeybees that are exposed to field-realistic (real-world, in other words) levels of neonicotinoid pesticides die earlier than those that are not — thereby reducing overall colony health — according to a new study led by York University. “A worker honeybee has been fitted with a RFID on its back so researchers can record when it
There are now more than 2 billion people worldwide who are overweight or obese, according to a new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. So, to put that in a different sort of light, there are now roughly the same number of people in the world who are overweight or obese as
Study: Over 2.2 Billion People Overweight Or Obese Worldwide Read More 👉
Extra-virgin olive oil consumption protects against the loss of memory and lean ring capacity, and also against the formation of amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain (markers for Alzheimer’s disease), according to new research from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM). The new findings are detailed in a paper
Instead of producing solar power on one site, and purifying water on another, and growing food on yet another piece of land, it might be possible to do all three on the same site, which would enable true local sustainability. That’s the gist of a new research paper from a Purdue University research team, which
Splitting The Solar Spectrum Could Produce Power, Food, & Water From The Same Land Read More 👉
Arguments for and against the use of genetic modification techniques in the agricultural and healthcare/disease-prevention sectors typically focus on potential impacts to human health, and/or to wider ecosystems and natural services (a much more important area to watch, in my opinion than human health). My issue with genetic modification and the use of genetically modified
Many Insects Resistant To Genetic Manipulation Via CRISPR Editing Tool, Research Finds Read More 👉
What happened with people who sided with Hitler and the Nazis in their quest to murder countless humans? As their crowd rose to the heights of power and prestige, many people who supported them must have thought their futures were looking up and they were setting up some kind of positive family reputation for future generations. To
On The Wrong Side Of History … Read More 👉
Ocean acidification created by continuing anthropogenic climate change will result in a collapsing food web, according to new research from the University of Adelaide. The new findings are the result of analysis focused around determining the effects of climate change on the world’s fisheries, and on overall marine biodiversity. Image via NOAA “Humans rely heavily
Ocean Acidification To Bring Collapsing Food Web Read More 👉
While there are a lot of moving parts to the global economy, I’d argue that there is one fundamental premise that will have, hand’s down, the greatest influence in determining the fate of humanity, and that is the time horizon of strategizing a particular activity—short term vs. long term thinking. Take any industry, whether it’s
We were recently treated to a preview screening of the film “Kombit” which unpacks the work being done by way of a partnership between the non-profit “Smallholder Farmers Alliance” and the Timberland company in Haiti. Haiti has a major issue with deforestation with over 98% of the nation stripped of trees as a direct result of
‘Kombit’ Documents the Struggle to Reforest Haiti (Film Review) Read More 👉
Many people find the bright, vibrant colors of various fruits and vegetables to be culinarily appealing, and an apparent appetite stimulant. Interestingly, new research has suggested that these same compounds, that give plants their visual appeal (to the eyes of humans, and various other animals), help to improve brain-functioning in older adults. The new research,
Common purslane is, despite its public image as a weed in many regions, a very nutritious food item — with the plants being high in a number of different important vitamins and minerals. Notably, common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) possesses higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids than any other leafy green vegetable does. While purslane
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recently suggested that eating bugs (yes, insects) could help feed the world’s fast-growing population. Along these lines, Anna Jansson, professor of animal science at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, has shown how nutrient-rich insects can make a big contribution to diet in poor countries. Surprisingly, they can also help
Eating Bugs Helps Curb Both Hunger And Climate Change Read More 👉
The solar transition is well underway in the UK. Our sister site SolarLove has reported that solar energy generation surged by around 153% over the last year in the UK (2014–2015). So, without much ado, research about the effects of solar farms on biodiversity continues. The fertile news is that after a conclusive study of solar farms, the
Solar Farms Improve Local Biodiversity Read More 👉
A group of scientists led by the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the University of Colorado-Boulder has developed a new, eco-friendly method to produce ammonia, the main ingredient of fertilizers, using light. This study also included researchers from Utah State University (USU) and Montana State University (MSU). Discovery details The
CU-Boulder & NREL Scientists Make Ammonia For Fertilizers From Sunlight Read More 👉
A research study has found that 8 million human deaths and $1 trillion in healthcare costs each year could be saved if more people adopted a vegan diet. Oxford University researchers examined four different diets and found that vegan one was better for human health and the planet. “We do not expect everybody to become vegan. But climate
8 Million Lives And $1 Trillion Could Be Saved By Vegan Diet Read More 👉
Originally published on Chomping Climate Change. Walking by fruits, vegetables, or other plant material growing in sunshine, the fragrance is often exhilarating. That’s in part because plant material in sunshine creates oxygen, at the same time as it absorbs greenhouse gas from our atmosphere. But walking by livestock, the opposite happens, either in daylight or nighttime; there’s normally an unpleasant
Cooking Data To Hate On Plants Read More 👉
Researchers at the University of Oregon Food Innovation Center have patented a new seaweed that tastes like bacon when fried and thrives in polluted water.
New Seaweed Tastes Like Bacon, Cleans The Oceans Read More 👉
The ninth annual Greenpeace report on sustainable seafood gives top marks to Whole Foods and three others. 8 others earned a failing sustainability grade.
The Best Places To Buy Sustainable Seafood Read More 👉
If waves of cheap rhino horns 3D-printed with real rhino DNA are flooded onto the Asian markets, is this a form of rhino conservation or capitalistic exploitation? This critical question is gnawing at the root of a controversial business venture to use real rhino DNA in the commercial production of 3D-printed rhino horns. In a
3D Rhino Horns – Conservation or Exploitation? Read More 👉
Not only posing significant risks for Earth’s natural systems, the effects of global warming on humans and human systems have only recently begun receiving the expanded attention they critically require. From hazardous effects causing potential loss of life, injury, or other negative health impacts, to the potential exposure of social, economic, and infrastructure assets to
Effects of Global Warming on Humans – From 2015 IPCC SYR Data Read More 👉
Releasing this exclusive freely in the public interest, best-selling author Dr. Nafeez Ahmed is offering a unique view of the critically significant impact that climate change is having on our lives, our livelihoods, and even our likelihood of survival on this planet. Dr Nafeez Ahmed is an international security scholar and investigative journalist, currently serving as a
Climate Change-Induced Collapse of Civilization by 2040 Reports UK Foreign Office Read More 👉
Originally published on InspiredEconomist.com On a mission to transform the globe “through ethical relationships with small-scale farmers, and an integral sustainability orientation at every point on the supply chain,” Alter Eco Foods has bitten off a big bite to chew on. But it sure looks delicious. Especially those chocolate truffles. Organic, fair trade truffles! In
Socially Responsible Chocolate Truffles? Read More 👉
Originally published on Eat Drink Better I’m pretty certain that I never once–not ever!–ate quiche. That is, until a few months ago. Eggs were never my thing and quiche sounded way too fancy to bother with anyway. But then I discovered vegan quiche and everything changed. It’s safe to say I’m obsessed. Nowadays, I have
The Vegan Quiche Recipe That Will Probably Make You a Vegan Quiche Addict Read More 👉
Fair World Project (FWP) has released a new 17 minute documentary highlighting the role of industrial agriculture in climate change, as well as detailing how small scale farms are combating climate change through regenerative organic agriculture. Narrated by Fair World Project’s Political Director Ryan Zinn, the documentary traverses through a series of interviews with activists, farmers,
Combatting Climate Change With Small Scale Farms Read More 👉
Zero waste grocery stores are thriving in France. Customers bring their own containers and buy in bulk with no packaging waste and get fresh food for less.
Zero Waste Grocery Stores Thrive In France Read More 👉
Some good news for the world’s forests: assurance that along the entire supply chain, products from Tetra Pak, the world’s leading food processing and packaging company, support forest management with environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable practices. The company produces tetrahedron-shaped paper cartons coated with plastic. Last October, the Swedish corporation launched what’s believed to be the
Packagers Certified for Forest Diligence, But How About Waste? Read More 👉
Both Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z have garnered some press in the last year or so for trying a vegan diet. She has gone a stop farther by offering a vegan meal home delivery program in a partnership with exercise physiologist Marco Borges. 22 Days is the name of program and it provides vegan, soy-free
Beyonce Launches Vegan Meal Program Read More 👉
New research from the University of Arizona has shown us yet another example of the many ways in which GMO-crops (genetically modified organisms) fail to live up to the hype. In this case, the research found that the efficacy of pest control via GMO-use has been notably exaggerated — and that many assumptions about the
GMO-Crops Don’t Live Up To The Hype With Regards To Pest Control, Research Shows Read More 👉
Originally published on CleanTechnica. In 1974, a group of San Francisco’s pragmatic idealists, the Food Conspiracy, a grass-roots organization of food-buying clubs committed to buying and distributing wholesale food among themselves, became Other Avenues Worker Cooperative. Its mission is and was “food for the people, not profit.” Other stores expanded out of this group and yet, today,
Community Solar on a Food Coop Read More 👉
Food is a problem. Food is the solution. Many urban areas suffering from depression of the economy suffer from the lack of whole food, good foods. A liquor store and a vacant lot are alright. However, try to plant green gardens, so you don’t have to drive 45 minutes to buy something besides fast food
Those interested in purchasing an atmospheric water generator may want to check out this recent offering from Molecule New Water Technologies* — the EcoloBlue Atmospheric Water Generator. The generators offer a potentially effective means of making oneself “water independent,” as the producers state. They are especially useful in the realm of emergency water supply — where the
EcoloBlue Atmospheric Water Generator — Emergency Water Generator Read More 👉
According to the filmmakers behind this recent release, this is the film that environmental organizations don’t want you to see, in part because it reveals the truth behind the world’s most destructive industry. That industry is not what you would expect, and in a world of limited resources, it’s surprisingly not nearly as popular of
The Film That Environmental Organizations Don’t Want You To See Read More 👉
Our modern lifestyle is packed full of behaviors and habits and products that have high carbon emissions attached to them, so there are plenty of areas in our lives that we can address and reduce our own personal carbon footprint. We can reduce phantom (vampire) power draws in our homes, we can upgrade to a
Cut Food-Related Carbon Emissions In Half By Not Eating Meat Read More 👉
Originally published on Eat Drink Better. By Jill Ettinger Long-time vegans would say it’s about time. And the wait is almost over for a store that only sells vegan food. That’s right. A vegan supermarket is coming to the U.S. But not until 2016. Called (ahem) “Veganz”, the German-based market opened in 2011 and is
Vegan Supermarket Comes To US Read More 👉