In the face of mounting environmental challenges, it has become increasingly clear that transitioning to a green economy isn’t merely a viable alternative – it’s an absolute necessity. So, what exactly is a green economy? It’s a type of economy that generates increased human well-being and social equity while drastically diminishing environmental hazards
New research shows we’ve long underestimated the environmental benefits from kelp forests. Now these important ecosystems are threatened. Floridians are bracing for an unwanted visitor this summer: sargassum. A 5,000-mile-long island of this rootless seaweed is floating around the Atlantic, and large swathes of it are expected to wash ashore in Florida and
“This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.” Environmental groups have been clamoring for Congress to make this year’s farm bill the next big climate law. With more funding, climate advocates say, farmers could cut greenhouse gas emissions by storing carbon in soil, curbing nitrogen fertilizer use, and
One benefit of higher fossil fuel prices and increasing energy security concerns is that individuals, businesses, and countries are investing in renewable power capacities like never before. As a result, by next year, the world’s total renewable electricity capacity will equal the combined total power output of China and the United States, according
An uptick in clean vehicles has improved air quality in wealthier communities over marginalized communities in California, a new study finds. California has some of the most aggressive climate laws in the country, including its Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, which incentivizes the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrids, and fuel-cell vehicles. The
Only a third of U.S. consumers consider “climate-friendliness” when shopping at the grocery store, a new survey finds. Environmental sustainability lags far behind taste, price, healthfulness and convenience for the 11th year in a row, according to this year’s consumer research from the International Food Information Council (IFIC). The number of self-reported vegans
Climate change is the defining issue of our era. With impacts ranging from more frequent and severe weather events to long-term shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns, climate change affects every corner of the globe. Yet despite the magnitude of this problem, awareness and understanding of climate change remain limited among the general
This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here Recycling was once all the rage. Reduce, reuse, recycle! We recited it like a mantra. To toss our cans and bottles into the blue bin was to take on personal environmental responsibility; it meant we care. However, of late,
While the technological advancements of recent decades have brought substantial societal benefits, enhancing communication, productivity, and even medical treatments, these advances are not without their environmental costs. Critical environmental concerns such as the surge in electronic waste (e-waste), energy consumption from digital technologies, and the ecological impact of resource extraction for electronic manufacturing
Heat waves can happen in the depths, invisible at the ocean surface. Heat waves have spiked in recent years. The United States is now scorched by about six per year, compared to just two annually in the 1960s. At sea, marine heat waves such as the Blob, which warmed waters off the U.S.