'All the birds returned': How China led the way in water and soil conservation
(theguardian.com)
It was one of China’s most ambitious environmental endeavours ever.
It was one of China’s most ambitious environmental endeavours ever.
Please stop planting only corn
(virtualize.sh)
If you’ve ever watched a nature documentary (one of those where David Attenborough quietly whispers the doom of an entire species) you know monocultures are bad.
If you’ve ever watched a nature documentary (one of those where David Attenborough quietly whispers the doom of an entire species) you know monocultures are bad.
Did you spot a fish? Press the Fish Doorbell
(visdeurbel.nl)
Every spring, thousands of fish swim through the Oudegracht in Utrecht, searching for a place upstream to lay their eggs. But the Weerdsluis is often closed. You can help the fish continue their journey! If you see a fish, press the doorbell. This alerts the lock operator to open the lock.
Every spring, thousands of fish swim through the Oudegracht in Utrecht, searching for a place upstream to lay their eggs. But the Weerdsluis is often closed. You can help the fish continue their journey! If you see a fish, press the doorbell. This alerts the lock operator to open the lock.
The Asbestos Times (2023)
(worksinprogress.co)
Asbestos was a miracle material, virtually impervious to fire. But as we fixed city fires in other ways, we came to learn about its horrific downsides.
Asbestos was a miracle material, virtually impervious to fire. But as we fixed city fires in other ways, we came to learn about its horrific downsides.
The long flight to teach an endangered ibis species to migrate
(newyorker.com)
Our devastation of nature is so deep and vast that to reverse its effects, on any front, often entails efforts that are so painstaking and quixotic as to border on the ridiculous.
Our devastation of nature is so deep and vast that to reverse its effects, on any front, often entails efforts that are so painstaking and quixotic as to border on the ridiculous.
Plastic pollution leaves seabirds with brain damage similar to Alzheimer's
(theguardian.com)
Ingesting plastic is leaving seabird chicks with brain damage “akin to Alzheimer’s disease”, according to a new study – adding to growing evidence of the devastating impact of plastic pollution on marine wildlife.
Ingesting plastic is leaving seabird chicks with brain damage “akin to Alzheimer’s disease”, according to a new study – adding to growing evidence of the devastating impact of plastic pollution on marine wildlife.
'A new phase': why climate activists are turning to sabotage instead of protest
(theguardian.com)
Tougher laws said to be inspiring clandestine attacks on the ‘property and machinery’ of the fossil fuel economy
Tougher laws said to be inspiring clandestine attacks on the ‘property and machinery’ of the fossil fuel economy
The shrouded sinister history of the bulldozer
(noemamag.com)
From India to the Amazon to Israel, bulldozers have left a path of destruction that offers a cautionary tale for how technology without safeguards can be misused.
From India to the Amazon to Israel, bulldozers have left a path of destruction that offers a cautionary tale for how technology without safeguards can be misused.
Magpies and crows are using “anti-bird spikes” to make nests (2023)
(audubon.org)
Humans have made the world less hospitable for birds in many ways. One obvious and intentional example of this can be found in towns and cities worldwide: anti-bird spikes. The pointy wires you might see attached to roofs, ledges, and light poles are meant to deter urban species like pigeons from landing, pooping, and even nesting where people don’t want them to. But in an avian act of poetic justice, a handful of European birds have struck back.
Humans have made the world less hospitable for birds in many ways. One obvious and intentional example of this can be found in towns and cities worldwide: anti-bird spikes. The pointy wires you might see attached to roofs, ledges, and light poles are meant to deter urban species like pigeons from landing, pooping, and even nesting where people don’t want them to. But in an avian act of poetic justice, a handful of European birds have struck back.
Trees not profits: we're giving up our right to ever sell Ecosia (2018)
(ecosia.org)
When I founded Ecosia a few years ago, I made two promises:
When I founded Ecosia a few years ago, I made two promises:
'We're losing our environmental history': The future of government information
(thebulletin.org)
As the director of the National Security Archive’s Climate Change Transparency Project, Rachel Santarsiero is in the business of monitoring and facilitating the flow of information from the government to the public. What she’s seeing now, in the first weeks of President Trump’s second administration, is throwing the continuity of that process into doubt.
As the director of the National Security Archive’s Climate Change Transparency Project, Rachel Santarsiero is in the business of monitoring and facilitating the flow of information from the government to the public. What she’s seeing now, in the first weeks of President Trump’s second administration, is throwing the continuity of that process into doubt.
Hackintoshing as a sustainable environmental practice
(medium.com)
In 2025 using Linux or a Hackintosh is a very sustainable practice in computing, because you are able to use hardware longer.
In 2025 using Linux or a Hackintosh is a very sustainable practice in computing, because you are able to use hardware longer.
California banned polystyrene. Has industry spooked the governor into silence?
(latimes.com)
California’s ban on polystyrene was one of the biggest wins for environmentalists in the state’s recent history.It went into effect on Jan. 1 — but no one, including the governor’s office and CalRecycle, is talking about it.
California’s ban on polystyrene was one of the biggest wins for environmentalists in the state’s recent history.It went into effect on Jan. 1 — but no one, including the governor’s office and CalRecycle, is talking about it.
How to Build a Thousand-Year-Old Tree
(noemamag.com)
As the world faces an accelerating crisis of biodiversity loss and spiking rates of extinction, Britain’s protected natural areas are getting an explicit new assignment.
As the world faces an accelerating crisis of biodiversity loss and spiking rates of extinction, Britain’s protected natural areas are getting an explicit new assignment.
Mass firings at National Weather Service, NOAA ignite fury among scientists
(latimes.com)
As federal job eliminations strike the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service, scientists and environmental advocates are denouncing the cuts, saying they could cause real harm to Americans.
As federal job eliminations strike the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service, scientists and environmental advocates are denouncing the cuts, saying they could cause real harm to Americans.
Mass firings across NOAA, National Weather Service ignite fury from scientists
(tampabay.com)
As federal job eliminations struck the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service on Thursday, scientists and environmental advocates denounced the cuts, saying they could cause real harm to Americans.
As federal job eliminations struck the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service on Thursday, scientists and environmental advocates denounced the cuts, saying they could cause real harm to Americans.
No one is coming to save us. Time to cowboy up
(keepcool.co)
The world has sustained 1.5°C of warming above pre-industrial levels for over a year now. There’s no sign that trend will change anytime soon. Put plainly: We’ve run out of time to ‘do’ decarbonization without additional help to cool the planet now and buy time.
The world has sustained 1.5°C of warming above pre-industrial levels for over a year now. There’s no sign that trend will change anytime soon. Put plainly: We’ve run out of time to ‘do’ decarbonization without additional help to cool the planet now and buy time.
Patagonia CEO: Trump Shouldn't Sell Our Public Lands
(time.com)
Public lands have been described as America’s “best idea.” They are natural sanctuaries, sources of generational inspiration and for some, ancestral homelands. Every citizen has a right to experience them and a paired responsibility for their welfare and protection. So, recent news coming from Washington, D.C.—possible plans to sell off our public lands and the firing of the staff needed to protect and access them—has the outdoor sports community’s attention.
Public lands have been described as America’s “best idea.” They are natural sanctuaries, sources of generational inspiration and for some, ancestral homelands. Every citizen has a right to experience them and a paired responsibility for their welfare and protection. So, recent news coming from Washington, D.C.—possible plans to sell off our public lands and the firing of the staff needed to protect and access them—has the outdoor sports community’s attention.
Online discussions on forests preserved in the Finnish Web Archive
(kansalliskirjasto.fi)
For a long time, public discussion on forests has been marked by the issue of defining limits for the economic exploitation of Finnish forests. The National Library of Finland has preserved forest-focused discussions on the internet spanning several years.
For a long time, public discussion on forests has been marked by the issue of defining limits for the economic exploitation of Finnish forests. The National Library of Finland has preserved forest-focused discussions on the internet spanning several years.
Technofossils: Humanity's eternal testament will be plastic bags, cheap clothes
(theguardian.com)
As an eternal testament of humanity, plastic bags, cheap clothes and chicken bones are not a glorious legacy. But two scientists exploring which items from our technological civilisation are most likely to survive for many millions of years as fossils have reached an ironic but instructive conclusion: fast food and fast fashion will be our everlasting geological signature.
As an eternal testament of humanity, plastic bags, cheap clothes and chicken bones are not a glorious legacy. But two scientists exploring which items from our technological civilisation are most likely to survive for many millions of years as fossils have reached an ironic but instructive conclusion: fast food and fast fashion will be our everlasting geological signature.
Bill Gates Is Playing Both Sides of the Climate Crisis
(jacobin.com)
Bill Gates presents himself as a climate champion, but his trust has actually increased its fossil fuel investments since his divestment pledge. It's just the latest example of the billionaire appointing himself to solve problems he helps perpetuate.
Bill Gates presents himself as a climate champion, but his trust has actually increased its fossil fuel investments since his divestment pledge. It's just the latest example of the billionaire appointing himself to solve problems he helps perpetuate.
Waste Wars: The Afterlife of Trash
(nytimes.com)
In the closing years of the Cold War, something strange started to happen.
In the closing years of the Cold War, something strange started to happen.
Dark Money Groups Want the Government to Bet Big on Crypto
(jacobin.com)
Right-wing dark money groups are lobbying for the US and state governments to invest billions of dollars in Bitcoin reserves, jeopardizing public funds and the environment alike.
Right-wing dark money groups are lobbying for the US and state governments to invest billions of dollars in Bitcoin reserves, jeopardizing public funds and the environment alike.
'social network' attacking pesticide critics shuts down after investigation
(theguardian.com)
A US company that was secretly profiling hundreds of food and environmental health advocates in a private web portal has said it has halted the operations in the face of widespread backlash, after its actions were revealed by the Guardian and other reporting partners.
A US company that was secretly profiling hundreds of food and environmental health advocates in a private web portal has said it has halted the operations in the face of widespread backlash, after its actions were revealed by the Guardian and other reporting partners.
Botanical gardens have reached peak capacity
(cosmosmagazine.com)
In an analysis of a century’s worth of data on botanical gardens and arboreta, researchers reveal that global living plant collections have reached capacity, impacting their ability to meet scientific and conservation goals.
In an analysis of a century’s worth of data on botanical gardens and arboreta, researchers reveal that global living plant collections have reached capacity, impacting their ability to meet scientific and conservation goals.
Why it is important not to have children (2012)
(stallman.org)
The most important thing you can do, avoid global heating disaster and make a positive contribution to the world, is avoid having children. The numbers, which were calculated for modern America, say that having a child equals roughly 36 round-trip transatlantic flights per year.
The most important thing you can do, avoid global heating disaster and make a positive contribution to the world, is avoid having children. The numbers, which were calculated for modern America, say that having a child equals roughly 36 round-trip transatlantic flights per year.
One Child's Outsized Influence on the Debate over Plastic Straws (2018)
(npr.org)
People are talking a lot about plastic straws these days — how international corporations like Starbucks and Marriott International are banning them, and the deleterious impact they have on the environment.
People are talking a lot about plastic straws these days — how international corporations like Starbucks and Marriott International are banning them, and the deleterious impact they have on the environment.
AI narrows our vision of climate solutions and reinforces the status quo
(anthropocenemagazine.org)
AI-powered chatbots tend to suggest cautious, incremental solutions to environmental problems that may not be sufficient to meet the magnitude and looming time scale of these challenges, a new analysis reveals.
AI-powered chatbots tend to suggest cautious, incremental solutions to environmental problems that may not be sufficient to meet the magnitude and looming time scale of these challenges, a new analysis reveals.