Author: Emily Adams

The city of New York recently voted to pass a law that would ban gas in new constructions. Once authorized, the new law will require that heating systems and kitchens run on clean energy instead of natural gas. The bill is expected to deplete 2.1 million tons of carbon emissions by the year 2040. With buildings in New York City responsible for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions alone, the bill is a monumental step towards curbing carbon emissions on a local scale. Despite the law still under review, decarbonizing buildings is essentially a step in the right direction away from the fossil fuel…

Following the passage of President Biden’s Infrastructure Law and 2022 appropriations for projects for climate resilience and adaptation, Native American tribes will receive $46 in funding to combat climate change. The funding will be allocated in the span of five years to tribal communities to deal with climate-related conflicts such as increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, potential droughts, and other initiatives to strengthen climate resilience and adaptation. While the funding is long overdue, this action will benefit various tribes to combat the effects of climate change in the upcoming years.

As microplastics plague many aspects of our land and water, the need to find suitable solutions to remove microplastics from our environments has become more important than ever. A recent study conducted by researchers from Texas convey that the polysaccharides in okra worked best to remove microplastics from both saltwater and freshwater. This plant-based solution has the potential to replace methods that consist of using chemicals such as flocculants that clump microplastics together to separate them from water. Researchers note that no additional equipment is needed to begin using this method in wastewater treatment and that the process can soon…

Food waste is a prominent driver of climate change due to the number of greenhouse gases that are emitted when left in landfills. California mandated that Californians must salvage food scraps to be composted. Starting January 1, 2022, Senate Bill 1383 requires residents to separate their food waste from their trash. While there are currently no fines for non-compliance, Californians may eventually face penalties if they fail to abide by these changes. This law should help California in its effort to reduce the environmental impact of wasted food.

The giraffe population has been plummeting for 15 years. A 2015 survey found that fewer than 70,000 giraffes remained. Various factors have contributed to the slow decline of the giraffe, including poaching and loss of habitat. However, a recent survey indicates that the giraffe population has been increasing.  Numbers are up 20% due to increased conservation efforts and relocation programs. This is a stable, sustainable increase in the population bringing the population up to 112,000. This is a huge win for the population, but additional measures to protect giraffes will be required to prevent the population from trending downward again. 

The giant Galapagos Turtles were once on the brink of extinction with a population of only 15 left. After being bred for more than 40 years in captivity, more than 2,000 Galapagos Turtles exist today. Important keystone species, the Galapagos Turtles are responsible for germinating certain plant species and contributing to the growth of various types of vegetation. While the population is not entirely recovered in numbers, the stability of the giant Galapagos Turtles proves to be a success in conservation efforts. The population has since thrived after being reintroduced to the wild where they are monitored by GPS trackers.

World leaders from nearly 200 countries have united to tackle plastic pollution. Last Wednesday, countries from the United Nations agreed to pass a treaty that would address plastic production, design, and disposal. This is an international triumph of a partnership that would work to address the full life cycle of single-use plastics. Greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic production, use, and disposal will account for an estimated 15% of emissions allowed by the Paris Agreement by mid-century. This climate deal will essentially work to lower greenhouse emissions associated with plastics as well as to address plastic wastes in surrounding environments.

In the last decade, there has been rapid wind and solar energy growth, which could help to limit global warming to only 1.5℃. 2021 saw solar polar grow by 23% globally and wind power grow by 14%. To remain under the 1.5℃ threshold, the world would need to continue this trend, where wind and solar supply 40% of the world’s power by 2030, and 70% by 2050. Globally, we still need to increase efforts to reduce carbon emissions, but by beginning to rely on suitable alternatives for energy, we are on our way to reducing global warming and that is…

It has recently been found that in areas of the Arctic with no human inhabitants or activity, there is now plastic pollution. Plastic is coming from both local and global sources. Locally, there are fisheries, landfills, wastewater treatments, and industrial sources. Globally, plastic is being carried from lower latitudes by ocean currents and rivers. This has affected mammals, seabirds, fish, and invertebrates through plastic entanglements, ingesting marine debris, malnutrition, and internal injury. Because plastic pollution is coming from both local and distant sources in the Arctic, more planning needs to be done to reduce plastic production and increase the efficacy…

Tasmania has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions along with increasing its removal of carbon dioxide. This has allowed Tasmania to become carbon negative, which means they are counteracting the carbon emissions generated by creating more carbon sinks. Forest management practices in Tasmania have changed to significantly decrease the harvesting of native forests that were previously being logged. By preserving these native forests, more carbon is being stored than is emitted, as forests are able to store mass amounts of carbon. Tasmania’s land management strategies are proving to be beneficial for the environment and can hopefully serve as an example for…

In January 2023, a popular weed-killer by the name of Roundup will no longer be sold. The main ingredient, glyphosate, has been found to cause cancer. Around 125,000 claims that Roundup causes cancer have been made against the parent company, however, only 30,000 of those claims have been resolved. The Department of Agriculture stated that in 2014 alone, 240 million pounds of glyphosate were sprayed in the US, which has contaminated the air, water, soil, and the food we eat every day. By eliminating this toxic chemical, we are one step closer to a healthier environment and healthier people, and…

While chick culling of male chicks has been an animal welfare issue for years, the practice still continues in many aspects of the world. An alternative to ensure the prevention of mass culling of male chicks includes technology to predetermine the sex of the embryo and essentially prevent the birth before they develop into chicks. France and Germany are working to ban mass culling and have invested in technology to seek alternatives. The ban on mass culling of male chicks has since saved more than 50 million chicks in France alone. Egg farming industries have until the end of 2022…

Since the adoption of a new Sustainable Mobility Plan in 2012, the city of Ljubljana has since seen an increase in the use of public transportation, as well as an increase in the use of cycling and walking. The plan sets to limit the use of motor vehicles and targets to increase walking and cycling, the use of public transport, and to reduce private vehicle journeys. Ljubljana’s pedestrianization and car-free zone underscore the possibility of a sustainable city through the use of new technology, improving public spaces, and upgrading the bus network. The European capital has since been car-free for…

The Brand and Product HARA the Label is a clothing brand founded by Allie Cameron, whose mission is to create ethical and sustainable clothing. HARA is a slow fashion company and is based out of Australia. Right now, their products consist of underwear, loungewear, sportswear, and a pillow. HARA is consistently updating and expanding its inventory. We received the Leo High Cut Bra and the Moana High Waist Bottoms both in the color olive. Sustainability Initiatives So why did This Kind Planet want to review HARA the Label? HARA has an abundance of sustainability initiatives. HARA has dedicated itself to…

The Skoy Scrub and Skoy Cloth are convenient and reusable cleaning products that are eco-friendly and work to replace normal cleaning products. The Skoy Scrub comes in various colors and is made out of cotton and a food-grade non-toxic hardener. The Skoy Cloth comes in a variety of colors that works to replace the use of rags, sponges, paper towels, and any other single-use cleaning cloth. The cloth is made out of natural cotton and wood-based cellulose pulp and has the ability to be 100% biodegradable.  SKOY scrub What is this category of product’s typical environmental impact – that is,…

The green turtle population is making a comeback after being deemed endangered. Even after the turtle hunt ban in 1968, recovery has been slow for the green turtles. However, after 50 years of protection, the green turtle population is showing recovery in Seychelles. Scientists have found that the annual number of turtles hatched increased from 2,000 to 3,000 in the 1960s to more than 15,000 eggs in the 2010s. More than a reason for hope, this goes to show the significance and success of marine conservation and protected areas in increasing the biomass of marine life.  

Small Axe Peppers Hot Sauce is truly the “heat that helps”. Small Axe Peppers is a sustainable company that is dedicated to connecting you to your local community gardens and neighborhood urban farms. While their roots began in a borough of New York called The Bronx, Small Axe Peppers have proudly planted seeds across America from San Diego to Baltimore and many cities in between. With a total of 75 gardens in 15 cities and growing, Small Axe Peppers is making a big impact. How it works: At the beginning of each growing season, Small Axe Peppers provides seeds to…

Some very simple steps to follow whenever you spend time outdoors arethe seven principles of “leave no trace.” Leave no trace is designed tominimize your impact on plants and animals, and to protect ecosystems.  The seven principles are: Plan ahead and prepareTravel and camp on durable surfacesDispose of waste properlyLeave what you findMinimize campfire impactsRespect WildlifeBe considerate of other visitors By practicing these seven simple steps anywhere from the remotewilderness to your local parks, you can enjoy the outdoors safely, thoughtfully,and with minimal impact on the environment around you.

Persistent organic pollutants, or POPs, are chemicals that have serious, long-lasting effects on human and wildlife health. POPs are easily transported globally by wind and water and remain in the environment for an extended period of time. They can be produced either intentionally or unintentionally from byproducts of some industrial processes. In 2001, over 90 countriesagreed to an international treaty that reduces or eliminates the production of 12 significant POPs. While we have eliminated some of these harmful chemicals, more work remains to be done to protectour environment and the health of humans and wildlife.

Unwanted emails result in unnecessary carbon emissions. Every email owner has an opportunity to decrease their carbon footprint by handling unwanted emails. In 2019, it was reported that 107 billion spam emails were sent a day. To be constructed, sent, and stored, each email consumes energy. Spam emails are estimated to emit 0.3 grams of carbon dioxide. The average American has 500 unread, spam emails, meaning if they were to be deleted, approximately 150 grams of CO2 would be removed from the air. Therefore, by deleting your unwanted emails, you are lowering your carbon footprint.

Smart Sheep is a women-owned eco-friendly company that produces 100% wool dryer balls for laundry-drying efficiency. Smart Sheep follows fair-trade practices, employs women in the United States and Nepal, provides livable wages, and sources humanely obtained wool that does not contain bleach. The dryer balls come in a package of six, with an information sheet describing the product, how to use it, information about the company, how the product distinguishes itself from regular dryer sheets, and in what ways the product is eco-friendly. It is suggested that three balls are used for small laundry loads; six balls are suggested for…

Plastic waste can linger in the environment indefinitely. Honeywell International Inc. has announced its development, with Sacyr SA in Spain, of a process to transform low-grade mixed plastic waste into high-quality oil. Ultimately, the process will significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions when compared to producing plastic from other sources, while also improving the pace of recycling. Currently, over half of all plastic waste still ends up in landfills.  Fully 30% ends up in our rivers and oceans. This method, if successful, is a viable start to addressing the current plastic crisis. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized new requirements on December 20th, 2021 that limit vehicular pollution that contributes to global warming. This rule requires new vehicles to average 55 miles per gallon of gas by 2026, which would save 360 billion gallons of gas and avert 3.1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions through 2050. Overall, this will lead to a 15% reduction in the nation’s annual gas consumption by 2050. The EPA enacting this new rule is a promising step towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions and their impact on global warming and climate change.

A new study demonstrates how nature plays an important role in reducing plastic pollution. Seagrass ‘Neptune balls,’ which are naturally occurring tangles of seagrasses, filter seawater by capturing small plastic particles in their natural bundles of fiber. These natural filters trap microplastics rather than allowing them to float freely in the water, tempting fish with fake food. During storms, these balls frequently wash up on the beach, eliminating them from the oceans. Based on the University of Barcelona study, Neptune balls in the Mediterranean Sea alone could filter 900 million plastic particles per year, underscoring the importance of seagrasses.

After researching fashion’s outsized impact on water quality in Nepal, two colleagues from Cambridge University found a natural solution to end water pollution from the toxic dyes used. Despite Nepal being water-abundant, water pollution has led to 85% of citizens being water-insecure. The team’s solution uses genetically modified bacteria; the modification triggers color generation in the cells, which replicate quickly. The resulting pigment can be used to dye fabric, without a runoff. The team likens the process to making beer, but with pigments as the end result instead of alcohol. Fashion giants are working with Colorifix to reduce the industry’s…

One way you can reduce your impact on the environment is by avoiding “fast fashion.” Fast fashion is clothing that is mass-produced quickly, cheaply, and with low standards. It uses excessive amounts of water and uses toxic chemicals.  Fabrics are primarily made from plastic microfibers, which create more carbon emissions than cotton does. You can largely avoid fast fashion by shopping locally, seeking out sustainable clothing brands, and visiting thrift stores. Your clothes will last longer and be of higher quality, resulting in less waste and a better impact on the environment.

Voted one of the most sustainable cities in the United States, Seattle ranks high on the list of green cities. Big on recycling, Seattle recycles and composts almost 60% of its waste. The use of paper bags and reusable bags is heavily promoted;  violations trigger fines up to $250. The city’s initiative to be more energy efficient is also centered around investing in green buildings. With the Bullitt Center already holding the title of the greenest commercial building in the world, Seattle is experimenting with similar projects to achieve more LEED-certified buildings.  We need more cities like this!

Scrubba wash bags are convenient, pocket-sized wash bags that allow you to clean your clothes anywhere. Foldable, lightweight, and reusable, Scrubba enables you to achieve a machine-quality wash in mere minutes. There are a few different types of Scrubba wash bags. We had the pleasure of trying out The Scrubba Wash Bag Untouched. How Does It Work? Simply add water, your choice of eco-friendly cleaning liquid, roll and clip, scrub it down, rinse and hang to dry. Instructions are also on the label and the product itself is very user-friendly. The entire process takes only a few minutes, and the results were great! The…

The Global Grad Show is a conference at which graduate students can display their designs of inventions to combat environmental issues. The 2021 summit was held in Dubai and provided students from around the world with the opportunity to showcase their inventions. The inventions include a composting machine that also serves as a garden, an autonomous robot that can pinpoint habitable conditions in the desert to grow crops, and a filter for washing machines that collects microplastics. With each of these inventions, we’re a bit closer to addressing issues of food waste, land usage, and plastic pollution.

In November 2021, the largest environmental restoration project in U.S. history was completed in southern Florida. The project created a 6,300-acre man-made wetland that will naturally filter billions of gallons of fresh water. Historically, the area has been affected by pesticide and fertilizer runoff running into the St. Lucie River estuary, threatening habitat and creating toxic algae blooms. With the new system, about 717 million gallons of water will be filtered per day. In the restored wetlands, habitat for wildlife has increased, endangered species have begun to return to the area, and the water quality is on track to improve.

Pollinators include birds, bees, bats, butterflies, and moths, all of which move pollen between flowers. They’re essential for creating healthy and diverse ecosystems and most of our agriculture depends on pollination.  Pesticide-free corridors of native plants are called pollinator pathways and this is one way we can provide habitat and nutrition for pollinators. You can support pollinators by planting native plants and flowers in your yards to help establish pollinator pathways in your area. By creating habitat and food sources for pollinators, we can help them to thrive.

Smallholder tea farmers in Yunnan, China, are implementing eco-friendly strategies and promoting agroecology for better-tasting tea with lower management costs. Strategies include supporting biodiversity by embedding plantations in existing forests and taking advantage of shade, natural weed suppression, abundant pollinators, and rich soil. When compared with large tea plantations, smaller farms use fewer chemical fertilizers and fewer pesticides. Proponents believe that consumer interest in more environmentally friendly practices will lead to a market for these more eco-friendly teas.  Agroforests can help humans to adapt and address the climate problem by sequestering carbon and contributing to local food security.

British company, bio-bean, recycles coffee grounds into biofuels. Containing the grounds from 25 cups of coffee each, the grounds are transformed into “coffee logs” to be used in wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves. As of September 2020, bio-bean had recycled over 20,000 tons of used coffee grounds, partnering with national coffee chains and the coffee providers at London Stansted airport.  Eighty percent of CO2 emissions are avoided by recycling coffee grounds rather than sending them to landfills. Our daily consumption patterns contribute to waste, but companies like Bio-bean can help us recycle and reduce our impact.

Highlighting the importance of sustainability, children in Sweden are being exposed to various environmental topics. Public schools in Sweden are incorporating sustainability as one of the foundations of educational curricula, in which they are also taught to recycle and compost. Children as early as preschoolers are taught the importance of environmental science and sustainability. This modern approach is crucial to encourage critical thinking and a hands-on approach and essentially cascade climate action to a much younger population. One of the most sustainable countries in the world, Sweden’s sustainability-infused education could very well bring forth a wave of young environmentalists.

Large herbivores can naturally reduce the risk of wildfires, and the need for greater investment in firefighting resources, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. Both domestic and wild herbivores can be deployed for “targeted grazing” which creates natural fire breaks in remote areas. This can be a particularly effective strategy in areas where land has been abandoned, often driven by socio-economic factors, and the abandonment results in the regrowth of combustible shrubs and bushes. Municipalities can replace considerably more expensive options like mechanical vegetation removal by allowing large herbivores to do what they do…

Almost 59 million hectares of forest—able to absorb more than the annual CO2 emissions of the United States—have been regrown since 2000 as a result of conservation efforts. This is especially important as regenerated forests are more efficient and better support biodiversity than newly planted forests. This exciting Small Victory is highlighted in satellite imaging data and on-the-ground surveys included in a two-year WWF study. But the news is mixed; the authors warn that deforestation continues at a pace far greater than that of regeneration.  We must work both to slow deforestation and to restore what we’ve lost.   

In October 2021, 24 countries pledged to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030. Methane has been responsible for about half of the 1.1°C warming since the 1850s. This potent but short-lived greenhouse gas stays in the atmosphere for significantly less time than carbon dioxide, so reducing methane emissions should have a greater impact on slowing temperature increases. With this pledge, global warming could be reduced by an estimated 0.2°C by 2050. There is still plenty of work to be done, and the absence of an enforcement mechanism is unfortunate, but this pledge is another promising step forward.

With over 150 venues in the United States, Live Nation has incorporated sustainable initiatives to divert the amount of waste that would otherwise enter landfills. The venues work to phase out single-use plastics and have committed to a sustainable initiative to reduce negative impact. Offices, venues, and events are set to be zero waste to landfill by 2030. Working alongside Green Nations, the PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, North Carolina, has diverted 90% of all waste away from landfills. This is a great example of venue sustainability and a challenge to other venues to follow Live Nation’s green initiatives.

Norway reaches an environmental milestone as the country reports 9 in 10 automobile purchases are now electric or hybrid. Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 and Toyota’s hybrid RAV 4 models are some of the most purchased cars in Norway. Gas-fueled automobiles now account for 5% of all car purchases in Norway. Norwegian officials propose eliminating sales tax on purchases of electric vehicles to incentivize their citizens to purchase them. This milestone brings Norway closer to reaching its goal of zero emissions by 2025, allowing Norway to serve as a model for other nations to reach zero emissions. 

Every spring, Yosemite toads set out across the alpine meadows of the Sierra Nevada to find a mate. They have been observed crossing busy, and lethal-to-toads, Highway 108 in large numbers. Their travel patterns, together with habitat loss and chytrid fungus, were contributing to the toads’ decline and they were given “threatened” status in 2014. Based on observations of their travel habits and their willingness to use existing culverts, biologists and design engineers joined forces to develop a solution. Timed in conjunction with highway repairs to save money, they designed an undercrossing to accommodate the toads’ natural travel patterns safely.