Oceans
From tackling marine plastic pollution to coral reef restoration, learn about humanity’s latest efforts to protect ocean habitats and marine wildlife.
Australia draws up plans for marine reserve the size of Germany
The Australian government intends to designate a marine reserve in the Southern Ocean the size of Germany, bolstering protections for millions of penguins and seals near Macquarie Island. Tanya Plibersek, the environment minister, stated that the government intends to increase the extent of the Read More...
Hawaii is the first US state to finally ban shark fishing
On June 8th, in honor of World Oceans Day, Hawaiian Governor David Ige signed nine measures into law, including one that will safeguard sharks and other marine life. Act 51 (House Bill 533) came into effect early last month. According to the new legislation, it is now against the law to Read More...
The EU commits to its own “green deal”
The European Union will invest more than $270 billion in its own "green deal" in order to keep up with the United States and China. The growing green economy Many observers interpreted the move as a direct response to the Biden administration's hefty round of green subsidies, which were included Read More...
Secrets of the sea: hidden underwater forests may help fight climate crisis
The Nature Conservancy's marine biologist Frank Hurd spends his days amongst gigantic kelp curtains, studying underwater forests. One of his usual diving haunts is a kelp forest off Anacapa Island, one of the Channel Islands national park's protected rocky volcanic islets off southern Read More...
Tobacco companies in Spain now fit the bill for cigarette butt clean-up
Tobacco businesses will be obliged to pay for the cleanup of millions of cigarette ends discarded by smokers each year under new environmental legislation in Spain. The decision, which went into effect last week, is part of a package of waste-reduction and recycling efforts. It calls for the Read More...
2022's most optimistic climate stories
These days, it’s easy to sink into feelings of climate anxiety and eco-grief. However, this past year brought us a number of good climate stories that encourage us not to lose hope! Renewables are expected to produce more energy than coal in the United States. Hydropower, wind, and solar Read More...
Italian fisherman uses underwater sculptures to stop trawling
Italian fisherman Paolo Fanciulli had been fishing the waters of the Maremma coastline for almost 40 years. These sea habitats near Tuscany, and Fanciulli’s livelihood, came under threat, however, in the form of illegal trawling, dragging huge nets through the water to catch large amounts of Read More...
Canada outlines plan to ban single-use plastic
Canada has now become a world leader in environmental policy. On Monday, it laid out its final plans and regulations on how it intends to ban single-use plastics. Federal health minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the country recycles “only 8 percent of the plastic [Canada] throws away” and Read More...
Fast-acting enzyme breaks down plastics and changes recycling game
We’ve all wondered when we take out the recycling just how much of it will be recycled, remade, and repurposed into a new product as we hope. Sadly, only 10 percent of plastics globally are successfully recycled, and there’s a lot of work to do to ensure everything we put in the recycling bin Read More...
Okra: the surprising hero in the fight against microplastics
According to new research from scientists at Tarleton State University in Texas, okra — you know, the green, finger-shaped pod that is often added to delicious dishes like gumbo and soup — is a valuable weapon in the fight to get microplastics out of our drinking water. What are Read More...