The UK will eliminate “period tax” on menstrual items in 2020
Most developed countries have tax exemptions for “necessity items” such as toilet paper, soap, and other personal care goods. Despite this exemption, women in the UK (and many other countries) still pay a five percent tax on menstrual items such as tampons, sanitary pads, and menstrual cups. Read More...
Scientists are planting 1m seagrass seeds to save the carbon-reducing plant
While generally overlooked, seagrass is one of our strongest allies in the fight against global heating due to its incredible carbon-absorbing abilities. The problem, however, is that the plant is also one of the most threatened organisms in the world. Up to 92 percent of the marine grass has Read More...
After a 29 percent drop, UK carbon emissions are now back at 1988 levels
A carbon brief has revealed that the United Kingdom’s carbon dioxide emissions have dropped 29 percent since 2010. The analysis found that carbon emissions dropped 2.9 percent last year alone, bringing 2019 emissions down to 1988 levels. The drop in emissions is largely attributed to coal Read More...
Huge win for climate activists as Heathrow airport expansion ruled illegal
Heathrow airport outside of London is one of the busiest airports in the world, with 80 million passengers going through it each year. So when plans were announced to construct a third runway that would bring in 700 more planes per day, it was no surprise that environmentalists were outraged (and Read More...
The UK is acquiring the world’s fastest weather supercomputer
Weather forecasts could soon see a sharp increase in accuracy after the UK’s weather service, the Met Office, announced it will spend £1.2 billion ($1.6 billion) to acquire the world's most powerful climate supercomputer. The Met said the computer will create a "digital twin" of our atmosphere Read More...
Escaped beavers have brought quantifiable benefits to English rivers
In 2013, a group of beavers that had escaped from captivity were found living wild along a river in Devon, England. When plans to exterminate the animals were greeted by a popular outcry, the government agreed to a scientific trial to measure the environmental impact of the beavers, with the funds Read More...
The UK is moving forward its ban of new gas-powered cars by 5 years
The UK had a ban in place that would make it illegal to sell new petrol, diesel, or hybrid cars in the country from 2040 onward, but now that plan being amended…for the better. Under new government plans, the UK will bring the ban forward from 2040 to 2035 at the latest. The change comes after Read More...
New study finds smokers’s lungs can heal damage after quitting for good
It may not be a secret that smoking causes serious damage to your lungs, but that doesn’t make it any easier for people to kick that habit. Especially if you’ve been smoking heavily for years or even decades, it may seem pointless to try and quit now. However, new research out of the UK begs Read More...
UK to get air-filtering buses on the roads of some of its major cities
For some time now, major cities in the UK have been experiencing high levels of air pollution, pushing local authorities to up their game on solving the problem. In an effort to help alleviate the issue, the country’s biggest bus and rail operator - the Go-Ahead Group - has come up with an Read More...
Half of the UK’s universities are now committed to divesting from fossil fuels
For years, we’ve seen environmental groups and students urge universities to divest from dirty fossil fuels. Finally, it seems those efforts are paying off. A total of seventy-eight of the UK’s 154 public universities have jumped onto the divestment bandwagon, either divesting or pledging to Read More...