News from the Earth

Since 1950, more than 9 billion tonnes of plastic have been produced globally, of which only 9% is recycled, while almost a billion people live in slums. A Norwegian start-up's mission is to develop affordable housing from 100% recycled plastic. 

Would you live in a recycled plastic home?

A green and fair recovery is able to create over 50 million jobs among the almost one hundred cities of the C40 network and their supply chain. About a third more than those that would be generated simply by maintaining the current polluting infrastructure. With accelerated reconstruction, on the other hand, it could reach 80 million. 

There is only one species responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic: us.

To avoid future epidemics, we must act on prevention, to safeguard human health through the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity, by reducing intensive agriculture and livestock farming, indiscriminate exploitation of forests and natural habitats, trade in wildlife.

Plastic manufacturing in the first ten years of this century eclipsed the total produced in the entire last century: now we're producing – and discarding – almost 360 million tons a year. Its components harm people and the environment. 

Millions of stacks and tailpipes in cities around the world send up 70% of the carbon dioxide ejected into the atmosphere by human beings. 461 mayors, including those of some of the U.S.'s largest cities, have joined Climate Mayors. They're pledging to uphold the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

It turns out that for decades the recyclability of plastics was grossly oversold by the plastics industry. Unfortunately, just placing your plastic into the recycling bin doesn't mean it will get recycled. The recycling system is complicated and often dictated by market demand. Not all plastic is recyclable. We cannot recycle plastic bags or straws for example.

As the world confronts the pandemic and embarks on recovery, there is growing recognition that the recovery must be a pathway to a green and sustainable economy that produces jobs and prosperity, reduces emissions, and builds resilience.

Globally, the EU is responsible for more than 10% of the destruction of forests through the consumption of products such as meat, dairy products, soya for animal feed, palm oil, coffee and cocoa. The European Union has therefore decided to open a public consultation procedure on the theme of forest protection: "Deforestation and forest degradation - reducing the impact of products placed on the EU market".

New York, London, Los Angeles, Berlin, Bristol, Cape Town, Durban, Milan, New Orleans, Oslo, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, are the 12 metropolises, all members of the C40 international network, that have committed themselves to a truly sustainable recovery after the trauma of the pandemic.

The August Complex Fire started when a series of dramatic lightning strikes caused several small fires that were increased by strong winds. The small fires joined together to form the gigafire that is still burning today.

The flowers have started to produce more pigments to protect themselves from UV rays. A phenomenon that is not visible to human eyes but affects pollination.

Building the celebration of World Animal Day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilising it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals.