Americans export 68,000 shipping containers of recyclables annually—mostly to developing nations. China recently closed its borders to shipments while others take on far more than they can process. In Indonesia and Vietnam, plastics pour in so abundantly that the countries…
Eclipsing megahits like The Crown and Breaking Bad, HBO’s new series on Chernobyl is now the highest-rated TV series ever, The Economist reports.
It wouldn’t be accurate to say that today the world “celebrates” World Environment Day because the news is so grim. From 7 million people killed every year by air pollution and soaring deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon to the global climate crisis, there’s more worry…
What does it mean when the word “fragrance” appears on an ingredients list? Any number of things, apparently. But the details are kept mum under “trade secrets” protections in a largely self-regulating fragrance industry. In a test of 140 personal care and cleaning products…
When residents of Rockford, Michigan began looking into the redevelopment of a famously stinky tannery, something was fishy. When officials reported no known contamination at the shuttered factory, they demanded a deeper investigation. When they didn’t get one, they…
Air pollution contributes to 5 million deaths globally each year and causes stunted growth, cognitive deficits, heart and lung disease and other problems. But some cities and countries have made significant progress in reducing air pollution. The key is to know the local…
The now-ubiquitous imagery of plastic mounting in oceans and in the bellies of wildlife has sparked a dialogue about plastic pollution. But there’s a missing link, notes a new report from the Center for International Environmental Law. Plastic products result from a long…
The planet reached a terrifying milestone on Saturday. For the first time in human existence, CO2 concentrations surpassed 415 parts-per-million, according to a reading from the historic Mauna Loa Observatory, The Independent reports.
A reputation as cursed and unholy became the saving grace of India’s Chambal River—helping it escape a fate like the sacred, yet heavily polluted Ganges. People gave the Chambal wide berth, ultimately sparing it from heavy development and polluting factories. In 1979,…
“Ears evolved in an acoustic environment that was nothing like the one we live in today”—and the disconnect is causing serious health problems, writes David Owen. For decades, researchers around the globe and under the sea have been dedicated to measuring noise and its wide…
