Some books take you on epic emotional journeys, while others provide you with knowledge and insights on a new subject. To Dye For, an account of the toxic evolution of fast fashion by Alden Wicker — from its mauvine- and arsenic-tinted beginnings to the takeover of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — does both. It is essential reading for those who have ever experienced skin sensitivity, a rash or worse due to clothing laden with harmful chemicals. And for anyone interested in the true cost of the modern fast fashion that is polluting the world with toxins and discarded bargain clothing. I had the pleasure of talking with Wicker recently about the book, which delves into the toxicity of contemporary fast fashion, as well as its Victorian era origins. I asked how she first became […]

There are all sorts of meatless burgers out there, from bean and soy to those trying to look and taste like beef, but have you ever tried a Kelp Burger? If not, you’re missing out on a flavorful, nuanced, sustainable eating experience. Kelps are large brown seaweeds or algae that grow in underwater forests. There are 30 different types, and they are all extremely beneficial for the environment. Kelp absorbs carbon dioxide from seawater to the tune of nearly five million tons each year, according to New Scientist, which helps reduce ocean acidification, as well as sequesters phosphorus and nitrogen. Kelp also provides habitat for fish and other marine life. Kelp isn’t just good for the ocean and the atmosphere, it’s good for you — tasty and packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In 2021, […]

Our world’s oceans are stunning, so what better way to capture their wide array of colors, personalities and awe-inspiring vastness than through the art of photography? This year, the 10th Annual Photo Competition for United Nations World Ocean Day (UN WOD) received thousands of photo submissions from around the world surrounding the theme, “Planet Ocean: Tides Are Changing.” Six first-place winners were selected and announced by actor and activist Lucas Bravo and the respective judges during the live broadcast of UN WOD at New York’s UN headquarters on June 8. The free competition launched in March and explored six thematic categories connected with the overarching theme of the 2023 UN WOD; they are: No Time to Waste, Putting the Ocean First, The Wonderful World of Tides, Ocean Is Life, Big & Small Underwater Faces and […]

The documentary film River, coming to theaters this Earth Day, opens with a view of a river flowing calmly between shadowed banks, shimmering with the liminal light of dusk or dawn.  “Thousands have lived without love,” a quote from W.H. Auden appears over a reflected cloud bank. “Not one without water.”  Yet the film that follows suggests that the line between love and need winds a meandering path. The next hour and a quarter is a visual, musical and poetic love letter to rivers, which the movie depicts as a source of both basic necessities and “human dreams.” “I don’t think you’d find anyone who didn’t love a river,” the film’s director Jennifer Peedom told EcoWatch in an interview. “I think we just innately understand their importance to our survival, but also that contact to […]