7 Sins of Greenwashing (And 5 Ways to Keep It Out of Your Life)
How to make sure your “all natural” products are the real deal
From electric cars to reusable shopping bags, it’s undeniable that “going green” is one of the fastest growing trends out there today. This is great news for the eco-friendly consumer, as companies are scrambling to offer greener versions of their products to meet demand.
Unfortunately, many companies have also noticed that it’s much cheaper to claim to have environmental, health or safety standards than it is to actually live by them. When a company misleads its customers about the safety or environmental impact of its products or practices, it’s called greenwashing.
Many people are aware of the high profile instances (BP after the oil spill, anyone?), but the practice isn’t limited to corporate makeovers. Greenwashing occurs from national ad campaigns down to labels on the products you buy everyday.
In a 2010 study, TerraChoice investigated the claims of 4,744 “green” products carried in stores across the U.S. and Canada, finding that more than 95 percent of these products were guilty of at least one of what they call:
The Seven Sins of Greenwashing
1. Hidden Trade-Off: Labeling a product as environmentally friendly based on a small set of attributes (i.e., made of recycled content) when other attributes not addressed (i.e., energy use of manufacturing, gas emissions, etc.) might make a bigger impact on the eco-friendliness of a product as a whole.
2. No Proof: Making an environmental claim without providing easily accessible evidence on either the label or the product website (i.e., a light bulb is touted as energy efficient with no supporting data).
3. Vagueness: Using terms that are too broad or poorly defined to be properly understood (i.e., an “all-natural” cleaner may still contain harmful ingredients that are naturally occurring).
4. Irrelevance: Stating something that is technically true but not a distinguishing factor when looking for eco-friendly products (i.e., advertised as “CFC-Free”—but since CFCs are banned by law this is unremarkable).
5. Lesser of Two Evils: Claiming to be greener than other products in its category when the category as a whole may be environmentally unfriendly (i.e., an organic cigarette may be greener, but, you know, it’s still a cigarette).
6. Fibbing: Advertising something that just isn’t true (i.e., claims to be Energy Star Certified, but isn’t).
7. Worshiping False Labels: Implying that a product has a third-party endorsement or certification that doesn’t actually exist, often through the use of fake certification labels.
As the TerraChoice study highlights, greenwashing is rampant, which makes it difficult to know who to trust. To play it safe, make sure that your go-to sources for information and shopping are investigating the claims of each product they sell in their stores.
It takes a lot of work, but luckily there are a growing number of allies in the fight for honesty and transparency in marketing.
For instance, in 2010 the Federal Trade Commission established a guide to set the standard for environmental marketing and help define what terms like recyclable, compostable and non-toxic really mean.
There are also a growing number of eco-labels and certifications, such as USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Cruelty-Free, Vegan and Energy Star, which are certifications provided by dedicated organizations for products that meet their health, ingredient and environmental standards. These are often more credible than the labels provided by manufacturers, since they’re given by an impartial third-party and often take into account the entirety of a product’s manufacturing process.
While organizations can help put pressure on greenwashing practices, ultimately it’s the consumer whose actions tell businesses that dishonesty won’t be tolerated.
Here are five simple ways you can keep greenwashing out of your products and your home:
1. Tell a friend. If more people are aware of the problem, it’s easier to combat.
2. Be on the look-out for the Seven Sins on your product labels. Play Name That Sin for practice.
3. Familiarize yourself with existing eco-labels so you’ll be able to spot the phonies. (Not sure about a label? Verify it with this tool from Consumer Reports.)
4. Print out this fact sheet to carry in your wallet for on-the-go reference.
5. Shop with vendors who are dedicated to honesty in advertising.
Here’s an infographic on greenwashing you might find helpful:
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"Emissions from pyrotechnic displays are composed of numerous organic compounds as well as metals," a new study reports. Nodar Chernishev / EyeEm / Getty Images
Fireworks have taken a lot of heat recently. In South Dakota, fire experts have said President Trump's plan to hold a fireworks show is dangerous and public health experts have criticized the lack of plans to enforce mask wearing or social distancing. Now, a new study shows that shooting off fireworks at home may expose you and your family to dangerous levels of lead, copper and other toxins.
<p>The study, published Wednesday in the journal <em><a href="https://particleandfibretoxicology.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12989-020-00360-4" target="_blank">Particle and Fibre Technology</a></em>, analyzed 12 different retail fireworks and found that once set off, five of them released particle emissions that could damage human cells and animal lungs, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/01/health/fireworks-toxic-air-safety-wellness/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>The metals are used to give the fireworks their vibrant colors when they explode. However, those same metals are hazardous to humans and animals. The study said that blue fireworks can be made of copper and red fireworks can contain strontium, which gives a brilliant red light.</p>
<p>"While many are careful to protect themselves from injury from explosions, our results suggest that inhaling firework smoke may cause longer-term damage, a risk that has been largely ignored," said Terry Gordon, environmental medicine professor at New York University's Grossman School of Medicine, as the <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-fireworks-produce-high-level-lead-toxins-study-20200702-rs26g27afzag3nhlrjbp2yj5fu-story.html" target="_blank">New York Daily News</a> reported</p><p>The study acknowledged that people are typically exposed to these emissions a few times a year, usually around July 4th and New Year's Eve. And yet, even that exposure means people are inhaling much more harmful toxins than what people breathe in normally.</p>
<p>The researchers looked at 14 years of air quality samples taken at dozens of locations across the U.S. by the Environmental Protection Agency throughout the years. The researchers noticed that levels of toxic metals tended to peak in samples taken near Independence Day and New Year's Eve celebrations. The concentration of airborne toxic metals was much higher during those years than at any other time.</p><p>"Although people are only exposed to these substances for a short time each year, they are much more toxic than the pollutants we breathe every day," said Dr. Gordon in an <a href="https://nyulangone.org/news/common-fireworks-release-lead-copper-other-toxic-metals-air" target="_blank">NYU press release</a>.</p><p>"I could hypothesize that people could have, especially susceptible people like asthmatics, increased episodes," Gordon said to CNN.</p>
<p>To conduct the study, the scientists detonated fireworks in a laboratory chamber. They tested roughly a dozen types of fireworks commonly sold in the U.S., including the Black Cuckoo, the Color-Changing Wheel and the Blue Storm firecracker. They then tested mice and human lung cells with the captured particles.</p><p>The Black Cuckoo, a fountain-style firework, registered the most toxic of the group, at 10 times more damaging to human cells than a nontoxic saline solution, according to the findings, as NYU said in a <a href="https://nyulangone.org/news/common-fireworks-release-lead-copper-other-toxic-metals-air" target="_blank">statement</a>.</p><p>Gordon said that the firework emitted lead particles at 40,000 parts per million, which is exceedingly high. Normally, lead should not be emitted at all, he said, as CNN reported.</p>
<p>Families looking to set off fireworks this weekend should be particularly mindful of children's developing lungs and brains. Parents should make sure their kids are far away from the fireworks smoke and any potential lead exposure.</p><p>"Allow the adults to be the ones to set off the fireworks and stay upwind from it so that the smoke is blowing in the breeze," said Kristin Van Hook, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics section on pediatric pulmonology and sleep medicine.</p><p>She told CNN she has seen cases where children who have asthma breathed in fumes from fireworks and ended up in the emergency room.</p><p>Gordon also said that families should be aware what their children are exposed to and that everyone should try to stay downwind from fireworks. He added that the fireworks industry must increase its safety regulations.</p><p>"Given what we've found, I propose that ... they make sure they are importing safer fireworks and that that's what the consumers use," Gordon said to CNN.</p>
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Billions worth of valuable metals such as gold, silver and copper were dumped or burned last year as electronic waste produced globally jumped to a record 53.6 million tons. Curtis Palmer / CC by 2.0
By Ashutosh Pandey
Billions worth of valuable metals such as gold, silver and copper were dumped or burned last year as electronic waste produced globally jumped to a record 53.6 million tons (Mt), or 7.3 kilogram per person, a UN report showed on Thursday.
<p>Growing demand for electronic gadgets, mostly with short life cycles and few options for repair, has caused <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-e-waste/a-47210118" target="_blank">e-waste — discarded products with a battery or plug —</a> to surge by more than a fifth in the past 5 years, according to the joint study by the United Nations University, the UN Institute for Training and Research, the International Telecommunication Union and the International Solid Waste Association. The report forecasts the amount of e-waste generated to top 74 Mt by 2030.</p><p>"We are seeing a growing middle class in many countries around the world, which a few years ago were really typical developing countries. And there is a very large backlog demand here," Rüdiger Kühr, director of the Sustainable Cycles Program at the United Nations University (UNU) and a co-author of the report, told DW, adding that a growing trend of things like cars and bicycles being electrified was also contributing to the menace.</p>
<p>The weight of e-waste produced in 2019 was equivalent to 350 cruise ships the size of the Queen Mary 2, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, the authors of the report said.</p><p>Less than a fifth of the scrap — which the authors referred to as "urban mine" — was known to have been properly collected and recycled, which means a vast bulk of the $57 billion (€50 billion) worth of valuable metals such as gold, copper and iron and other recoverable materials were dumped or burned rather than being collected for treatment and reuse.</p><p>"E-waste quantities are rising three times faster than the world's population and 13% faster than the world's GDP during the last five years," said Antonis Mavropoulos, president of the International Solid Waste Association. "This sharp rise creates substantial environmental and health pressures and demonstrates the urgency to combine the fourth industrial revolution with circular economy."</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQzNDI5MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzYzOTk3NX0.RQbf3EJ7KbW6wPMpQmnieMQtjgtOAa2g2RiGc6Wfou4/img.png?width=980" id="fafc2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f641bb3f6f0662dd7d22920805d103a0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Environmental and Health Hazard
<p>Experts say e-waste, which is now the world's fastest-growing domestic waste stream, poses serious environmental and health risks.</p><p>Simply throwing away electronic items without ensuring they get properly recycled leads to the loss of key materials such as iron, copper and gold, which can otherwise be recovered and used as primary raw materials to make new equipment, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions from extraction and refinement of raw materials.</p><p>Refrigerants found in electronic equipment such as fridge and air conditioners also contribute to global warming. A total of 98 Mt of CO2-equivalents, or about 0.3% of global energy-related emissions, were released into the atmosphere in 2019 from discarded refrigerators and ACs that were not recycled properly, the report said.</p><p>E-waste contains several toxic additives or hazardous substances, such as mercury and brominated flame retardants (BFR), and simply burning it or throwing it away could lead to serious health issues. Several studies have linked unregulated recycling of e-waste to adverse birth outcomes like stillbirth and premature birth, damages to the human brain or nervous system and in some cases hearing loss and heart troubles.</p><p>"Informal and improper e-waste recycling is a major emerging hazard silently affecting our health and that of future generations. One in four children are dying from avoidable environmental exposures," said Maria Neira, director of the Environment, Climate Change and Health Department at the World Health Organization. "One in four children could be saved, if we take action to protect their health and ensure a safe environment."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQzNDI5MS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNTY4NjA4OH0.qYGeyLvLk-elu3ZJcG9sTyEtVLbMGk0J8n0_MBFunNQ/img.png?width=980" id="78310" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1392b4823e7058c3bed4598e3ee30134" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Europe Leads the Way
<p>While most of the e-waste was generated in Asia (24.9 Mt) in 2019, Europe led the charts on a per person basis with 16.2 kg per capita, the report said.</p><p>But the continent also recorded the <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/the-eu-declares-war-on-e-waste/a-51108790" target="_blank">highest documented formal e-waste collection and recycling</a> rate at 42.5%, still below its target of 65%. Europe was well ahead of the others on this front. Asia ranked second with 11.7%.</p><p>The authors said while more that 70% of the world's population was covered by some form of e-waste policy or laws, not much was being done toward implementation and enforcement of the regulations to encourage the take-up of a collection and recycling infrastructure due to lack of investment and political motivation.</p><p>"You have to think about new economic systems," said Kühr.</p><p>One approach could be that consumers no longer buy the products, but only the service they offer. The device would remain the property of the maker, who would then have an interest in offering his customers the best service and the necessary equipment. The maker would also be interested in designing his products in such a way that they are easier to repair and easier to recycle, Kühr said.</p>From Your Site Articles
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A women walks with COVID-19 care kits distributed by Boston's Office of Neighborhood Services in Boston, Massachusetts on May 28, 2020. The pandemic has led to a rise in single-use plastic items, but reusable bags and cloth masks can be two ways to reduce waste. JOSEPH PREZIOSO / AFP via Getty Images
This month is Plastic Free July, the 31 days every year when millions of people pledge to give up single-use plastics.
<p>Last year, the month <a href="https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/about-us/" target="_blank">boasted</a> around 250 million participants in 177 countries, but this year there's a complication. The <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_self">coronavirus</a> pandemic is still very much with us, and it has led to a rise in single-use items, from personal protective equipment (PPE) to disposable coffee cups. In the U.S., many states have paused or backtracked on <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-bags" target="_self">plastic bag bans</a>, <a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/coronavirus-plastic-pollution-environment" target="_blank">WIRED reported</a>, and the UK has delayed its ban on <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-straws" target="_self">plastic straws</a> and stirrers by six months. Coffee shops including Starbucks have temporarily prohibited reusable mugs. And some U.S. grocery stores and states have gone so far as to prohibit personal shopping bags, as <a href="https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/03/18/states-and-stores-are-banning-reusable-bags-is-it-safe-to-use-them" target="_blank">MPR News reported</a>.</p>
<p>When it comes to plastic, the spread of the new disease has created a false dichotomy between <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/public-health" target="_self">public health</a> and environmental stewardship. The organization <a href="https://www.citytosea.org.uk/" target="_blank">City to Sea</a> found that 36 percent of Brits feel pressured to use more plastic because of the pandemic. But it doesn't have to be this way.</p><p>"Caring for the planet doesn't mean we can't care for ourselves," Plastic Free July founder Rebecca Prince-Ruiz told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/climate/nyt-climate-newsletter-masks.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>. "We can do both at the same time."</p>
<div id="cc791" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bbe6689bcee22c2633c7c9142f9488e2"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1278099014542454786" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution –… https://t.co/1kymzp2vi3</div> — Plastic Free July (@Plastic Free July)<a href="https://twitter.com/PlasticFreeJuly/statuses/1278099014542454786">1593557525.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Here are three ways you can go plastic-free this July while keeping yourself healthy and safe.</p><p><strong>1. Use Bar Soap</strong></p><p>COVID-19 has made everyone newly aware of the importance of washing their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.</p><p><a href="https://www.sas.org.uk/news/plastic-free-in-a-time-of-covid/" target="_blank">Surfers Against Sewage suggests</a> doing this with bar soap instead of plastic soap dispensers to reduce waste. But is it really safe for everyone in your household to be handling the same bar?</p><p>That's what <a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/coronavirus-has-me-thinking-way-too-hard-about-my-bar-s-1842797302" target="_blank">Earther's Yessenia Funes wondered</a> until Stanford University soap expert Marlene Wolfe set her mind at rest.</p><p>"While bar soap is icky to a lot of people because it can become wet and cracked and look dirty, if you are touching it and then using it to wash your hands, whatever negligible amount might transfer to your hands should also be washed off during washing," Wolfe said. "And there's some work to suggest that bacteria are unlikely to transfer off of bar soap, and I would suspect this would hold for viruses."</p><p>But if you really love those pump bottles, Wolfe recommends getting reusable ones and refilling them in bulk.</p>
<p><strong>2. Wear a Cloth Mask</strong></p><p>Wearing masks is <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/face-masks-and-social-distancing--2646281827.html" target="_self">vitally important</a> for slowing the transmission of COVID-19, but, sadly, disposable masks and gloves are <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/covid-19-masks-beaches-oceans-2646165717.html" target="_self">already</a> ending up in the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oceans" target="_self">ocean</a>.</p><p>You can protect yourself and the planet by choosing a cloth mask, experts told The New York Times. While N-95 respirators and surgical masks offer the best protection against the virus, experts say that, for the general public, cloth masks are plenty safe and much more sustainable. Both N-95 and surgical masks are made with petroleum products that do not break down, plus it is important to reserve them for frontline workers whose risk of exposure is greater. Disposable paper masks, another option, are slightly misnamed because they often contain lots of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/microplastics" target="_self">microplastics</a>.</p><p>When it comes to selecting a cloth mask, it is better to use old clothing you already have at home, like a T-shirt or bandanna, than to buy a new one.</p><p>"Virgin fiber of any kind is going to require more energy, more resources and more toxic chemicals than something that has already been made," University of California, Berkeley physician and environmental health researcher Dr. Megan Schwarzman told The New York Times.</p>
<p><strong>3. Don't Ditch Your Reusables</strong></p><p>If you were using reusable shopping bags and food containers before the pandemic, you don't have to abandon them now. And, if you haven't yet picked up this habit, it is safe to start this Plastic Free July.</p><p>More than 100 scientists from 18 countries <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/reusable-containers-coronavirus-health-science-2646222334.html" target="_self">signed a statement</a> last month saying that it was safe to use reusable items like bags, cups and utensils as long as they were properly cleaned.</p><p>"Single-use plastic is not inherently safer than reusables, and causes additional public health concerns once it is discarded," the experts wrote.</p><p>The choice may be out of your control if your coffee shop, grocery store or state has banned reusable cups or bags, but you can participate in online campaigns to promote reusables.</p><p>In the the UK, City to Sea has started <a href="https://www.citytosea.org.uk/contactless-coffee/" target="_blank">#ContactlessCoffee</a> to encourage the safe use of refillable containers as cafes reopen. They are asking people to share the campaign video on social media while tagging their favorite local coffee joint and using the #ContactlessCoffee hashtag.</p>
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The south Asian paradise tree snake can launch itself into the air and glide from one tree branch to another. Thai National Parks, CC by 2.0
Did you know that some snakes can fly?
The south Asian paradise tree snake (Chrysopelea paradisi) can launch itself into the air and glide from one tree branch to another. And when it does, it moves its body in waves in something known as aerial undulation. Scientists have long known how the snakes moved. But they didn't know why. Until now.
<p>"In all these years, I think I've seen close to a thousand glides," Virginia Tech professor Jake Socha, who has studied snake flight for more than 20 years, said in a <a href="https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2020/06/eng-flying-snakes-2020-study.html" target="_blank">university press release</a>. "It's still amazing to see every time. Seeing it in person, there's something a little different about it. It's shocking still. What exactly is this animal doing? Being able to answer the questions I've had since I was a graduate student, many, many years later, is incredibly satisfying."</p>
<div id="652b2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5bdc5be500e9c3812d91c801fcaf4c8a"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1277965147881922569" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">You know what your day needs? Flying snakes.
https://t.co/RJ3ZWb3vlK</div> — Nature News & Comment (@Nature News & Comment)<a href="https://twitter.com/NatureNews/statuses/1277965147881922569">1593525609.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>What Socha wanted to find out was whether the snakes' aerial undulation served any purpose.</p><p>"All snakes undulate when they move. And so on the ground, on a tree, in the water, they are creating these side-to-side waves," Socha <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/06/29/884104072/how-snakes-fly-hint-its-not-on-a-plane?utm_campaign=npr&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews" target="_blank">told NPR</a>. "It's not crazy to think that when the snake jumps into the air, the snake goes, 'Hey, I'm a snake. I undulate. That's what I should be doing.'"</p><p>To answer the question, Socha and his team created the first continuous, accurate 3D mathematical model of paradise tree snakes mid-glide, Virginia Tech reported. The model allowed them for the first time to see what would happen if the snakes didn't wiggle when they flew.</p><p>"You can do things with the model that you can't do with the live animal," Socha explained to <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/01/flying-snakes-undulate-researchers-virginia-tech/5360865002/" target="_blank">USA TODAY</a>. "What we wanted to do with the live animal is tell it to stop undulating. Like, 'Hey, snake, stop undulating.' We could tell the model to do that."</p>
<p>The results, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-020-0935-4" target="_blank">published in Nature Physics Monday</a>, showed that the undulation really does serve a purpose—it keeps the snakes stable as they fly.</p><p>"When you turned the undulation off in the model, you see that you get really bad gliding performance," Socha told USA TODAY. "In fact, it tumbles out of the sky much more readily than when you have undulation."</p><p>In order to build their model, the researchers first had to capture the snakes in motion. To do this, they borrowed space and some techniques from the world of theater and film.</p><p>During May and June of 2015, they filmed the snakes in a black-box theater at Virginia Tech called the Cube, which also contains motion-capture cameras.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQzNDI0NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5OTY5MTE4NH0.sgQyzFlNUCBf0lFNKvX5QFcOSEmrdJCkB4GBiI_jTd4/img.jpg?width=980" id="5b34f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2bcb0217c2475fb20dd5582b0f3f29cd" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
The Cube is home to a 23-camera motion capture system. Jake Socha
<p><br>"I guarantee you they did not have flying snakes in mind when they designed this facility," Socha told USA TODAY.</p><p>While filming, they placed 11 to 17 pieces of reflective tape on the snakes' bodies, similar to the tape worn by actors doing motion capture performances in Hollywood movies, NPR explained. They measured more than 100 snake glides to create their model, according to the press release.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQzNDI1My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNjAyMTMzM30.y7rhrkDRHApFf24ZEdLqtM63RE_vdDG99WGKiAbx9hw/img.jpg?width=980" id="b74dc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d4fed5b00496d7c157afa682751389cb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
The snakes wore 11 to 17 infrared-reflective markers, which gave the team high-resolution data while still allowing the animals to move freely. Jake Socha
<p>Filming the snakes also taught the researchers more about the mechanics of the snakes' motion. They discovered that the snakes moved both side to side and up and down.</p><p>"What really makes this study powerful is that we were able to dramatically advance both our understanding of glide kinematics and our ability to model the system," lead author and recent Virginia Tech doctoral graduate Isaac Yeaton explained in the press release. "Snake flight is complicated, and it's often tricky to get the snakes to cooperate. And there are many intricacies to make the computational model accurate. But it's satisfying to put all of the pieces together."</p>
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A diver swims with sharpfin barracuda, one of the many ocean species under threat from global warming, in Australia, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef. Pete Atkinson / The Image Bank / Getty Images Plus
The oceans could look much emptier by 2100, according to a new study that found that most fish species would not be able to survive in their current habitat if average global temperatures rise 4.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, as The Guardian reported.
<p>The researchers of the new paper said that 60 percent of fish species face a grave threat from global heating if temperatures approach that worst-case scenario level. The species under threat include many <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/seafood" target="_self">common fish found in grocery stores</a>, including staples like Atlantic cod, Alaska pollock and sockeye <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/salmon" target="_self">salmon</a>, and sport fishing favorites like swordfish, barracuda and brown trout, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/02/weather/fish-vulnerable-ocean-warming-climate-change-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>The new study, published in the journal <em><a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6499/65" target="_blank">Science</a></em>, looked at how nearly 700 fresh and saltwater fish species respond to warming ocean temperatures. The problem for most fish is that as ocean temperatures rise, the oxygen level goes down, which makes it extremely challenging for embryos to survive.</p>
<p>"A 1.5C increase is already a challenge to some, and if we let global warming persist, it can get much worse," said Hans-Otto Pörtner, a co-author on the paper and a climatologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Germany, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/02/fish-species-survival-climate-warming-study" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported.</p><p>That 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold would result in 10 percent of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/marine-life" target="_self">marine species</a> suffering over the next 80 years, including the aforementioned grocery staples.</p><p>However, even a 10 percent decline in fish species has a large ripple effect on ecosystems as one species being pushed out effects the food supply and the habits of many other species that have evolved to be interdependent.</p>
<p>Since we are already 1 degree warmer than the pre-industrial level and emissions are starting to rise around the world as countries reopen, it seems highly unlikely that the world will not blow past that lowest benchmark. In fact, we are currently on pace for a 3 degree increase over the pre-industrial level, as The Guardian noted.</p><p>"More than half of the species potentially at risk is quite astonishing, so we really emphasize that it's important to take action and follow the political commitments to reduce climate change and protect marine habitats," said Dr. Flemming Dahlke, a marine biologist at Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute and one of the authors of the study, as CNN reported.</p>
<p>The declining oxygen levels threaten fish because adult fish preparing to mate fill up their bodies with either eggs or sperm, which strains their hearts as they pump more blood to supply their reproductive organs with enough oxygen, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8484103/Rising-water-temperatures-endanger-matings-fish.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a>.</p><p>Also, fish embryos inside eggs could also die since they don't have gills — meaning they will be unable to get enough oxygen to survive.</p><p>"There's a difference in the tolerable temperature range of almost 20 degrees on average between embryos and adults," Dahlke said, as CNN reported. "This of course makes a big difference when you want to look at the sensitivity of species to global warming."</p>
<p>The rapid increase in temperatures could force fish to adapt in an unprecedented way or to move toward cooler water closer to the poles. Freshwater fish living in lakes and ponds have a bleak outlook since they cannot move towards cooler waters.</p><p>"Some species might successfully manage this change," said Dahlke, as the Daily Mail reported. "But if you consider the fact that fish have adapted their mating patterns to specific habitats over extremely long time frames, and have tailored their mating cycles to specific ocean currents and available food sources, it has to be assumed that being forced to abandon their normal spawning areas will mean major problems for them."</p><p>A lot of this is a conservative estimate since the study did not take into account pollution or the increased acidity of the ocean, which could present additional challenges to sensitive species, as The Guardian noted.</p><p>"Some tropical fish are already living in zones at their uppermost tolerance, their areas are already 40C," Pörtner said. "Humankind is pushing the planet outside of a comfortable temperature range and we are starting to lose suitable habitat. It's worth investing in the 1.5C goal."</p>
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Women walk from Santa Monica beach after a social media workout on the sand on May 12, 2020 in Santa Monica, California. Al Seib / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Independence Day weekend is a busy time for coastal communities as people flock to the beaches to soak up the sun during the summer holiday. This year is different. Some of the country's most popular beach destinations in Florida and California have decided to close their beaches to stop the surge in coronavirus cases.
<p>In Florida, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced last week that all beaches and parks in the county will close from Friday, July 3, through Tuesday, July 7, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/28/us/florida-coronavirus-miami-beaches/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported. He added that the closed beaches might not reopen next week if coronavirus cases continue to rise and people are not adhering to social distancing and face mask guidelines.</p><p>"As we continue to see more COVID-19 positive test results among young adults and rising hospitalizations, I have decided that the only prudent thing to do to tamp down this recent uptick is to crack down on recreational activities that put our overall community at higher risk," Gimenez said in a <a href="https://www.miamidade.gov/releases/2020-06-26-mayor-july4-beaches.asp" target="_blank">news release</a> last week.</p>
<p>Once Miami-Dade County made that decision, the ripple effect extended to surrounding areas as one county after another worried about an influx of visitors and started to close beaches as well. Broward County was quick to follow when it <a href="https://twitter.com/FTLCityNews/status/1277288404343050242" target="_blank">tweeted</a> its closures. The domino effect continued with Monroe, Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties and the city of Vero Beach following Miami-Dade's lead, according to the <a href="https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20200701/despite-6500-new-coronavirus-cases-desantis-questions-beach-closings" target="_blank">Palm Beach Post</a>.</p><p>"The reason why we're doing this is because we feel that we will not be able to provide the necessary safe environment that everyone is entitled to enjoy when they come to our beaches," said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/28/us/florida-coronavirus-miami-beaches/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p>
<p>Across the country, in California, where there are nearly 250,000 coronavirus cases, beaches in Los Angeles will county will be closed for the holiday weekend, from Friday through Monday. That includes a complete ban on fireworks in an effort to "prevent dangerous crowding that results in the spread of deadly COVID-19," the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a statement earlier this week, according to <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/california-closes-beaches-july-4-after-alarming-coronavirus-spike-1514289" target="_blank">Newsweek</a>.</p><p>Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn <a href="https://twitter.com/SupJaniceHahn/status/1277742020799238146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1277742020799238146%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsweek.com%2Fcalifornia-closes-beaches-july-4-after-alarming-coronavirus-spike-1514289" target="_blank">tweeted</a> on Monday: "We had almost 3,000 reported cases just today. We cannot risk having crowds at the beach this holiday weekend," in a post on her official Twitter account.</p>
<p>To the north of Los Angeles, Ventura county will also close all of its county beaches over the weekend. California State Parks will close beach parking lots in Orange, Santa Barbara, Marin, Monterey, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz and Sonoma counties, according to <a href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/l-a-ventura-county-state-beaches-closed-for-4th-of-july-weekend-parking-lots-shuttered-at-o-c-santa-barbara-state-beaches/" target="_blank">KTLA</a>.</p><p>Following those orders, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that state beaches in Southern California and the Bay Area will be closed this weekend, as the <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article243936147.html" target="_blank">Sacramento Bee</a> reported.</p><p>In New England, officials are worried about more than just the coronavirus. While officials in Cape Cod are expecting smaller than usual crowds due to COVID-19, they are warning beach visitors that a large number of great white sharks have been spotted in the area, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/30/cape-cod-issues-great-white-shark-warning-ahead-of-4-july-holiday" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<p>Leslie Reynolds, the chief ranger with Cape Cod National Seashore, warned the powerful predators were coming close enough to shore to be a concern for swimmers at a recent news conference.</p><p>"Yes, we're in the middle of a pandemic, but if you choose to recreate in the water off Cape Cod, it is home to white sharks and they're coming close to shore," said Reynolds, as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/02/us/Cape-cod-sharks.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a> reported.</p><p>Great whites frequently visit the waters off Cape Cod to prey on the large seal colonies that live there.</p><p>"It's kind of like when a new restaurant opens and people realize it's a really good spot, and someone else discovers it and slowly the clientele builds," said Gregory B. Skomal, a senior fisheries scientist at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, about the uptick in great whites recently, to The New York Times.</p>
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Fireworks Can Trigger PTSD. Here’s How to Be Considerate While Celebrating July 4th at Home
22h
Health + Wellness
Daily fireworks in many U.S. cities in recent weeks have no doubt been interfering with the sleep and peace of mind of thousands of veterans and others who suffer from PTSD. Flickr / CC by 2.0
For some combat veterans, the Fourth of July is not a time to celebrate the independence of the country they love. Instead, the holiday is a terrifying ordeal. That's because the noise of fireworks – loud, sudden, and reminiscent of war – rocks their nervous system. Daily fireworks in many U.S. cities in recent weeks have no doubt been interfering with the sleep and peace of mind of thousands of veterans.
<p>This reaction is not unique to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Also affected are millions of others, including civilians, refugees, and first responders. <a href="https://www.starclab.org/members/arash-javanbakht" target="_blank">As a psychiatrist</a> who specializes in trauma and PTSD, I urge you not to overdo an act which causes so much suffering for so many of your fellow Americans.</p>
What Is PTSD?
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/veterans-refugees-and-victims-of-war-crimes-are-all-vulnerable-to-ptsd-130144" target="_blank">PTSD</a> can occur when someone is exposed to extreme exposure traumatic experience. Typically, the trauma involves a threat of death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Along with war veterans, it happens to refugees; to victims of gun violence, rape and other physical assaults; and to survivors of car accidents and natural disasters like earthquakes or tornadoes.</p><p>PTSD can also happen by witnessing trauma or its aftermath, often the case with <a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd" target="_blank">first responders</a> and <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-many-faces-anxiety-and-trauma/202006/invisible-wounds-the-frontline-heroes" target="_blank">front-line workers</a>.</p><p>All this adds up to tens of millions of Americans. Up to 30% of combat veterans and first responders, and 8% of civilians, <a href="https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/essentials/epidemiology.asp" target="_blank">fulfill the diagnostic criteria for PTSD</a>. And that criteria is not easily met: symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive trauma memories, difficulty sleeping, avoidance of reminders of trauma, negative emotions, and what we call "hyperarousal symptoms."</p>Fireworks Can Trigger Flashbacks
<p>Hyperarousal, a core component of PTSD, occurs when a person is hyper-alert to any sign of threat – constantly on edge, easily startled and continuously screening the environment.</p><p>Imagine, for instance, stepping down the stairs in the dark after hearing a noise; you're worried an intruder might be downstairs. Then a totally unpredictable loud sound explodes right outside your window.</p><p>For people with PTSD, that sound – reminiscent of gunfire, a thunderstorm or a car crash – <a href="https://theconversation.com/veterans-refugees-and-victims-of-war-crimes-are-all-vulnerable-to-ptsd-130144" target="_blank">can cause</a> a panic attack or trigger flashbacks, a sensory experience that makes it seem as if the old trauma is happening here and now. Flashbacks can be so severe that combat veterans may suddenly drop to the ground, the same way they would when an explosion took place in combat. Later, the experience can trigger nightmares, insomnia or worsening of other PTSD symptoms.</p><p>Those of us who set off fireworks need to ask ourselves: Are those few minutes of fun worth the hours, days, or weeks of torment that will begin for some of our friends and neighbors – including many who put their lives on the line to protect us?</p>Who Else Is Affected?
<p>Millions of others, though not diagnosed with PTSD, may similarly be affected by fireworks. <a href="https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics" target="_blank">One in five Americans</a> have an anxiety disorder, many with symptoms of hyperarousal. Also impacted are those with autism or developmental disabilities; they find it difficult to cope with the noise, or just the drastic change from life routines. Then there are people who have to work, holiday or not: nurses, physicians and first responders, who have to be up at 4 a.m. for a 30-hour shift.</p><h3>How to Reduce the Negative Impact</h3><p>There are ways to reduce how fireworks affect others:</p><ul><li>For those with PTSD, the unexpected nature of fireworks is probably the worst part. So at least make it as predictable as possible. Do it in designated areas during designated times. Don't explode one, for instance, two hours after the designated time window. And avoid setting them off <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/04/fireworks-ptsd-fourth-of-july-veterans-shooting-survivors" target="_blank">on the 3rd</a>. People are less prepared then.</li><li>If you're aware that a veteran or trauma survivor lives in the neighborhood, move the noise as far as possible from their home and give them prior warning. Consider putting a sign in your front yard noting the time you'll set the fireworks.</li><li>Remember, it doesn't have to be super loud to make it fun. Consider using <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/504964-its-time-for-silent-fireworks" target="_blank">silent fireworks</a>. And you don't have to be the one who lights the fireworks. Simply enjoy watching while your city or township does it safely.</li></ul><h3>Coping With the Stress</h3><p>If you can't stand fireworks, there are ways to reduce the stress:</p><ul><li>If the fireworks are a scheduled event, know the time they start and end.</li><li>Use earplugs or background sounds or music to reduce the intensity of the noise.</li><li>Be with loved ones who will support and help distract you.</li><li>Talk to your therapist, psychiatrist or primary care doctor for help in managing PTSD and anxiety symptoms. <a href="https://theconversation.com/veterans-refugees-and-victims-of-war-crimes-are-all-vulnerable-to-ptsd-130144" target="_blank">Effective treatments</a> are available. Your doctor may provide medication that helps during those difficult hours. But definitely do not get medications from others, as some may have <a href="https://theconversation.com/where-is-my-xanax-rx-why-your-doctor-may-be-concerned-about-prescribing-benzodiazepines-125346" target="_blank">serious consequences</a> if not used properly.</li></ul><p>And finally, don't be shy. You can kindly talk with your fireworks-happy neighbors in advance.</p>
<p>
<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/arash-javanbakht-416594" target="_blank">Arash Javanbakht </a>is an </em><em>Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Wayne State University.</em><br/>
</p><p>
<em>Disclosure statement: </em><em><em>Arash Javanbakht does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</em></em>
</p><p>
<em><em></em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/fireworks-can-torment-veterans-and-survivors-of-gun-violence-with-ptsd-heres-how-to-celebrate-with-respect-for-those-who-served-141731" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
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