Microplastics — tiny fragments of plastic products and industrial waste — are now so pervasive in Earth’s environment that they are found everywhere from the highest mountain peaks to the deepest parts of the ocean. According to a new report, all aquatic species in the mouths of rivers that flow into the Atlantic Ocean and […]
Quick Key Facts What Is Sustainable Travel? Sustainable travel can mean many things and take several forms, but in general it refers to tourism that leaves the smallest, if any, impact on ecosystems around the world while also respecting local customs and cultures. Sustainable tourism should take current and future impacts of all travel-related actions […]
It’s just a plastic fork, just a takeout container, just one water bottle. Not exactly. Indulging in the modern convenience of single-use plastics seems harmless, but the consequences to our health, wildlife, and oceans will be with us for a long time to come. Globally, we produce 300 million tons of plastic annually, about half […]
Citizen scientists visiting the Arctic have assisted an international research team in finding microplastics on remote beaches for a new study. The amount of plastic being produced all over the world has led to the tiny pieces of plastic debris being found everywhere, including in sea ice, inside nature reserves and on the floor of […]
Following years of discussions by scientists on how and when humans began to significantly alter the planet, Canada’s Crawford Lake has been chosen to mark the beginning of a new geological epoch: the Anthropocene. The International Union of Geological Sciences had to select one site that symbolized humans’ enormous effect on Earth before the new […]
We already know that plastic is a top threat to marine life, with over 12.7 million metric tons of plastic waste entering the oceans each year. But a new study has found that 92% of global coral reefs surveyed, even remote reefs, are covered in plastics. The study, published in the journal Nature, surveyed 84 […]
One of the world’s busiest airports, Los Angeles International (known by its airport code LAX) has banned sales of single-use plastic water bottles. On June 30, LAX officials shared on Facebook that a ban on single-use plastic bottle sales in the airport would take place immediately. Officials recommend that visitors bring reusable alternatives and use […]
A new study has found that 176 bird species around the world are building their nests with trash from humans, such as cigarette butts, candy wrappers and plastic string. Birds on all continents except Antarctica were found to make nests with this waste, which could harm the birds and the chicks. Researchers analyzed nearly 35,000 […]
A diverse microbiome of bacteria and plastic-degrading fungi lives in salt marshes on the coast of Jiangsu, China. It was identified by an international team of scientists who counted 55 bacterial and 184 fungal strains that are able to break down a biodegradable polyester called polycaprolactone (PCL), often used in polyurethane production, a press release […]