Space waste is a problem that goes by many names, including space junk, space pollution and space debris. While space debris technically refers to natural meteoroids as well as human-caused pollution, orbital debris is a term specifically used for human-created waste that now orbits the Earth.
“I AM DONE!!! I DID IT!!!” These were the words that climate activist Edgar McGregor tweeted after 589 consecutive days of picking up trash at a popular Los Angeles hiking spot. I AM DONE!!! I DID IT!!! After **589** days of picking up trash every single day, I can say with confidence that Eaton […]
Nuclear power is a source of low-carbon electricity, but producing it creates dangerous radioactive waste that needs to be stored safely and permanently. Recent research suggests that as seas rise, some nuclear waste storage facilities are at risk of flooding or storm damage. “We really focused in to say, ‘OK, well, how many plants might […]
By Callie Babbitt and Shahana Althaf It’s hard to imagine navigating modern life without a mobile phone in hand. Computers, tablets and smartphones have transformed how we communicate, work, learn, share news and entertain ourselves. They became even more essential when the COVID-19 pandemic moved classes, meetings and social connections online. But few people realize […]
By Elliot Douglas First developed in China more than a thousand years ago, fireworks have since become an integral part of celebrations all over the world. From New Year’s Eve festivities, to U.S. Independence Day and Diwali in India, many events have become almost synonymous with the spark and spectacle of mini explosions lighting up […]
By Sean Fleming What goes around comes around, according to the old saying. And in the case of the circular economy, that’s certainly true. The circular economy takes a different approach to the take-make-dispose model of consumption to which many have become accustomed. By reusing and recycling as much as possible, plus repurposing and selling […]
By Jessica Corbett A joint report on Monday highlighted the pressure that President-elect Joe Biden is already facing to deliver on his environmental justice campaign promises—particularly when it comes to the 34 Superfund sites nationwide for which there is no reliable cleanup funding—the largest backlog of “unfunded” sites in 15 years. The federal Superfund program […]
Many people shop online for everything from clothes to appliances. If they do not like the product, they simply return it. But there’s an environmental cost to returns. Meagan Knowlton is a sustainability manager at Optoro, a company that helps retailers process and resell returns. Optoro estimates that each year, returns in the U.S. create […]
By Hyejune Park and Cosette Marie Joyner Armstrong A massive force is reshaping the fashion industry: secondhand clothing. According to a new report, the U.S. secondhand clothing market is projected to more than triple in value in the next 10 years – from US$28 billion in 2019 to US$80 billion in 2029 – in a […]