By Joe McCarthy
Former President Barack Obama appeared at a gathering of mayors from around the world in Chicago Tuesday to talk about climate change and encourage leaders to take action, according to the Associated Press.
It was the latest in a series of appearances from the former president who offers a perspective that differs from his successor. Just last week, Obama met with Chinese president Xi Jinping.
<p style="">The North American Climate Summit was <a href="https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/mayor/press_room/press_releases/2017/september/GlobalClimateSummit.html" target="_blank">gathered to explore how city leaders can take action</a> on climate change. More than 50 mayors attended the event, including those from Paris, Mexico City, Montreal, Austin and Atlanta. It was partly inspired by the recognition that cities may have to play a bigger role if action at federal levels of government recedes.</p><p style="">The U.S., for instance, intends to withdraw from the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement">Paris agreement</a>, opening up a larger opportunity for action on the local level. Mayors throughout the U.S. have <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/250-mayors-100-renewable-energy-by-2035/" target="_blank">since reaffirmed their commitments</a> to the global arrangement.</p><p style="">While Obama didn't refer to <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/trump-watch/">Trump</a> by name, he expressed opinions that are at odds with the current president, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/us/climate-change-mayors-chicago.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FObama%2C%20Barack&action=click&contentCollection=politics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=collection" target="_blank">the New York Times noted</a>.</p><p>He also insisted that mayors have an important role to play on environmental issues, according to the AP.</p><p style="">"Ultimately the work is done on the ground," Obama said during the event, AP reported. "Cities and states and businesses and universities and nonprofits have emerged as the new face of American leadership on climate change."</p><p>Mayors have long played a crucial role <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/28/global-covenant-mayors-cities-vow-to-meet-obama-climate-commitments" target="_blank">in addressing climate change</a>. This makes sense because cities hold the <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/world-population-charts-today-future/" target="_blank">bulk of the world's population</a> and <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/11/08/world.mayors.summit.preview/index.html" target="_blank">mayors can often take action more readily</a> than leaders overseeing larger bodies of government.</p><p>Obama echoed these points during the event and drilled down even further, calling on individuals everywhere to play their part in mitigating climate change.</p><p>"Climate change can be solved by human action," he said. "We lead respectively where there is no consensus or directive out of our national governments."</p><p style="">Global Citizen takes action on the Global Goals which call for strong climate change. You can take action on this issue <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/take-action/" target="_blank">here</a> .</p><p style=""><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/obama-mayors-summit-climate-change/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em></p>
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Transfernation
By Andrew McMaster
In some ways, New York is a city of excess. From Midtown's tall skyscrapers to Grand Central's arched ceiling to SoHo's hundreds of shops and boutiques, the city always seems to take things to the next level.
More people, more money, more noise, more entertainment, more food.
<p style="">But for some, in fact many, New Yorkers, there is often not enough to go around—at least when it comes to the last of those things: food.</p><p style="">The food charity <a href="http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/new-york/" target="_blank">Feeding America estimates</a> that 1 in 8 New York City residents suffer from hunger. For children, that number is 1 in 5.</p><p style="">But one app is trying to change this.</p><p style=""><a href="http://transfernation.org/index.php" target="_blank">Transfernation</a>, which <a href="http://www.transfernation.org/index.php" target="_blank">brands itself</a> as "NYC's first tech-based, on demand food redistribution system," has been making significant strides to tackle the pernicious issue of food insecurity—by taking it online.</p><p style="">Their online platform allows corporate and social institutions to easily donate excess food from large events to local feeding programs.</p><p style="">Global Citizen spoke with Transfernation Co-Founders Hannah Dehradunwala and Samir Goel to see what's new with Transfernation, and how their work is changing communities for the better:</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNjUyMjEzMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNjM3Njk5NH0.fmB5wv_uRlkJQHgB7la_0Bo5ZPJjOV1LBmV91URWwwo/img.jpg?width=980" id="8e7dc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bae1087c2a770ee4c67a1b93f0c3e77d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Transfernation</small></p>
<p style=""><strong>It's been over two years since you last spoke with Global Citizen. How has Transfernation changed over time?</strong><br></p><p style="">Our mission, of course, is still the same, but we've almost completely changed the way that we operate. Two years ago, we were using volunteers to complete our pickups and a manual system of communicating with them. Our pickups are now completed by paid, independent contractors instead of volunteers, which allows us to partner with existing transportation networks, work outside of the confines of a 9-5 work day, and facilitates our on-demand pickups.</p><p style="">We also launched our app for iOS! The app works like Uber, but for food instead of passengers. Food donors are able to reach our base of contractors in real-time and schedule pickups on-demand and contractors receive push notifications for pickups in their vicinity. It completely removes the middleman and all of the manpower it takes to coordinate logistics.</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNjUyMjExMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjI5NTQ0OX0.s-e0X2ocr-adQ_MomWHuLC6jiq1cvpkMPipP25bH180/img.jpg?width=980" id="c1351" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="da0349bd667ea4665ca2880451e32dba" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Transfernation</small></p>
<p style=""><strong>Has the app succeeded at bringing excess food to more people in need?</strong><br></p><p>The number of people requesting food pickups has spiked since our app was introduced. Many food donors don't want to go through the hassle of having to call or e-mail to schedule pickups. Using the app, it takes less than 5 minutes to send out a pickup request.</p><p>The app has helped paid opportunities to do good and reach populations that we could not have reached manually. Many of the individuals completing our pickups on a regular basis are people who have experienced homelessness or major financial setbacks and are actively trying to re-enter the workforce.</p><p style="">The massive amounts of extra food in cities isn't just an opportunity to fuel shelter feeding programs, it's a valuable economic opportunity.</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNjUyMjEwOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDM5MDE2Mn0.YuH24npJ_mJVdCmx1t5DS1OTF2uA_0WpQWn1QY9p65A/img.jpg?width=980" id="77534" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b1173b3ec9420d99dd3010f633b4cefd" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Transfernation</small></p>
<p style=""><strong>How many people have you been able to feed over the last few years?</strong><br></p><p style="">This past year Transfernation has seen exponential growth compared to any priors years. Through our new automated system we have rescued more than 165,000 pounds of food in a single year and provided approximately 140,000 meals in 2017. This is more than triple than what we were able to accomplish between 2015 and 2016 combined! Moving forward we to aim to maintain a similar growth rate.</p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNjUyMjA2NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MTk5ODkwNH0.K3AYjUhcZWTlN0BkAEALORXm86SQ-Bj5oorHTPn32os/img.jpg?width=980" id="dca35" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a1d99ea8e79d775b7b273279639f236c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Transfernation</small></p>
<p style=""><strong>How much do you pay contractors?</strong><br></p><p style="">Today our independent contractors make between $30 and $45 dollars per hour. Many of our independent contractors or "food rescuers" are people that work at or rely upon the New York City shelter system. Transfernation has become an important source of income for them and empowers them to play a critical role in fixing a problem they've experienced first-hand. As a result, we received one of our favorite nicknames at Crossroads Community Center: the People Who Bring the Good Stuff. In total we work closely with eight local New York City shelters of which three rely entirely upon donations from Transfernation.</p>
<p style=""><strong>What have been some of your biggest challenges to growing, and how have you overcome them?</strong><br></p><p>Every phase of growth comes with an entirely new set of challenges. The upside is that these challenges help us think critically about how we can continue to scale in a financially sound, sustainable way.</p><p style="">We recently transitioned our operations from being entirely manual to be being entirely technology-driven. Our approach was to test the app with a small beta group who were part of Transfernation's core contractor base. We've been testing for about six months and it's given us valuable feedback on what works and what doesn't without risking our entire operation.</p><p>Lastly, balancing the logistics of an on-demand pickup service has always been tricky. Because we are currently the only service in NYC that picks up food donations on-demand, we've found that the best way to do it is to partner with existing transportation infrastructures. That way, we can ensure that if a donor requests a pickup, we can be there within the hour to take it to a local shelter.</p><p><strong>What's next for Transfernation? Do you plan on expanding even further?</strong></p><p style="">Right now, we're in the process of launching a marketing campaign for our app, building our food donor base and exploring partnerships with existing transportation companies. As we grow our team, we are looking to expand into other cities where the population and business density and shelter networks can support this model—in short, nearly every urban market globally. As short term next destinations, we're looking at Washington DC and Chicago.</p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/transformation-food-startup-app-waste-hunger/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em></p>
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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Pexels
By Andrew McMaster
There's nothing quite like a cup of coffee in the morning. Whether it's from your local shop, brewed at home or snagged from a tiny cart somewhere, people all over the world start and their days with the centuries-old psychoactive beverage.
And aside from being a the only thing that can drag some of us out of bed on tough mornings, there are actually some more significant reasons—including health, economic and more—why it's a good way to start your day.
<p style="">Check out the list below to see why you should definitely be drinking more coffee.</p><p style=""><strong>1. It has a variety of health benefits.</strong><br></p><p style=""><strong></strong>For starters, coffee is probably, more than likely, almost definitely, great for you. Years ago, research led to the understanding that coffee was <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/04/health/coffee-myth-fact/index.html" target="_blank">unhealthy to drink regularly</a>, raising alarm bells for pretty much everyone everywhere.</p><p style="">But recently, <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/drink-as-much-coffee-as-you-want-world-health-orga/" target="_blank">studies have revealed</a> that the opposite is true: Those who drank coffee regularly were found to have lower instances of liver disease, neurological disorders, heart disease and diabetes.</p><p style="">Less scientific studies conducted in my apartment also showed that drinking coffee significantly increases your chances of not putting on your shirt inside out.</p><p style=""><strong>2. It's helping in the economic empowerment of women.</strong></p><p style=""><strong></strong>All around the world, women provide up to <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/how-coffee-is-creating-a-new-global-womens-movemen/" target="_blank">70 percent of the manual labor</a> for coffee cultivation, though they own only 15 percent of coffee farms and traded beans. However, <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/how-coffee-is-creating-a-new-global-womens-movemen/" target="_blank">efforts are underway to shift this power imbalance</a> so that women receive more of the profits from coffee production.</p><p style="">The International Women's Coffee Alliance is one organization trying to help women in the coffee industry. Their mission is to help women get higher paying jobs and decision-making powers in trade groups. They currently have chapters in 22 countries around the world. The organization also advocates to <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/how-coffee-is-creating-a-new-global-womens-movemen/v" target="_blank">change laws that prevent women from economic independence</a> all over the world.</p><p style="">You can find International Women's Coffee Alliance-approved beans beans from brands like <a href="https://bluebottlecoffee.com/frequency/women-of-kinyovu-station" target="_blank">Blue Bottle Coffee</a> in the U.S.</p><p style=""><strong>3. It's also empowering indigenous communities.</strong></p><p style=""><strong></strong>In Alaska, one company is moving forward with a plan to help empower indigenous cultures through coffee. <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/indigenous-coffee-company/" target="_blank">Global Citizen spoke with the owners of Cafe Vasquez</a>, a coffee shop that buys beans from indigenous farmers in the north of Peru. The shop is operated by the Kitikmeot Heritage Society, an Alaskan indigenous group dedicated to preserving indigenous cultures.</p><p>The collaboration is meant to put money in the hands of farmers and families in indigenous cultures in two very different places across the globe and it provides a model that could be followed elsewhere.</p><p style=""><strong>4. Third-wave small batch coffee is putting power in the hands of small-scale farmers.</strong></p><p style=""><strong></strong>The rise of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/organic-fair-trade-the-truth-about-coffee-labels/2017/11/24/8ec4b726-b42c-11e7-a908-a3470754bbb9_story.html?utm_term=.fd6a9ebc8840" target="_blank">Fair Trade coffee</a> certification means that the small-scale farmers at the heart of coffee production are ensured a fair wage for their labor. This is important because up to 80 percent of all coffee is <a href="http://www.scanews.coffee/2015/08/04/farmer-profitability-managing-risk-in-the-supply-chain/" target="_blank">produced by only 25 million small farmers</a> across the world. Ensuring that the money you pay for beans directly supports the people that grow them is a form of global consumer ethics.</p><p style="">Now, there seems to be <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/coffee-africa-kenya-direct-trade-third-wave/" target="_blank">renewed interest in the more delicious and unique varieties of heritage beans</a> that can only be grown in specialized parts of the world. This is good news for farmers in Africa and South America, who are beginning to find new markets for their artisanal beans in the U.S. and Europe especially. When you buy fair-trade beans, or even better <a href="http://www.ethicalcoffee.net/direct.html" target="_blank">direct trade beans</a>, you can be sure that the profits are fairly distributed among farmers.</p><p style="">Try new blends each time you buy beans, and support a different group of farmers somewhere in the <a href="https://www.fairtrade.net/products/coffee.html" target="_blank">world</a>!</p><p style=""><strong>5. Its waste can fuel buses.</strong></p><p style=""><strong></strong>Yes, you read that right. At this point, you might be wondering what can't coffee do?</p><p>A partnership between a biotech startup and a major power company in London has resulted in the first ever <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/coffee-buses-london-biofuel/" target="_blank">fleet of public buses that can run on a mix of diesel and new biofuel</a> made from oil extracted from coffee waste.</p><p>Used grounds are collected from shops and restaurants, converted into efficient and clean fuel, then pumped into buses that take busy Londoners from one end of town to another.</p><p>On mornings when you miss you morning cup, you should hope that these buses got theirs.<br></p><p style=""><strong>6. In fact, coffee waste can be used for a lot of things.</strong></p><p style=""><strong></strong>Coffee waste can actually be repurposed for a ton of really cool uses. Maybe you've seen <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/coffee-flour-beer-pizza-on-menu-as-innovators-figh/" target="_blank">coffee flour</a>, made from the unused husks of coffee beans?</p><p>We hear it can make a great batch of cookies.</p><p style="">Your used coffee grounds can also be used as fantastic fertilizer in the garden, an odor neutralizer in your fridge, a skin exfoliant and caffeinated soap. Considering that coffee grounds release <a href="http://www.bio-bean.com/about-us/" target="_blank">methane</a> into the atmosphere when degrading in landfills, finding ways to repurpose them can make you feel a lot better.</p><p style="">You're hopped up on caffeine anyway, might as well do something productive, right? *Watches 3 hours of cat fails*</p><p style=""><strong>7. Climate change could eliminate it soon.</strong></p><p style=""><strong></strong>This is the saddest reason you should be drinking coffee. Scientists have reported that by 2050, <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/coffee-production-climate-change-small-farmers/" target="_blank">climate change will have reduced farmers' ability to grow coffee by half</a>. Half. Imagine getting only half of your daily coffee fix. Not good.</p><p style="">But what's way more serious is the fact that more than <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/coffee-production-climate-change-small-farmers/" target="_blank">120 million people</a> in low-income countries earn their livelihoods from the coffee industry. <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/">Climate change</a> will seriously affect the way millions of people live and work every day.</p><p style="">The good news is that you can support these farmers by continuing to purchase ethically produced and sustainable varieties of beans. As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, the future of the coffee industry might just come down to the ingenuity and expertise of small farmers all over the world. Continue to support them, and take steps to reduce your own contributions to climate change however you can.</p><p style="">So now you have no excuses not to take advantage of everything coffee has to offer. Check out our guide to the best ethically sourced coffees <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/ethical-brands-national-coffee-day/" target="_blank">here</a> and get sipping as soon as possible.</p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/coffee-fair-trade-mornings-ethical-consumption/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em></p>
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Lobster With Pepsi Can 'Tattoo' Embodies Fears About Ocean Waste: Here Are 5 More Examples
01 December 2017
Animals
Karissa Lindstrand
By Joe McCarthy
It's safe to say that lobsters aren't a budding new demographic for soda companies.
So why did a lobster recently caught in the waters off Grand Manan, New Brunswick, have part of a Pepsi logo tattooed on its claw?
<p style="">That's a question that baffled Karissa Lindstrand, the fisherman who spotted the uncanny image during a lobster haul, <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/david-attenborough-blue-planet-ii-litter-ocean/" target="_blank">according to the Guardian</a>. Lindstrand happens to drink up to a dozen Pepsi sodas a day, but she was struck by the image's unusual dimensions.</p><p style="">It was pixelated, she told the Guardian, and far too big to be seen on a soda can—theoretically debunking claims that the lobster grew up in a can. She's not the only one to question how the logo got there. Since the image went viral, it's sparked a debate on how a lobster became an unwitting mascot of a soda giant, the Guardian noted.</p><p>Lindstrand, for example, thinks that ink from a piece of paper somehow fused to the lobster's claw.</p><p style="">One thing, however, is clear to everyone—<a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastics">plastic</a> pollution in the world's <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oceans">oceans</a> has reached a crisis level.</p><p style="">Each year, an estimated <a href="https://www.plasticoceans.org/the-facts/" target="_blank">eight million metric tons</a> of plastic enter the oceans each year, which is like emptying a garbage truck of plastic into an ocean every minute.</p><p style="">This pollution affects <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/marine-life">marine life</a> in a number of ways, <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/photos-plastic-pollution-caribbean-sea/" target="_blank">according to experts</a>, by poisoning animals, choking them, entangling them, causing deformities, and through other consequences.</p><p>Because these problems are taking place in the oceans, they're largely out-of-sight. Until, that is, a strange or grotesque image that distills the issue goes viral.</p><p style="">That's what happened with the Pepsi lobster. And that's what happened to these other animals.</p><p style=""><strong>1. Turtle With Straw Stuck in Its Nose</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4c966e89f42450e9ee99a422fc5b9c46"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4MPHbpmP6_I?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
</p><p style="">Billions of plastic straws are used each day and the vast majority are thrown away, never to be reused. A lot of this waste gets washed into the oceans, where it threatens marine life.<br></p><p style="">One of these straws got stuck in a <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sea-turtles">sea turtle</a>'s nose, causing pain and impairing its breathing.</p><p style=""><strong>2. Otter With a Cable Tie Around Its Neck</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="71528" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="FNEJT61576663880"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="934809659768213504" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">This #otter was spotted in a #Dorset river yesterday - the cable tie is not a fashion accessory. Discarded waste ca… https://t.co/7jaOPEQoxk</div> — UK Wild Otter Trust (@UK Wild Otter Trust)<a href="https://twitter.com/WildOtterTrust/statuses/934809659768213504">1511710965.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p style="">Cable ties can be hard to loosen if you don't have the right tools or the right knowledge. Otters are probably not savvy enough to manipulate cable ties, so when <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/otter-plastic-cable-tie-neck-uk/" target="_blank">this otter was spotted with one tied around its neck</a>, it caused concern that the creature was endangered. People feared that either the cable tie could get stuck on something, causing the otter to drown, or it could unintentionally tighten, causing the otter to suffocate.</p><p style="">Either way, the cable tie should never have been in Britain's River Stour in the first place. </p><p style=""><strong>3. Turtle Tangled in a Net</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNjE5NjI4MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxODI3Njk1N30.KopKybk5dePFmcwG7BEH6Qocj7PHnu6Ixj2yyGh2UBM/img.png?width=980" id="b23e6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c9826462298ed1ac1f16bf4016a2a9ab" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">WWF / Michael Gunther</small></p><p style="">When fishing nets are discarded in oceans, they don't stop catching creatures. In fact, up to 300,000 small <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/whales">whales</a>, <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/dolphins">dolphins</a>, and porpoises <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/bycatch" target="_blank">get entangled and killed</a> by discarded nets each year. The single biggest threat to sea turtles, <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/bycatch" target="_blank">according to the World Wildlife Fund</a>, is bycatch, including discarded nets. </p><p style="">Many creatures get entangled in nets while they're young and become deformed or injured as the net constrains their growth later in life.</p><p style="">This turtle was severely entangled but was lucky enough to be cut free. </p><p style=""><strong>4. Birds Feeding on Plastic Waste</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNjE5NjkzNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyODU2NTg4Mn0.4MIoU5BxEVDVTLtUntpci3gGKbIMqoFAZHsn1dSUK1U/img.jpg?width=980" id="ba533" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8ccac5e5e4d3122d897b576340678dad" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Greenpeace UK</small></p><p>As the world's oceans get simultaneously <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/this-un-proposal-could-save-the-fishing-industry-b/" target="_blank">plumbed of fish</a> and filled with plastic, many creatures that depend on oceans for food eat plastic waste by mistake.</p><p style="">While David Attenborough's "Blue Planet II" team was filming, <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/david-attenborough-blue-planet-ii-litter-ocean/" target="_blank">they captured a sad sight</a>—a bird feeding its young a piece of plastic.</p><p style="">Birds throughout the world die from consuming plastic because it can clog their stomachs or leach <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/toxics">poisons</a> into their bodies.</p><p style=""><strong>5. Whale With Plastic Bags in Its Stomach</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNjE5NzExMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNjYzNzA1NX0.KTvtxUkwJ8Yhd_RmFwqB-Ijkd8w1Q6NxZ8JubTlsoY8/img.jpg?width=980" id="8922c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="542deafaaa13c730288d1ab0c2e1c786" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p><p style="">Creatures of all sizes can accidentally ingest plastic as they search for food. When a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/whale-dead-plastic-bags-2242936742.html">dying and emaciated whale was found off the coast of Norway</a>, scientists and locals were shocked but not surprised to find more than 30 <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-bags">plastic bags</a> in the whale's stomachs. The bags were thought to have obstructed the whale's digestive system, causing it to starve. <br></p>
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The 100-meter wide crater on Runit Island was deemed a good place to dump as much soil contaminated with plutonium as possible. Chunks of unexploded plutonium-239 were also disposed of in the hole. Google Earth
By Joe McCarthy
The Enewetak Atoll is all but invisible on Google Maps. Halfway between Australia and Hawaii, the ribbon of land is home to a small indigenous population that has seen their way of life eroded by decisions far outside of their control.
For more than half a century, the atoll, which is part of the Marshall Islands, has been contaminated by nuclear explosions and waste, according to ABC Australia. The decades ahead could leave it submerged by rising sea levels.
<p style="">In this way, Enewetak "is at the intersection of two of the biggest problems of the last century and this century, nuclear weapons and sea level rise," Michael Gerrard, the chair of Columbia University's Earth Institute in New York who has studied the atoll, told Global Citizen.</p><p style="">Both of these problems are at risk of converging, ABC Australia reported, because the main holding container for the atoll's nuclear waste is being compromised by rising waters.<br></p><p style="">The atoll's problems began in the 1940s and 1950s when the U.S. began using it for nuclear bomb tests. The people of Enewetak were evacuated and 67 nuclear bombs were dropped, devastating wildlife, spreading nuclear toxins far and wide, and creating massive craters.</p><p style="">One of those craters was on Runit Island. In the late 1970s, the U.S. began to partially clean the nuclear waste from the island. Some of the radioactive chemicals had relatively short half-lives, Michael Gerrard <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/04/opinion/a-pacific-isle-radioactive-and-forgotten.html" target="_blank">wrote in an op-ed</a>, and were left to naturally decay despite their risks. Another toxin, plutonium-239, has a half-life of 24,000 years and had to be dealt with.</p><p style="">The 100-meter wide crater on Runit Island was deemed a good place to dump as much soil contaminated with plutonium as possible. Chunks of unexploded plutonium-239 were also disposed of in the hole.</p><p style="">When the cleanup was finished—far below standards that would be deemed sufficient in the U.S., according to Gerrard—a massive concrete shell was built to cover the hole.</p><p style="">No reinforcements were made to the bottom and sides of the hole, meaning the waste directly interacts with the soil and a dumpsite for radioactive waste fails to meet standards for normal trash landfills, Gerrard said.<br></p><p style="">The displaced people of Enewetak Atoll were finally allowed to return in 1980, despite the widespread contamination of their home. Traditional forms of fishing, farming and gathering had to be abandoned because the wildlife became too contaminated, ABC Australia reported.</p><p style="">And despite the ongoing threat posed by the non-reinforced radioactive dumpsite, no adjustments have been made to it, ABC noted. That's because the radiation outside the dome exceeds the radiation inside of it, <a href="https://marshallislands.llnl.gov/ccc/Hamilton_LLNL-TR-648143_final.pdf" target="_blank">according to the U.S. Department of Energy</a> report, so the release of the waste wouldn't make a major environmental difference.</p><p style="">Rising sea levels have compromised the dome in the years since its construction, a problem that has only grown worse in recent years, and a powerful typhoon could destroy it, according to the report.<br></p><p style="">The Marshall Islands are around six feet above sea level, and large parts of Enewetak are at risk of being submerged in the years ahead. Current flooding rates are already making the islands uninhabitable once again, according to ABC Australia.</p><p style="">"It's important to recognize that the Marshall Islands are doubly screwed," Gerrard said. "They were the site of nuclear explosions by the U.S., and one of the things that they left behind was this nuclear dome and the other thing is the country is going underwater because of greenhouse gas emissions for which the U.S. is major contributor."</p><p style="">Ultimately, the people of Enewetak may once again be uprooted from their native lands, especially if contamination becomes worse, ABC Australia noted.</p><p>"That dome is the connection between the nuclear age and the climate change age," Marshall Islands climate change activist Alson Kelen told ABC Australia.</p><p style="">"It'll be a very devastating event if it really leaks," he said. "We're not just talking the Marshall Islands, we're talking the whole Pacific."</p><p style="">The threat faced by Enewetak reflects a larger nuclear threat around the world, Gerrard said.<br></p><p style="">Globally, <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/nuclear">nuclear power</a> facilities are generally built along coastlines, because of how much water they use and to be close to cities and towns.</p><p style="">The destruction of the Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan made clear just how precarious this arrangement can be—six years after the disaster, <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/11/27/six-years-after-tsunami-debate-on-what-to-do-with-fukushimas-tanks.html" target="_blank">nuclear waste is still pouring out of the facility</a>.</p><p style="">Rising sea levels could put other reactors and dump sites around the world at risk, especially <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/how-cities-adapting-to-climate-change-nrdc/" target="_blank">if extreme weather continues to intensify as expected</a>.</p><p style="">The people of Enewetak know all too well what it's like to live in what is essentially a nuclear dumpsite. Keeping the atoll safe by both mitigating <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/">climate change</a> and further cleaning its islands could show the rest of the world how to navigate a potentially perilous future.</p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/enewetak-atoll-marshall-islands-nuclear-climate-ch/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>. </em></p>
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iStock
By Imogen Calderwood
Glitter is great, right? Particularly now that it's getting dark and cold and a bit depressing outside.
But, as much as we love glitter for making everything look festive, a chain of children's nurseries in the UK might actually have a point.
<p style="">Tops Day Nurseries has decided that glitter has to go, for the sake of the environment. </p><p style="">Just like microbeads—which have now been banned in the UK—glitter is a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/microplastics">microplastic</a> that can do "terrible damage" to our seas, oceans, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/marine-life">marine life</a> and, ultimately, us too. </p><p style="">Leftovers from children's art projects wash into the water system, and from there can end up in the food chain, according to the nurseries' Managing Director Cheryl Hadland.</p><p style="">"You can see when the children are taking their bits of craft home and there's glitter on the cardboard, it blows off and into the air," said Hadland, who is in charge of 2,500 children in 19 nurseries across Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Somerset and Wiltshire.</p><p style="">"There are 22,000 nurseries in the country," she added, "so if we're all getting through kilos and kilos of glitter, we're doing terrible damage."</p><p style="">But Hadland added that she "loved glitter" and she is trying to find an alternative material for craft sessions.</p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FEcoWatch%2Fposts%2F1729526673726929&width=500" width="500" height="482" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></div><p style=""><a href="https://www.mcsuk.org/" target="_blank">Marine Conservation Society</a> described it as a "proactive approach" and welcomed the nurseries' announcement.<br></p><p style="">Sue Kinsey from the Marine Conservation Society, said: "While glitter is only a small part of the microplastic load getting into watercourses and the sea, steps like these will all add up to something greater." </p><p style="">Alice Horton, from the UK's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, told the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/17/nurseries-ban-glitter-in-pre-christmas-drive-for-cleaner-seas" target="_blank">Guardian</a>: "On a small scale, one nursery banning it is unlikely to have any environmental impact, but it's a good environmental statement to make, like one person choosing not to buy bottled water to reduce plastic bottle waste. [It is] not going to change the world but [it] sets a target for others."<br></p><p style="">Microplastics have become a hot topic in the UK, with <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/microbeads-ban-uk-oceans-environment-pollution/" target="_blank">the government announcing the strictest ban in the world on microbeads</a> to come into force by the end of this year.</p><p style="">The tiny plastics are found in everyday cosmetic products like body scrubs, face washes, toothpaste and cleaning products. And a single shower can result in 100,000 plastic particles entering the ocean. </p><p style="">Once plastic gets into the ocean, it acts as a magnet for pollutants. Toxins that wash into bodies of water—for example, agricultural pesticides and chemicals from industrial plants—latch onto plastic. And plastic in the water is then eaten by marine animals.<br></p><p style="">It is already affecting our food chain. The average person who eats seafood swallows an estimated 11,000 pieces of microplastic every year, according to researchers at the <a href="http://www.ecotox.ugent.be/micro-plastics-mussel-tissue" target="_blank">University of Ghent</a>.</p><p style="">Sir David Attenborough has been championing the fight against plastic pollution—which <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/david-attenborough-blue-planet-ii-2490636664.html">he has described</a> as "heartbreaking."</p><p style="">"We may think we live a long way from the oceans but we don't. What we actually do here … has a direct effect on the oceans and what the oceans do then reflects back on us," he <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/15/david-attenborough-urges-immediate-action-on-plastics-blue-planet" target="_blank">said</a>.</p><p style="">"It is one world. And it's in our care," he continued. "For the first time in the history of humanity, for the first time in 500 million years, one species has the future in the palm of its hands. I just hope it realizes that that is the case." </p><p style="">Global Citizen campaigns for the Global Goals, including to protect our oceans and seas. You can take action with us <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/take-action/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/glitter-banned-nursery-uk-microplastic/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em></p>
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Schooling fairy basslets, Great Barrier Reef. GreensMPs / Flickr
By Joe McCarthy
The marshy expanses of the Everglades in Southern Florida contain hundreds of species of animals, including flamingos, alligators and manatees. Clusters of mangroves span its coastline, acting as ecosystem hubs, and if you take a boat through the region, you'll see countless plants that are native to the area.
But the Everglades, which have been around for more than 5,000 years, are collapsing, as saltwater intrudes from rising sea levels, pollution seeps from surrounding industries, invasive species kill off native species, bad water management techniques dry parts of the wetland, and climate change intensifies.
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNDgzODU0Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDEyODE1MX0.YrIeeMx-H7CRlr84ceIwYJIfd9pdG0UeCOjcJUjdBEw/img.jpg?width=980" id="5e77e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="257d2a39b7edf501af90e5f9a6f061ab" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small placeholder="add photo credit..." class="image-media media-photo-credit">vladeb / Flickr</small></p>
<p>In fact, the number of world heritage sites—places of supreme natural splendor and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/biodiversity">biodiversity</a>—threatened by climate change has nearly doubled in the past three years, going from 35 in 2014 to 62 in 2017, <a href="https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2017-053.pdf" target="_blank">according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources</a>.</p><p>The threats facing these places are many—invasive species, logging, fires, tourism, urban sprawl, water pollution and more.</p><p>But the threat with the greatest potential for harm is climate change, according to the report.</p><p>"Protection of World Heritage sites is an international responsibility of the same governments that have signed up to the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement">Paris agreement</a>," said Inger Andersen, IUCN Director General, in a press release. "This IUCN report sends a clear message ... climate change acts fast and is not sparing the finest treasures of our planet."</p><p>The report was released during the third round of international negotiations for the Paris climate agreement, held in Bonn, Germany.</p><p>World Heritage Sites are a designation created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Out of more than 220,000 potential sites, only 221 places have received the special distinction.</p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNDg0MDUwNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzczMzM2M30.1LDK6nyhku2gq80mLsb3M7ptybaqi9t-_csUbJ1yfBA/img.jpg?width=980" id="cc01b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6576b0fe3503a4219993741c70ec084c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small placeholder="add caption..." class="image-media media-caption">Serengeti National Park</small><small placeholder="add photo credit..." class="image-media media-photo-credit">Anita Ritenour / Flickr</small></p>
<p>Of the sites, 64 percent have a positive conservation outlook, according to the report by IUCN. These include many places that have rebounded from endangered status, including the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and the Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia.<br></p><p>Some places, such as Thailand's Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, have benefited from international agreements designed to stem to illegal logging and bolster conservation efforts, according to the report.</p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNDg0MTEyMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NjI1Mjg5MX0.sfitBiOPfNpp7e3Ef142FJ5cVfRbVjKUWcjLWCvX4Vs/img.jpg?width=980" id="f7143" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8f1338585e024e71a3f97a9516b2491d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small placeholder="add photo credit..." class="image-media media-photo-credit">Romaine Smith / Flickr</small></p>
<p>The Comoé National Park in Côte d'Ivoire has also rebounded because of an international effort to contain <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/poaching">poaching</a> and illegal gold mining and better manage agricultural practices, the report noted.</p><p>This trend of regional cooperation is growing around the world, especially in relation to marine environments. For instance, the number of marine reserves and no-fish zones has skyrocketed in recent years. As of the end of 2016, more than five percent of the world's oceans <a href="http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2016/12/more-than-5-per-cent-of-worlds-oceans-now-protected-with-more-commitments-underway-un-environment-wing/" target="_blank">were under formal protection</a>, <a href="http://waittinstitute.org/marinereserves/" target="_blank">compared to one percent in 2007</a>.</p><p>Throughout the world, North America remains the region with the best conservation outlook, followed by Oceania and Asia, where the majority of heritage sites are in a good state. The worst conservation outlooks are in Africa, South America, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean, where less than half of heritage sites are adequately protected.</p><p>Global Citizen campaigns on the Global Goals, which call for the effective management and conservation of the natural environment. You can take action on this issue <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/take-action/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>While invasive species remain the greatest threat to heritage sites for their ability to crowd out native species and undermine ecosystems, climate change is the most rapidly growing threat.</p><p>Rising sea levels from global warming temperatures is pushing saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean into the Everglades, which is killing off large sections of <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife">wildlife</a>, including mangroves.</p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNDg0MTM2NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTIyODY1NX0.4-i0VpqOjvClUJjcIHet2-C1d09OlLSx2y_m6v_LXXE/img.jpg?width=980" id="708e3" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7f495cdf438ff5088a3f376f6d48e51a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small placeholder="add caption..." class="image-media media-caption">Mangroves in the Everglades</small><small placeholder="add photo credit..." class="image-media media-photo-credit">Daniel Hartwig / Flickr</small></p>
<p>The Great Barrier Reef off Australia, however, may be the clearest example of climate change's destructive capacity.<br></p><p>Rising <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oceans">ocean</a> temperatures have caused nearly 100 percent of the reef's <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coral-reefs">coral</a> colonies <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/10/great-barrier-reef-coral-bleaching-worsens-as-scientists-fear-heatwaves-impact" target="_blank">to begin bleaching</a>, which is the stage before death, when microscopic algae that provide sustenance and give the plants color are shed.</p><p>The <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/great-barrier-reef">Great Barrier Reef</a> is <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/the-great-barrier-reef-dying-climate-change/" target="_blank">home to thousands of species</a> and is one of the most vibrant ecosystems on Earth.</p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNDg0MjAwMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDI2NjI3MX0.NLFNuO-C6CFEOyuoOPlOFxNb64A7V2c1eLqe9gaXTTc/img.jpg?width=980" id="44453" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fc66c300c4a54bc5a38996f07521a4cd" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small placeholder="add photo credit..." class="image-media media-photo-credit">Richard Ling / Flickr</small></p>
<p>And its destruction, just like with other World Heritage Sites, would have myriad consequences.</p><p>As Tim Badman, Director of IUCN's World Heritage Program, <a href="http://www.worldheritageoutlook.iucn.org/more/news/number-natural-world-heritage-sites-affected-climate-change-nearly-doubles-three-years" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>: </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Their destruction can thus have devastating consequences that go beyond their exceptional beauty and natural value. In Peru's Huascarán National Park, for example, melting <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/glaciers">glaciers</a> affect water supplies and contaminate water and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/soil">soil</a> due to the release of heavy metals previously trapped under ice. This adds to the urgency of our challenge to protect these places."</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/world-heritage-sites-threatened-by-climate-change/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em></p>
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Stephen Hawking Says Earth Will Become ‘Sizzling Ball of Fire’ in 600 Years
08 November 2017
Popular
By Phineas Rueckert
Last year, scientist Stephen Hawking gave humans a shelf-life of 1,000 more years on Earth.
Apparently, 2017 hasn't been to his liking—as Hawking shaved another 400 years off that prediction.
The world-renowned scientist said Tuesday that he believes humans will only last another 600 years before Earth becomes a "sizzling ball of fire" that marks the end of humanity, The Sun reported.
<p style="">Hawking's comments came as part of the Tencent WE Summit in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/beijing-steel-factories-2504305097.html">Beijing</a>. The scientist, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and speaks with a speech-generating device, dialed into the conference with a video call urging humans to instead look toward colonizing a neighboring star system called Alpha Centauri, <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2017/11/07/earth-is-going-to-be-a-sizzling-ball-of-fire-by-2600-stephen-hawking-warns-7060683/" target="_blank">according to Metro UK</a>. </p><p>So, how does he want humans do this?</p><p style="">Hawking believes something called the "<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/breakthrough-starshot">Breakthrough Starshot</a>" project may offer a way to find life beyond Earth. The project aims to reach the nearest star system to our own, Alpha Centauri, where last August scientists <a href="https://breakthroughinitiatives.org/About" target="_blank">discovered</a> a "potentially habitable Earth-like planet," by sending out <a href="https://breakthroughinitiatives.org/News/12" target="_blank">ultralight nanobeams</a> that would reach Alpha Centauri in a couple of decades. </p><p>"Such a system could reach Mars in less than an hour, or reach Pluto in days, pass Voyager in under a week and reach Alpha Centauri in just over 20 years," Hawking said Tuesday. </p><p style="">"Maybe if all goes well, sometime a little after the middle of the century, we'll have our first picture of another planet that may be life-bearing orbiting the nearest star," he added.</p><p style="">As for this planet, Hawking was not so hopeful. Hawking warned that "soaring population sizes and increasing <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/energy-news/">demands for energy</a>" would lead to Earth's eventual demise, <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5056107/Stephen-Hawking-says-technology-end-poverty-urges-caution.html" target="_blank">according to the Daily Mail</a>. </p><p style="">The relationship between <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/population-growth">population growth</a> and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/">climate change</a> is clear. Rapidly industrializing countries like India and China are expected to contribute half of all CO2 emissions by 2050, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/population-growth-climate-change/" target="_blank">according to the United Nations Population Fund</a>. </p><p>Global Citizen advocates for countries to adopt the Global Goals for Sustainable Development, including goal number 13: climate action. You can take action <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/take-action/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p style="">"If we cannot stabilize climate and we cannot stabilize population, there is not an ecosystem on Earth that we can save," the nonprofit Worldwatch Institute <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/population-growth-climate-change/" target="_blank">told</a> Scientific American.</p><p style="">Hawking has been critical of U.S. climate change policy under <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/donald-trump" target="_blank">President Donald Trump</a>. The U.S. will soon be <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/syria-paris-climate-agreement-united-states-donald/" target="_blank">the only country</a> to not sign the Paris agreement, which aims to put a cap on global temperature rise at 1.5 degrees Celsius.</p>
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</p><div id="6a700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="WLLS781576662132"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="927934619202281472" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">U.S. Now the Only Country Not in Paris Climate Agreement https://t.co/XBYj1lZu7x @ecowatch #COP23</div> — Sierra Club (@Sierra Club)<a href="https://twitter.com/SierraClub/statuses/927934619202281472">1510071828.0</a></blockquote></div>
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<p style="">"Trump's action could push the earth over the brink, to become like Venus, with a temperature of two hundred and fifty degrees, and raining sulphuric acid," Hawking <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/stephen-hawkins-trump-earth-venus/" target="_blank">said</a> in an interview with BBC this past July.<br></p><p style=""><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/stephen-hawking-earth-sizzling-ball-of-fire/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em></p>
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Richard Branson Vowed to Rebuild the Caribbean After Hurricanes Destroyed It
02 November 2017
Renewable Energy
After surviving two Category 5 hurricanes this fall, the Caribbean resembled something of a war zone, according to Virgin Group founder Richard Branson.
And so what the island nations of the region need now is a post-war plan for redevelopment—a plan he's calling the "Disaster Recovery Marshall Plan," named after the Marshall Plan that helped rebuild Europe after World War II.
<p style="">The plan will be focused on bringing a "green energy revolution" to the region, Branson told <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/caribbean-energy-branson/richard-bransons-green-energy-plan-for-caribbean-may-include-debt-relief-idUSL8N1N27JF" target="_blank">Reuters</a>.</p><p style="">The Caribbean spans 2.8 million square miles and is home to 37 million people—many of whom live in poverty. While poverty levels on islands like Jamaica, Barbuda, Dominica, and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands vary widely, the region as a whole has struggled to build strong economies, according to the <a href="http://www.caribank.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Study_The-Changing-Nature-of-Poverty-and-Inequality-in-the-Caribbean-New-Issues_-New-Solutions.pdf" target="_blank">Caribbean Development Bank</a>.</p><p style="">The billionaire inventor and businessman, who owns a private island in the Caribbean where he rode out <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/hurricane-irma">Hurricane Irma</a> with his staff, is working with global leaders including the International Monetary Fund to help rebuild the islands, according to the report.</p><p style="">Branson is insisting that the islands rebuild their energy grid on sustainable, <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">renewable sources</a> rather than fossil fuels.</p><p style="">"Another storm could strike within the coming weeks," Branson <a href="http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/richard-branson-leads-effort-to-create-caribbean-marshall-plan/article/506358" target="_blank">told</a> a meeting of leaders in Washington earlier this month. "The Caribbean must seize the opportunity and take the leap from 20th-century technology to 21st-century innovation."</p><p style="">The Washington meeting was hosted by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery and the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, according to the <a href="http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/richard-branson-leads-effort-to-create-caribbean-marshall-plan/article/506358" target="_blank">Digital Journal</a>.</p><p style="">Branson is the owner of a <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wind">wind energy</a> company that already operates in the Caribbean, according to the UN-backed website <a href="http://www.climateactionprogramme.org/news/richard-branson-leads-green-energy-plan-to-rebuild-the-post-hurricane-carib" target="_blank">Climate Action</a>, which noted that <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/solar">solar</a> and wind energy is cheaper and easier for island nations to obtain than importing fossil fuels.</p><p style="">At the meeting in Washington, Branson said the destruction on his own Necker Island and neighboring islands was like that of a nuclear blast, according to <a href="http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/richard-branson-leads-effort-to-create-caribbean-marshall-plan/article/506358" target="_blank">Digital Journal</a>.</p><p style="">Now, the inventor and CEO hopes to forge an international fund for the island nations by working with government and business leaders. Branson already met with the head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, and together the pair are working on debt relief options for the islands, according to the Journal.</p><p style="">The Marshall Plan was a $13 billion plan—or about $132 billion in modern-day money—created by the U.S> to help rebuild Western European countries, the Digital Journal reported.</p><p>"We want to move the Caribbean countries into clean energy and make them more sustainable, which will make dealing with hurricanes much easier," he said. "The Caribbean Heads of State agree with one voice that this is a good idea."</p><p style="">Global Citizen campaigns on the United Nations Global Goals, including bringing sustainable energy to countries around the world. You can take action <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/action/world-leaders-extreme-weather/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/richard-branson-wants-to-lead-a-green-energy-revol/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em></p>
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By Daniele Selby
Arsenic, lead, and cadmium are chemicals you'd expect to find in rat poison and batteries—not baby formula.
But on Wednesday, the Clean Label Project, an initiative that tests products for industrial and environmental contaminants and rates them, said it found arsenic in 80 percent of infant formulas, according to USA Today. In fact, the study—which has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal—found that certified some organic baby food products had more than twice the amount of arsenic found in the conventional baby foods it tested.
<p style="">The group looked at 86 different types of baby formulas and checked for more than 130 different toxins ranging from heavy metals to cancer-linked chemicals, <a href="http://www.cleanlabelproject.org/product-ratings/infant-formula-baby-food/" target="_blank">the Clean Label Project's website says</a>.</p><p>"It is important for consumers to understand that some contaminants, such as heavy metals like lead or arsenic, are in the environment and cannot simply be removed from food," an FDA spokesperson, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/10/25/these-baby-foods-and-formulas-tested-positive-arsenic-lead-and-bpa-new-study/794291001/" target="_blank">told USA Today</a>.</p><p style="">Though arsenic was the most common harmful chemical found in baby formulas, cadmium—which is <a href="https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=6&po=5" target="_blank">used in batteries and as a plastic stabilizer</a>—was also detected with alarming frequency. The study found that soy-based infant formulas had about <a href="http://www.cleanlabelproject.org/product-ratings/infant-formula-baby-food/" target="_blank">seven times more cadmium</a>, used in batteries, than other types of baby formula.</p><p style="">Both arsenic and cadmium are carcinogens that may cause <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/cancer">cancer</a>, <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/general-info/known-and-probable-human-carcinogens.html" target="_blank">according to the American Cancer Society</a>.</p><p>Last year, the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborneillnesscontaminants/metals/ucm367263.htm" target="_blank">US Food and Drug Administration proposed a regulation</a> which would limit the amount of arsenic allowed in infant rice cereal, but the limit is not yet being enforced.</p><p style="">The Clean Label Project also found lead in <a href="http://www.cleanlabelproject.org/product-ratings/infant-formula-baby-food/" target="_blank">36 percent of 500 baby food products</a> it tested—a finding that backs up the <a href="https://www.edf.org/health/lead-food-hidden-health-threat" target="_blank">Environmental Defense Fund's research</a> which detected lead in about 20 percent of baby food samples.</p><p>The<a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2013/world_breastfeeding_week_20130730/en/" target="_blank"> World Health Organization urges</a> women to breastfeed infants if possible, noting that breastmilk has antibodies that are not found in formula, and is an affordable, nutritious food source that can foster healthy development. The WHO also warns that in communities that lack access to safe water, formula that has to be mixed with water can pose an additional risk.</p><p style="">The majority of baby food products and baby formula is sold in North America and Europe—87 percent and 66 percent, respectively, <a href="http://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsenglobal/de/docs/Nielsen%20Global%20Baby%20Care%20Report%20-%20August%202015.pdf" target="_blank">according to Nielsen's Global Baby Care Report</a>—but formula is becoming more popular in developing countries.</p><p style="">The <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs342/en/" target="_blank">WHO and UNICEF recommend</a> that mothers try breastfeeding within an hour of their baby's birth, and continue to breastfeed if it is an option until the infant is six months old. At that point, both organizations <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs342/en/" target="_blank">recommend introducing</a> "nutritionally-adequate and safe complementary (solid) foods."</p><p style="">But the WHO says "few children receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods." And <a href="https://data.unicef.org/topic/nutrition/malnutrition/#" target="_blank">according to UNICEF</a>, "poor nutrition in the first 1,000 days of a child's life can also lead to stunted growth, which is irreversible and associated with impaired cognitive ability and reduced school and work performance."</p><p style="">Malnutrition and undernutrition are major issues in many developing countries, like <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/africa-war-climate-change-hunger-and-starvation/" target="_blank">Chad</a> and <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/world-hunger-is-on-the-rise-again-affecting-confli/" target="_blank">India</a>. Around the world, nearly 155 million children under the age of five are stunted, and 52 million children are malnourished, <a href="https://data.unicef.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/JME-2017_brochure_June-25.pdf" target="_blank">UNICEF reported</a>.</p><p style="">Global Citizen campaigns to eliminate hunger worldwide. You can take action <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/action/fight-famine-beacon" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style=""><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/baby-formula-arsenic-clean-label-project/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em><br></p>
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Transparent panels can be used as windows while they generate electricity. Michigan State University
By Joe McCarthy
There's an estimated 5 to 7 billion square meters of glass surfaces in the U.S. For windows on homes, cars and buildings, these glass surfaces perform a few basic functions—letting light and fresh air in when open, and blocking bugs and keeping the cold out when closed.
Now they could all serve another, altogether revolutionary, purpose—generating electricity.
<p style="">A <a href="http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2017/transparent-solar-technology-represents-wave-of-the-future/" target="_blank">new paper</a> in the journal Nature Energy describes how transparent <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/solar">solar</a> panels could be placed over all windows and transparent surfaces in the U.S. to generate energy and decrease reliance on fossil fuels.</p><p style="">If that happens, nearly all the electricity demands of the U.S. could be met in conjunction with rooftop solar panels, and as long as storage capabilities are improved.</p><p style="">"Highly transparent solar cells represent the wave of the future for new solar applications," said Richard Lunt, leader author of the report at Michigan State University, <a href="http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2017/transparent-solar-technology-represents-wave-of-the-future/" target="_blank">in a press release</a>. "We analyzed their potential and show that by harvesting only invisible light, these devices can provide a similar electricity-generation potential as rooftop solar while providing additional functionality to enhance the efficiency of buildings, automobiles and mobile electronics."</p><p style="">Lunt's team at Michigan State University created a plastic technology called a <a href="http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2014/solar-energy-that-doesnt-block-the-view/" target="_blank">transparent luminescent solar concentrator</a>. You simply place the plastic over a glass surface—a house or car window or even a cellphone screen—and it begins to convert sunlight into electricity.</p><p style="">The plastic doesn't obscure visibility because it's harvesting invisible wavelengths from the sun. This energy is then passed onto strips of photovoltaic solar cells that exist on the outer edges of the sheet.</p><p style="">The technology is currently far less efficient than traditional solar panels—5 percent efficiency versus around 15 percent to 18 percent efficiency—and it isn't market-ready, but Lunt and his team believe the technology will become just as efficient and ubiquitous as normal panels in the years ahead.</p><p style=""><span></span>After all, the technology is new and could follow the same rapid arc of efficiency improvement that traditional panels followed.</p><p style="">"Traditional solar applications have been actively researched for over five decades, yet we have only been working on these highly transparent solar cells for about five years," Lunt said in the press release. "Ultimately, this technology offers a promising route to inexpensive, widespread solar adoption on small and large surfaces that were previously inaccessible."</p><p style="">In recent years, advances in <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/solar">solar</a> and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wind">wind</a> power technology have made <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">renewable energy</a> more competitive as countries around the world <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/eu-paris-climate-agreement-trump-withdrawal/" target="_blank">strive to uphold the Paris climate agreement</a>. </p><p style="">In the U.S., for instance, the price of solar has <a href="http://news.energysage.com/solar-panel-efficiency-cost-over-time/" target="_blank">dropped by 60 percent in less than a decade</a> and this decrease is expected to continue as <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/china-unveils-blockbuster-361-billion-plan-for-cle/" target="_blank">China invests enormous amounts of money</a> into research and development of solar technology. </p><p style="">Offshore wind power has recently become a viable investment, and has the potential to provide all of the world's energy needs, <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/ocean-wind-farms-energy-for-all-humanity/" target="_blank">according to a recent study</a>.</p><p style="">According to <a href="http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Strong-Outlook-for-Wind-Power.html?soid=1102949362881&aid=SM6Rjo6BDjo" target="_blank">The Global Wind Energy Council</a>, Denmark gets more than 40 percent of its energy from wind power, and China and the U.S. get around 4 percent to 5 percent, which is closer to the global average. Solar, meanwhile, generates <a href="https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy/renewable-energy/solar-energy.html" target="_blank">around 1.3 percent</a> of global electricity demands. </p><p style="">Fossil fuels still account for the vast majority of electricity generation—but with advances like transparent solar sheets, that could soon change.</p><p style="">Global Citizen campaigns on the Global Goals, which call for the use of renewable energy. You can take action on this issue <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/take-action/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/windows-phones-glass-generate-solar-power/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em><em></em></p>
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Beijing, China. Kentaro IEMOTO / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
In an unprecedented crackdown on pollution, the Chinese government has temporarily shut down tens of thousands of factories in an effort to improve air quality throughout industrial regions in the country.
Thousands of regulators with China's Ministry of Environment have spread across the country to inspect factories for compliance with strict new laws detailing emission standards. Electricity and gas lines to factories will be suspended until officials can determine whether or not each facility is following the law.
<p>Many migrant workers were forced to abandon these factories and look for other work, though the <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1365476" target="_blank">Chinese Premier promised in April</a> that while the closures would mean setbacks, the government would work to transfer these employees instead of laying them off.</p><p style="">In 2013, China established a <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2108109/china-vows-big-winter-air-pollution-cuts-northern" target="_blank">bold plan to measurably improve air conditions</a> by the end of 2017, a deadline whose looming approach has led to drastic measures geared towards hitting those targets at all costs.</p><p>These factory closures are occurring alongside <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/world/in-china-the-war-on-coal-just-got-serious-20171011-gyyvi6.html" target="_blank">large-scale moratoriums on coal use and steel production</a>, which are two of the biggest contributors to <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/air-pollution">air pollution</a> in China's industrial regions. In August, the northern Hebei province announced that these shutdowns would remain in place from <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2108109/china-vows-big-winter-air-pollution-cuts-northern" target="_blank">October of this year through next March</a>. Air pollution typically spikes during this time, typically referred to as "heating season."</p><p style="">China is no stranger to dangerous levels of pollution. In 2013 the nation suffered from what was later dubbed "<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/feb/16/chinese-struggle-through-airpocalypse-smog" target="_blank">airpocalypse</a>," a day where air pollution levels were up to 30 times higher than what is considered healthy by the World health Organization. The Guardian reported that one hospital admitted more than <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/feb/16/chinese-struggle-through-airpocalypse-smog" target="_blank">900 children for respiratory ailments</a> that day, which many saw as a wake-up call to the damaging consequences of China's growth-first development strategy.</p><p style="">China's rapid industrialization has come with a fair amount of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/world/asia/26china.html" target="_blank">environmental and social setbacks</a>. As the manufacturing industry grew in China, so too <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12314566" target="_blank">did pollution</a>.</p><p>Additionally, income inequality in the country has proliferated as a result of the disparity of opportunity between <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahsu/2016/11/18/high-income-inequality-still-festering-in-china/#716e2b2c1e50" target="_blank">urban communities and rural communities</a>, which lack access to the economic gains of the industry.</p><p>Though urban centers produce the lion's share of pollution across the country, the consequences of such devastation are not limited to wealthier city residents. Both <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/138135/chinese-incomes-rise-pollution" target="_blank">urban and rural</a> Chinese suffer at the hands of industrial pollution, and in both areas, it is the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/15/health/china-beijing-smog-tale-of-two-cities/index.html" target="_blank">poorest residents who are worst affected</a>.</p><p>Global Citizen campaigns on the <a href="http://www.globalgoals.org/" target="_blank">UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development</a>, including goals three, 10 and 13: good health and well-being, reduced inequalities and climate action. You can take action on these issues <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/action/set/commonwealth-tackle-inequality-poverty-disease/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>The recent halt on industrial operations across China are one of several signs that the government is serious about tackling the problem of pollution.</p><p style="">Since the crackdown began, more than $130 million dollars worth of fines <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2109342/top-level-china-pollution-inspections-wrapping" target="_blank">have been levied</a> against 18,000 companies who failed to meet the stricter environmental regulations. This may be a consequence of putting enforcement powers in the hands of taxation agencies, who have typically been more aggressive than the Ministry of Environment in <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/10/23/559009961/china-shuts-down-tens-of-thousands-of-factories-in-unprecedented-pollution-crack" target="_blank">enforcing regulations</a>.</p><p>"The implementation will be totally different," Shanghai environmental lawyer Peter Corne <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/10/23/559009961/china-shuts-down-tens-of-thousands-of-factories-in-unprecedented-pollution-crack" target="_blank">told NPR</a>. "It won't be the environmental bureau that's implementing anymore. They'll just be monitoring. It will be the tax bureau that's implementing it."</p><p>In addition to the fines on business, government officials in cities who failed to meet pollution reduction milestones have been fired <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2109342/top-level-china-pollution-inspections-wrapping" target="_blank">en masse</a>. All of these measures point to a dramatic shift in the way the government battles pollution.</p><p>"This is better than a 100-percent pay raise for me," <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/10/23/559009961/china-shuts-down-tens-of-thousands-of-factories-in-unprecedented-pollution-crack" target="_blank">said Corne</a>. "I was just dreaming about it. I never thought it would come true."</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/china-factory-shut-down-pollution-air/" target="_blank">Global Citizen</a>.</em></p>
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