Mountain goats roam the streets of LLandudno on March 31, 2020 in Llandudno, Wales during the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine measures. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
By Marie Quinney and Gabriela Martinez
This article is part of The Davos Agenda.
During 2020, many of us saw images of deserted urban areas being reclaimed by animals and heard reports of carbon dioxide emissions plummeting as transportation ground to a halt. A new analysis shows that the U.S. had reached its lowest level of emissions in three decades.
<p>It would be easy to assume that COVID-19 allowed nature to thrive. However, we must not prematurely celebrate nature's comeback.</p><p>Far from downplaying glimmers of hope and beauty that were welcomed interruptions to an otherwise difficult year, acknowledging that these have little impact in the long run will serve us better to achieve meaningful progress.</p><p>The outlook on the coming decade may be bleak if we do not seize the narrowing window of opportunity that we have to make systemic changes. By doing this, we can both prevent similar crises in the future and create sustainable, healthy and equitable jobs, societies and economies. The pandemic made an unquestionably strong case for a shift towards a<a href="https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/09/what-does-net-zero-emissions-mean-6-common-questions-answered" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/09/what-does-net-zero-emissions-mean-6-common-questions-answered" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">net-zero</a>,<a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Future_Of_Nature_And_Business_2020.pdf" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Future_Of_Nature_And_Business_2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nature-positive</a> global economy and, thankfully, we have the knowledge and the tools to make it happen.</p>
<h3>Nature Bouncing Back?</h3><p>Amidst the tragedies of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy entering a global recession, you could be forgiven for thinking that it wasn't all bad news.</p><p>We were inundated with delightful images of previously unseen animals strolling through city streets. <a href="https://www.insider.com/shaggy-mountain-goats-welsh-town-lockdown-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mountain goats explored Welsh towns</a>,<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/22/animals-cities-coronavirus-lockdowns-deer-raccoons" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/22/animals-cities-coronavirus-lockdowns-deer-raccoons" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">deer were spotted congregating outside metro stations in Japan</a> and<a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20200403-pumas-in-santiago-wildlife-takes-to-cities-amid-coronavirus-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20200403-pumas-in-santiago-wildlife-takes-to-cities-amid-coronavirus-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pumas took to the streets of Santiago, Chile</a>.</p><p>Many ecosystems also appeared to have been given time to regenerate, being temporarily spared humanity's polluted hand. The<a href="https://www.insider.com/venice-canals-clear-city-residents-self-isolate-prevent-coronavirus-spread-2020-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.insider.com/venice-canals-clear-city-residents-self-isolate-prevent-coronavirus-spread-2020-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">canals of Venice famously turned clear</a> and plants started to make a comeback in built-up areas such as<a href="https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/nature-reclaims-public-spaces-during-loc-idUSRTX7EJ1H" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/nature-reclaims-public-spaces-during-loc-idUSRTX7EJ1H" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">parks</a> and<a href="https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/nature-reclaims-public-spaces-during-loc-idUSRTX7EJ1H" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/nature-reclaims-public-spaces-during-loc-idUSRTX7EJ1H" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">city squares</a>.<br></p><p>Similarly, due to the slowdown of economic and social activities, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/08/covid-19-lockdowns-global-air-quality-india-london-uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">air quality</a> improved in many places around the world, including megacities including <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720326036" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Delhi</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/08/covid-19-lockdowns-global-air-quality-india-london-uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">London</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51944780" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New York</a> and various cities in <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-020-00963-y" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">China</a>. Global CO2 emissions and total nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions decreased by as much as 30% and, as car traffic plummeted and industrial production slowed down, the<a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/covid-19-coronavirus-greenhouse-gas-emissions-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> reduction of greenhouse gas emissions</a> followed. It seemed that at least the atmosphere was benefiting from the global pandemic.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ0ODUzMy9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NzQ5ODI0MX0.NaCx18e_NCBB5SnFxwxI7L_sZclIuFAR6YlnpIxl1eg/img.gif?width=980" id="902a5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="adef5c711181422b7e367aeb853ca9a7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="640" data-height="474" />
NO₂ levels in the air above India (U.S. date format). World Economic Forum
<p>Lockdowns also highlighted both a fundamental human need for nature and the divisions between those who had access to it and those who did not. For those with a balcony, view of nature or a garden, the lockdowns may not have felt as oppressive. People craved their own patch of green and marvelled at the sight of animals roaming around freely. Nature, we may have thought, was healing.</p><p>Sadly, however, the breather that nature appeared to get is not only temporary but is extremely localized. Other areas have not been having the same luck.</p>
<h3>Nature Loss and Climate Change on the Rise</h3><p>If not for COVID-19, the year 2020 would have been remembered for environmental disasters that continued despite scattered improvements. COVID-19 news domination was punctuated by reports of <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-exceeds-4-million-acres-burned-wildfires-2020-n1242078" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wildfires</a>,<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54433904" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54433904" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">flooding</a>,<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-2020-atlantic-hurricane-season-was-a-record-breaker-and-its-raising-more-concerns-about-climate-change-150495" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-2020-atlantic-hurricane-season-was-a-record-breaker-and-its-raising-more-concerns-about-climate-change-150495" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tropical storms</a> and the<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/19/highest-recorded-temperature-ever-death-valley" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/19/highest-recorded-temperature-ever-death-valley" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">highest temperature ever recorded</a> on Earth.</p><p>As pollution levels decreased in many cities, the effects were countered by <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896972033059X" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">increased emissions from home activities</a>. Although nitrogen dioxide <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0883-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">declined sharply</a> in <a href="https://cen.acs.org/environment/atmospheric-chemistry/COVID-19-coronavirus-quarantines-cause/98/i11" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Italy</a>, <a href="https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146362/airborne-nitrogen-dioxide-plummets-over-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">China</a> and <a href="https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/nitrogen-dioxide-concentrations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Zealand</a>, COVID-19 responses triggered the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896972033059X" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">increase of global ozone concentrations</a>, which contributes to climate change.</p><p>Lockdowns in countries with high levels of biodiversity also restricted the ability of governments and communities to protect wildlife. Incidences of illegal poaching and deforestation increased in<a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/07/covid-19-lockdown-precipitates-deforestation-across-asia-and-south-america/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/07/covid-19-lockdown-precipitates-deforestation-across-asia-and-south-america/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">South America</a>,<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-deforestation-idUSL8N2BJ12Z" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-deforestation-idUSL8N2BJ12Z" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Asia</a> and<a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/poaching-deforestation-reportedly-on-the-rise-since-covid-19-lockdowns#:~:text=%E2%80%9CPoaching%20and%20deforestation%20are%20unfortunate,humans%20in%20the%20first%20place." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/poaching-deforestation-reportedly-on-the-rise-since-covid-19-lockdowns#:~:text=%E2%80%9CPoaching%20and%20deforestation%20are%20unfortunate,humans%20in%20the%20first%20place." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Africa</a>. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-environment-idUSKCN21S1I1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deforestation</a> in the Brazilian Amazon increased by 30% in March 2020 compared to the previous year and <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/07/double-blow-to-colombian-amazon-and-indigenous-groups-from-armed-militants-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">forest fires</a> lit by land grabbers broke records in Colombia. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/illegal-fishing-philippines-2646162839.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" target="_self" rel="noopener">Illegal fishing</a> is also on the rise in many areas, with fishermen taking advantage of a drop in enforcement capacity.</p><p>COVID-19 has also halted the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-020-1275-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nature-based tourism industry</a>. In many countries, communities relied on this as a source of income, in addition to these funds being used to protect nature. For countries like the <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/seychelles/overview#:~:text=Tourism%20accounts%20for%20approximately%2030,decline%20by%20more%20than%2050%25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Seychelles</a> and <a href="https://data.adb.org/media/4411/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vanuatu</a>, tourism accounts for 30% and 45% of their GDP, respectively. The economic crisis may prevent such tourism from returning for quite some time, while conservation is unlikely to be perceived as a priority for government spending.</p><p>The improvements witnessed in biodiversity and emissions during the lockdowns are unlikely to remain, and the situation is on course to get worse than before the pandemic. For the climate, there is historical precedent for this. There were also <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17387-financial-crisis-may-have-been-good-for-the-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dips in emissions during the 2008 financial crisis</a>, yet emissions bounced back as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/opinion/sunday/coronavirus-climate-change.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">economies recovered</a>.</p><p>Today, experts are concerned that global emissions in 2021 <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/global-carbon-project-coronavirus-causes-record-fall-in-fossil-fuel-emissions-in-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">will rise beyond 2019 levels.</a> In addition, many countries have been <a href="https://in.boell.org/en/2020/11/24/environmental-regulation-and-post-covid-19-economic-recovery" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">loosening environmental regulations </a>and, in some countries, early recovery packages were targeted towards bailouts for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/09/revealed-covid-recovery-plans-threaten-global-climate-hopes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">oil and high-carbon infrastructure</a>.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ0ODU0OS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NTg2NDYwNH0.9fcY_k1mLyDQDdv0FvUlonL0Z-lt7yYOocof6Tw2h4Q/img.png?width=980" id="bbe9a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="63b2896e84d3e53a93eee3818daa4aea" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1522" data-height="1012" />
Human activity is destroying our natural world. World Economic Forum Nature Risk Rising
<h3>Towards a Net-Zero, Nature-Positive Recovery</h3><p>While the lockdowns provided a glimpse of how life could be different for our planet, this will only be the case through decisive and deliberate action. It shouldn't take a pandemic, with devastating consequences on millions of lives, to let nature reappear and emissions drop. Rather than being good for the environment, COVID-19 only showed us how unsuitable our current socioeconomic systems are.</p><p><a href="https://www.vivideconomics.com/casestudy/greenness-for-stimulus-index/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Some stimulus packages</a> are acknowledging the importance of placing nature at the heart of our recovery, and in September world leaders<a href="https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/press_releases/?893466/Leaders-Pledge-for-Nature-World-leaders-commit-to-reversing-nature-loss-by-2030" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/press_releases/?893466/Leaders-Pledge-for-Nature-World-leaders-commit-to-reversing-nature-loss-by-2030" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pledged to reverse nature loss</a> by 2030. However, on average, the pandemic is likely to reinforce negative environmental trends with stimulus packages in only <a href="https://news.trust.org/item/20201217092751-wk5b9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">seven of 25 major economies</a> estimated to have a net positive impact for the climate and nature.</p><p>As world leaders discussed stimulus and recovery packages to keep the economy afloat, milestone global meetings to decide how to address biodiversity loss and climate change had to be postponed to 2021. These are critical opportunities to reset our economies and societies for the better. Governments and businesses must focus on addressing some of the increasingly indefensible realities of our societies and economies that this pandemic has uncovered. For example, they must ensure that economic activity is regenerative, rather than destructive, to nature, that businesses reduce their carbon footprint, and that there are sustainable, equitable jobs.</p><p>As the World Economic Forum's recent reports have found, <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_New_Nature_Economy_Report_2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than half of the world's GDP</a> is highly or moderately dependent on nature, and opting for a nature-positive economy in key sectors could create <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Future_Of_Nature_And_Business_2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">395 million jobs by 2030</a>. We are likely to, therefore, pay a high price in the future for overlooking its importance in decisions made today.</p><p>Similarly, in the <a href="https://www.hacfornatureandpeople.org/" target="_blank">High Ambition Coalition</a>'s <a href="https://www.highambitioncoalition.org/statements/green-recovery-statement-2020" target="_blank"><em>Statement on Resilient Recovery</em></a>, it stressed the importance of aligning <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/coronavirus-tracking-how-the-worlds-green-recovery-plans-aim-to-cut-emissions?utm_campaign=Carbon%20Brief%20Daily%20Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20newsletter" target="_blank">green measures</a> from stimulus packages with climate ambitions. The UN's 2020 <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/green-pandemic-recovery-essential-close-climate-action-gap-un-report" target="_blank">Emission Gap Report</a> highlighted that recovery investments in climate action could cut up to 25% off the emissions projected for 2030. Countries need effective policies to <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1079602" target="_blank">support zero-emissions technologies and infrastructure, reduce fossil fuel subsidies, stop new coal plants and promote nature-based solutions</a>.</p>
<p>The pandemic transcended borders in more ways than one. We saw unprecedented levels of international cooperation, with information sharing and the deployment of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52431627" target="_blank">healthcare personnel</a> and <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20200410-donating-masks-and-shipping-gear-vietnam-promotes-its-own-coronavirus-diplomacy" target="_blank">equipment</a>. It also taught us that, when we work together, we can enact great change. This needs to be channelled into the fight against nature loss and climate change too.</p><p>COVID-19 offered many the chance to stop and reflect on the sort of world we belong to. If nothing else, the pandemic revealed that our economies are inherently vulnerable to shocks. Images of animals reclaiming once-bustling city streets, and a dip in greenhouse gas emissions were a relief during a time of such angst, but they are exceptions that are likely to be long forgotten unless we work towards a better future. Designing net-zero, nature-positive stimulus packages is key in preventing future outbreaks, improving economic and environmental stability and enabling people to live healthier, more fulfilling lives.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/davos-agenda-environment-net-zero-emissions-nature-positive-recovery/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
- UN Leader Calls for Green Coronavirus Recovery on Earth Day ... ›
- German Business Leaders Call for Climate Action With COVID-19 ... ›
- Young Climate Leaders Conclude Mock COP26 With Calls for ... ›
- A 'Green Stimulus' Could Battle Three Crises: Coronavirus ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
Environmental activist Sage Lenier is seen teaching her class at UC Berkeley. Irene Yi
By Sage Lenier
Sage Lenier, an environmental activist and graduate from UC Berkeley, created a wildly popular course at her university dedicated to sustainable solutions and circular systems thinking against the broader backdrop of environmental justice. In Spring 2020, the course enrolled more than 300 students eager to learn how they can drive the shift toward a more ethical and sustainable society. The World Economic Forum sat down with Sage for a quick Q&A.
<p><em><br/></em></p>
<h3>What Drove You to Start Teaching Zero Waste?</h3><p>When I started at UC Berkeley, I was excited to be going to a school that had – I'm told – one of the best environmental curriculums in the nation. But I quickly realized that much of the education I was receiving had little real-life application; the material lacked the call-to-action that is really necessary for addressing the ecological crisis.</p><p>That's why I decided to create a course that was solutions-focused and action-based. I started out with the concept of zero waste, but I scaled it up from individual-level action to build a vision for an economy, design system and culture that operate on the premise that natural resources are valuable and limited. I also cover modern food systems, climate change and decarbonization, and green cities, always looking at a global picture of access, equity, and cultural and ecological diversity.</p><p>The approach I take helps students learn how all of these things come together for a vision of a sustainable future. I want them to be excited about the year 2100, rather than terrified.</p><h3>What Are the Biggest Misconceptions About Your Course?</h3><p>Sometimes my course gets misconstrued as a place where I teach students about what they can do to lessen their individual environmental impact. It's not really that at all. I do try to walk my students through the changes that they can make in their own lives, but the course is really about a societal revolution. It's focused on structural change, political advocacy, and community power.</p><p>Two-thirds of my students are not environmental majors, and I try to give everyone something that they can do with their lives and their careers. A business major, after taking the class, might tell me: "I want to spend my career in businesses that fit with the circular economy." Or a biochemistry major might say: "I could operate a green lab." I'm focused on big-picture solutions, all of us coming together to accomplish something through so many different avenues with our different skill sets, as well as how we can make our community a little bit better.</p>
<h3>When We Talk About Climate Change, Sustainability and Equity, Are We Really Talking About the Same Thing?</h3><p>Absolutely, and I think most people are shocked when they start taking my course to learn that I'm not really here to advocate on behalf of trees. Climate change is a social justice issue; it is already exacerbating existing inequalities and will continue to do so.</p><p>I'm first and foremost a human rights activist. I've been passionate about feminism and racial justice from a very young age and have always done my best to educate and engage those around me. I came to environmentalism a few years ago with the realization that there are no human rights on a dead planet - this one movement really has the potential to encapsulate every social issue we have.</p><h3>What Do You Think Needs to Happen to Enable Us to Move to a Circular Economy More Quickly?</h3><p>If we really want to move towards a circular economy, we have to do a lot of direct targeting of the big corporations who already have the infrastructure, financial power and influence in our society. In our activism work, we need to be demanding that these massive companies that actually run our society and have control over our economy and government are accountable to the people.</p>
<h3>College Students Were Heavily Impacted by COVID-19 This Year. What Was That Experience Like for You, as a Student, Instructor and Activist?</h3><p>I'll be honest, I lost a lot this year. I had to give up my dreams of expanding this course to other schools and communities for now, and all of my activism campaigns completely dissolved. After I graduated, I slept on the couch at my grandmother's house for two months. I was very lucky to receive a job offer in July for an environmental nonprofit and be financially stable for the second half of this year, but I've had to fight very hard to get my mental and physical health back from where they went when I thought I was losing everything I'd ever worked for. This year has been transformative in some good ways too, though; I needed to take a step back before I burned out, and I deactivated my social media for six months after a few super viral posts because I wanted to ask myself why I feel qualified to educate people and check my intentions. I'm young, and it's easy to develop an ego and forget what you're really working towards when you start getting media attention.</p><h3>What's Next for You?</h3><p>Right now I'm just feeling very grateful to be employed and still doing important work. <a href="https://tinyurl.com/Zero-Waste-Solutions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Zero Waste USA</a> recently reached out to me about sponsoring my course on their online platform, so I'm very excited to be back to teaching in the new year, and the class is going to be open to everyone! I want to keep going with this curriculum and eventually turn it into a book because I think what I've created is really unique, and it's a lot of the information that the average person really needs. For now, I'm getting back into the swing of things with teaching online and making educational content for Instagram. My teaching assistants, Annie Mitchell and Victoria Bartoszewicz, are still teaching it at Berkeley and after the pandemic I still do want to take it to other colleges, high schools, communities – anywhere that wants it.</p><p>When that eventually comes around, I'll be applying for grants and trying to get the book published. The idea of trying to get funding and hoping I get it and hoping it keeps coming is really scary, but I'm also excited because this is the most important thing that I can do – to continue to educate people and create a better equipped and larger environmental movement. It's a huge risk, but this is all I've ever wanted.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/i-created-a-class-to-teach-zero-waste/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>
Read More
Show Less
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 by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<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" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><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" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><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" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><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" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><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" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><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
From Your Site Articles
- Best CBD Oils of 2020: Reviews & Buying Guide - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Oil for Pain Management - Top 10 CBD Oil Review 2020 ... ›
- Best CBD for Dogs 2020 - Organic CBD Oil for Pets - EcoWatch ›
- Full Spectrum CBD Oil: What To Know - EcoWatch ›
- Charlotte's Web: A Review of the Certified B Corp CBD Brand ›
- Best CBD Waters: Plus All You Need to Know - EcoWatch ›
- The Best Water Soluble CBD Available Online - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD for Sleep (Lab-Tested, Person-Tested Oils) - EcoWatch ›
- CBD Oil for Dogs: 7 Benefits & Treatment Guide - EcoWatch ›
- NuLeaf Naturals CBD Review | Are They Worth The Cost? - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Capsules & Pills - Buyer's Guide (Update for 2021) - EcoWatch ›
- Because Price Matters: Most Affordable CBD Oils of 2021 - EcoWatch ›
- Strongest CBD Oils to Buy in 2021? - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Oils For Pain: Top 3 Brands of 2021 - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Vape Pen: Top Brands of 2020 - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
The Parc del Fòrum, a public open space with a massive solar panel in Barcelona, Spain. Enrique Díaz / 7cero / Getty Images
By Francesco Starace and Jean-Pascal Tricoire
Why is it so important to decarbonize cities? And how can we do it?
<p>The first question is easy to answer: The cities in which more than half of us live account for nearly two-thirds of the CO2 emissions that lie at the root of our planet's looming <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis">climate crisis</a>. Skyscrapers in megalopolises, shopping malls, SUVs in the streets, air conditioners in a growing number of places throughout the globe – all consume a vast amount of high CO2-content energy.</p><p>The answer to the second question is to take an integrated approach: leveraging clean electrification and digital technology to harmonize urban energy systems, while also thinking beyond individual projects to consider their impact within the surrounding communities and the built environment.</p>
<p>In fact, urban energy, transport and building infrastructures are gradually becoming greener: There are <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2020" target="_blank">more electric vehicles on city streets</a>, better water treatment and recycling schemes, and more <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/solar">solar</a> panels on rooftops around the globe. According to <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2020?utm_content=buffer061dd&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin-Birol&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">International Energy Agency estimates</a>, renewables like solar and wind are set to become the largest source of electricity generation worldwide by 2025, supplying one-third of the world's electricity and ending coal's decades-long dominance of the global power mix.</p><p>All this is, of course, welcome.</p><p>But with climate change accelerating, we need more comprehensive decarbonization actions on three fronts. First, we need even more energy to come from <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">renewable</a> sources. Second, we need more cars, heating and other activity to be powered by clean electricity. Third, we need everything from factories, to office buildings, homes, transport systems and consumer devices to become more energy-efficient.</p>
<p>This third lever might not as headline-grabbing as the rise of solar panels or electric vehicles. But it is a big piece of the decarbonization puzzle, with an even larger potential enabled by digital technologies.</p><p>Consider, for example, the technologies that make buildings more energy-efficient, by automatically adapting the amount of cooling, heating or lighting to occupancy levels at any given moment. Or digital tools that allow the operators of a manufacturing site in Sweden or a public utility in India to run their operations or distribution systems more efficiently and even remotely, rather than in person (a feature that has proved critical in these times of social distancing and lockdowns).</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQzNDUzNy9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzEwMDEwN30.PFj06PUl54BGCMlbb0etzgnp-P2-zB1a3v5RNcG2BYw/img.png?width=980" id="57d4e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8cdbcd37ddf921991f9393f268d33296" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1526" data-height="986" />
<p>Imagine how much more we could achieve if we digitally integrate ultra-efficient buildings, public services – e.g. transport or lighting – and electric vehicle charging stations into a wider, highly efficient urban system, delivering better quality services for citizens and accompanying benefits such as local job creation, health, and well-being. Integration and interaction between assets are the key to disrupt the traditional equation of energy and efficiency in cities. An EV battery can store power not only for just one car, but, while a car is not in use, also for the surrounding community thanks to smart-charging infrastructures. Excess power generated by an office building's or warehouse's rooftop solar panels might be used to help power the wider neighborhood.</p>
<p>The technologies, digital tools and data analytics capabilities to enable this efficient urban system already exist, as do concrete examples of such an integrated approach. Therefore, integration and collaboration of systems and stakeholders are the fundamental drivers to accelerate and scale the transition in cities.</p><p>Integration of energy, buildings and mobility requires cross-cutting industry collaboration, ranging from utilities and real estate, to technology companies and financial institutions. City- and state-level administration can enable and facilitate such collaboration through public-private cooperation. The public sector can drive on governance, policy and licensing, while the private sector provides agility, technology and resources. This cooperation can share and balance risks and liability between stakeholders for mutual gains and value creation for the broader community.</p>
<p>All of this comes against a backdrop of great urgency. Epidemics, climate and economic pain have all created unique challenges in 2020. But combating climate change must remain top of mind. Cities lie at the heart of this fight and have now the chance to build back better. We have joined the World Economic Forum in the effort to promote dialogue and mobilize action together with a group of global leaders. As co-chairs of the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/projects/systemic-efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Net Zero Carbon Cities initiative</a>, our ambition is to accelerate a sustainable transition in cities, supporting mayors in creating value for their communities. It is up to all of us to ensure we become part of the solution rather than part of the problem.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/cities-climate-decarbonize-integrated/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
- Electrifying the U.S. Economy Could Create 25 Million Green Jobs ... ›
- Majority of Voters Support 100 Percent Clean Energy Transition ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Trending
The "DEMON" at home stands for: D - Device Addiction, E - Eye strain, M - Mental health problems, O – Obesity, N - Neck and Back pain. nensuria / Getty Images
By Alisha Moopen
As the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic gains strength in many parts of the world, it is evident that the old normal has slipped, and a new sense of normalcy is setting in. This has been evident with the arrival of the work-from-home, study-from-home and socialize-from-home model, whenever possible.
<p>But while we retreat into the safety of our houses, we must stay vigilant as the battle has not been won yet. Rather, there are an array of dangers lurking within our own four walls, brought about by this pandemic, which can negatively impact our health. These dangers are the DEMON – Device addiction, Eye strain, Mental health, Obesity, and Neck and back pain – and if left unchecked, can quickly escalate into lifelong challenges.</p><h2>1. Device Addiction</h2><p>While the use of electronic devices has enabled work, study and communication with family and friends, the move into the digital world from the physical world has come with a price. We are ever more dependent on our screens.</p><p>From Zoom (which <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/LWNvCYMZyhLVWDps0kSy1?domain=engadget.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">surpassed 300 million daily meeting participants </a>in 2021) and Microsoft (which saw its productivity suite users generate <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/DU-KCZWgzs5Kq78HjSXdE?domain=microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than 30 billion collaboration minutes in a single day</a>) to Netflix (which <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/9-TNC19MGTMJA6Bfp7uBI?domain=fool.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">added nearly 26 million subscribers in the first half of this year</a>) and Google Classroom (which saw <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/8z-0C29X7Tp52VZF2XcpS?domain=bloombergquint.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the number of users double compared to last year as quarantines spread</a>), we have become dependent on a small number of apps provided by these tech companies to enable the basic functioning of our lives.</p><p>"Nomophobia," or the fear of being without a mobile device, became more entrenched in the global vocabulary during 2020. In such scenarios, a routine conscious digital detox that involves disconnecting from smart devices for short periods can be the answer.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTI2NDgwMy9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMjE5NTI2M30._amjulAi144FRM00J3V4ZO6ijF1HbuTPHvP8wJ-Z97s/img.png?width=980" id="64914" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ac369d8dd7ef5ce38901b5f70c393fa0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1704" data-height="1052" />
The effects of COVID-19 on workers' lives. Ipsos-World Economic Forum
<h2>2. Eye Strain</h2><p>A direct consequence of device addiction and increased screen time is eye strain which can result in eyesight problems. For students, the advent of online learning – which supplemented existing screen time for gaming and entertainment – has been paired with the significant increase in the probability of developing myopia or near-sightedness. In fact, the rate of <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/nSWFC393yTpDgX9FQAdHo?domain=theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">myopia has been rising globally</a> with its prevalence among children in 6 to 19 years bracket estimated at around 40% in Europe and North America and even higher in Asia. Among adults, the "computer vision syndrome" or digital eye strain is becoming more prevalent with symptoms like dry eyes, persistent headaches, blurred vision or reduced visibility. To keep this at bay, one should factor in regular eye-health check-ups while also embedding a break every 20 minutes to look at an object 20 feet away, and reducing screen time when possible.</p><h2>3. Mental Health Deterioration</h2><p>The third issue – and one that has been widely discussed – has been the deterioration of mental health for many people. The past year has seen challenges for all ages and groups. Students have been unable to interact physically with their peers and teachers and they have suffered growing anxiety about their futures. Many people have not been able to see parents or loved ones. For working adults, <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/covid-19-work-mental-health-world-economic-forum-ipsos-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than half globally</a> have experienced anxiety relating to job security and stress due to changes in their working patterns. Entrepreneurs have also had to make significant changes to try and keep their businesses afloat.</p><p>Last year undoubtedly saw turmoil as worries and fear for the future have crept into our everyday reality. The World Health Organization expects that <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/9z-DC492zTB42z9SMGl9v?domain=who.int" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the need for mental health and psychosocial support will substantially increase in the coming months and years</a>. Hence, it is paramount that self-care strategies become a part of the daily routine to protect mental and physical health. Simple and effective measures include maintaining a daily rhythm, limiting exposure to negative news media, focusing on positive thoughts, setting priorities and staying busy, while also staying connected with family members.</p>
<h2>4. Obesity</h2><p>Obesity had been highlighted as a global problem even before the heightened risks of COVID-19 were apparent. Various factors have contributed to a rise in obesity, including <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/OegVCmEkYUjyopPFxtppu?domain=pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">inexpensive calorie-dense food, screen dependance and the changing structure of communities that reduces or replaces physical activity, and inexpensive nonphysical entertainment</a>. With quarantine and stay-at-home guidelines becoming normal, the opportunity to step out of the house for exercising and simple activities like walking dwindled.</p><p>But, while staying home might have been safe in the short-term, it runs the risk of aggravating diseases like diabetes and hypertension in the long-term, which in turn increase our vulnerability to COVID-19. In fact, just a few years ago, <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/OegVCmEkYUjyopPFxtppu?domain=pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than $400 billion of excess direct health care expenditure was due to obesity in the United States</a>.</p><p>To ward off obesity, simple steps like getting 8 hours of sleep every day, regular exercise (even if it is at home), a well-balanced and healthy diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and setting some time to relax and recharge can make the difference.</p>
<h2>5. Neck and Back Pain</h2><p>The final challenge is the neck and back pain from the long hours spent in the home office. Limited movement can stiffen neck and back muscles, causing severe pain and discomfort. If left unchecked, this can result in permanent pain which may transform into numerous visits to doctors and chiropractors for healing. Moreover, this can also be aggravated by make-shift workstations which may not always be appropriate for long-term regular work. A few solutions include standing and working as a part of the work set-up through adjustable stands and tables, investing in a chair that provides good lumbar support and taking frequent breaks to stretch arms, neck and back. A small break, perhaps once an hour, does the trick.</p><p>Given we are in for the long-haul, people need to recognize the DEMON lurking in their homes – and stay away from it.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/household-demons-to-be-mindful-about/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
- Why Video Calls Are so Exhausting, and How to Avoid 'Zoom Fatigue' ›
- Working From Home During the Pandemic Has Environmental ... ›
- Working From Home? Why Detachment Is Crucial for Mental Health ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Lehigh Gorge State Park with River and cyclist on Lehigh Gorge Rail Trail path, Poconos Mountains, near Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. Jumping Rocks / Universal Images Group / Getty Images
By Natalie Marchant
- The Great American Rail-Trail will be almost 6,000km when complete, and will serve 50 million people within 80km of the route.
- Trails have proved invaluable for recreation and transport during lockdown.
- Cycling and safe routes are vital for cities planning their post-pandemic recovery.
Stretching almost 6,000km and crossing 12 states, the Great American Rail-Trail will enable cyclists, hikers and riders to traverse the entire US.
<p>The multi-use trail will run from Washington DC in the east to Washington state on the Pacific coast. Launched in May 2019, the route will eventually connect more than <a href="https://www.railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">145 existing paths. So far more than 3,200km of it has been completed</a>.</p><p>Decades in the making, the project is led by the Rail-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), which has raised <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2020-progress-on-cross-country-great-american-rail-trail-includes-4-million-in-new-funding-and-2-000-miles-completed-301188644.html" target="_blank">more than $4 million in public and private funds</a>. It will serve <a href="https://www.railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/vision/" target="_blank">50 million people within 80km of the trail</a> once finished.</p>
COVID-19 Lockdown Proves Rail Trails Invaluable
<p>Rail trails – paths built on disused railway tracks – and other recreational routes have proved invaluable respites for many during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing alternative commuting routes and space for people to exercise, often near built-up urban areas.</p><p>"This year has proven how vital projects like the Great American Rail-Trail are to the country. Millions of people have found their way outside on trails as a way to cope with the pandemic," said Ryan Chao, president of RTC.</p><p>"As the Great American Rail-Trail connects more towns, cities, states and regions, this infrastructure serves as the backbone of resilient communities, while uniting us around a bold, ambitious and impactful vision."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE3Mzc4NC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MzYyODMyNH0.8jvrW-qlKrYTgiZ1orRe_0kbr_WsWskk3DURX5-MVY8/img.png?width=980" id="d763e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cc17db7e72e05d662013da4a5f3768af" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1194" data-height="726" />
Great American Rail-Trail. Rails-to-trails
Cycling Increasingly Popular During Pandemic
<p>While multi-use trails can be used by anyone from joggers to horse riders, cycling has become particularly popular during lockdown both as a form of exercise and a method of transport. <a href="https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-commuting/boost-for-bikes-as-europeans-gear-up-for-coronavirus-commute-idUKKBN22N1NK" target="_blank">Bike sales soared across the world</a> as people sought to avoid public transport.</p><p>There are the obvious <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-top-5-benefits-of-cycling" target="_blank">health benefits of traveling by bike</a>. Not only does it provide an aerobic workout and trigger the body's feel-good chemicals, endorphins, cycling is also easy on the joints, builds muscle, increases bone density and helps with everyday activities. Cycling is also seen as a way of handling post-pandemic pollution levels.</p><p>Paris is just one place <a href="https://www.weforum.org/videos/paris-is-planning-to-become-a-15-minute-city-897c12513b" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">planning to become a '15-minute city'</a>, where everything you need is within a 15-minute radius by foot or by bike.</p><p>Milan is implementing a similar program, while Buenos Aires has introduced free bike rental schemes. Europe has spent <a href="https://fr.weforum.org/videos/20195-this-is-covid-19-s-positive-effect-on-cycling-across-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1 billion euros on cycling infrastructure</a> since the pandemic began, according to the European Cyclists' Federation.</p>Cycling Routes Across the World
<p>At around 5,955km, the Great American Rail-Trail may be particularly ambitious in terms of scale, but it is one of many innovative cycling projects across the world. The <a href="https://en.eurovelo.com/ev6" target="_blank">4,450km EuroVelo 6 route</a> runs through 10 countries as it crosses Europe between the Atlantic and the Black Sea.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.transpenninetrail.org.uk/?doing_wp_cron=1608492448.9104659557342529296875" target="_blank">346km Transpennine Trail</a> across the north of England, which opened in 2001, uses disused railway tracks left empty after the decline of the coal industry and passes through city centers, heritage sites and national parks on its way between coastlines.</p><p>Last year, the UK launched the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/the-uk-has-opened-a-1-300-km-cycle-trail-linking-england-and-scotland/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1,300km Great North Trail</a> running from the Peak District in the north of England to John O'Groats at Scotland's north-eastern tip.</p><p>In the Belgian province of Limburg, the <a href="https://www.visitlimburg.be/en/cycling-through-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cycling Through Water path</a> enables cyclists to cut through the ponds of Bokrijk. The 200-meter path is at eye-level with the water, allowing riders to glide across the lake.</p><p>Meanwhile the 7.6km Xiamen bicycle skyway is the world's <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/06/these-are-the-5-most-exciting-cycling-projects-in-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">longest elevated cycle path</a> and runs above the Chinese city's road network. It has capacity for about 2,000 cyclists during rush hour, with much of it suspended under an elevated bus lane, providing shelter from the weather.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8a5f1521c3cba807297f04763c18e1ba"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1337884276572551" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/us-rail-trail-cycling-covid-19-recovery/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Ikea is among the companies implementing circular economy initiatives. Visual China Group / Getty Images
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.
<p>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 on items that have outlived their initial use, the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/projects/circular-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">circular economy is creating jobs and generating economic activity, while easing some pressures on the environment</a>.</p><p>It's an approach based on "<a href="https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/what-is-the-circular-economy" target="_blank">designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems</a>," in the words of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The idea is gaining momentum and truly hitting the mainstream as a growing number of household-name brands adopt circular methods and develop products with circularity built in.</p><p>Organizations around the world are creating new platforms to support circular innovation. For instance, the World Economic Forum's <a href="https://www.weforum.org/scale360-circular-innovation/" target="_blank">Scale360° Playbook</a> initiative brings together technologists, researchers, entrepreneurs and governments to develop new products and solutions, maximize resources and rethink value chains. Additionally, emerging circular innovators from around the world can connect and work together in sharing ideas and solutions through <a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/topic/0TO2o000000ACgSGAW/circular-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UpLink</a>, the Forum's open innovation platform.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTExNTM3OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTYwNTE0OX0.ondkej2WeUQbnUL2KSQgEzmvFWUgMPReVLn5LwhZNQM/img.png?width=980" id="fce10" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3096182f74f18552926e797c2021acd8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1686" data-height="1102" />
Regenerate, reuse, recycle. Ellen MacArthur Foundation
<p>Here are four examples of the circular innovation that could be coming to a store near you.</p><h2>Recycling Incentives: Thousand Fell</h2><p>Thousand Fell is already making a name for itself as an environmentally conscious manufacturer with shoes made from sustainable materials such as <a href="https://www.thousandfell.com/" target="_blank">coconut husk and sugar cane, and even recycled plastic bottles</a>,</p><p>Now, in partnership with TerraCycle and UPS, the maker has launched a special recycling incentive. Customers can return old pairs of Thousand Fell shoes back to the manufacturer. Thousand Fell will then recycle the returned footwear and send customers <a href="https://www.thousandfell.com/pages/our-sustainability" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$20 that can be used toward a new pair of shoes.</a></p>
<h2>A Big Brand Selling Goods Second-Hand: IKEA</h2><p>Visitors to the Swedish town of Eskilstuna, about 100km outside of the capital Stockholm, could visit a <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/sweden/eskilstuna/attractions/sigurdsristningen/a/poi-sig/1113677/1314630" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1,000-year-old stone covered with Viking runes and pictures</a>. They could also visit IKEA's first-ever second-hand store.<br><br>The shop will feature gently used IKEA furniture as part of its efforts to reach its 2030 climate targets.</p><p>Head of sustainability at the Scandinavian furniture giant Jonas Carlehed told Reuters earlier this year that: "<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/ikea-opens-pilot-second-hand-store-sweden-circular-economy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">We are making a huge readjustment</a>, maybe the biggest IKEA has ever made, and one of the keys to reaching [the company's 2030 climate targets] is to manage to help our customers prolong the life of their products."</p><p>The company has also recently started a buy-back scheme for customers – it gives vouchers in exchange for the return of unwanted furniture and other items. That scheme has, however, been <a href="https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/customer-service/services/removal-recycling/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">suspended in some locations because of ongoing pandemic-related restrictions</a>.</p>
<h2>Re-usable Fast Food Packaging: Burger King</h2><p>Takeaway food is big business -- but the packaging for those meals poses a sustainability challenge.</p><p>Global takeaway brand <a href="https://de.reuters.com/article/us-rstrnt-brnd-burger-king-packaging-idINKBN2771CE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Burger King has unveiled a solution in the form of reusable packaging intended to reduce the amount of waste it generates</a>. Customers in New York, Tokyo, and Portland, Oregon will soon be able to buy burgers and drinks in reusable packaging.</p><p>The plan, one in place for next year, features a small deposit charged initially and then refunded when the customer returns with the boxes and cups, which are <a href="https://www.weforum.org/our-impact/the-loop-alliance-plans-to-eliminate-plastic-waste-and-save-the-planet-you-can-too" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">taken away for cleaning and processing via the zero-waste e-commerce system Loop</a>.</p>
<h2>Shoes You Don't Own: Adidas</h2><p>Sportswear multinational Adidas has a range of footwear designed with recycling in mind. Its UltraBoost DNA Loop shoes are made from just one material – thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). No glue is used in its manufacture, instead, it is assembled using high temperatures.</p><p>On its website, Adidas describes the UltraBoost Loop as the <a href="https://www.adidas.de/en/ultraboost_dna_loop" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">shoes customers will never own</a>, but will instead return once they are finished with them.</p><p>"If the end can become the beginning, we can help keep products in play and waste out of landfill," the company says.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/12/ikea-burger-king-adidas-embrace-circular-economy/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2649689207#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
- Fashion Industry Report: One Truckload of Clothing Is Wasted Per ... ›
- Electronic Waste: New EU Rules Target Throwaway Culture ... ›
- Toward a Circular Economy: Tackling the Plastics Recycling Problem ›
- Why We Must Ban Plastic Bags and Support a Circular Economy ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Sustainably farmed seaweed could help meet growing demand for plant-based food and environmentally friendly packaging. Malorny / Getty Images
By Karen Scofield Seal
Demand for plant-based food and nutrition is growing. According to recent retail sales data, grocery sales of plant-based foods in place of animal products grew 29% in the U.S. to $5 billion between 2017 and 2019.
<p>Sustainably farmed seaweed could help meet this need, while also providing compostable, marine-safe packaging. UK-based biotech start-up <a href="https://www.oceanium.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Oceanium</a> has developed innovative, "green and clean" biorefinery technology to make both these things possible.</p><p>With grant funding from Innovate UK and seed investment from Sky Ocean Ventures and Katapult Ocean (the latter two being ocean impact VCs), is focusing on scaling up their high-tech, innovative biorefinery and product development to find out more about the start-up's history, development and plans for the future. We spoke to Oceanium's Karen Scofield to find out more about the start-up's history, development and plans for the future.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTA0NjkxMC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMjg1MjEwNX0.u9tislBLkqY0FEdhtx8HlLTlBwv7sOlJCBSw8I3JYgk/img.png?width=980" id="10281" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cd7f42e6df46b7ebaebfcb3531469c3c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1702" data-height="820" />
How Oceanium's technology works. Oceanium
<h2>How Did Oceanium Come About?</h2><p>I met my Co-Founder and our CTO, Dr Charlie Bavington, PhD in May 2018. My background is in partnership and business development, brand-building and marketing. I've worked with (RED), Comic Relief and also run my own successful e-commerce business. After completing a postgraduate certificate at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership, I conducted extensive research on what type of business I could start that would have the most impact and that's when I discovered seaweed. Ever since then, I have been passionate about sharing its environmental and societal benefits.</p><p>Charlie is a brilliant biochemist who has been developing and commercializing marine-based products for the past 20 years. He was the Founder of the successful biotech company, GlycoMar, and has extensive experience developing marine-based products for commercial use. He currently has five patents to his name and is about to file two more for Oceanium bio-packaging. I shared my vision of making packaging from seaweed with Charlie, who confirmed that this was possible but that there was also an opportunity to capitalize on all the food and nutritional ingredients in seaweed too. Charlie and I co-founded Oceanium in June 2018, and have been moving forward swiftly ever since.</p><h2>How Is Oceanium Contributing to the Low-Carbon Economy?</h2><p>Oceanium's impact mission is to enable the emerging sustainable seaweed farming industry by creating demand for farmed seaweed. Sustainable seaweed farming helps to mitigate climate change via carbon and nitrogen absorption. According to the World Bank, seaweed can absorb 47kg of carbon per wet tonne which equates to approximately one tonne of carbon per hectare annually.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTA0NjkwNi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjIwNTQyMH0.yq1pwGfSMACWwAo5yCwAV8Cn72NYdpTJVVR_c71Kwho/img.png?width=980" id="c301c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="704a4376a6633d40a91f33a3709a43e1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1706" data-height="1280" />
Seaweed farming in Oban, Scotland. Oceanium
<p>Of course, some of that carbon will go back into the system. So we are conducting life-cycle analysis on our process and products so we may improve efficiencies but also to measure and report our impact as we grow and go to market. We are liaising with organizations like Seaweed for Europe and the UN Global Compact Seaweed Manifesto to help quantify this carbon absorption and to ensure this exciting new industry grows in a sustainable and managed fashion.</p><p>Seaweed farms protect the seabed from commercial fishing and other harmful practices and create a marine sanctuary for sea life. Seaweed farming also has other immensely positive environmental impacts, as it does not require cleared land, freshwater, insecticide or fertilizer. Our seaweed-based materials can replace resource-intensive food and feedstocks which often contribute to deforestation. In addition, seaweed farms encourage responsible coastal management and create marine protected areas for sealife.</p><h2>What About the Economic and Societal Impact of Your Business?</h2><p>Seaweed as a food source will help ensure food security. It's incredibly nutritious and full of vitamins, minerals and protein-essential micronutrients, particularly antioxidants.</p><p><a href="http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/expert_paper/How_to_Feed_the_World_in_2050.pdf" target="_blank">The world will require 50–70% more food by 2050 and with increasing drought conditions and decreasing soil quality</a>, seaweed provides a sustainable solution to this challenge.</p><p>Seaweed can help close the "protein gap" in the more immediate term: <a href="https://www.europabio.org/sites/default/files/EU_protein_GAP_WCover.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Europe currently imports 70% of its protein</a> but Oceanium plans to process and sell its outputs on a regional basis to reduce transport miles of our products. We aim to contribute towards economic development and job creation in coastal communities by supporting small-scale farmers when purchasing seaweed, promoting best practice farming techniques and helping enable the nascent sustainable seaweed farming industry in the UK, EU and in the developing world.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTA0NjkxMy9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMTA1MDg3M30.gGisGC3ph6IezdCdk9PQ5s4aUjCgtHI-SswmLyTpZXc/img.png?width=980" id="801fd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c058d2806f2795959cce4675f6c1bdf6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1696" data-height="1136" />
A pilot trial of Oceanium's proprietary biorefinery process. Oceanium
<h2>What Has Been the Impact of COVID-19 on Oceanium?</h2><p>Oceanium has continued to move forward despite the pandemic. At a start-up there is always plenty to do and we've been working on developing relationships across the value chain, researching and analyzing new opportunities, and conducting research. Interestingly, our nutraceutical product, Fucoidan, has proven to be an effective <a href="https://www.oceanium.co.uk/post/fucoidan-can-help-fight-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">COVID-19 antiviral</a> in vitro and we are watching this research closely.</p><h2>What's Next on the Horizon?</h2><p>Oceanium continues to progress with research and development for our food ingredients (protein and fiber), nutraceuticals (Fucoidan, Beta glucan) and circular life-cycle bio packaging materials (film and board).</p><p>We have also begun work on two new Innovate UK grants. The first is focused on further development of the bio-packaging materials; the second looks at maximizing efficiencies across all aspects of the production process, from the seaweed farm to final product development.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTA0NjkyNS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMDkwNTQzMX0.W00nTcBP0c9GSB1mAsWnDeb4C1ASC2jQ7MW4G84712Q/img.png?width=980" id="c075c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="92e7b8f7b111fd396f286d0a7730f165" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1698" data-height="1134" />
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/12/the-start-up-that-believes-seaweed-can-change-the-world/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum.</a></em></p>Oceanium research associate Andre Rastica at work. Oceanium
<p>We are scaling our innovative biorefinery process – we processed approximately 8 tonnes of wet seaweed in December and have plans for 45 tonnes in 2021.</p><p>Meanwhile, we are continuing to build relationships with seaweed farmers in the UK, EU and North America. We are also fundraising for further R&D, patent applications and undergoing regulatory processes as we prepare to launch products in 2021. We are well on our way to "Kelp the World"!</p><h2>What Resources or Assistance Do You Need to Achieve Your Ambitions That You Currently Don't Have? Is There Any Assistance That the Uplink Community Could Offer?</h2><p>Definitely. Our nutraceutical products will go to market next year and we are looking for commercial or business development experts in the nutrition and cosmetics space. Importantly, we are also fundraising so always keen to connect with funders and investors!</p>From Your Site Articles
- Seaweed Could Revolutionize How We Power Our Devices ... ›
- Underwater Vertical Seaweed Farm Restores Our Oceans While ... ›
- How Seaweed Can Feed the World - EcoWatch ›
- Vitamin K: A Little-Known But Noteworthy Nutrient - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Trending
Artist's impression of an Othalo community, imagined by architect Julien De Smedt. Othalo
By Victoria Masterson
Using one of the world's problems to solve another is the philosophy behind a Norwegian start-up's mission to develop affordable housing from 100% recycled plastic.
<p>Since 1950, more than nine billion tonnes of plastic have been produced globally, of which only 9% is recycled, according to <a href="https://www.othalo.com/october-5-press-release-norwegian-c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">building tech company Othalo</a>, while almost a billion people live in slums.</p><p>It has partnered with <a href="https://unhabitat.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UN-Habitat</a> – the United Nations program for human settlements and sustainable urban development – to create components to build three demonstration homes to help tackle Africa's housing shortage.</p>
<p>"In sub-Saharan Africa alone, the immediate need for low-cost housing is 160 million units," the company says.</p><p>This is expected to increase to 360 million by 2050 as a result of rapid urbanization. But with today's plastic waste, Othalo believes more than one billion houses can be built.</p><p>In 2021, the first factory producing elements such as partitions for walls, ceilings and floors from recycled plastic will be built in Kenya.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="915a481fc53353483c30c0c161b10097"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uu0inpxmCzw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
Sustainable Homes
<p>UN-Habitat says an <a href="https://unhabitat.org/un-habitat-aims-to-use-plastic-waste-to-support-housing-for-all" target="_blank">estimated 60% of people living in urban areas of Africa are in informal settlements</a>. At the same time, between 1990 and 2017, African countries imported around 230 metric tonnes of plastic, "which mostly ended up in dump sites creating a massive environmental challenge," the agency adds.</p><p>UN-Habitat deputy executive director, Victor Kisob, said the aim of the partnership with Othalo was to "promote adequate, sustainable and affordable housing for all."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0NDc5NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTYzNjYzNH0.2CbfdMTXXQP4Vmie56i-OgiW69VgLHRXL8ky4qI48Ng/img.png?width=980" id="78bba" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d53bddf04ac55d4eda2bc1690954fe4d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1640" data-height="916" />
Artist's impression of an Othalo community, imagined by architect Julien De Smedt. Othalo
<p>Othalo's process involves shredding plastic waste and mixing it with other elements, including non-flammable materials. Components are used to build up to four floors, with a home of 60 square metres using eight tons of recycled plastic. A factory with one production line can produce 2,800 housing units annually.</p><p>Following successful laboratory tests, Othalo's factory in Estonia has started producing components to build three demonstration homes for Kenya's capital, Nairobi; Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon and Dakar, the capital of Senegal.</p><p>Othalo founder Frank Cato Lahti has been developing and testing the technology since 2016 in partnership with <a href="https://www.sintef.no/en/" target="_blank">SINTEF</a>, a 70-year-old independent research organization in Trondheim, Norway, and experts at Norway's <a href="https://en.uit.no/startsida" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">University of Tromsø</a>.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0NDgwNS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjQwNjc4OH0.Gt1tcWTTglKeGrsxBC9C1YxZfBMYbr5gSw7J-JB07ew/img.png?width=980" id="d0165" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ebfc38fb8b318b7709ff1fa213b4efa7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1232" data-height="914" />
Othalo founder Frank Cato Lahti. Othalo
<p>Almost <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects.html" target="_blank">seven out of every 10 people in the world are expected to live in urban areas by 2050</a>. More than 90% of this growth will take place in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.</p><p>"In the absence of effective urban planning, the consequences of this rapid urbanization will be dramatic," UN-Habitat warns.</p><p>Lack of proper housing and growth of slums, inadequate and outdated infrastructure, escalating poverty and unemployment, and pollution and health issues, are just some of the effects.</p><p>Mindsets, policies, and approaches towards urbanization need to change for the growth of cities and urban areas to be turned into opportunities that will leave nobody behind, UN-Habitat says.</p>Pioneers of Change
<p>Reimagining cities and communities for greater resilience and sustainability was a key topic at the<a href="https://www.weforum.org/events/pioneers-of-change-summit-2020" target="_blank"> World Economic Forum's Pioneers of Change Summit 2020</a>.</p><p>The digital event brought together innovators and stakeholders from around the world to explore solutions to the challenges facing enterprises, governments and society.</p><p>Opening the summit, <a href="https://www.weforum.org/events/pioneers-of-change-summit-2020/sessions/opening-plenary-8f731cbc65" target="_blank">Stephan Mergenthaler, the Forum's Head of Strategic Intelligence and a member of the Executive Committee</a>, said: "We need to change the way we produce, the way we live and interact in our cities to make this transition to net-zero emissions a reality…</p><p>"And as this year has illustrated so dramatically, we need to make every effort that we keep populations healthy, if we want to avoid jeopardizing all this progress."</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/11/un-africa-recycled-plastic-housing/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2649069252#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
- What Happens to Recycled Plastic? Researchers Lift the Lid ... ›
- This Eco-Village Is Being Built From More Than 1 Million Recycled ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
The Built Environment and Fashion Industries Are Primed to Lead the Recovery
20 November 2020
Business
A woman is seen shopping in a boutique. Thomas Barwick / Getty Images
By Amol Mehra
Set against rising calls for action to combat growing inequality and the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of the key drivers of industry and economic reform: workers, communities and the environment.
<p>The crisis has laid bare the perils of relying on purely market-based approaches. This should not be a surprise to those who have long railed against the free market, shareholder-centric approach, derived from current neoliberal economic narratives.</p><p>The tide is turning, however, and business leaders are starting to understand that their legitimacy may hinge on how they respond. Those who seize this moment will surely benefit from the swing in momentum towards a more human and environment-centered approach to doing business.</p><p>Take for example the calls to "Build Back Better" from the "We Mean Business Coalition" – a group of over 1000 companies with a market cap of over $24 trillion who are organizing to support climate action and just economy approaches.</p><p>Through setting commitments for companies and building collective power to lobby governments and policy-makers, this group is joining the chorus of human rights, labour and environmental movements which have been ringing the alarm for change for some time. Together, the approach has huge potential to shift the debate – and to lead to meaningful action on the part of policy-makers to commit to tackling the threats posed by the climate crisis.</p><p>These two industries – the built environment and fashion – are sectors that are ripe for transformation and where even subtle shifts have potential for wide-reaching transformation. Here's why:</p>
The Built Environment
<p>The built environment – the physical places and structures that we inhabit – is a huge potential change agent in this regard. Buildings and construction account for massive amounts of energy usage and about 40% of global CO2 emissions, providing a clear pathway to shift current consumption and production pathways.</p><p>The construction sector accounts for around <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Industries/Capital%20Projects%20and%20Infrastructure/Our%20Insights/Reinventing%20construction%20through%20a%20productivity%20revolution/MGI-Reinventing-Construction-In-Brief.pdf" target="_blank">13% of the world's GDP </a>and<a href="https://iloblog.org/2020/05/11/the-construction-sector-can-help-lead-the-economic-recovery-heres-how/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> for 7.2% of the global workforce</a>. Many of the jobs linked to these sector have a negative history of labour rights, especially with respect to <a href="https://laborrights.org/issues/migrant-labor" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">migrant laborers</a>. As <a href="https://iloblog.org/2020/05/11/the-construction-sector-can-help-lead-the-economic-recovery-heres-how/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">experts have noted</a>, the scale of the industry and its relative impacts on labour markets and the environment make it a prime agent of transformation of the broader global economy.</p><p>By prioritizing approaches that focus on decarbonization and the promotion of labor rights protections, we can create economic opportunities that promote healthy, regenerative structures. Efforts are starting to seed in this regard, with <a href="https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2020/1/15/21058051/climate-change-building-materials-mass-timber-cross-laminated-clt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">increased attention</a> being placed to mass timber and other wood products in construction, as well as the use of natural materials in buildings.</p><p>At the same time, leading human rights organizations are looking more closely at promoting <a href="https://www.ihrb.org/focus-areas/built-environment/commentary-linking-climate-human-rights-built-environment-lifecycle" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rights-based approaches</a>.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDc5Njg3OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2ODY2ODIxN30.DdMP_t-06f1kheN1d9k2tV6MHLQA_9MyXP9nNjNP-q8/img.jpg?width=980" id="668e9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a60d36e164c6ca1a4fd961adf50569ef" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="850" data-height="805" />
Not all industries are equal. ourworldindata.org
Fashion
<p>But this isn't the only sector with transformative power. The fashion sector produces <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/fashion-industry-carbon-unsustainable-environment-pollution/" target="_blank">nearly 10% of the world's carbon emissions and is the second largest consumer of the water</a>, all while employing between <a href="https://www.ilo.org/global/industries-and-sectors/textiles-clothing-leather-footwear/lang--ja/index.htm" target="_blank">60 and 70 million</a> workers in garment supply chains.</p><p>While there have been laudable innovations in recent years towards adopting circularity and increasing the use of organic materials, there is still huge potential to promote transformative change in protections for workers.</p><p>Workers in the sector are often left without social protections, exposing them to vulnerability. In recognition of this need, the International Labor Organization, business actors and labor rights leaders have <a href="https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_dialogue/---dialogue/documents/statement/wcms_742371.pdf" target="_blank">committed to take</a> action to protect garment workers' income, health and employment, and to work together to establish sustainable systems of social protection for a more just and resilient garment industry.</p><p>This "Call to Action" launched in April 2020 and now needs steady implementation. The effort should seek to cast a wide tent, bringing in other industry players and leveraging development actors as well.</p><p>What's clear from the examples above is that critical, much needed efforts are starting to emerge and that these efforts need to be encouraged and accelerated. As social movements, consumers, investors, regulators and businesses themselves start to realize the value of transforming practices, the momentum will increase for other sectors to follow suit. This domino effect will spur the economic transformation that is so desperately needed to ensure that the environment, and the people who inhabit it, can live in a healthy, just society.</p><p>There can be no doubt: transformation of our economic system is imperative. The moment is now for businesses, and the industries they are part of, to seize it.</p>
Read More
Show Less
Trending
Soybean crops affected by a drought near Navasota, Texas on August 21, 2013. Bob Nichols / USDA / Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images
By Keith Schneider
In many ways, the story of Texas over the last century is the state's devout allegiance to the principle that mankind has dominion over nature.
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic shut down that idea in 2020. By 11 October, nearly 800,000 people had been infected in Texas and over 16,000 died.</p><p>The sharp and irrepressible rise in virus cases and mortality adds to the intensifying view among Texans that far from living in a place distant from the vagaries of nature, Texas has become a national and global epicenter of natural calamity.</p><p>More people and businesses in Texas are in the way, as booming population and economic growth this century have written a much different story of vulnerability – to nature's bullying and to government's uncertain capacity to adjust. The state's principal <a href="https://texasstatewaterplan.org/statewide" target="_blank">water research agency projects that demand for fresh water</a> will increase dramatically by mid-century as supplies steadily drop, precipitating what looks like an inevitable supply crisis. In short, the second- largest American state and one of the world's largest economies looks a lot like China, India, Australia, South Africa and every other place in the world contending with the confrontation between diminishing water supply and increasing demand.</p><p><span></span>"Texas does not understand shortages," said Dr. Larry McKinney, one of the state's top water researchers and the former director of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, a unit of Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi. "It's the Texas mentality. Texas is so big we've had a hard time coming to grips that resources are finite. We really never had to deal with that. Frankly, we're reaching that point."</p>
Rising Demand Confronts Lower Supplies
<p>There are a couple of ways to examine the coming hardship. The first is in numbers. The <a href="https://www.twdb.texas.gov/waterplanning/data/projections/index.asp" target="_blank">Texas Water Development Board found</a> that by 2070 the state's population will grow to 51 million people, 22 million more than today. The state's annual demand for water, the State Water Board projects, will climb to 21.6 million acre-feet (27 trillion liters), up from 18.4 million.</p><p>At the same time, a severe drought will bring increasing constraint. <a href="https://texasstatewaterplan.org/statewide" target="_blank">State authorities project</a> that in a drought comparable to the most severe on record, water supplies will fall over the next 50 years from 15.2 million acre-feet to 13.6 million acre-feet (17 trillion liters). During the driest periods, more people will have considerably less water.</p><p>Here's how that confrontation is playing out in the Hill Country, a region of rapid population growth and uncertain water supply west of Austin, Texas' capital city.</p><p>Two generations ago, about 40,000 people made their homes in Hays County, an epic, rural, rolling masterpiece of space and sky close to Austin and San Antonio. Authorities in Hays counted 14,000 homes that were supplied with water from the Trinity Aquifer, a giant freshwater reserve that lay below. <a href="https://www.circleofblue.org/2020/world/when-it-rains-texas-forgets-drought-and-worsening-water-scarcity/" target="_blank">In both wet years and dry, water was readily available</a>.</p><p>Four decades later, Hays County has grown to 222,000 residents and 75,000 housing units. The Trinity Aquifer is tapped out. Since 2003, a pipeline from Lake Travis, a reservoir near Austin, has provided developers with sufficient water to continue building big subdivisions.<br></p><p>But <a href="https://gato-docs.its.txstate.edu/jcr:04bd3fbb-54df-4be7-bd27-265778ff134f/Mitchell2014%20-%20updated.pdf" target="_blank">a study</a> by the Hill Country Alliance and the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University in San Marcos found that the piped water encouraged more drilling fo water wells into the aquifer. In one area, they found that pumping jumped from just over 3 million gallons annually to 90 million gallons (409 million liters).</p><p>The idea of the sanctity of economic expansion produces all manner of conflict and turmoil about water throughout Texas. The annual <a href="https://www.forbes.com/places/tx/" target="_blank">$1.89 trillion Texas economy,</a> the second-largest state economy and <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true" target="_blank">ninth-largest in the world</a>, is entirely dependent on access to adequate supplies of water.</p><p>The 2011 drought <a href="https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2012/03/21/updated-2011-texas-agricultural-drought-losses-total-7-62-billion/#:~:text=Updated%202011%20Texas%20agricultural%20drought%20losses%20total%20%247.62%20billion,-March%2021%2C%202012&text=COLLEGE%20STATION%20%E2%80%93%20Texas%20agricultural%20losses,Texas%20AgriLife%20Extension%20Service%20economists." target="_blank">caused more than $7 billion in agricultural losses</a>, and indirect costs of $16.9 billion. From 1980 to 2018, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Texas also led all states, by far, in losses from severe storms and flooding. In 2017 alone, Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 storm that stalled near Houston, caused <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2018/01/08/hurricane-harvey-was-years-costliest-us-disaster-125-billion-damages/" target="_blank">$125 billion in damages</a>.</p>
<p>"Water is the economy in Texas," said McKinney. "It drives everything, particularly as you get less of it."</p><p>Sound familiar? It should. Struggles over water occurring across Texas are essentially the same as those unfolding in places where growth is highest and water resources are under the most stress. In the United States that means California, the Southwest and the Rocky Mountain West.</p><p>The same two trends are unfolding around the planet, most notably in China and India. In 2011, China discovered that its program of energy development, grain production, and construction of new cities was using so much water that <a href="http://en.pkulaw.cn/display.aspx?cgid=3256f00ff8d269babdfb&lib=law" target="_blank">by 2020 it would be 20 to 25 trillion liters</a> in deficit, a shortage so dire it could wreck China's booming economy.</p><p>A command-and-control society, China aggressively set out to shrink the deficit by quickly acting on three big initiatives. It moved much of its grain production from the dry Yellow River Basin to the wet northeast provinces. It closed water-thirsty coal mines, coal-washing stations, and water-cooled coal-fired power stations. And it<a href="https://www.circleofblue.org/2011/world/choke-point-chinaconfronting-water-scarcity-and-energy-demand-in-the-worlds-largest-country/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> built the largest water-conserving solar and wind electrical generating industry on Earth</a>.</p>
<p>India is having less success. Groundwater levels are steadily declining in the northwest states that produce much of country's rice, wheat, and sugarcane. But the state and national governments encourage the trend. In a nation that has known pervasive hunger, food production is a paramount cultural objective. Keeping the 700 million Indians who are involved in agriculture happy is another prime objective. That's why farmers pay nothing for water. They can use what they like. And they <a href="https://www.circleofblue.org/2013/world/choke-point-india-the-leopard-in-the-well/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pay nothing for electricity to run ever-more powerful pumps needed to pull water to the surface that lies ever-deeper below ground</a>.</p><p>Texas is Texas. Texas is big, rich, growing, impulsive and impressive. The significant question Texas hasn't answered is where it will find enough water by 2070 – 10 trillion liters, according to the Texas Water Development Board, or about half the Chinese water deficit – to keep over 50 million people safe, satisfied and thriving during deepening droughts.</p><p>There are two ways to look at the challenge. The most optimistic view is so Texas. The Water Board, with its process of reviewing and revising the State Water Plan every five years, lays out steps that are meant to give Texas guidance and time to figure it out. The more realistic and accurate assessment is that as Texas pursues its steep growth vector, the hardships of serious droughts will grow worse.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/texas-water-supplies-running-dry/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
- Drought-Stricken Texas Fracks Its Way to Water Shortages - EcoWatch ›
- A Twenty-First Century Water War Erupts in Texas - EcoWatch ›
- Brain-Eating Amoeba Found in Texas City's Water Spurs Disaster ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
People take a group selfie on top of Parliament Hill in north London, Britain, on Oct. 25, 2020. There have been "dramatic improvements in London's air quality" since 2016, Mayor Sadiq Khan announced. Xinhua / Han Yan via Getty Images
By Sean Fleming
Londoners worrying about air quality can now breathe a little easier, thanks to news from the city's mayor.
<p>There have been "dramatic improvements in London's air quality across the capital since 2016," the office of London Mayor Sadiq Khan says. Those improvements include a 94% reduction in the number of people living in areas that exceed the legal limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels. There has also been a marked improvement in the air quality surrounding schools, the <a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/air_quality_in_london_2016-2020_october2020final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Air Quality in London 2016-2020 report</a> says.</p>
<h3>The ULEZ Example</h3><p>While some of the more recent improvements in air quality might be <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat09/2007010844_Estimation_of_Changes_in_Air_Pollution_During_COVID-19_outbreak_in_the_UK.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">due to reduced emissions levels during the pandemic</a>, the report states there had already been a 35% fall in central London's NO2 levels between 2017 and the pre-lockdown part of early 2020. Much of the achievement has been attributed to the city's ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ), which came into force in April 2019.</p><p>The London ULEZ was the first of its kind and has some of the world's toughest standards. Older vehicles and those with <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">high emissions are subject to a daily charge of around $16</a>. That's in addition to a charge of around $20 to <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">drive in central London's Congestion Charge zone</a>.</p><p>The ULEZ is being gradually widened to cover a greater area of London in late 2021. Similar schemes are now <a href="https://urbanaccessregulations.eu/countries-mainmenu-147" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">commonplace across much of Europe</a>.</p><p>It isn't all good news for London, though. Many thousands of its residents are affected by <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/air-pollution">air pollution</a> levels that exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The problem particularly impacts inner-city parts of London, and the mayor's office warns that "deprived Londoners and [those] from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities" are likely to be "exposed to the worst air pollution."</p>
<h3>Not the Worst – or the Best</h3><p>When compared with the rest of Europe, London's air quality is among neither the worst nor the best. According to a study conducted by Greenmatch, the <a href="https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2018/11/mapped-europes-most-and-least-polluted-countries#Most" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">three most polluting countries</a> are Turkey, Poland and Latvia. The three with the cleanest air are Sweden, Finland and France.</p><p>Across Europe, <a href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/media/newsreleases/many-europeans-still-exposed-to-air-pollution-2015/premature-deaths-attributable-to-air-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than 500,000 early deaths per year have been blamed on poor air quality</a>. The European Environment Agency looked at data from 40 countries across the continent and calculated the effects on mortality of ozone, PM2.5 fine particulate matter and NO2.</p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2018/11/mapped-europes-most-and-least-polluted-countries#Most" target="_blank">the UK's fuel-derived CO2 emissions are slightly better than the European average</a>, according to an analysis of data from WHO, International Energy Agency and Data Worldbank, carried out by the energy service Greenmatch.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5MDgyMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNzQ3ODE2OH0.hw-1XpgE0rdJYghtwn9K28BJXsCYeqwX0rmyxYwpqRw/img.png?width=980" id="60b40" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ca3fe53108d9219031edde7172b447cc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1540" data-height="966" />
<p>In France last year, a court ruled that the state had taken "<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48762911" target="_blank">insufficient measures concerning the quality of air" in Paris between 2012 and 2016</a>, the BBC reports. The case in question was brought by a woman and her daughter who claimed polluted Parisian air had harmed their health.</p><p>Worldwide, as many as <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/29-10-2018-more-than-90-of-the-world%e2%80%99s-children-breathe-toxic-air-every-day" target="_blank">600,000 children are thought to have died in a single year because of poor air quality</a>. "Polluted air is poisoning millions of children and ruining their lives. This is inexcusable. Every child should be able to breathe clean air so they can grow and fulfill their full potential," Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, wrote in a report in 2018. Analyzing data from 2016, the report also concluded that around 93% of children younger than 15 routinely breathe "air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/london-europe-emissions-limits-air-pollution/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
- 'Car-Free Zones' Launching in London - EcoWatch ›
- Protesting Against Air Pollution Crisis, Extinction Rebellion Stalls ... ›
- Corporations Don't Have to Pay Pollution Fines During COVID-19 ... ›
- Does Air Pollution Increase Depression and Suicide? - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is seen in a video conversation in Stockholm, Sweden on April 22, 2020. Jessica Gow / TT News Agency / AFP / Getty Images
By Priyanka Jaisinghani
COVID-19, "stay-at-home" orders and enforced physical distancing has made us more dependent on digital when it comes to connection and communication at both a local and global level.
<p>In the early months of the pandemic, marginalized communities were disproportionately affected and the realities of a widening inequality gap were apparent. What was once thought to be an equalizer had become the opposite.</p><p>Where COVID-19 has removed the option for young people to take to the streets to voice their concerns about these surfacing inequalities, staying at home (and off the streets) hasn't translated to staying silent.</p><p>Recently, we've witnessed how young people are rallying around issues such as climate change, racial injustice and voting rights, using digital as their platform and driving civic engagement.</p>
Civic Engagement Redefined
<p>Long-lasting impact requires changes from the bottom up. Civic engagement means working to make a difference in our communities to promote quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes.</p><p>We're seeing how, across multiple issues, young people are becoming active participants in driving dialogues with policy-makers, on a state and federal level. In addition, they are empowering the citizens of the communities in which they reside, taking an active role in shaping the future we hold.</p>1. Racial Justice
<p>Across the U.S., we saw the rise of the racial justice movement through Black Lives Matter. Hundreds of protestors came to the streets, from New York to Nevada, acknowledging, supporting and condemning the long-existing inequalities faced by the black community. We saw this movement propel beyond the streets, throughout social media, and to the polling stations.</p><p>Young activists were demanding not only awareness but also change. In this digital space, young people started sharing resources and information for others to educate themselves about the pressing need for racial justice. They were able to mobilize support to inform, educate and shape citizen action. They shared links to petitions, offered advice for safe protesting practices, created templates for emailing authorities, listed bail funds and black-owned restaurants and businesses in need of support. They used social media to support the various needs of this movement – and continue to do so.</p>2. Climate Change
<p>The youth-led climate change has become dominant online. Every Friday, young people lead a digital #ClimateStrike to raise awareness of important legislative initiatives and create tangible ways for individuals to get involved in the fight against climate change.</p><p>As a leading example, to commemorate this year's Earth Day, youth held a 72-hour, live-streamed "digital march" with protests, speeches, and more. This "digital march" was attended by more than 200,000 viewers. Young people are pivoting their strategies and applying them to a digital space. We know when the streets are safe again, they will continue their activism by marching to raise awareness both on the streets and digitally.</p>3. Voting Rights
<p>Voting is another pertinent issue coming to the fore. In <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/315761/lack-voting-information-hamper-youth-turnout.aspx" target="_blank">a Gallup poll</a>, four out of five (79%) young people say "the coronavirus pandemic has helped them realize how much political leaders' decisions impact their lives"; three in five say "they are part of a movement that will vote to express its views."</p><p>As a result of these changing attitudes, young people are having conversations with their families and finding ways to get politically active. They're donating funds to campaigns, volunteering their time to raise awareness around voting and creating social campaigns to try to influence other people to vote and register to vote.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUxMTg0Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMzg2OTcxNn0.AkqUpUNFBQm9qJhYK1ET2Nx_74OlOKaa0XdF-cRCuEY/img.jpg?width=980" id="0edf5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f6e1d0f9874383be19f0bba0625aa61e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="1200" />
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/3-ways-covid-19-has-changed-youth-activism/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>How social media is used in the U.S. for political issues. Statista
<p>It's inspiring to see young people around the world deeply engaged in the digital space and continuing their activism. They have played a critical role in calling for change and transformation in society. From climate to health to politics, young people are the most affected. The only way to make progress is to build back better. They're building upon existing issues and movements, creating new alliances and driving conversations and action. This generation is also building upon the same values and ideas of those before them to change the status quo and find ways to enact change for a better future.</p>From Your Site Articles
- Portuguese Youth Activists Sue 33 Countries Over Climate Crisis ... ›
- 4 Ways to Be a Real Youth Activist - EcoWatch ›
- The Power of Inclusive, Intergenerational Climate Activism - EcoWatch ›
- Young Climate Leaders Conclude Mock COP26 With Calls for Green Recovery, Recognition of Ecocide - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less