By Elias Marat As 2020 draws to a close, one of the most recognizable symbols of the year may be the protective face mask. As the novel coronavirus swept across the globe earlier this year, billions of people began wearing the face coverings, with one…
We live in a world invaded by plastic. Its role as a chemically stable, versatile and multi-purpose fostered its massive use, which has finally translated into our current situation of planetary pollution. Moreover, when plastic degrades it breaks into smaller micro and nanoparticles, becoming present…
“If you eat mussels, you eat microplastics.” This was already known to a limited extent about mussels from individual ocean regions. A new study by the University of Bayreuth, led by Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch, reveals that this claim holds true globally. The Bayreuth team…
By Mayukh Saha Ocean Fresh is the brainchild of Bernardo Pedroso. This sustainability startup was founded in 2019, and its target is to reduce the plastic pollution in our oceans. The journey started with sustainable flip flops, and sustainable sneakers are the latest endeavor. How…
By Zico Cozier The FSO Nabarima, a huge oil tanker containing approximately 1.3 million barrels of crude oil, has taken on water and is leaning to one side off a remote stretch of Venezuela’s coast in the Gulf of Paria. As authorities in Trinidad and…
By John Vibes For years, a constant wave of tourists has been destroying some of the most popular natural spaces in the world. Most tourist hot spots have started to put up signs instructing visitors on best practices, but the Khao Yai National Park near…
New research led by The University of Queensland has provided the first comprehensive analysis of pesticide mixtures in creeks and rivers discharging to the Great Barrier Reef. UQ’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences researcher Associate Professor Michael Warne conducted the study with the Queensland…
A record 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of electronic waste was generated worldwide in 2019, up 21 per cent in just five years, according to the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor 2020. The new report also predicts global e-waste — discarded products with a battery or…
By Anthony McLennan The Ocean Voyages Institute returned to Honolulu last week after spending 48-days out at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where they collected a mind-blowing 103 tons of marine debris. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch comprises of two enormous masses of ever-increasing piles…
By Patricia Burke In recognition of World Environment Day, the gulf nation of Bahrain held an event at the French embassy, noting: “The rate of electronic waste generation has exploded by as much as five times due to an increased use of electronic devices during…
By John Vibes According to a new study published in the journal Science, researchers recently discovered 1.9 million pieces of microplastic in an area of about 11 square feet. The sample was taken in the Mediterranean Sea, and researchers say that its the highest concentration…
Elevated blood levels of toxic chemicals found in pesticides, nonstick cookware, and fire retardants have been tied to an increased risk for celiac disease in young people, new research shows. According to NYU Grossman School of Medicine researchers who led the study, people with the…
By Mayukh Saha Plastic pollution has been haunting the planet for a long time. We may have realized the devil that plastic is quite recently, but we are also trying to bring the use of plastic to a halt. In Australia, a teenager has taken…
By Anthony McLennan It’s one of the biggest challenges facing humanity: how to stop the tide of plastic pollution that is suffocating our planet. Now, a French company called Carbios has developed a mutant enzyme formula which can break down plastic into a pristine recyclable…
By Steven Murawski, University of South Florida and Sherryl Gilbert, University of South Florida Over the decade since the Deepwater Horizon spill, thousands of scientists have analyzed its impact on the Gulf of Mexico. The spill affected many different parts of the Gulf, from coastal…
By John Vibes The environmental non-profit Earth Island Institute has filed a lawsuit against the companies who are responsible for a very large portion of the world’s plastic waste. These companies are Coca Cola, Pepsi, Nestle, Clorox, Crystal Geyser, Mars, Danone, Mondelez International, Colgate-Palmolive, and…
By Jade Small Although we all experience life-changing events, for some it becomes the catalyst for real change not only on a personal level but on a scale where we attempt to improve the planet for everyone. At the tender age of 16, Boyan Slat…
By Emma Fiala According to officials, around 212 million gallons of sewage has spilled into Fort Lauderdale’s waterways over the last few months. That’s enough sewage to fill a shocking 320 Olympic-sized swimming pools. During December 2019, the south Florida city’s sewer pipes broke six…
A growing health crisis fueled by synthetic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in groundwater has garnered much attention in the last few years. The reported levels could be “just the tip of the iceberg,” as most of the chemicals are still…
Children with higher concentrations of a certain chemical in their blood are more likely to get cavities, according to a new study by West Virginia University School of Dentistry researchers. Manufactured chemical g roups called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances are universal as a result of…
