Ecology
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Your Next Pair of Sneakers Could Be Made from Coffee
Coffee is a big deal. While just a handful of countries dominate production, it’s consumed in vast amounts almost everywhere on the planet: around 2 billion cups are drunk every day. All that coffee produces a lot of waste. Coffee…
Supermarkets in Asia Are Now Using Banana Leaves Instead of Plastic Packaging
Supermarkets in Vietnam have adopted an initiative from Thailand that makes use of banana leaves instead of plastic as a packaging alternative. Supermarket in Chiangmai, Thailand earned praise on Facebook for coming up with the eco-friendly packaging after a local…
Breaching a “Carbon Threshold” Could Lead to Mass Extinction
Carbon dioxide emissions may trigger a reflex in the carbon cycle, with devastating consequences, study finds. In the brain, when neurons fire off electrical signals to their neighbors, this happens through an “all-or-none” response. The signal only happens once conditions…
Massive Reforestation Is Key to Averting a Climate Catastrophe
Restoring the world’s forests on an unprecedented scale is “the best climate change solution available”, according to a new study. The researchers claim that covering 900m hectares of land – roughly the size of the continental US – with trees…
A 550 km-Long Mass of Rotting Seaweed Is Heading for Mexico’s Pristine Beaches
Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is home to clear blue seas, golden sands and a glorious backdrop that includes ancient Mayan ruins. Millions flock to its resorts every year and tourism is vital to the area’s economy. But now much of the…
Small Loads from Internet-Connected Devices All Add Up
Our always-on devices turn out to consume a lot of power. Do I really need to connect my garage door to the Internet? A few years ago I called Sanctuary Magazine “the best green shelter magazine available anywhere” (it…
US Top of the Garbage Pile in Global Waste Crisis
The world produces over two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste every year, enough to fill over 800,000 Olympic sized swimming pools. Per head of population the worst offenders are the US, as Americans produce three times the global average…