wildlife

Can remembering lost species inspire conservationists of the future?

Acknowledging their loss is painful, but could celebrating animals that have vanished encourage us to protect wildlife in the modern world? Marketeer Matt Lindley explains how an extinct New Zealand bird sparked a new conversation on conservation
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How can we learn from nature in the 21st century?

We have lost many traditional ways of learning from nature. But what if we could reinstate them in ways fit for modern life? Nature guide Andres Roberts says everybody – from children to business leaders and politicians – can benefit from the ‘university of the wild’
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France to Become First Country to Ban Disposable Plastic Cups and Plates

In an effort to help curb some of the strains that disposable plastic puts on landfills, France is set to become the first country to ban all disposable cutlery products. By 2020, any disposable cutlery items will be required to be made from 50% biologically-sourced materials. By 2025, the cutlery will have to be made of 60% biologically sourced materials that can be composted at home. [1]

Obama Just Expanded an Already Massive Ocean Reserve in Hawaii

On August 26, President Obama created the largest ecologically protected area on earth by expanding a national marine monument in Hawaii, his home state, to encompass more than half a million square miles. It’s called the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. [1]
The area of remote Pacific waters known for both extraordinary marine life and importance to native cultures is twice the size of Texas. [2]

This Student in Iceland Just Did Something Extraordinary…

Americans reportedly dump some 35 billion plastic bottles every year. Most of the rest of the world doesn’t fare much better. At least half of the plastic manufactured is designed to be used only once and then thrown away. The plastic takes centuries to decompose, resulting ultimately in landfills and beaches being inundated with these single-use […]

Huge Discovery: Bacterium that “Eats” Plastic Waste

The world’s oceans are filled with plastic. More than 5 million pieces of it are floating around, being eaten by fish and passed up the food chain. Every year, more than 100,000 marine animals and seabirds are killed by plastic waste.
Illustration: P. Huey. Sourced from U.T. Bornscheuer, Science 351:1154 (2016).
Of the 342 million tons of plastic produced each year, a tiny fraction of it – about 14% – is recyclable.