Earth Day 50th Anniversary

Bee hive with YouTube logo red play button at center.

April 22nd, 2020 marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day! Founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement – a movement spawned to give voice to emerging public consciousness and concern about the state of our planet.

We love our Earth. And we know you do, too! From the mountains, to the oceans, to the jungles, to the forests, to the plains, our planet is truly amazing.

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Shrimp wrapped instead of shrink wrapped?

Woman holding a prawn

When you think about prawn laksa, you probably don’t automatically start picturing the discarded prawn shell wrapped around another food item. But some scientists (and a teen from Australia) have been thinking just that!

Plastic is the environmental problem that just keeps on giving. But it can’t be disputed that it’s an incredibly handy material. So finding plastic alternatives which do the same useful tasks but don’t pollute our waterways (or bellies, after it’s been ingested by fish first), is high on the lists of people trying to help save the planet.

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One Year Anniversary (and all the bloopers!)

Bee hive with YouTube logo red play button at center.

One year ago, we launched our swrm YouTube channel. Since then, we’ve worked hard to bring you accurate and up to date buzz on climate change, renewable energy, and sustainability. And we promise to bring you so much more! Thanks for joining us on this amazing journey to a more sustainable way of life. We look forward to another year and always remember that transitioning to a sustainable lifestyle is habit changing and will take time. Reach out for support if you need to — the Hive has your back!

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The seas are rising, but we’re running out of water

Extremely dry, parched ground

The trend of freshwater use worldwide over the last 100 years resembles that of exponential growth. It is a trend that is troubling because water is a finite resource that will only become scarcer as more of it is used. Such a contrast is the reason that awareness about water scarcity has become impossible to avoid. Environmental factors such as drought and saltwater intrusion are generally thought of first in regard to water scarcity, but the infrastructure and institutions tasked with delivering water to people can also cause water scarcity. Furthermore, climate change will only cause added stress to water resources, as more frequent and longer lasting droughts can be expected with rising global temperatures.

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Composting with William Klimpert of Common Ground Compost

Bee hive with YouTube logo red play button at center.

We have food waste on the brain. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted globally each year – one third of all food produced for human consumption. So, today, we’re talking with William Klimpert from Common Ground Compost about how to turn our waste not back into want not.

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Sustainably Crafty – In Isolation

Reels of cotton in heart shaped tin

Now that most of us are spending our days quarantined indoors is the perfect moment to tackle some simple DIY projects. For these environmentally friendly and zero-waste crafts, you will only need the items that you already have at home.

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Geothermal Energy

Bee hive with YouTube logo red play button at center.

Today, we’re talking about heat. The Earth is hot. And no, we’re not referring to Global Warming — at least, not this time. The Earth is hot on the inside. How hot could it actually be, you ask? The inner core of the Earth is almost 11 thousand degrees fahrenheit, which is as hot as the surface of the sun!

This heat provides Geothermal Energy: a constant supply of completely clean, sustainable energy!

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Top 10 Watch List – Quaranstream

Woman holding a remote control watching tv with a bowl of popcorn

By now we’re getting used to being alone. And by alone I mean you might be completely solo in your home, or you might be within your family or housemate unit. But either way, it certainly means no physical IRL contact with the outside world. So we’re relying heavily on social media, YouTube, exploring new indoor hobbies or reading. We’re going to throw some viewing suggestions at your this week. Read on for our Top 10 – related of course to climate change and our spectacular environment.

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Hydroelectric Power

Bee hive with YouTube logo red play button at center.

In previous videos, we’ve talked about the sun, the wind, and even fossil fuels as renewable sources of energy. Today, we’re talking about the power of water.

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Top 10 reading list – Isolation eat your heart out!

Shelves in a library loaded with colorful books

In these strange times of new and necessary restrictions on getting out and about, we perhaps have to get a little more comfortable with our own company. It’s a time we can learn new things, re-connect with board or card games, and of course pick up that book, be it electronic or paper, that we’ve simply not had time to get into.
So here’s our Top 10 suggestions for books to read to get a little more acquainted with environmental issues (which will unfortunately still be waiting for us when we all step back outside).

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