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There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about windmills — from causing cancer to decimating bird populations to producing air-polluting fumes. Today, Lexi chases down a few of those windmill rumors to see which ones are nothing but hot air.
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The construction industry in the United States has seen a steady increase over the last 10 years. By 2023 it is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 4.9% and be responsible for $1.8 billion in transactions. As such a major force in the global market the industry is starting to garner more attention for environmental improvements. Right now construction and buildings account for 39% of all CO2 emissions annually. Builders for Climate Action, a respected organization pushing to make sustainable changes in the construction industry, suggests practices which can be built into a building’s design stage to not only reduce, but absorb, carbon emissions.
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You may have heard your wedding day described as the most important day of your life. Regardless of whether that’s actually true, what better way to start off a life with the one you love than by doing it in a way that also shows your love for the Earth?
Read moreHere’s Part 2 of our Sustainable Shopping Guide! We’re going to help get you on the sustainable living path in a way that’s also sustainable for your wallet. Previously, we talked about some sustainable swaps for personal care items. Today Lexi’s gonna run down some sustainable swaps for your home.
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Population control is an increasingly common debate I’m seeing pop up on forums, FaceBook groups and the like. Some particularly hard line folks contest that anyone who is truly an ‘environmentalist’ or ‘fighting climate change’ or ‘leading a sustainable life’ is simply not going to procreate. But I have two delightful, tenacious, challenging little girls. And as an ‘environmentalist’ and co-founder of a company aimed at helping direct people along a path toward sustainability, I will not concede that having children puts me at odds with those things. In fact, the idea that climate change is bringing a far less comfortable world to live in for all the children of the world, is 100% motivating. And this is 100% necessary to grab hold of, instead of guilt at bringing children into this world. So, the idea of this piece is to look at taking a practical approach for maintaining a sustainable lifestyle for those of us who already have (or who will have) children.
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Though large-scale efforts to combat climate change are underway worldwide, the effects of a changing climate are also underway. Such a predicament requires simultaneous planning for the future and the present. Given the severity of recent natural disasters, a strong case can be made to prioritize planning for the present. While we won’t concede that all is lost, we should probably plan to live in a slightly changed world.
Read moreWhat do we humans consume globally to the tune of 7.2 million metric tons and almost 90 billion dollars every year? What delicious food’s history dates all the way back to 450 BC and the Aztec Empire? What food had so many new types launched in 2008 that an average of one new product was brought to market every hour?
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As is perhaps obvious by the title, wetlands are where water covers land – specifically, soil. The water may be salt or fresh, or anywhere in between. And examples of wetlands are marshes, peatlands, deltas, rivers, lakes, (freshwater) and mangroves, estuaries, seagrass beds, coral reefs and lagoons (saltwater). They are picturesque, fragile, valuable – and in grave danger. Let’s explore some interesting facts about these essential ecosystems, and see what’s being done to save them.
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Although the global community has made significant efforts in engaging women and girls in science in the past decade, they are still excluded from fully taking part in scientific research. According to the latest data from UNESCO, less than 30 percent of researchers worldwide are women. As the United Nations marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February, let’s have a look at some remarkable women from around the world, leading the way in climate science today.
Read moreToday, we’re talking with Kirsten Midura, Head of Operations at Sea Hive, an organization dedicated to fighting plastic waste before it enters our oceans. Sea Hive works with companies to help them choose plastic-free packaging for their products, and also offers information and educational materials on the plastic pollution problem facing the world today.
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