News from the Earth

National Wildlife Day – September 4, 2020
As Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “In wildness is the preservation of the world.” Those of us fortunate enough to live close to the "wildness" that Thoreau wrote about with such startling clarity should use National Wildlife Day as a motivator to get out and about — and to explore the great outdoors. Take a hike! Without the hard work of conservation groups, much of what we love about wildlife and natural habitats would likely be lost forever. Donate to conservation groups! Many communities have organizations dedicated to picking up... Read more...
75% of the wildfires are attributable to human action
From savannah to tundra, no ecosystem is immune to fire. Analysis of the data collected between 2000 and 2015 shows that 85% of the surface area burned each year belongs to the tropical savannah, which also represents only 19% of the land that emerged. Forest fires have much smaller geographical dimensions ("just" 10% of the total) but much more serious consequences for the climate, because they account for a quarter of the CO2 released into the atmosphere. Taken as a whole, the amount of CO2 due to fires is equivalent... Read more...
Microplastic diet for newly hatched sea turtles
Ocean plastic pollution originates mostly from land-based sources, such as landfills and manufacturing plants. One recent study estimates that winds carry 200,000 tons of tiny plastic particles from degraded tires alone into the oceans every year. Plastics are extremely durable, even in salt water. Materials that were made in the 1950s, when plastic mass production began, are still persisting and accumulating in the oceans. Eventually these objects disintegrate into smaller fragments, but they may not break down into their chemical components for centuries. Overall, some 11 million tons of plastic enter the... Read more...
Pope Francis' message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
"Everything possible must be done to limit global average temperature growth below the 1.5°C threshold, as stated in the Paris Climate Agreement: going further will prove catastrophic, especially for the poorest communities around the world. Thus the Pope in his message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. "At this critical moment - he adds - it is necessary to promote intra-generational and inter-generational solidarity. In preparation for the important Climate Summit in Glasgow, UK (COP 26), I invite each country to adopt more ambitious national... Read more...
Much plastic waste comes from the clothes we wear and is dispersed during washing in the washing machine.
Much plastic waste comes from the clothes we wear and is dispersed during washing in the washing machine, poisoning rivers and oceans and ending up in the food chain. The synthetic fibers in which jackets, t-shirts and other garments are made are among the major polluters of our seas. Synthetic fleece jackets release 1.7 grams of micro fibers at each wash. Old garments also release almost twice as much fiber as new ones. After being released into the water during machine washing, microfibers "travel" to local sewage treatment plants and up to... Read more...
Wildfires are raging all over the world
Every year, uncontrollable fires rage across the planet. Fire seasons are getting longer and fires are becoming more intense. From bushfires to rainforests, the carbon gasses from these fires feed the climate crisis and make it worse. From Australia to Russia to the United States, disastrous mega-fires cause immeasurable damage. More and more are a direct result of human activity from burning fossil fuels and farming expansion. In Brazil and Indonesia, precious rainforests are cut down and burned to make room for cattle, soy and palm oil farms for giant corporations. Smoke... Read more...
Reusables are safe to use even in pandemic
While the world is rightly preoccupied with tackling COVID-19, oil companies are pushing to produce more single-use plastic than ever before. So what do we need to know about plastic in the age of COVID-19? During these stressful times, we must listen to science, not industry lobbyists. The oil and plastics industry wants you to think that you and your family are safer when your food, drinks and other products are wrapped in plastic. But over 125 scientists, academics, and doctors from 18 countries signed a statement reassuring retailers and... Read more...
Good news: Mozambique is the 35th African country to join the plastic-free movement!
Africa is moving forward, nothing can stop it from becoming a plastic-free continent! The Mozambican government just announced that it will ban plastic bags in an effort to reduce harmful practices to public health, infrastructures and the environment. The country will give the private sector one year to prepare before the law is fully implemented.  Despite the plastic industry and corporations lobbying for an expansion of their polluting plastic, Africa continues to make great strides to reduce plastic pollution.  Mozambique follows in the footsteps of 34 other countries in Africa that have either... Read more...
Overshoot Day 22 August 2020
The Overshoot Day is the day that indicates the official exhaustion of renewable resources that the Earth is able to regenerate within 365 days.  The Overshoot day 2020 corresponds to August 22, three weeks later than 2019, when it fell on July 29. Read more...
16 facts about bees and beeswax
Today is National Honey Bees Day, let's celebrate and learn why bees are so important. Bees today are an endangered species. You can help our planet by choosing beeswax food wrap. It is long-lasting, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, reusable and compostable. Beeswax products are made of organic cotton infused with natural beeswax, they last for at least a year and when they do finally wear out, you can turn them into rags, then finally compost them. Keep reading to learn more 👇 Why are bees so important? There are nearly 20,000 known bee species in the world A colony of... Read more...
The Biodiversity Plan approved by the European Commission provides for 25% of agricultural land to be farmed organically.
The European Commission has presented the Biodiversity Plan, a document that is part of the Green New Deal, the European Green Pact that aims to make Europe the first CO2-neutral continent by 2050. The new strategy proposes ambitious actions and commitments to halt the loss of biodiversity in Europe and the world and turn our food systems into global reference standards. Read more...
In Canada, the Milne ice shelf, an intact ice shelf for four thousand years, has collapsed due to temperatures 5 degrees C higher than average.
In Canada, the Milne ice shelf, an intact ice shelf for four thousand years, has collapsed due to temperatures 5 degrees C higher than average. Read more...