Back To All Subscriptions
Welcome to our new monthly roundup of sustainability news that we've come across in the past few weeks.
Here’s the top five in no particular order…
Coral: Palau to ban sunscreen products to protect reefs via BBC News
"It has been estimated that between 6-14,000 tonnes of sunscreen wash off people and go into reef areas every year. Researchers say that several thousand sun protection products contain the two most threatening chemicals."
25 places that have committed to going zero-waste via National Geographic
"Individuals, businesses, and communities are declaring zero-waste commitments, providing education, and implementing policies in order to reach waste reduction and diversion goals. While individual strategies vary, the zero-waste approach is proving that in the case of waste, less is indeed more—more healthy, safe, and sustainable—for people and planet."
There's probably microplastic in your poop via Fast Company
"Microplastic is widespread in food. One study found plastic fibers in the majority of tap water. A report commissioned by the nonprofit journalism organization Orb Media found it in 90% of bottled water. One sample, a bottle of Nestle Pure Life, had 10,000 plastic pieces per liter (Nestle criticized the methodology). In the ocean, tiny pieces of plastic flow through the food chain in tuna, lobster, shrimp, and other animals. As pieces of plastic accidentally land in city compost bins, they may end up being spread on farm fields."
5 Major Crops in the Crosshairs of Climate Change via NPR
"Climate change is coming like a freight train, or a rising tide. And our food, so dependent on rain and suitable temperatures, sits right in its path.
The plants that nourish us won't disappear entirely. But they may have to move to higher and cooler latitudes, or farther up a mountainside. Some places may find it harder to grow anything at all, because there's not enough water.
Here are five foods, and food-growing places, that will see the impact."
Why the world's recycling system stopped working via Financial Times
"On December 31 2017, China, previously the centre of the global recycling trade, abruptly shut its doors to imports of recycled material, citing the fact that large amounts of the waste were “dirty” or “hazardous” and thus a threat to the environment. The prices of plastic scrap collapsed, as did the price of low-grade paper. Suddenly, the lucrative trade that had sprung up shipping recyclables around the world was in crisis."
Have a story you’d like to see here? Drop us a line at info@dropps.com or send us message via Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram!