While plastic usually takes hundreds of years to decompose,
Scientists have developed an enzyme that could shorten that time to mere
hours.
Engineers at the University of Texas in Austin have been working on solutions to the polyethylene terephthalate
problem, which currently accounts for 12 per cent of the Earth's global
waste. The polymer is found in bottles, packaging and textiles.
Now, they may have found the solution.https://www.joe.co.uk/environment/engineers-develop-an-enzyme-that-can-break-down-plastic-in-hours-not-centuries-333198?
UN-IPCC scientists have unveiled an urgent plan that can limit the causes of dangerous climate change.First, the bad news - even with all current policies to cut carbon in place, we still face a 3.2C rise this century and our planet will suffer "unprecedented
heatwaves, terrifying storms, and widespread water shortages". The
good news (maybe) - The IPCC summary shows it can be done,
in what UN Sec-Gen Guterres calls a "viable and financially sound manner" - but requiring massive changes to energy
production, industry, transport, our consumption patterns and the way we
treat nature. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/04/ipcc-report-now-or-never-if-world-stave-off-climate-disaster
In 2012, the Mexican government granted permission for Monsanto to plant
genetically modified soybeans adjacent tropical forests of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. It included continued use of the weedkiller
Roundup; despite its main ingredient,
glyphosate, negatively impacting native bees, impairing behavior and changing the composition of the animals’ gut microbiome.The local Mayan beekeepers were not consulted but one, Leydy Pech realised the whole eco-system was threatened. So she took on Monsanto and after a 5-year struggle the permit was revoked but the fight continues.It remains a great example of needed climate activism for our threatened planet.https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/maya-beekeeper-leydy-pech?
4 billion people cook using dangerous indoor fires worldwide.Smoke from indoor cooking fires is a leading cause of death of children under age five. It kills more people than AIDS and malaria combined.These stoves reduce smoke by 90%, saving women & children inhaling copious amounts of smoke. They reduce carbon emissions by 80% and halve the amount of wood needed. They also reduce burns, again inflicted on women & children in developing countries. 79,000 stoves distributed so far in South America, 1 mill tonnes of CO2 reduced, Half a million lives improved - needs support: https://www.stoveteam.org/why-stoves
