CBC News
Massive February spill into Red River caused significant harm for downstream communities: lawsuit. Story here.
CBC News
Massive February spill into Red River caused significant harm for downstream communities: lawsuit. Story here.
by Don Sullivan - Canadian Dimension
Two corporations, both Alberta-based, are in the midst of seeking Government of Manitoba approval to build and operate silica sand mines and processing facilities that would extract and process some 2.6 million tonnes of silica sand per year. Story here.
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The Washington Post
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A lagoon waste management system for a 900 head hog farm in Georgia. Photo by Jeff Vanuga, USDA |
The first-of-its-kind report pinpoints meat production as the leading source of deadly pollution. Story here.
The Koch fertilizer plant in Brandon, Manitoba, CA has, since at least 2004, been listed by "Climate Change Connection" as the worst "large final emitter" in this province. “LFEs” are industries or landfills which spew at least 50 thousand tonnes of C02 equivalent into the air annually. Latest figs. show the Koch plant released almost 800 thousand tonnes in 2018. (A PinP photo.)
More people die every year from fossil fuel pollution than have died from COVID-19 since the outbreak in early 2020. According to new research, 8.7 million died prematurely in 2018—more than 18% of the entire global death toll for the year. And while the daily media coverage of the pandemic is on every news feed 24/7, pollution-caused deaths remain largely unnoticed. Details here.
Science Daily
YaleEnvironmnt360
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A small coal Mine, Highveld, South Africa. A Sierra Club photo. |
Close ties between the ruling elite and the coal industry have helped perpetuate South Africa’s dependence on the dirtiest fossil fuel for electricity. But now residents of the nation’s most coal-intensive region are suing to force the government to clean up choking air pollution. Story here.
by Larry Powell
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Smoke from burning stubble hovers over a small town in southwestern Manitoba, CA. Nov. 2020. A PinP photo. |
Canada is no stranger to the same practise. While "stubble-burning" in this country did not approach that of India's (at least not this year), numerous such fires were still common again this fall over the eastern prairies (See above) and in past years (below).
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Stubble-burning in Manitoba - circa 2005. Photos by PinP. |
ScienceDaily
A highway project in Alberta. A PinP photo.
Are we setting ourselves up for the spread of a pandemic without even knowing it? Story here.
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The freshwater turtle, Emydura macquarii. Credit: Claudia Santori. |
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Baby Emydura macquarii. Credit: Tom Burd. |
Science News
"Seal trapped in plastic pollution" by tedxgp2
Scientists measured 12-21 million tons of three of the most common types of plastic in the top 200 meters of the Atlantic. By assuming the concentration of plastic in the whole Atlantic is the same as that measured at 200 meters deep, the scientists estimated there is around 200 million tons of three of the most common types of plastic alone. Compare this to the previously estimated figure of 17 million.
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A PinP photo. |
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Stefan MĆ¼ller (climate stuff) from Germany |
Fundamental changes to the fashion business model, including an urgent transition away from ‘fast fashion’, are needed to improve the long-term sustainability of the fashion supply chain, argue Kirsi NiinimƤki and colleagues in a Review published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment.
The fashion industry is the second largest industrial polluter after aviation, and accounts for up to 10% of global pollution. However, the industry continues to grow, despite rising awareness of the environmental impacts, in part owing to the rise of fast fashion, which relies on cheap manufacturing, frequent consumption, and short-lived garment use.
The authors identify the environmental impacts of the fashion supply chain, from production to consumption, focusing on water use, chemical pollution, CO2 emissions and textile waste. For example, the industry produces over 92 million tonnes of waste and consumes 1.5 trillion tonnes of water per year, with developing countries often bearing the burden for developed countries. These impacts highlight the need for substantial changes in the industry, including deceleration of manufacturing and introduction of sustainable practices throughout the supply chain, the authors say.
“Slow fashion is the future”, NiinimƤki and co-authors conclude, but “we need a new system-wide understanding of how to transition towards this model, requiring creativity and collaboration between designers and manufacturers, various stakeholders, and end consumers.” A joined-up approach is required with the textile industry investing in cleaner technologies, the fashion industry developing new sustainable business models, and policy-makers modifying legislation. Consumers also have a crucial role and must change their consumption habits and be ready to pay higher prices that account for the environmental impact of fashion.
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Nitrous oxide levels over China. Jan. 1st, 2020 (l.). Feb. 25th, 2020. Nasa images.
NASA satellite images show a dramatic fall in pollution over China that is "partly related" to the economic slowdown due to the coronavirus outbreak, the space agency said. Story here.
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The New York Times The first full draft of the assessment, on the state of America’s land, water and wildlife, was weeks from completion. ...