Climate

The climate category of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards recognizes projects designed to mitigate the impacts of climate change, limit emissions, help build resiliency to climate disasters, or otherwise help solve issues of climate crisis. See the finalists and honorable mentions below, and read about the winner, a startup helping turn old buildings green—and making decarbonization affordable for everyone. advertisement Finalists Carbon Reduction and Removal , Climate Vault Cemvita Factory , Cemvita Factory , Mash Makes , Dryad Networks EcoSafi , Better Cooking Company and Enlisted Design Ford F-150 Lightning , Ford FutureFeed , FutureFeed Irrecoverable Carbon Global Map , Conservation International Pixxel , Pixxel Polestar 0 Project , Polestar Twelve , Twelve Woolly Mammoth De-extinction Project , Colossal Honorable Mentions Acre , Modern Mill Air Eau de Parfum , Air Company Allinfra Climate , … [Read more...] about 62 world-changing ways companies are addressing the climate crisis

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Being exposed to the stifling air pollution caused by frequent wildfires can put people at a far higher risk of brain tumors and lung cancer, according to a new study published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health . As the climate crisis is rapidly intensifying, recurring wildfires could become more severe and even last longer . Researchers have analyzed that wildfires emit pollutants in the air that end up in the water and soil as well and are also known as “human carcinogens”. This includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, formaldehyde, phenols, and heavy metals. The problem, researchers have noted, is that in North America wildfires tend to take place in the same areas every year. This makes nearby communities come in close contact with carcinogenic wildfire pollutants for long durations. Particularly pollutants like heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that leach into the soil and water. … [Read more...] about Living In Wildfire Prone Areas Increases The Risk Of Brain Tumors And Lung Cancer

California's attorney general, Rob Bonta, is taking the fight to the oil and gas industry, but over plastics. His office announced an investigation and issued a subpoena to ExxonMobil over its role in the plastics crisis. Bonta said, "In California and across the globe, we are seeing the catastrophic results of the fossil fuel industry's decades-long campaign of deception. Plastic pollution is seeping into our waterways, poisoning our environment and blighting our landscapes," according to a press release from his office. He says the truth is the vast majority of plastic cannot be recycled and the recycling rate has never surpassed 9%. Every week we consume the equivalent of a credit card worth of plastic through the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe. According to the complaint, in the 1950s, 1.5 million tons of plastic were produced annually. Today, that number has skyrocketed to more than 300 million tons. Uber is stepping up its electric vehicle plans in the … [Read more...] about Responsibilities of Responsible Investing

(CNN) The bloodshed over Easter weekend was emblematic of the alarming and unabated surge in gun violence in the United States. From New York to Pennsylvania to Florida, from Nevada to California to Oregon, eight people were killed and dozens injured during at least 10 mass shootings last weekend alone. The violence added to the year's growing toll of mass shootings in the US, which stood at 154 as of Sunday morning, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The archive and CNN define a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are shot, not including the shooter. 2 house parties, an Easter fete and a mall were among the sites of at least 10 weekend US mass shootings The Easter weekend carnage included two teenagers who were gunned down at a packed party in Pittsburgh early Sunday when, police said, multiple shooters unloaded more than 90 rounds. Some partygoers -- many of them underage -- suffered cuts and broken bones from jumping out … [Read more...] about The gun violence epidemic feels hopeless. These five experts have possible solutions

(CNN) The Baltimore Police Department is planning to become one of the first law enforcement agencies in the country to hire civilians as investigators in its detective force as it continues to face staffing shortages amid rising homicides and shootings. Mayor Brandon Scott and Police Commissioner Michael Harrison announced on Wednesday that under the plan the city would hire civilian investigators to focus on low-level property crimes, cold cases, background checks, intelligence gathering, and internal affairs matters. The new civilianization classification, included in the city's proposed $4 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, would build additional staff capacity to "maximize the effectiveness of limited sworn resources," according to the city. These are the faces of the new generation of police officers in America Baltimore's plan comes as some police departments in cities across the country have raised the alarm on current and future … [Read more...] about Baltimore aims to be one of the first cities to address police staffing shortages by hiring civilian investigators

The US president and Asean leaders attend the special summit at the State Department in Washington on Friday. (Reuters photo) WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden said on Friday a first summit in Washington with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) marked the launch of a "new era" in the relationship between the United States and the 10-nation bloc. Addressing Asean leaders on the second day of a two-day meeting, Biden said "a great deal of history of our world in the next 50 years is going to be written in the Asean countries, and our relationship with you is the future, in the coming years and decades." He said the first summit in Washington with Asean marked the launch of a "new era" in the relationship between the United States and the 10-nation bloc. Biden announced he would nominate Yohannes Abraham to be US ambassador to Asean and said the United States would continue to elevate its "critical" partnership with the region. The summit marked the … [Read more...] about Biden hails ‘new era’ of US-Asean ties at first summit in Washington

This article first appeared in Forum, The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on May 9, 2022 - May 15, 2022. - A + A Sri Lanka’s economic crisis had been brewing for some time before the recent social unrest erupted. The writing was on the wall, but it was either misunderstood or underrated. Either way, the impact has been devastating and may take years to undo. Moreover, the situation has worsened from being an economic crisis to a humanitarian one. The anatomy of an economic meltdown and social disaster consists of these: food, fuel and medicine shortages, currency collapse and long power cuts, while poverty ramps up and inflation spirals at a record rate. The price of rice has increased by 93%, chicken and lentils by 55% and gas by 50%. This tragedy is a good lesson for Malaysia. Some of the structural symptoms experienced by Sri Lanka are uncannily like those in this country. So, unless they are addressed, Malaysia may take a similar path. These are the major … [Read more...] about My Say: Lessons from Sri Lanka on managing food security

Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo and businessman Ramon Ang. FILE PHOTOS MANILA, Philippines — House Energy Committee Chair and Pampanga 2nd district Representative Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo lauded the efforts of the San Miguel Power Holdings Corp. (SMCGP), headed by SMC President Ramon Ang, for continuously helping address the country’s need for reliable and affordable power. In 2021, SMCGP began its massive plan to invest in more renewable technology that will significantly help cut the country’s carbon footprint as well as help address the Philippines’ power security. Arroyo, a long-time advocate of clean, safe, renewable, and affordable energy supply, welcomes this development, acknowledging SMC’s important role in nation building. “There is a crucial need to diversify the country’s energy supply given the challenges in the energy sector. SMC’S diverse portfolio utilizing both renewable and traditional sources of energy will really help create more stable power supply, cleaner … [Read more...] about House energy committee lauds SMC’s massive investments to ensure PH stable power

ROTTERDAM, the Netherlands, May 13 (Xinhua) -- In Rotterdam, Europe's largest seaport, the construction of an elevated linear park -- the "longest and narrowest in the Netherlands" -- has become a crucial element of the local authorities' plan to transform the city into a more sustainable and climate adaptive metropolis. A few kilometers to the north of the city center, the so-called Hofbogenpark will be turned into a new two-kilometer-long and eight-meter-wide city park created on the roof of a former railway viaduct. Climate adaptation is one of the reasons the city of Rotterdam has decided to embark on the construction, which is part of a larger-scale plan called "Seven Projects" expected to cost around 330 million euros (343 million U.S. dollars) in total. "We know how to handle water, but we still have this challenge as a low-land country," the city's Vice Mayor, Vincent Karremans, said. "This stresses the need for being climate adaptive and invest more in our climate … [Read more...] about Feature: Rotterdam breathes new life into derelict railway viaduct

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin As the list of Covid-restrictions-free European countries grows longer, the number of flights to and from the continent increases and tourism gathers strength, the dream of basking in the glorious summer sunshine at some of the most beautiful beaches of Europe is at last a realistic possibility for relief-seeking travelers. Assembled by European Best Destinations (EBD), a wing of the European Commission’s EDEN Network (European Destinations of Excellence), the 2022 list has something for everyone: from golden sand and secluded, hidden or wild beaches, for romantic escapes or family adventures, from intense water sports to unspoiled nature...and more. The 22 beaches selected are the most-voted by thousands of travelers from 82 countries - with 16% of the votes from the United States. “Treat yourself to a holiday in these pure nature refuges offering dream beaches to disconnect from a worrying world and reconnect with … [Read more...] about The 22 Most Beautiful Beaches For 2022 By European Best Destinations