We’re closing out the week at Squirrel News talking about the Danish Government’s plans to ban advertisements promoting unhealthy food and drinks to children under the age of 15, the largest PFAS treatment facility of its kind cleaning up California’s water, and the EU’s first national park city.
Denmark to ban influencers from promoting junk food to children
The proposed rules would apply across across a variety of platforms, including television, social media and influencer marketing campaigns, targeting products high in sugar, salt, or fat advertised to children under 15.
How a California county eliminated forever chemicals from the water supply
The presence of PFAS chemicals in drinking water is a major public health concern across the US. However, thanks to the country’s largest treatment facility of its kind, Yorba Linda has successfully managed to remove these dangerous substances from their water supply.
The cobblestoned Dutch region joins three other cities globally in receiving the status. The accolade essentially recognises the city’s hard work in restoring wetlands, greening its streets, and getting local residents actively involved in the process.
Niger is fighting power shortages with solar panels
With an average of 10 hours of sunlight a day, the West African nation is one of the world’s sunniest countries. Looking for a reliable, inexpensive solution to frequent power outages, residents are turning to a simple source of energy: solar.
The mango project breaking the hunger cycle in a Ugandan village
While working at a health centre in Yumbe district, Francis Asiku was surprised to learn that what many infants and expectant mothers needed wasn’t necessarily medicine: it was nutritious food.
Mothers Against Police Brutality are fighting for judicial reform
Using their individual experiences of tragedy to inform their approach, MAPB leads a fellowship legacy programme training women for the next decade of organising. This includes sessions unpacking the lawmaking process, strategies for interacting with elected officials, and handling news interviews.
South Africa’s sole endemic vulture shows signs of population recovery
Between 1992 and 2007, the population of the Cape Vulture in South Africa dropped by as much as 70%. Thanks to the work of conservationists across the country, the species is showing signs of stabilisation, and has had its conservation status upgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable”.
Using DNA in the air to track the world’s biodiversity
Researchers in Belize have come up with a particularly creative way to gather genetic material for ecological study. Using fans and filters, they trap free-floating eDNA in the air, which they later analyse for the presence of specific animals, plants, and fungi.
The Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe is healing the Colorado River ecosystem
By planting one native seed at a time, as well as clearing introduced species from the riverbanks and flood plain, the tribe has given native plants at the site an 80% survival rate.
Homeowners across the US are adopting No Mow May all year long
The Now Mow May initiative sprung up several years ago to encourage gardeners to leave their lawns alone during the spring, giving flowers and grass the chance to grow for pollinators and water retention. The movement became more popular than expected, and has expanded to Let It Bloom June and the autumnal version: Leave The Leaves.
