Today in Squirrel News, plastic waste along Australian coastlines has dropped by more than a third, a Brazilian court fines illegal cattle trading in a trend towards climate law enforcement, and the majority of US electricity was generated from clean energy sources for the first time in March.
Plastic pollution along Australian coast down 39% according to new study
A recent study from Australia’s national science agency found plastic waste in coastal areas is down more than a third compared to ten years ago. Campaigners say there is much more work to be done, but the study identified the prevalence of different types of waste by area which could help further mitigation efforts.
Demonstrations across US show largest resistance so far to sweeping changes
Photos and videos capture the magnitude and spirit of “Hands Off our Democracy” demonstrations that took place in all 50 US states. Before Saturday, demonstrations have been happening daily all over the country but have not been a coordinated effort.
Brazil fines slaughterhouses and ranchers in victory for climate law
The 764,000 fine, imposed recently by a Brazilian court on the illegal cattle trade, showcases the progress of rainforest preservation efforts and climate law enforcement. Technological advances in surveillance of cattle movement have enabled earlier, more effective detection of deforestation activity and pressure from consumers and lawmakers is having an effect.
Fossil fuels supplied less than half of US electrical energy in March
Last month is the first month on record that more than 50% of electricity generated in the US came from clean energy sources. The surge in wind and solar production, quadrupled since 2015, has been the main driver of the shift away from fossil fuels.
Utah moves to make reduced-price school lunches free and end stigma
A bill signed into law last week makes 40,000 more elementary schoolchildren eligible for free lunch in the state, pooling the two groups formerly split into free and reduced-price lunch categories. The law also calls for an end to colour-coded trays and other practices that call attention to kids getting free lunch.
Tiny injectable pacemaker that dissolves could mean safer surgery on newborns
Researchers at Northwestern in Chicago have developed a temporary pacemaker that requires no surgery. Smaller than a grain of rice and injectable by syringe, it is a non-invasive solution to situations like heart surgery in newborns, when it takes about a week for the heart to repair. After the period of use, the biodegradable device is absorbed into the body.
Dublin to expand limits on cars in city centre after first steps shown successful
A new report to Dublin City Council shows car traffic went down on the city’s quays substantially and stayed down since the first limits began last August. More people have taken the bus and, in that part of the city, reached their destination one third faster than before.
Irish sewage plant redesign is aesthetic, ecological and absolutely odour-free
60 miles south of Dublin, Arklow’s sewage plant has long been dumping untreated waste directly into a river and then the sea, with predicably awful results. The town made an unconventional choice of architect whose redesign is beautiful enough to live close to and cool enough for school kids to visit.
New kind of deal between rancher and conservation group helps migrating elk
A Colorado rancher has just signed an agreement to have the majority his cattle grazing fees paid in exchange for letting elk migrate through his property. Brokered by an agricultural land trust and funded by a conservation organisation, conservationist hope it will be a model for other similar arrangements.
With biomimicry innovators reapply nature’s solutions for sustainability
Indigenous people were practicing biomimicry when they created snowshoes and chisels that mimicked hares and beavers. In the current search for more sustainable methods and products, solutions evolved in the natural world are being studied, and their designs mimicked, to solve the problems of today.
