By MITCHELL ODDO Malibu City Council voted this past Monday to ban plastic forks, knives, spoons, and straws; a big stride towards reducing single-use plastics in the beach-front city. The decision is based off of the amount of litter accumulating on beaches in the area. This isn't Malibu's first ecological breakthrough though, as foam containers and plastic bags have already been nixed from the area. While many cities across the United States already have plastic bag bans in place, this move is particularly powerful, further encouraging a green lifestyle by forcing companies and consumers to be more mindful about the way we live day-to-day. Malibu's City Council stated that environmentally friendly forms of the utensils, such as bamboo cutlery, will still be allowed because of their biodegradable composition. California has been known to set ecological trends into place across the country, and hopefully the move will inspire other cities across the countries to follow. Read the full article: http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2018/02/27/california-town-bans-plastic-cutlery-straws-to-protect-environment.html
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By ANNIE DYSART While watching the Winter Olympics, it seemed unfathomable that climate change poses a threat to many of the industries behind the sports played in Pyeongchang, South Korea. However, this threat is becoming a reality - and it is already affecting the winter sports industry in the United States. Weather trends in the last 60 years have reported more winter precipitation falling in the form of rain rather than snow. Northern lakes are freezing later and thawing earlier. Such warming will hit sports like snowmobiling and cross country skiing the hardest because they do not use artificial snow. Ski resorts will have to deal with increased water and energy costs to make up for lack of real snow with artificial snow. They will also lose revenue from the absence of patrons who prefer real snow. To have an economically successful season, Northeastern ski resorts need at least 100 days and nights of weather cold enough to support snow. Failure to meet snowfall requirements will also have a negative impact on surrounding economies; if tourism declines, then businesses like restaurants and gas stations will also suffer losses. A report done by the Protect Our Winters stated that a year with little snow can cost the winter sports industry up to $1 billion in losses.
We need to take large-scale, preventative action against climate change before it can affect our lives in more unexpected ways. Read more at: www.npr.org/2018/02/23/588106531/new-report-finds-climate-change-could-take-a-1-billion-bite-from-winter-sports www.neefusa.org/nature/land/future-winter-sports-and-recreation https://protectourwinters.org/2018-economic-report/ By MITCHELL ODDO The Cold War devastated the environment in Europe, leaving a "dead zone" where the iron curtain lied. The land remained barren and served as a reminder of the tensions that endured for almost 50 years. In 1970, three environmental activists decided they had enough of the dead zone and started a project called the "Green Belt." Today, the Green Belt connects 16 EU countries and serves as a sanctuary for more than 1,200 species that are close to extinction (Deutsche). The 7,700 mile belt not only acts as a sanctuary for endangered species, but its foliage helps to remove harmful pollutants and excess carbon dioxide from the air. The founders of the project have received $284,000 for their dedication and commitment to bringing a seemingly dead area of land back to life. To read more, click the following article: www.dw.com/en/creators-of-green-belt-project-win-german-environmental-prize/a-41162699 |
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