October 14 was International E-Waste Day - a day meant to highlight the problems of electronic waste. This year, the day was focused on "invisible" e-waste - things most people don't think of as electronics. The surprising category at the top of this group was toys.
Posts tagged as “environment”
Over the weekend, people around the world turned out in huge numbers to protest the burning of fossil fuels. The protests - the largest since before the coronavirus pandemic - were meant to send a strong message to political leaders: "Take climate action now."
On August 29, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a huge change in the rules designed to protect America's wetlands. The EPA was forced to change the rules because of a Supreme Court decision that took away protection from most wetlands.
On Sunday, Ecuador held a special vote on whether oil drilling should be allowed in Yasuni National Park. The vote was part of a larger election to choose the country's next president. Nearly 60% of Ecuadorian voters chose to protect the park.
On August 1, new rules went into effect in the United States that make it against the law to sell most incandescent light bulbs. These are older-style light bulbs that create light by heating a wire. The law is expected to save energy and help the environment.
A group of young people are suing the state of Montana for failing to protect the environment for their future. The trial began last week. The results of the trial could be important in showing whether governments can be forced to take climate action.
The world's most famous "school striker", Greta Thunberg, has held her last school strike for the climate. Ms. Thunberg, who's 20, graduated from high school last Friday. She says she'll continue to fight for climate action, she just won't be skipping school anymore.
Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have invented a new way to make electricity. Their method uses super-tiny holes to make electricity from moisture in the air. The scientists hope the method will one day lead to cheap, clean electricity anywhere at any time.
The US Environmental Protection Agency has suggested new rules for limiting the amount of pollution that power plants running on coal and gas can release. The new rules would almost completely end carbon dioxide emissions from these power plants by 2035.
A massive raft of floating seaweed called sargassum is headed toward the coasts of Mexico and the southern United States. Sargassum rafts have been growing in size every year. When they land, they cause big problems.
Scientists have found that floating solar panels could provide a huge amount of electricity if they were placed on lakes and other bodies of water around the world. Floating solar panels could also help save water and protect land.