The effects of climate change are beginning to emerge through constant changing temperatures, water supply fluctuations, and increased average global temperatures. It can be felt all around the world in little ways.

In Toretsk, Ukraine, a local coal mine supplying 67 000 workers is on the road to catastrophe. Not because of the effect of coal being used in the industrial sector, rather  it has more to do with how they begin to harvest the coal from the deep bedrock in the ground.

 Abandoned mines, that are now harvested to their capacity, are being filled with toxic groundwater filled consisting of heavy metals and external pollutants. Because they are located stories underground it is close to groundwater aquifers. This puts freshwater resources at harm’s way for the tens of thousands of workers living in the area.  The toxic water can contaminate the ground by seeping into the soil which will then make the area unusable for farming and agriculture. If the water leaked by accident, it would migrate down the Kryvyi Torets and the Siverskyi Donets river where the whole area receives drinking water. On top of unavailable water, methane gas is being released to the surface that has the ability to cause earthquakes that are a  9.0 magnitude on the seismic scale and explosions on the surface that is surrounded by broken up bedrock.

According to the head of the Toretsk’s Civil Military Administration, Vasyl Chynchyk, only two of the mines are still in operation and the rest are abandoned. Their only solution is to remove the water and put it in safe containers away from freshwater resources.

“You can’t just close a mine and forget about it, because the risks are too high,” said Yevhen Yakovlev, a hydrogeologist who works at the natural resources department of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. “Mine waters will rise, pollute the drinking water and destroy the soil.”

Due to the constant war in Donbas’ no investments will be made to have better solutions. There is too much raised tension.Moreover, the solutions in place are not effective enough for the coal mines to continue to be in operation.

“According to our measurements of the water levels in the region, the pumping stations there [in occupied parts of the Donbas] are out of order,” said Viktor Yermakov, an environmental scientist, and a member of the Trilateral Contact Group.

Although the disaster may not be immediate, it will happen in the next 5 to 10 years. The effects are already being seen by experts in the field, and not giving the public enough information to make informed decisions to where their liability aligns.The first sign was the closing of an abandoned mine, and now it’s time to sign up to make serious changes to mitigate fossil fuel effects. 

A Fish Species Has Evolved Due to Climate Change

Source: McGill University

A species of fish has been shown to adapt its genetic traits due to seasonal shifts caused by climate change. This week, a team of lead scientists at  McGill University discussed their findings on the adaptation of the threespine stickleback fish due to persistent “climatic changes” observed over a period of time.

The research group suggested that specific genetic adaptations being more frequent in populations, were directly related to natural selection—described as the process in which populations of organisms randomly change (genetically or otherwise) to be more or less advantageous overtime. In which those adaptations that are more favourable to the environment will survive the longest, while the other traits will likely die out.

In the case of this species, natural selection pertaining to adaptation in response to temperature change was observed. Specifically, only individuals which had genome sequencing that aided in the construction of different habitats during (unprecedented) wet winters and dry summers, were able to survive into the next season. The scientists believed that such habitat shifts similarly occurred 10 000 years ago, when the species first arrived in California due to alternative temporal conditions.

Experts at the university suggest that such rapid genetic changes speaks to how rapidly natural selection is occurring in the present. Moreover, it is a significant case in understanding how nature might adapt to changing environmental metrics caused by climate change.

Ford Government faces Lawsuit over changes to Ontario Environmental Assessment, Bill 197

Source: London Free Press

Bill 197  was passed last July in Ontario as part of the Covid Recovery Act. Included in the bill were sweeping changes to the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) aimed at shortening the Environmental Assessment (EA) process and getting rid of “red tape”. These changes were the first major changes to the Ontario EAA in over 30 years. 

Environmentalists, however, have questioned the legality of the changes. This week environmental groups and various first nations groups will be in court challenging the Ford government’s changes to the Ontario EAA. The 2 major issues environmentalists have raised are that the government did not have the authority to cancel public consultations on the changes to the EAA and that the fast tracked EAA process will have detrimental environmental effects. 

One argument made this week was by Canadian Environmental Law Association Lawyer (CELA) Castrilli. Castrilli is contesting the government claim that the bill was urgent and is in violation of the Ontario Environment Bill of Rights. The Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights gives an ordinance that the Government must consult the public for 30 days for human changes to the environment.  During the COVID-19 pandemic the government suspended several environmental protection rules but lifted them a month before introducing the bill. The government passed the bill arguing that it was too “urgent” to wait for a full consultation due to COVID-19. Castriilli argues that the government still has to follow the rules, even during a pandemic. 

Also according to Castrilli, the bill will have earth shattering impacts on the environment. Bill 197 expanded the controversial practice of minister zoning orders (MZO’s). 

The court will hear arguments later this week from First Nations groups: the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians, Attawapiskat First Nation, Chapleau Cree First Nation, Eagle Lake First Nation, Fort Albany First Nation, Magnetawan First Nation, Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Temagami First Nation and the Teme-Augama Anishnabai community. 

The outcome of the court hearing will be monitored closely and the outcome will have substantial effect on environmental issues in Ontario and Canada more broadly. 

International Energy Agency Report: Fossil Fuel Investment Must End Now

Source: CBC News

The International Energy Agency (IEA) released a report Tuesday that stated fossil fuel investments must be stopped for global climate goals to be met by 2050. The International Energy Agency is the most authoritative energy group in the world. This global climate goal is in line with several countries including Canada and the U.S goal to reach net zero emissions energy sector. 

The report outlines over 400 steps on how to achieve a net zero global energy sector by 2050. Examples may include an increased investment in solar and wind power by 2030.  It has been understood that the end to investing in fossil fuels are the key steps to reaching a net zero global energy sector. Another key takeaway from the report is that no internal combustion vehicles should be sold after 2035 to meet these goals. 

The report outlines how transforming the energy sector would bring tremendous economic benefits and create millions of new jobs. The investment in renewable energy would most importantly eventually have lower energy costs and prevent a “climate catastrophe” according to Greenpeace activist Keith Stewart.

However, there has been push back to the report from groups in the Canadian energy sector. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) labeled the report as “unrealistic”. The director of the CAPP Tim McMillan stated that solutions need to be “grounded in the real world”. 

Despite countries’ ambitious and bold goals for greenhouse gas reductions, emissions are expected to grow in the near future. Current demand for fossil fuels is predicted to increase over the next few years. The IEA stated that 2021 will have the second-largest annual increase in emissions since 2010. Some have argued that what the IEA says should be done like in the second largest producing country of North America.  a

If countries like Canada are to meet their bold climate change targets, emissions for 2021 and 2022 must be reduced drastically. The changes outlined by the IEA should be taken into consideration and implemented immediately for the targets to be met. Actions always speak louder than words.

A Sustainable Look at Cryptocurrencies

Source: CNBC

As a young individual getting into the working world, I am being encouraged to invest and “let my money work for me, …to build your wealth, you should invest your money.” Investing provides an avenue for one to expend money in such a way that there is potential to earn strong rates of return. I am very new to the investment world and have spent the last few months researching and subscribing to newsletters on why I should invest, what I should invest in, and how to invest. 

 This week, investment platforms have been buzzing over cryptocurrency- a digital or virtual asset based on a network that is distributed across many computers. This comes after Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, said he wouldn’t use or accept Bitcoin until he is sure it’s produced sustainably as he was “concerned about the rapidly increasing use of fossil fuels for Bitcoin mining and transactions.” Bitcoin has been receiving a lot of attention on its negative environmental impacts, and some of its investors have been reapportioning their digital assets to more sustainable investments; even though attempts have been made to reduce Bitcoin’s impact. 

 Mining cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin, requires a lot of electricity to keep the computers running as well as air conditioning needed to prevent them from overheating. Bitcoin mining is performed by high-powered computers that solve complex computational puzzles. This process of solving problems, referred to as “Proof of Work”,  is necessary to maintain the ledger of transactions and verifies the legitimacy of Bitcoin transactions, and thus, a lot of processing power to produce one single token. As a result, this process consumes a lot of energy. 

Research has shown that in 2019, Bitcoin was responsible for approximately 22-22.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The journal Nature suggests that emissions from Bitcoin mining alone could increase global warming by 2 degrees before 2050. For a better visual, emissions from Bitcoin are comparable to the total emissions from cities such as Hamburg or Las Vegas.  

Musk has suggested that the company will move towards a more sustainable cryptocurrency, Dogecoin. Dogecoin, although a more sustainable option than Bitcoin, does have its pitfalls as well. 

 There are over 4500 mineable coins and tokens in the cryptocurrency world, with a variety of parameters. This makes it difficult to highlight which currency is greener than the other. However, there are cryptocurrencies that are inherently more energy efficient than Bitcoin and Dogecoin. These cryptocurrencies use a “Proof of Storage” (or “Proof of Stake”) systems that use significantly less energy, and in some cases currencies that use a “block lattice” technology that does not require any mining. 

So, if you are a new or experienced investor consider allocating your assets in sustainable investments as well as eco-friendly cryptocurrencies that you (may) hold. Do your research and if you are not sure where to start, there are a plethora of blogs out there that list the most eco-friendly cryptocurrencies. Good luck with your sustainable investment adventures! 

The post The Week This Friday Vol. 49 appeared first on A\J.

With circular fashion touted as the savior of this phenomenally wasteful industry, hundreds of the biggest fashion brands have rushed to associate with it.

Speaking with Mart Drake-Knight, co-founder of circular brand Rapanui, we asked whether big brands can back up their bold rhetoric and make real advances towards a circular economy, or is circular fashion being used as the next best tool for greenwashing the same old practices.

The Case for Change

Over the last 20 years, the explosion of fast fashion alongside a growing middle class with cash to burn, has led to a doubling of clothing production. Meanwhile, the number times we wear these clothes has dropped by a third.

We now consume and dispose of clothing faster than ever before, with a staggering 73% of our clothing eventually ending up in landfill. Sadly, most brands are not motivated to make clothes that last, with some chains, such as Zara, even admitting to producing clothes that are designed to be used less than 10 times.

This style of aggressive consumerism has led to a level of demand that has stretched natural resources to their limits. We often forget that most of our clothes are made of natural materials that we grow out of the earth. They require light, water, nutrients, fertilisers, pesticides, transportation, and ultimately, energy.

The textile industry is now moving at such a pace that it creates 10% of global CO2 emissions, with cotton production alone using 16% of the world’s pesticides, and 2,700 litres of water for just one t-shirt. We are quite literally rinsing the earth dry of resources, and with production projected to increase 81% by 2030, we are sleepwalking into an environmental disaster.

Circular Economies for A Sustainable Future

The current system used by 99% of the fashion and textile industry is not fit for purpose in the face of growing demand. Even with a major shift to sustainable practices, and the best will in the world, population growth alone will make reducing demand almost impossible.

Today, most brands follow the traditional linear model of take – make – dispose. This means all of the input energy is lost at the disposal stage, and we start from square one, by taking even more of our finite planetary resources.

Currently, less than 15% of clothes are collected for recycling, and less than 1% of used material actually ends up integrated into new clothing. You don’t need us to explain how blatantly wasteful this system is.

A circular economy for fashion offers by far the best, and perhaps most obvious, solution to this growing problem. A system of production in which waste and pollution are designed out, by keeping extracted resources in circulation for as long as possible. Then, when a product is beyond use it can be recycled or properly biodegraded, thereby completing the circle.

The broader circular model also focuses on sustainable production, so that the ‘take’ and ‘make’ parts of the system minimise environmental impact as well. Though it is at the disposal stage where circular fashion is unique and most promising.

For the fashion industry, a circular economy really does make sense. Most clothes are predominantly made of natural materials, like cotton, wool, silk, or even viscose. They lend themselves to being re-used, and recycled. A 100% cotton t-shirt, for example, is totally biodegradable, and suitable for re-manufacture.

In order to realise the goals of circular fashion we need to re-think the product life cycle. As Mart Drake-Knight explains:

“To recover and remake clothes, they need to be designed from the start with this in mind. It’s not just about closing the loop, it has to be clean.” …“You can’t take the egg out of an omelette, like you can’t take plastic out of nature meaningfully. It’s best to keep material flows clean if you are serious as a designer about long term (i.e. circular) sustainability.”

Where We Are Now

What’s interesting is that the principals of a circular economy are so applicable to fashion that the industry simply cannot ignore it, even if it wanted to. It’s rapidly been embraced as the go-to sustainability concept, since its mainstream emergence in 2014.

This year 90 fashion brands, including the likes of Nike, Decathlon, ASOS, GAP, and Tommy Hilfiger, have all pledged support for the Global Fashion Agenda’s (GFA) Circular Fashion System commitment. Sounds great, right?

Perhaps not. Circular fashion is so on-trend that it’s become something of a buzz word that everyone wants to associate with. But let’s be clear, talking about circularity in fashion is very different from enacting real change.

According to the GFA, just 12.5% of the global fashion industry has taken ‘concrete action’ towards integrating principles of a circular economy into their business models. And your guess is as good as mine when it comes to defining what exactly constitutes ‘concrete action’. There are endless special reports and design projects, commissioned by some of the biggest brands, with the aim of showing what ‘could’ be done if we conceive products with circularity in mind.

The problem is that all the talk rarely translates into material change. At some point all barriers towards implementing circular models within the fashion industry come down to money. Changing long established practices, especially in large supply chains, is seriously expensive, and as yet, none of the biggest fashion brands have really committed to recycling or re-manufacturing on a scale that compensates for their own production.

A point backed up by the first hand experience of Mart Drake-Knight: 

“Fundamentally the economy does not reward a company for recovering their waste, or using renewables, or natural materials. So it requires a total redesign of the business model and systems to make this kind of thing work.”

From some of the most powerful and profitable brands there is a lot of talk about the need for industry wide commitment. Hiding behind the inaction of others, as if they haven’t got the resources to make changes on their own steam. The sentiment is there, but when profit is at stake the collective will is incredibly weak.

Let’s Talk About H&M

Take H&M for example, who have positioned themselves as industry leaders on sustainability, by pouring millions into green advertising campaigns. Meanwhile, their business model is still founded squarely on the wasteful prototype of fast fashion; cheap, disposable clothes.

They claim to mitigate their environmental impact with their recycling program called ‘Bring It’, allowing customers to return used clothing to stores in exchange for 15% off when they spend more than $50. Of these returned garments, around 60% are still usable and are sent to clothing charities, and the remainder are used to make scrap fabric like cleaning cloths.

The problem is, after their second life the majority of re-used clothes and scrap fabric will still end up in landfills. Meanwhile, an incredible 0.1% of donated fabric actually ends up integrated into new H&M clothing.

In effect, H&M are just deferring waste disposal onto other people. Sure, some of the clothes remain in use for longer, but ultimately H&M is still failing to take responsibility for their own waste through safe disposal or re-manufacturing, and who would when you create so much of it. The system is not even close to circular, without a thought for durability or recycling at the design phase.

What H&M has created is a fantastic PR campaign, that gives customers a false sense of righteousness as they spend that discount voucher after dumping the clothes they had just bought 6 months earlier. Publicly, at least, it looks like everyone has ‘done the right thing’, but long term, pushing our waste onto others will not scratch the surface of the environmental problems facing the fashion industry.

Who Really Closes the Loop

Whilst the biggest fashion brands squabble over their own deficiencies, passing the responsibility amongst themselves, it’s left to the smaller brands to show us how it’s really done. Companies like Rapanui, haven’t waited for ‘industry wide consensus’, they’ve simply prioritised the environmental and social challenges, and designed their own systems accordingly, as Mart Drake-Knight explains:

“The challenge is developing new technologies that do not currently exist, or implementing existing technologies in new ways, to make it happen.”

“Short term you could probably make more money pumping out super cheap plastic stuff for one-wear. But it’s not sustainable.” … “The economics of ‘losing everything eventually’ vs the economics of ‘investing in something that will last’ is a no brainer isn’t it? You don’t even need a spreadsheet.”

Rapanui are pioneering how circular fashion should really work. Where virgin materials are used their sourcing and manufacturing processes are incredibly clean and traceable. From their base on the Isle of Wight they have created a supply chain that’s just about as sustainable and circular as currently possible.

However, the most impressive part comes later. Once clothes are worn out they can be returned to Teemill for re-manufacture. This means used garments are converted back to yarn, which is then spun to produce clothes again. Old becomes new, and this time hardly any natural resources have been extracted.

This is real closed loop manufacturing. An authentic vision of circular fashion, made possible because Rapanui chose to do everything with sustainability in mind from the very beginning. Mart Drake-Knight tells us:

“there are also some really interesting economic dynamics” … “As soon as your entire business makes new from old, your entire customer base is both your consumer and also your supplier. And material is no longer a cost, it’s an asset.”

How We Can Help

Companies like Rapanui have demonstrated that circular fashion is not a fantasy beyond reach. They show us what is possible right now if you build a brand with sustainability as a genuine priority, instead of an ill conceived afterthought.

Brands that make clothes with real foresight to close manufacturing loops only serves to demonstrate just how careless mainstream fashion continues to be. The excuse of waiting on industry wide cooperation is wearing thin, when clearly it’s the bottom line, profit, that is what’s holding back progression.

With this in mind, we can make a simple and powerful choice. Obviously money counts, so we can use our spending power to do the talking. By avoiding brands that are wasteful by design and choosing sustainable alternatives, we can send a powerful message for change. Hopefully the days of take – make – dispose will be numbered.

The post They Talk the Talk, But Are Big Brands Doing Enough To Make Fashion Circular? appeared first on A\J.

Like many things, the truth usually lies somewhere down the middle. Yes, we have made progress this year, but we still have a long way to go. We must take the time to celebrate our wins but remain aware of the hills and mountains left to climb. 

As many of you know, the team at A\J have been writing a weekly column called WTF (the Week this Friday) where we take the time to reflect and report on the environmental stories from the week passed. As one of the most pivotal years of this century comes to a close, we think it is only fitting to highlight the environmental wins and losses of the year…WTF 2020!

1. Air pollution levels lowered from the coronavirus

Source: Pixabay

One silver lining from lockdowns this year was the eco benefit it seemed to have on the natural world. Less people moving around translated to less greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Guardian, back in March, at the height of China’s lockdown “NO2 levels were down by 38% from 2019 and levels of PM 2.5 were down by 34%”.

Unfortunately, as lockdowns eased up, people began moving around again and the highest polluting industries wasted no time in recovering. According to scientists from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, once lockdowns eased up again in spring/summer, NO2 levels in China quickly recovered.

According to scientists from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, emissions would have to drop by approximately 20-30% for 6 to 12 months to actually make a difference. However, global emissions this year likely only dropped by about 7% compared to 2019. 

One of the few good things that came out of the coronavirus pandemic was the realization that we could live in a much less mobile world. During lockdown, we witnessed massive reductions of global CO2 and other GHG emissions which contribute to climate change (even if this was just temporarily). Experts and citizens alike encouraged decisions makers that this is the time to rebuild in a more sustainable way. Unfortunately, unless governments get serious about rebuilding into a more green recovery, it looks like we are just going to go back to our old ways.

2. New Delhi drops down to second place in the most polluted city in the world

Source: Pixabay 

This year, Lahore, Pakistan was named the most polluted city in the world with a particulate matter (PM) rating of 423with an AQI (air quality index) of 301. In previous years, New Delhi was ranked the most polluted city. This year, they dropped down to second place with a PM rating of 229.

For reference, the US Environmental Protection Agency has previously stated air that is “satisfactory” falls under an AQI of 50. 

Years of smog, dust from construction, and crop burning have all likely contributed to such high PM and AQI levels. Air quality in Lahore worsens from October to February when farmers are most likely to burn their crops, which contributes to the overall smog problem. To protect themselves from the pollution, Lahore’s residents are advised to wear a mask, run air purifiers and close windows in their homes, and avoid outdoor exercise. 

3. The Amazon forest fires

Source: Pixabay 

Back in August, 2020 was on course to be the worst year in over a decade for deforestation in the Amazon. Illegal tree loss was accelerating. In May, after facing immense global pressure, Brazil’s President, Jair Bolsonaro, had sent in the army to fight illegal logging – this plan was dubbed ‘Operation Green Brazil 2’. Although this was likely all just for show (deforestation has accelerated ever since Bolsonaro took office in 2019, growing by 209%). 

One area of the forest that had fared worse than the others in tree loss was Rondônia, an area that has seen growing deforestation since the mid-80’s. Rondônia is almost the same size as the UK has been burned and cut down to make way for crops and logging businesses. In the summer, NBC Forensics focused on Rondônia as the military was sent in – meant to track the ‘successes’ and accomplishments of Bolsonaro’s mission.

Bolsonaro falsely claimed the mission a success. However, the figures supplied by the government’s own space research agency demonstrated deforestation rates in May of 2020 and higher than in May 2019. In fact, the government’s own data showed that deforestation is increasing every single month since the previous year for 13 months in a row. 

What is happening in Rondônia is a reflection of what is happening throughout the Amazon. Eventually, the Amazon will reach a tipping point, where the tree loss will result in a rainforest that cannot produce enough rain to sustain itself. 

4. Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement 

Source: Pixabay

This year, the United States officially withdrew from the Paris climate agreement. 

It was first announced back in 2017 that Donald Trump would back out of the Paris agreement. However, the Paris agreement requires nations to wait a minimum of three years before giving notice to leave (partly to prevent future presidents from withdrawing from the deal in the name of short term interests). This is why the US did not formally leave until the end of 2020. 

The Paris agreement was established in 2015 in order to collectively battle the threat of climate change and keep the global temperature rise below 2C above pre-industrial measures. 

The United States is ranked the second top polluting country, accounting for over 15% of global emissions. Pulling out of the agreement poorly reflects the values of American in regards to climate change.

However, this news isn’t all bad. Joe Biden, new president elect recently announced that his administration will rejoin the Paris agreement once he takes office. Phew! 

5. Canada’s proposal to ban single use plastics and a new Net zero plan 

Source: Pixabay 

My favorite story of the year! 

This year, Ottawa announced single-use plastic straws and plastic shopping bans are among the six items that the federal government plans to ban in 2021. The six items include: stir sticks, six-pack rings, plastic cutlery and plastic food take-out containers. This decision is part of a broader initiative to divert plastics from landfills and classify them as a “toxic substance”. 

This ban is one of elements of a broader plan on their list to reach zero plastic waste by 2030. The government will consult on it’s plans this December because they are sure to experience pushback from industry groups and the Albertan government which have already voiced concerns – especially about the toxic classification on plastics. Alberta is worried that this federal plan will undermine the provinces’ petrochemical sector and its goal of becoming a plastics-recycling hub. Instead, Alberta states that Ottawa should focus on creating a circular economy whereby plastics from manufacturing go through recycling. 

Environment and Climate Change Minister, Jonathan Wilkinson, pressed on that the ban is necessary because of the significant harm plastics are causing to Canada’s wildlife and coastlines. A daunting statistic was mentioned: In Canada, only 9% of the plastic that is thrown out is recycled. The government also plans to set recycled-content requirements on products and packaging and will further consult with all provinces and territories to set up these targets. Additionally, earlier this year the federal government released a draft state-of-the-science assessment on plastic pollution – effectively arming Ottawa with the scientific basis to regulate plastics. Basically, the assessment discussed the dangers of macro and microplastics causing harm to the environment and on wildlife. 

Members of Greenpeace have criticized the ban, saying that this is simply not enough of a response for the severity of the global plastics problem. I would have to disagree; I think this is a great first step.

Moreover, other governments have tried to implement a ban on single use plastics in some form or another in the past (read about Laredo’s plastic bag ban), and have lost because big oil won’t go down without a fight and is eager send their reps into the courtroom or lean on old legislation to prevent a plastic ban from going through. With these past failures in mind, I would rather take small victories over a huge loss. 

6. Coral reefs: The Great Barrier Reef moved to critical conservation outlook  

Source: Pixabay

According to the International Union for Conservation for Nature (IUCN), the health of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the world’s most extensive and once spectacular coral reef ecosystem, is in a critical state and deteriorating as climate change warms up the waters in which it lies. The Reef has lost more than half its coral in the past three decades. Coral-bleaching in 2016, 2017 and now 2020 has further damaged its health and affected its animal, bird and marine population.  

Coral bleaching occurs when hotter water temperatures destroy the algae which corals feed on, causing them to turn completely stark white. Because of mass bleaching events, the IUCN moved the reef’s status to critical and deteriorating on its watchlist. Some activities which threaten it, like fishing and coastal development, can be tackled by the management authorities. 

“Other pressures cannot be addressed at the site level, such as climate change, which is recognized as the greatest threat,” the IUCN explained. Although efforts to safeguard the reef are rising, the process has been slow under a long-term sustainability plan through 2050. HSBC and the Queensland government said back in October that they would buy “Reef Credits”, a tradable unit that quantifies and values the work undertaken to improve water quality flowing onto the reef. 

According to Optimist Daily, “Buying one credit is the equivalent of removing one kilogram of nitrogen from the water, or preventing 538 kilograms of sediment from entering the ocean.”

Cool!

7. The rise of jobs in the sustainability sector (Netflix, Microsoft… did big hirings this year) 

Source: Pixabay

As a sustainability grad, one of the most promising changes (stories) of the year was witnessing the rise of jobs in the sustainability sector. Companies that would have never before considered hiring a team “to make them more green” now have huge departments all focussed on reducing company emissions and leaving behind a better legacy. To name just a few examples, this year Netflix, Microsoft and Tesla have all been making major hiring moves in sustainability. 

According to ECO Canada, “In the next 3 – 5 years, 84% of sustainability consulting firms expect to hire, creating about 400 new positions. A further 3,800 new jobs will be added to this number as 46% of other sustainability employers increase their staff…The top employers of sustainability professionals are governments (employing 27% of sustainability professionals), research institutions and not-for-profits (24%), large companies in manufacturing, oil & gas, mining, forestry and utilities (10%) and businesses in retail, finance and insurance (10%).”

Good news for sustainability! 

8. The Earthshot Prize 

Source: Flood Control Asia 

Move over Nobel Peace Prize, the Nobel Prize for environmentalism is coming through!

Back in October, Sir David Attenborough joined forces with Prince William to launch “The Earthshot Prize”. According to BBC, this is the biggest environmental prize to date. They are searching for 50 solutions to the world’s biggest environmental problems, allocating five one million-pound prizes (valuing at $1,704,300 CAD each) to be awarded over the next decade. 

Prince William believes this prize could be the positivity that the environmentalism movement is missing, “The Earthshot prize is really about harnessing that optimism and that urgency to find some of the world’s solutions to some of the greatest environmental problems,” he told the BBC.

According to the Earthshot website, the prize was inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot, “which united millions of people around an organising goal to put man on the moon and catalysed the development of new technology in the 1960s.” Attenborough believes it’s this same spirit that can guide the next generation of thinkers and dreamers to solve some of earth’s problems.

The announcement came just after Sir David Attenborough released his latest documentary, “A Life on Our Planet”. 

I am looking forward to seeing where this goes.

9. Tree’s ability to socialize and “speak” to each other. 

Source: Unsplash

This December, the New York Times shared that forests are social and communicate with one another through dense fungi networks in the soil below the canopy.

More specifically, “trees and fungi form partnerships known as mycorrhizas: Threadlike fungi envelop and fuse with tree roots, helping them extract water and nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen in exchange for some of the carbon-rich sugars the trees make through photosynthesis.”

Suzanne Simard, a professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia, has been studying these relationships in the wild, coastal forests of North America. Through her research, Sinard discovered that these fungal threads link EVERY tree together in the forest- even ones of different species!

These linkages allow vital molecules including carbon, water, and other nutrients to pass through the network circuits. Wait, it gets better. Simard also stated that chemical signals are also passed through this network, allowing trees to signal to others nearby when there is danger.

“If a tree is on the brink of death, it sometimes bequeaths a substantial share of its carbon to its neighbors.”

Is anyone cutting onions in here?

10. Doug Ford’s conservation authority changes

Source: NationalPost

In December, the Ontario government passed its new budget bill. One major change to this bill was the new constraints on the conservation authorities in the province to regulate development and “introduced new channels through which developers can obtain permits.”

According to the Globe and Mail, there are 36 conservation authorities in Ontario (with most of them in the southern end) all tasked with protecting the various watersheds that make up the province. This might include operating dams, defending against flooding or erosion, regulating development on wetlands, protecting water sources, and managing natural parks. Ultimately, conservation authorities are nature’s defender against poor land use policies. 

Unfortunately, their ability to defend will be threatened with the upcoming changes as a result of the new bill. And this isn’t the first time the government has tried to sidestep these authorities. Past budget cuts and using ministerial zoning orders (MZO) has allowed the government to circumvent the rules and bypass conservation authorities. 

Schedule 6 of the new bill will only add to this momentum. Changes include:

• The conservation authorities must now issue a permit once an MZO has been issued
• Developers can more easily appeal a conservation authorities decision

The decisions ultimately allow developers to take the path of least resistance if they want to build on a naturally significant area, while making it harder for conservation authorities to fight back and stand up for what they are meant to do.

11. Buzzworthy – Honeybee venom shown to kill cancer cells

Source: Unsplash

Now here is some news to buzz about, scientists in Australia have found that Honeybee venom has been linked to killing some aggressive breast cancer cells. This exciting news shows signs of hope for treatment of breast cancer – which is the leading cancer in women across the globe, representing 25% of all cancers in women.

Melittin – the compound within the venom were used to destroy two cancer types: triple-negative and HER2-enriched. Bee venom has been discussed to have anti-cancer properties before but there is still a long way to go from watching cancer cells be destroyed in petri dishes to being applied in medicinal practice.

It does provide us with hope and has proven to be yet another prime example of how nature is really the best doctor we have. Dr. Ciara Duffy a 25-year-old PhD researcher led the study and found the venom killed the cancer cells within an hour! We hope to see more development with this great news, and hopefully it increases acceptance towards incorporating more holistic approaches to cancer and medicinal treatments. Now that is buzzworthy.

12. Stay away poachers: rare white giraffe is now being tracked 

Source: Unsplash

Being the only white giraffe left is causing a stir up around the world to protect the remarkable creature, the extremely rare giraffe now has a tracker attached to it in order to trace its whereabouts hourly – this allows rangers in Kenya to monitor the giraffe and keep it out of danger from poachers. The device was planted on one of the horns on the animal on November 8th.. 

The white colour of the giraffe is from the absence of pigmentation in its skin – also called leucism, which is a rare genetic condition that can affect a variety of animals. Due to its rarity – the  animal is in a critical position to stay alive as the rest of its family has been killed off by poachers and making this one especially lucrative in the poaching and wildlife trafficking underground market.

The conservation status of the species as a whole is vulnerable, with over 68,000 giraffes in the world. Two white giraffes of the same family were killed in march and there was discussion that there was one found in Tanzania in 2015. With the tracking device, this hopes to protect the vulnerable giraffe and keep it out of harm’s way.

13. Shell Canada going carbon neutral

Source: Unsplash

Shell will become the first gas retailer in Canada to offer a program that offsets emissions from customer fuel purchases with an optional buy-in at the pump. The Drive Carbon Neutral program will be available to 1,400 stations Canada wide. The program allows customers to offset their carbon emissions from fossil fuels for two cents a litre. Shell states that many of their carbon conscious customers were demanding them to do more. They also stated that many individuals cannot afford to buy an electric car but still want to offset their carbon footprint – this will allow this to happen. This is a model that was taken from a program in Europe, which saw positive feedback and adoption levels with nearly 20 percent of people in the Netherlands using it.

Shell also announced their plan to reforest British Columbia in a partnership with Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation. They aim to plant 840,000 native trees in effort to resort much of what was lost in the 2017 wildfires. They plan to do this over a two-year planting period, with the cost being unreleased. Meanwhile Environmental Defence is arguing that this is “pure greenwashing”, as it directs the cost onto the consumer rather than the giant who is profiting from the world using fossil fuels.

14. A galaxy of microfibers in California – literally

Source: Unsplash 

Invisible but plentiful is a good way to describe the unfortunate situation of the plastic microfiber problem. A whooping 13.3 quadrillion (yes, quadrillion) plastic fibers are found in California alone – that is more than 130,000 times more fibers as there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy. In 2019, an estimated 4,000 metric tons were released into California’s natural environment. With these fibers ending up in our water systems, a study found that 73% of fish caught at mid-ocean depth in the Atlantic had microplastics in their stomachs. 

The fibers are under 5mm in length and most often come from washing materials in our laundry. Mostly from synthetic fibers that make up our clothing, they go from our washing machines all the way to our water streams. Just one load alone can pass out more than 700,000 fibers alone. The amount of microfibers shed also depends on the material, wash temperature, detergent, etc. 

15. Hottest Temperatures EVER recorded 

Source: Unsplash

We hit a record again! There is no surprise of temperatures reaching soaring highs with the rising records of fossil fuels emissions, every year seems to hit a new heat record. But Death Valley held the flaming torch of the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth, sitting at 54.4C (130F).

Death Valley is a desert valley in the Mojave Desert that lies 86 meters below sea level. It is one of the hottest places on Earth but these soaring temperatures this high have never been accurately recorded before. There were extreme heat advisories, urging people to not walk in the desert past 10AM. 

It serves as the hottest air temperature ever recorded, this begs the question of what is to come in the future. It is so hot, that the sweat evaporates so fast off your skin that you actually don’t feel wet. Talk about a hot – n – not sweaty?

16. Zero carbon flights by 2035? 

Source: Unsplash

By 2020, we may have already expected flying cars – while our expectations may have been sold short, we do have something as exciting in the talks. Transportation giant Airbus has revealed their plans for the first commercial emission-free flight by 2035. Airbus has three ZEROe concepts in store, all to use hydrogen to power the planes.

In order to truly make this a feasible carbon-free option, it relies on finding large quantities of renewable or low-emitting sources of hydrogen. As this process currently relies mostly on methane and fossil fuels – it is not exactly a low-carbon option but more innovative solutions to hopefully come in future announcements.

One of the concept designs could carry up to 200 passengers for more than 2,000 miles. This is a milestone waiting to happen in the aviation industry and would mark a remarkable moment in history – with hopes that all travel and transportation can one day be emission free.

17. Google now has a carbon footprint of zero.

Source: Shutterstock

The tech giant has set the bar again. Although already being carbon neutral since 2007, Google now has offset their entire carbon footprint to ever exist. While many in the technology industry are right behind Google – such as Microsoft and Apple. Microsoft has released a statement to become “carbon negative” by 2030, and Apple is announcing to be carbon neutral for their business and the supply chain for their products by 2030. 

Google is also moving into using carbon-free energy by 2030 by using renewable energy such as solar and wind to power their operations. They also plan to increase their use of battery storage. Artificial intelligence will also come into play by allowing AI to forecast the demand of electricity. This shift would create over 12,000 jobs in the span of five years. Not only will it be good for the environment to turn away from oil and gas but it will also contribute to the economy, as they vowed to no longer create AI for oil and gas exploration. Nice one Google!

18. Thailand will shut national parks regularly to protect nature 

Source: Unsplash 

Footsteps are not the only things left on the beach. Many tourists flock to Thailand to enjoy their sandy beaches, crystal clear water, and a beautiful culture. Being a travel and tourism hotspot for many years, this has left a lasting impact on the natural environment. 

However, thanks to COVID-19, the closure of parks has allowed nature to recover by seeing the return of whales and turtles. This is a lesson that speaks volumes as the Natural Resources & Environment authorities now want to close the national parks yearly for two to four months to ensure the ecosystem and wildlife health remains stable and is not overexerted. 

Thailand has more than a 100 national parks and attracts between 10 – 20 million visitors, with this year expecting to drop below 7 million visitors. While tourism is one of the main economic pillars for Thailand’s economy, amounting to one-fifth to their gross domestic product, it could not keep up with the unsustainable degradation the heavy tourism brought. In order to sustain future tourism and a healthy ecosystem, Thailand conservation authorities saw first hand through the pandemic how with time, nature can begin to restore itself.

19. We can see penguin colonies from space

Source: Unsplash

Want the good news or the bad news first? We’ll start with the good. Emperor penguins are very difficult to study due to their extremely remote nature, making them often inaccessible with Arctic temperature conditions dropping below -50 degrees celsius. But good news, a new study using satellite mapping tech reveals that there are 20% more emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica than was previously thought. The scientists from British Arctic Survey (BAS) explain that they used images from European Commission’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite mission to locate birds. They were able to find 11 new emperor penguin colonies, three of which were previously identified, but not confirmed. These findings take the global census to 61 colonies around the continent. 

BAS scientists have been searching for new colonies for the past 10 years using land-based research methods. Dr. Peter Fretwell, a BAS geographer, says that satellite images have enabled scientists to discover colonies that would have been extremely difficult to find otherwise.  

Now here comes the bad news as promised, the colonies are so few and far between that this discovery takes the overall population count up by 5-10% to just over half a million penguins in total. Emperor penguins are known to be vulnerable to loss of sea ice (their breeding habitat). Given current climate change projections, this habitat is likely to further decline. Most of the new colonies are on the edge of the breeding ground meaning that they are likely to be lost as the climate warms. 

20. Water is now trading on wall street

Source: Unsplash

Water, a necessity to all life on our planet, is now being traded on Wall street. We should have seen this one coming, another natural resource commodified and brought onto Wall street. CME Group – the company in charge of managing the contracts states that water will be traded on Wall Street due to the fear of rising scarcity in the future. As with other traded commodities like oil and gold, the price will fluctuate due to supply and demand.

According to the Nasdaq Velez California Water Index, the price of water has doubled in the last year, and the market price of it is at 1.1 billion dollars. On December 7th the trading price started at $486.53 per acre-foot equating to 1,233 cubic meters.

Water contracts are a first of their kind, incubated by the heat and wildfires in California, this change hopes to protect the resource for California’s consumers to indicate the scarcity and the value it holds. Over 2 billion people live amongst water scarcity around the world…This foreshadows the grim future of millions of people getting displaced by this factor. Not only will water limit industries, but it will trickle down to limited supply for human consumption too.

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Well 2020 being crazy and turbulent are just a few words we can agree on describing this year in a nutshell (basically this year was one big WTF, right?) With the ever so dynamic natural world and constantly shifting state of politics, it can often make it hard to keep up with what is going on in the ‘green’ world. That is why our team has had the pleasure of picking our top six weekly environmental stories in our weekly column, The WTF (The Weekly This Friday). 

We hope to have even more environmental wins for 2021 for us to document every Friday – yes we are extending the series into the next year (woo!) We are hoping to hear less about the pandemic and leave it in the rearview mirror of 2020, and make more strides and reach even more environmental triumphs. We hope you had the pleasure coming along this ride with us of reading these stories as much as we had writing them.

The post WTF 2020 appeared first on A\J.

Yes please, give me all of that green

But do I need it?

How else will I pay off my debt?

Does it matter?

All I’ve been doing is simply trying to get by

Oh no

Turns out the work is just work,

No one cares

May as well leave, say goodbye.

I think I care about the wrong type of green

The green that grows businesses.

It’s clean and pristine.

I need to have it to keep me alive

If we lost it, I doubt the world would survive

Green is what fuels my life and my dreams, so please give me that green.

I need to feel what it’s like to deal with a day with three meals, green keeps me lean, if I’m hurt I use green to heal as I rest and digest the fact I’m a hack, my job don’t mean jack.

I really need green so much I will steal from my mother and father because it will shield me from reality, that outside there are dead fields and it’s okay as long as I have that sweet, sweet green.

So please give me that green.

Fallacies of the Waste Industry, Part I

The waste industry is a sham. This is my conclusion after having worked in the industry for nearly 2 years. The waste industry is a sham because it is full of liars, cheats, corruption, and apathy. I’m sorry to lay it down so thick, but it’s my personal truth, from what I have witnessed throughout my time working in the industry. Let me preface this with a statement: the waste industry was founded by the mafia. No, I’m not making allegories, I’m not comparing the waste industry to the mafia, I’m saying the waste industry was literally created by organized crime. And it shows. I mean, sure, we don’t have absolute corrupt gangsters like in the past, but it’s unspoken knowledge that the progenitors of waste haulers were the organized criminal organizations, and I can’t help but wonder how much of a hand their legacy has in current modern day waste operations. My guess is a lot. Now, I won’t go too much into detail – I have many stories, but this is for another day. For one, I’m writing anonymously because I’m pretty sure I can be buried in legal fees if I ever name an actual company or organization, but I’m not sure just how much information I can give before I am considered a whistleblower, to be perfectly honest. Either way, this is a story for another day – today I want to talk about society’s attitude towards the waste they create – or lack thereof.

Simply put, no one cares about waste.

And why would we? Canada is huge, we’ve got thousands and thousands of square kilometers of land. We have so much space we can literally take our trash and dump it out of sight, out of mind. It’s a point I recently brought up with my friend, let’s call her Mandy, when I visited her after finishing a waste audit in Alberta. Compare this to Japan, a tiny little country in comparison, which is infinitesimally better at recycling and reducing waste than we are. My theory for Japan’s success is their size. The country is so small, they would never be able to justify using the amount of land as Canada does for literally, just hiding trash under a heap of dirt.  So, they’ve built a system that is so much more efficient. And you can see it in society as well.

I was watching a lifestyle video on YouTube about a foreigner’s experience living in Japan. The East is known for having more a more collectivistic attitude towards their respective societies, and Japan is no different. Communities and neighborhoods all pitch in to recycle and sort their trash. The video I watched described an organized schedule where each week, the responsibilities for taking out the trash were evenly distributed among apartment blocks and homeowners. I think this may have to do with the psychology of working with a group – nobody wants to be ‘that guy’ who screws the group over by doing a bad job. But that’s speculation – point is, it works because Japan is strides ahead of Canada in the waste sector. Meanwhile, we’re still faffing about with our fingers up our noses trying to convince everyone that ‘mixed recycling’ programs work. Spoiler, they don’t (again, another story for another day).

So, my point is, the reason we’re so good at reducing trash is just as much as a social issue as it is an industrial one. Have you ever wondered what happens to your trash after you separate, and have it picked up? From your home, or perhaps from the office? Do you know the whole story, where it goes, where it’s ‘recycled’? I admit there’s still a lot I don’t know, but I know enough to see how much companies in the waste industry are getting away with.

This is why no one cares about climate change – it’s such a long-term problem with melting ice glaciers so far down the temporal horizon, Boomer #91342 won’t give it the time of day nor a second thought. And you know what? I honestly can’t find it within me to care much longer either. I’ve worked in this industry for just over a year and a half, and the level of apathy I constantly face every single day makes me wonder why I am still trying to change the industry when they clearly don’t want to change themselves.

I’ll leave you with this quote before I end the first of many rants.

Albert Einstein once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting something to change.

So how much longer will I continue to try?

So how much longer will I continue to try?

So how much longer will I continue to try?

Sincerely,

Author X

The post The Wrong Type of Green appeared first on A\J.

This is a safe space to spill all the dirt, all the trashiest stories, and the confessions of the environmental world that we come across and may not want to speak about.

Confessions of a Waste Auditor – Part 1

The Wrong Type of Green – Part 2

Stay tuned for the rest of this developing series of anonymous writers coming together to share their stories.

The post Trash Talk appeared first on A\J.

I, to my overwhelming lack of surprise, was about to be proved wrong, yet again. It turns out, eventually, in the waste business, particularly the branch in which you’re ankle deep in diapers, used hygiene pads, excessively large sex toys, and a layer of what can only be described as ‘a vaguely intoxicating mix of rainwater, mashed restaurant potato skins, and warm milk, the sloshed mix of which is so cosmically horrific, H.P. Lovecraft himself would seriously consider its inclusion in the Chthulu Mythos,’ you will inevitably face, time after time, many opportunities to be beaten down with the emotional and mental equivalent of getting clocked over the head with an old dish-drying rack full of a homeless man’s excrement.

Which, of course is exactly what happened.

Oh, yes, that fateful day, one long summer day in the loading dock of some generic mall, in a city just west of Mississauga. These Hamiltonians, I tell you, there be some real savages out here.

It was at the exact moment I bent down to inspect this bucket full of what I at first imagined to be melted chocolate ice cream, to which my olfactory senses immediately presented a strong argument I should reassess my original evaluation in the favour of ‘old hobo defecatory soup’, that I began to seriously doubt my mental acuity by signing a lease to live in London to continue this job for another 14 months. 

I can only hope, at the end of it all, I will emerge a person metaphorically rebirthed in the fires of methane-producing garbage, alongside a healthy dose of mid-twenties-generated cynicism with a year of experience that will make it all worth it in the end.

But perhaps it is not all doom and gloom. Certainly, there are opportunities to present my worth. Sure, I push myself to mental limits that often invoke the ever-looming dread of existential anxiety, or as I like to call it, the Garbage Man question – why did I get a Masters so I could be a garbage man (might I add, sanitation workers get paid more than I do because UnIOniZatION), but these are opportunities nonetheless. For example, I’ve been tasked with delivering a waste workshop to a town in Northern Ontario. The time I’ve been given to prepare for this, you ask?  A solo 2-hour presentation on the history of waste management, its pitfalls and an explanation what homeowners can do to reduce our contribution to environmental unsuststainability? Its equivalent to the height, financial income, charm and sex appeal requirements for Sammie on Tinder to go out with me so I can avoid getting catfished for the damn third time by a chunky 24-year old with an Asian fetish who claimed she also liked board games but oh look you don’t even know what Catan is, Lisa. That is to say, never enough, dear reader, never enough.

As I narrowly avoided sinking my nose into that stew of homeless poopy poo, much the same way your life flashes before your eyes after an encounter with death, I couldn’t help but recall stories of my fellow graduate kinsmen. Instagram stories, in fact. Stories of which the vast majority included all you jerks enjoying the pleasures of modern society, like working in an office, enjoying AC, days that don’t include traveling for 4 hours, work less frustrating than Pornhub with bad WiFi, the scent of flowers that haven’t been rotting in a dumpster for the past week, and perhaps most infuriating of all, the fact that all you f*ckers are probably sitting at a desk twiddling your thumbs playing Sudoku while I have to dodge hobo shit every week. 

I could only conclude my near-poop experience with the utterance of a single word: 

‘Bruh.’

So yeah, this job is okay I guess. Solid 8/10.

Sincerely,

Author X

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 Here is Matt’s Eco-Hero Story – Covid Cleanup Project

My name is Matt McCoy and I am a graduating student from the University of Guelph and an Oakville resident. I have always been a big fan of hiking on the trails in Oakville, my favourite spot being the 16 Mile Creek trail system. On my hikes, I couldn’t help to notice the constant eyesores of garbage scattered all through the trails that I grew up wandering through. When COVID-19 hit, I found myself motivated to use this moment as the perfect opportunity to get families and other students out to do something for the greater good of our neighborhood. We organized a garbage cleanup, giving us a chance to reconnect with nature during the times of human isolation AND to give back something to nature in the process: a local movement of good.

On April 24th, I decided to take action and launched an initiative called “Covid Cleanup Project” with the goal of using this time to clean up our trails and environment. I created a website with a scheduling tool to ensure that people could get out at different times and keep a distance from others, and used social media to get the word out to my friends. I even reached out to Rob Burton, who serves as the Mayor of Oakville, and he graciously gave his full support for this movement. 

The project officially wrapped up on July 8^th. The results? Almost 200 bags of garbage collected in 7 cities across the GTA with over 40 volunteers helping out. As part of the initiative, we were also able to raise $2,440 for Second Harvest Canada, Canada’s largest food rescue and food bank, who have been doing incredible work by helping those that have been most affected by COVID-19 the hardest. 

This project combines my passion for entrepreneurship and environmental activism. In my first year of university, I started a barbecue cleaning and repairs company right here in Oakville which I grew to over 30 employees across Ontario, eventually landing a deal on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. After spending much of my university life focused on growing this business, I recently sold the business and used the skills I learned to launch a new startup called Start Smart Inc., with the goal of helping other students get their start in entrepreneurship while still in their studies. 

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, I decided to put the time to purpose and use the skills I had learned to launch the Covid Cleanup Project. This project aims to get students and families out on the trails, clean up some litter and gain an appreciation for our local environment. 

Starting this project, my one motto which plays over and over in my head: “Think global, act local” that kept this movement alive. This motto can be traced back to my first grade teacher, Mme Linton. Mme Linton was a passionate environmental advocate who started a project that became ingrained in our identity of our school. This project was called “Dream Acres” and was launched with the goal of beautifying our school grounds and teaching students the importance of environmental stewardship. Showing us that when environmental appreciation is integrated during the childhood experience, it will often be carried into our adulthood,

I’ve been lucky enough to have many positive influences in my life and I am excited to find ways to inspire others to take on similar projects and initiatives. If we’re going to save the planet, it’s going to take the effort of many individuals to come together and create the change, one baby step to one giant leap at a time. Let’s get started! 

Matt McCoy 

The post A Story of a Local Eco-Hero – Covid Cleanup Project appeared first on A\J.

Microplastics have been found in the ocean, in the soil and in our food and drinks but they are also found in the air. They are formed from plastics being broken down into smaller pieces and according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, they are about the size of a grain of rice (approximately 5mm). Indoor microplastics exist in the form of fibres. This originates from items such as clothing fabrics, furniture textiles, toys and microbeads in cosmetics.

Source of microplastics in the air

Source: Daily Mail

A study published in the Scientific Reports journal showed that the main identifiable sources of microplastics indoors are from synthetic and non-synthetic items with the predominant sources being from polyester (81%) and cellulose (4%- e.g. cotton), for each source, respectively. The study used a Breathing Thermal Mannequin which simulated human breathing in real-home case studies and it’s the first evidence of indoor air microplastic exposure to humans. It also showed that we could possibly be breathing in 11 microplastic pieces per hour, as this was the highest exposure concentration in the study. The study also stated that at this rate, for over a 24 hour period, an average male (as the mannequin used mimicked male breathing rate and surface temperature) doing light activity can inhale over 272 microplastics.

“We created something that won’t go away…It’s now circulating around the globe.” Janice Brahney, Biogeochemist at Utah State University and Lead Author of Study

Microplastics also exist outdoors. A study by Janice Brahney, Biogeochemist at Utah State University, showed that national parks in the United States have been getting about 1000 tonnes or more per year of microplastic dust. The dust travels from different geographic locations as it is carried by storms (via raindrops) and the source of microplastics can range from clothing, carpets, other textiles and even spray paint.

​

Microbeads like this shown on the tip of tweezers are found in spray paint

Source: Janice Brahney, Utah State University- photo via Science Magazine

Brahney found that 30% of the particles she found were microbeads (microplastic beads). Chelsea Rochman, ecologist and microplastic researcher at the University of Toronto remarked that this was an astonishing find as this microplastic source wasn’t discussed before. Of the remaining 70% of particles in Brahney’s study that were difficult to classify, 4% were plastic. Brahney’s research team confirmed that each day 132 pieces of microplastics in the air settle on every square meter of the wilderness. With 1000 tonnes of microplastic dust yearly, that equates to 300 million plastic water bottles, as reported in Science. Brahney’s research suggested that the larger the storm, the more microplastics and heavier pieces of it were carried. However, 75% of the microplastics were deposited in dry weather rather than with regional rainstorms as high-altitude winds help move the microplastics from distant locations. It’s the small things we take for granted in our actions and purchases that have a big impact on the environment thousands of kilometres away- even if we can’t see it. Microplastics have been circulating in the air for decades and have become part of the global “plastic cycle”, Brahney said.

We know that microplastics are found in seafood and vegetables but a study shows that from eating microplastics in mussels, we can get around 123 pieces of microplastics per year/capita (in the UK) and that value can go up to 4620 particles/ year/ capita in higher shellfish consumption countries. The study compared this mussel-related value to their suggested 13,731- 68,415 particles/year/ capita from household dust (airborne fibres) that could be inhaled indoors. This shows that our indoor environment plays a larger role in our consumption of microplastics via the air than via food.

Microplastics being inhaled in indoor air outweigh microplastics obtained in seafood

Source: Science Direct

While more research needs to be done on the impacts of microplastics from food, breathing in microplastics from indoor and outdoor air can have negative impacts on human health. According to Dr. Kevin Luo, Senior Air Filtration Specialist for Blueair (a global indoor air purification brand), said that breathing microplastics in can potentially cause the formation of lesions in the respiratory system. A study on 114 human lung cancer patients who were undergoing lung resection (where a section of/ entire lung removed) for the abstraction of a tumour showed that 99 (87%) patients had microplastics in their lungs from cellulosic (e.g. cotton) and plastic (polyester) fibres.

Another negative impact is that the size of microplastics makes them easy carriers of pollutants (e.g. from viruses, bacteria and car exhaust) and can introduce them into the bloodstream through our lungs. Luo also said that these microplastics can induce cancer or result in cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases and impact the nervous and immune systems. Luo noted that children are at a higher risk as they breathe more rapidly compared to adults and often play on the floor where dust containing microplastics settle.

Now that we have this information, what can we do to reduce the number of indoor microplastics in the air? Blueair suggests the following:

1. Vacuum floors frequently to remove dust containing microplastics
2. Remove carpets as they trap plastic particles and fibres while microplastics can be released into the air from linoleum and vinyl flooring
3. Avoid synthetic clothing fabrics which usually shed their plastics fibres and for home furnishings use more natural or organic textiles and fabrics.
4. Reduce the purchase of products containing microbeads (cosmetics, facial scrubs, toothpastes, etc.)

It appears that microplastics are all around us: in the ocean, land and air and they’re getting into our bodies. To reduce the amount of microplastics in our global environment we can dispose of plastics properly by recycling and reducing our plastic purchases by considering the 10R’s to discontinue the plastic cycle in our lives.

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Well, times have changed, and now this is the time to keep questioning the status quo of the industries we are working within, and to understand that foundation ideas and suppositions about the right way of doing business with outdated mentalities just won’t cut it anymore. If the ‘customer is always right’, then we are the leaders, we have the voices, and we need to ensure that we’re leaving a legacy that with enough will may move mountains for our future. This is especially seen in the fashion industry time after time. From unsafe working conditions to landfills piled to overflowing with textile waste. It is a problem we all contribute to, but it’s time to step up and do better.

From fast fashion to luxury goods, there are opportunities to use our platforms and consumer power to demand innovation and creativity from our designers, manufacturers and fashion retailers to make more sustainable goods produced with better conditions for its workers. It really is that simple. With the ever-changing and evolving trends, consumers would be very appreciative and supportive of the designers, the ‘architects and artists’ of the industry, taking this an extra step forward and using sustainable textile as another form of artistically expressing themselves and the vision for our future.

We decided to hold a Q/A with Brana Dane on the idea of sustainable fashion. Brana is more than a model and activist. She has seen firsthand the negative environmental legacy and injustice that can be left behind in the name of fashion and believes in being the changemaker from inside out.

Brana is a Model and Activist. Brana is also one of the leaders of the activist group, “Model Mafia”, which promotes fair working conditions, more sustainable fashion practices, and promoting a more inclusive fashion and modelling industry. She was honored to speak about the importance of sustainable fashion at the annual NYC public Earth Day rally in Union Square April 2019. Brana has participated in and led numerous social media campaigns to reduce plastic consumption. For example, she collaborated with Lonely Whale to reduce single use plastic and again with Rainforest Alliance to help get the plastic bag banned in NYC.

Brana has helped organize members of the fashion community during many environmental marches and several public events. In fact, she created and led the recent NYFW rallies for the climate strike that went viral on social media and was even reposted in Vogue Brasil, proving that customers want more than garments – they want ethics in the workplace and they want it now.

Growing up on the ocean in Vancouver, Brana feels a deep connection to nature and is motivated to preserve it for future generations. While using her platform to shed a light on the needs of our planet and the plight of the modern garment worker, she seeks to inspire a light to as many people as possible as her heart and soul is intertwined in two seemingly opposing worlds: Fashion and Sustainability. Below we take a look through Brana’s lens on the industry.

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GV:  What is your definition of ‘sustainable fashion’?

BD:   Fashion is a means of expressing oneself. Sustainable fashion goes beyond the surface and expresses concern for the lives that made the garment as well as a concern for our shared environment. The benchmarks to asses this for me are threefold. Firstly, is the garment produced with a long life-cycle? Secondly, does the production use renewable resources while creating minimal waste? Lastly, is the piece produced using labor that is responsibly treated and paid fairly? 

GV:  From your perspective , what is the biggest environmental concern in regards to the fashion industry? 

BD:  The amount of textiles burnt or that end up in landfills is astounding. At around 92 million tons of textile waste across the globe annually, it adds up quickly.

GV:  Are there any main culprits that fall into this?

BD:  Big names need to take responsibility for setting the example. Unfortunately only some hear this call. Chanel is still burning it’s unsold garments, but other brands like Burberry have recently stopped this practice. It’s a good first step, but to truly make a difference so much more is needed. 

GV:  What can brands do to promote sustainable fashion practise?

BD:   Brands need to be very clear about how they are different. They need to help raise awareness along with the rest of us to expose the cost of fast fashion. Simply being a sustainable brand creates more demand for sustainable solutions within the industry and will have a great effect to decrease production costs for the future. 

GV:  What can we do as consumers to lower our carbon footprint associated with fashion and textile waste? And how do we promote a more conscious mindset when shopping?

BD:  As a consumer the first question I always ask myself is, “do I need this”? Buying less is the single best thing we can do as a population. I love fashion and support artistic expression but more often then not we are buying things on a whim and not because we truly love or need them. You can always take an old garment to a seamstress or an artist to create a unique fashion piece no one else will ever own. This is great for the environment and supports the artist and craftsmen of the world locally. I think it’s up to the new generation to define what makes us worthwhile people; is it having the newest brand name item or is it honoring the lives of those making the garment? What do we value? Ourselves and our world or branding and labels? 

GV:  Do you see the problem getting better or worse? What is the leading factor of this change?

BD:  There is definitely a subtle shift happening in fashion. It’s been coming for a long time. As a climate activist, I see the overlap between environmental concerns increasing and the surge of demand for sustainable brands. Retail itself is in the midst a major transformation with many large fast fashion companies, such as Forever 21, filing for bankruptcy. It’s slow moving but we have been making some headway. Since COVID some major designers such as Giorgio Armani have even vowed to stop following the fashion week calendar of production and instead produce simultaneously with the actual season. It’s a time to truly wake up to what’s important and embrace our green hearts. 

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There is enough hope, it would seem, from a leader like Brana, to sustain our efforts to fast-forward our efforts to green our less-fast-fashions. We, the buyers of fashion, have the power within our hands to demand more – and to uplift those who are doing more in the process. With changemakers within the industry like Brana, we hope more can take similar footsteps in leaving a positive impression in their industry, as this is much more than just fashion. There’s an old saying that ‘clothes make the person’, if so it could be looked at as ‘you are what you wear’. Today, at the grassroots level of young citizens (and consumers, there’s a change of mentality and lifestyle. Oftentimes, fashion and textile waste are overlooked as a not-so-silent climate offender. With fast fashion giants (and their industries silos like retailers and designers) contributing the trash that’s fueling the growing waste problem in landfills, it brings us as consumers to a crossroad: what drives our decision-making? What’s more important when it comes to our fashion choices: how to be more conscious when purchasing or staying on top of the latest, hot-now apparel? If we all work together as citizens AND as consumers to demand a greener alternative THIS FASHION SEASON, the industry can’t afford to be offering goods and services labeled as REDUCED TO CLEAR, OUT OF STYLE and SO LAST YEAR.  

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“We did not inherit the Earth from our ancestors – we borrow it from our children”

– First Nations of Turtle Island proverb

The above reminds us there is cause-and-effect at play here. Sometimes that can be a negative reminder. In this case, I like that the reminder is positive and future-focused, nudging us to remember that living sustainably can help to ensure a better future for generations to come. Our actions can plant the seeds of ideas and energy that can help overcome our issues.

Think about it. Why would you make something that you’re going to use for a few minutes out of a material that’s basically going to last forever, and you’re just going to throw it away. What’s up with that? –Jeb Berrier, BagIt Movie Source: Plastic Free July

Plastics have been causing many issues to the land we occupy, the water bodies teeming with undiscovered species and the air that our life depends on. Plastic Free July has come to an end but the lessons learnt in all 5 Volumes of this series (see links at end) can be taken with us on this journey to eliminate our addiction to plastic from our lives. The #PlasticFreeJuly campaign originally started as an attempt to raise environmental awareness on the plastic issue we help drive in our daily lives and to educate the public on how to combat it.

In the four previous Volumes of this series, we discussed the issue at hand, solutions people can implement in their daily lives and the need for policy and legal framework to ban plastics. It was seen that the amount of plastic waste will only continue to increase and be broken down into smaller pieces (microplastics) causing even further irreversible impacts on the environment. While individuals can do their part by switching to environmentally friendly alternatives and recycling properly, change will not happen unless manufacturers are legally mandated to create products that are easier to recycle and take care of their own waste.

Source: Change.org

Going plastic-free is not going to happen overnight but small steps can help individuals make a difference in reducing the amount of plastics that end up in the landfill. Plastic Free July can be seen as your start to limiting the use of plastic in your daily lives, if you don’t already do so. If you are past this step, explore options to incorporate environmentally friendly plastic alternatives. Similarly pushing for the government to ban single-use plastics and make plastics more recyclable can be big steps for Canada.  

As the official month of the Plastic Free July Series comes to an end, may the environmentally-friendly practices that drive this campaign continue as the plastic problem doesn’t end here. Let’s make a difference to create a better planet for future generations.

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For more on the Plastic Free July Series see:

1. Volume 1: Strong and Plastic-Free
2. Volume 2: Breaking Up With Plastics
3. Volume 3: Volume 3: A Guide to a Plastic Free Beach Day
4. Volume 4: Revolve, Reduce, Reuse

To learn more about the impacts of plastics see the:

Impact of plastics on the ocean: Two Million Too Many

Presence of Plastics in the soil and food we eat: Plastic Food

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