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Big tech is playing its part in reaching net zero targets, but its vast new datacentres are run at huge cost to the environmentMariana Mazzucato is professor of economics at UCL, and director of the Institute for Innovation and Public PurposeWhen you picture the tech industry, you probably think of things that don’t exist in physical space, such as the apps and internet browser on your phone. But the infrastructure required to store all this information – the physical datacentres housed in business parks and city outskirts – consume massive amounts of energy. Despite its name, the infrastructure used by the “cloud” accounts for more global greenhouse emissions than commercial flights. In 2018, for instance, the 5bn YouTube hits for the viral song Despacito used the same amount of energy it would take to heat 40,000 US homes annually.This is a hugely environmentally destructive side to the tech industry. While it has played a big role in reaching net zero, giving us smart meters and efficient solar, it’s critical that we turn the spotlight on its environmental footprint. Large language models such as ChatGPT are some of the most energy-guzzling technologies of all. Research suggests, for instance, that about 700,000 litres of water could have been used to cool the machines that trained ChatGPT-3 at Microsoft’s data facilities. It is hardly news that the tech bubble’s self-glorification has obscured the uglier sides of this industry, from its proclivity for tax avoidance to its invasion of privacy and exploitation of our attention span. The industry’s environmental impact is a key issue, yet the companies that produce such models have stayed remarkably quiet about the amount of energy they consume – probably because they don’t want to spark our concern.Mariana Mazzucato is professor of economics at UCL, and director of the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose Continue reading...

The mushroom industry explores the potential of spent substrate, a byproduct of mushroom cultivation, for various environmental and agricultural applications.Doug Bierend reports for Civil Eats.In short:Spent substrate, the leftover material from mushroom farming, holds potential for compost, soil decontamination, biofuel, and further mushroom cultivation.Small and large mushroom farms alike face the challenge of managing the increasing amounts of spent substrate, seeking innovative solutions for its disposal and reuse.The Central Texas Mycological Society has created a community network for free spent substrate pickup, supporting local farms and environmental projects.Key quote:"If you're gonna do it, awesome, but account for this waste stream you're producing and how you're gonna get it off of your property."— Amanda Janney, founder of KM MushroomsWhy this matters:Incorporating spent substrate into farming practices supports the principles of circular economy by recycling waste products into valuable resources. This not only reduces waste but also minimizes the environmental impact of farming by decreasing the reliance on synthetic inputs.The way we eat and grow food has to dramatically change if we're going to feed the world's increasing population by 2050 and protect the planet, according to a major report released in 2019 from the EAT-Lancet Commission.

Black activists in the U.S. are fighting the exploitation of Black resources and workers in the Congo.

Past Presentation | If we observe and listen closely, our world communicates to us. The director with producer Tessa Skiles, travelling the Springs Heartland for a year, explored the hidden gems of Florida and consulted with leading experts on the current state of Florida's water resources. From springs hunting to mystical mermaids to interviews with National Geographic explorers, this film educates us on the threats facing the water Floridians consume every day and how Florida springs are a looking glass into the health of our most vital natural resource.

Attorney General Ken Paxton said the settlement will reimburse the state and feds for damages to natural resources.

Past Presentation | Biopiracy is a plague that has hit the African continent like a tornado. Biochemical industry is frantic to patent bio resources at such a fast pace, indigenous society and owners of Intellectual property of the bio resources are flailing to keep up with Western laws of patenting genes of bio species.

Questions about environmental safety and community health loom over the greenwashed industry and proposed export scheme.

New resources from the Center for Public Integrity and Grist aim to teach residents and reporters how to conduct their own research.

In El Salvador, environmental activists face increased threats as the government contemplates lifting a historic ban on metal mining, raising fears of sacrificing natural resources for economic gains. Danielle Mackey reports for The Guardian. In short: Vidalina Morales, a prominent environmentalist, fears for her family's safety amid the government's signs of reversing a metal mining ban. Recent arrests of environmental activists, including Morales's son, under dubious charges, suggest an effort to intimidate opposition. President Nayib Bukele's popularity contrasts with concerns over authoritarian tendencies and the potential environmental and social costs of reviving mining. Key quote: “Gold mining competes with the human being for an essential resource." — Andrés McKinley, a specialist in water and mining at the University of Central America in San Salvador Why this matters: Environmental activism in places like El Salvador represents a courageous stand against ecological degradation and the forces driving it, yet it comes with profound risks. This small Central American nation, rich in natural beauty but plagued by issues of poverty and violence, has become a battleground for those fighting to preserve its resources against industrial and developmental pressures. Be sure to read EHN’s 2016 piece about mining in the Midwest: Michigan proposes approval for controversial Upper Peninsula mine near sacred tribal sites.

Now Playing | Water is a precious resource which humanity should use responsibly. Our relationship with Nature should always be guided by reciprocity. Nature protects us all and we in turn should protect natural resources and be sympathetic to the needs of fellow human beings.

Last week, Georgia Power won regulatory approval to fast-track construction of 1.4 gigawatts of fossil-fueled power plants and to contract for nearly a gigawatt more power from coal- and fossil-gas-fired power plants owned by other utilities. The reason? Fear that skyrocketing power demand from power-hungry data…

A study led by the University of Barcelona warns of the oil resources that should not be exploited to meet the commitments of the Paris...

Past Presentation | This documentary explores the formation of the Maui Nui Marine Resources Council and their community-based efforts to restore vibrance and abundance to Maui's reefs.

Past Presentation | Moving Mountains tackles the destructive effects of large-scale mining on the lives, culture and environment of communities in the Cordilleras. After playing host to these big mining companies, they remain poor, their resources depleted and their communities destroyed. The film also presents the inspiring story of an indigenous tribe in Kalinga province that has kept large mining companies away from the area and has allowed the community to determine how to manage its mineral resources.

Past Presentation | It's well-known that water is a collective good and a free inexhaustible resource...False! La goutte de trop follows the journey of a drop of water through the whole Montreal water system. Overconsumption, waste, inadequate filtration process. Their still some hope as citizens take on the challenge of reducing their consumption.

Past Presentation | Towering stands of old ­growth longleaf pine (pinus palustris) once covered over 90 million acres while stretching from southern Virginia to eastern Texas. Today, the total acreage is about two million, with only about two thousand of that considered old growth. As the South was settled and Northern timber supplies were exhausted, this incredible natural resource was very nearly extirpated from the South's landscape and collective consciousness. LONGLEAF: THE HEART OF PINE is a cultural and natural history of the South's ancient primeval forest and how it might still be saved.

Past Presentation | The story of a community’s successful fight to protect their water from the oil and natural gas industry. In 2013, Texas-based SWN Resources arrived in New Brunswick, Canada, a region known for forestry, farming, and fishing, both commercial and small-scale subsistence operations that the rural community depend on. A multicultural group of unlikely warriors united and set up road blockades to prevent oil exploration. After months of resistance, their efforts not only halted drilling, they elected a new government and won an indefinite moratorium on fracking.

Past Presentation | Co-executive producer, Jill Heinerth, who hails from Alachua County, has dived deeper into caves than any woman in history. Her accolades include being named a "Living Legend" by Sport Diver Magazine and being in the inaugural class of the Women Divers Hall of Fame. Imaginative, entertaining, and enlightening, We Are Water illustrates the fragile relationship between our planet's endangered freshwater resources and the ever increasing needs of more and more people: For the first time in history, fresh water has become a finite resource. Without big changes in water policy and use, wars of the future may be fought, not over oil, but water. This movie will show us how we can help Jill Heinerth to keep that from happening.

Past Presentation | Earth Speaks is a short documentary about the Earth as Mother and the impacts of oil and gas drilling on tribal lands in the United States, particularly the Blackfeet Reservation in North Central Montana. Outside entities promise economic wealth and prosperity to territories whose unemployment rate hovers at 70%. Exploitation of people, land, and resources is not new to the Native American. How does seeing the Earth with a "spiritual eye" affect the oil and gas industry of Native Lands? Is there a connection between those views and others that are more pragmatic, and what alternative is there for a world dependent on fossil fuels?

Past Presentation | Almost entirely self funded, this film is the director’s gift to the world. The award-winning filmmaker and producer also spent 4 years as a one­ woman ­crew exploring why and how we have inadvertently put our planet in peril. The film examines how our economic and production systems connect to climate change, species extinction, depletion of critical natural resources, and industrial control of food production. Solutions that could be implemented immediately are illustrated, from practical everyday fixes to rethinking the overarching myths of our time. While this film is intended to challenge viewers on many levels, it most of all offers hope.

A fibrous adsorbent selectively recovers high-purity gold from waste. Dramatically reduces the cost and time of the recovery process and enables material to be mass-produced...

Past Presentation | From Farm To Table is an Eco-documentary film showcasing a school's commitment to integrating stewardship of our earth's resources into its curriculum. The film follows students working in their school garden and sustainable organic farm from planting to harvesting and demonstrates the link between fresh locally grown sustainable products and healthier eating while simultaneously building community and promoting the stewardship of our earth's resources. The important issues of conservation, preservation, biodiversity and animal welfare are addressed. In conclusion, as a call to action we are encouraged to learn more, ask questions and take action by growing our own food and buying local food.

This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. What is the value of a tree? It can provide a cool place to rest in the shade, a snack in the form of fruit, lumber to build a home, and cleaner air. But trees are increasingly being prized for one thing: […]

Now Playing | When we talk about Sustainability, we tend to focus on the sustainable solutions based on physical resources. However, very frequently we overlook a key part for creating a successful sustainable society: Cultural Sustainability.

Rural Latino communities are divided about the project, which would capture carbon from an oilfield and power plant — and allow an oil company to keep operating as the state struggles to slash greenhouse gases.

Around the world, lands with water and food resources are being snatched up by powerful interests. The Grab director Gabriela Cowperthwaite discusses her documentary that is both a geopolitical thriller and a call to action. The post In Deep Water appeared first on .

As Western states juggle expansion and water scarcity, communities from Las Vegas to Phoenix are hitting the brakes on development.Jennifer Yachnin reports for E&E News.In short:Recent legal and executive actions across Western states are limiting new construction due to the scarcity of water resources, underscoring the clash between booming populations and dwindling water supplies.The Nevada Supreme Court ruled against a large development outside Las Vegas, highlighting the challenges of balancing growth with environmental sustainability and water rights.Efforts to reduce water consumption in places like southern Nevada, through more efficient homes and restrictions on water use, point towards possible solutions amidst growing concerns.Key quote:"The era of limits is upon us."— Kathy Jacobs, director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions at the University of ArizonaWhy this matters:Communities across states like California, Arizona, and Nevada are grappling with the reality that water, once considered an abundant resource, is now a critically limited one. In 2022, Arizona experienced the worst drought conditions in more than 1,000 years, which dried up reservoirs, exposed regulatory loopholes and further exposed environmental injustice.

In a significant settlement, Texas and the federal government secure $6.6 million from the Intercontinental Terminals Co. following the hazardous Deer Park fire. Elena Bruess reports for The Texas Tribune. In short: The March 2019 Deer Park fire at the Intercontinental Terminals Co. facility resulted in widespread environmental damage, releasing harmful chemicals into the air and water. Firefighting efforts lasted three days, during which schools and businesses were closed, and property was significantly damaged. The settlement funds are designated for the restoration of natural resources and covering the incurred agency costs. Key quote: "I'm pleased we were able to secure this natural resource damages settlement after the serious destruction caused by the fire at Deer Park." — Ken Paxton, Texas attorney general Why this matters: The Deer Park fire resulted in a significant release of pollutants, including benzene, into the environment, causing a widespread impact. The chemicals from the fire led to school closures, shelter-in-place orders, and a public health scare in the Houston area. The ecological effects included potential harm to air quality and water systems, impacting both human health and local wildlife. WATCH: Deer Park, Texas, petrochemical fire caused by years of federal and state neglect.

Production, distribution, power generation, carbon capture all in the works: Questions, concerns, confusion abound. The post Like It Or Not, a Hydrogen Ecosystem Is Coming to New Mexico appeared first on .

A divided Wisconsin court recently upheld a decision limiting state environmental oversight on PFAS contaminants, a move that has sparked widespread discussion. Bennet Goldstein reports for Wisconsin Watch. In short: A Wisconsin appeals court affirmed a ruling that restricts the Department of Natural Resources from regulating PFAS under the state's spills law. New legislation, if not vetoed, would further limit state authority to mandate PFAS cleanups, allowing polluters to potentially evade responsibility. The legal and legislative efforts represent parallel attempts to weaken environmental protections against PFAS, a persistent and hazardous contaminant. Key quote: “DNR is really kind of being assaulted on all fronts for simply trying to protect the environment and the public health from what we all know, regardless of the contrived legal definition, are hazardous substances.” — Rob Lee, staff attorney with Midwest Environmental Advocates. Why this matters: Across the United States, many states have taken it upon themselves to establish stricter PFAS standards than those set by the federal government. These actions include setting lower allowable limits for PFAS in drinking water, soil, and air; mandating testing of water supplies; and requiring public notification of PFAS levels. Industry groups have voiced concerns over the state Department of Natural Resources setting standards for PFAS in the absence of comprehensive federal regulations. Are you replenishing your electrolytes with a dose of PFAS?

The funding is designed to help tribal nations adapt to climate threats, including relocating infrastructure.

California has increased water allocations to 40% of full allotments from the State Water Project. Officials say environmental regulations have limited pumping.

PITTSBURGH — Last month the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the first federal regulations for “forever chemicals” in drinking water. The chemicals, known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, are linked to kidney and testicular cancer, liver and thyroid problems, reproductive problems, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, low birthweight and increased risk of birth defects, among other health effects. There are nearly 15,000 different PFAS and evidence of the chemicals has been found in everything from carpets and cookware to food wrappers, makeup and bandaids. PFAS don’t break down naturally and have been detected in drinking water at more than 5,000 sites in all 50 states. The new regulations, among the most protective health limits on PFAS in drinking water in the world, will go into effect on June 25 and set limits for six common PFAS — PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS and GenX. Many researchers who study these chemicals have called on regulators to restrict these chemicals as a class rather than individually. But because the chemicals build up in our bodies over time, any reduction in exposure is likely to be beneficial for health. “This is the first time the EPA has issued a rule on water contaminants in 28 years. So this is significant,” Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, executive director of Women for a Healthy Environment, a nonprofit environmental health advocacy group based in western Pennsylvania, told EHN. Eleven states, including Pennsylvania, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin have already adopted their own limits on PFAS in drinking water. The EPA’s new limits are stricter than any existing limits, so states are preparing to meet the new EPA standards. “PFAS exposures are toxic even at low concentrations,” Naccarati-Chapkis said. “We didn’t think Pennsylvania’s state regulations went far enough, so we’re glad these new federal rules will better protect residents across the Commonwealth.” What are the new limits and how will they protect our health?The EPA’s new PFAS limits are 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for GenX, PFNA and PFHxS, all of which are newer PFAS that have been less extensively studied than PFOA and PFOS. The regulations also create a “hazard index” to address combined risks from mixtures of chemicals. For PFNA, GenX, PFHxS and PFBS, water system operators will determine if the combined levels of two or more in drinking water pose a potential risk and require action. The regulations also consider the levels of PFAS that can be detected by laboratories and the cost and feasibility of removing them. The EPA set “Maximum Contaminant Level Goals” for some PFAS, which represent the limit at which the agency has determined that no adverse health effects would occur. Whenever the EPA has identified a cancer risk associated with a pollutant, the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal is set to zero, which the agency has applied to PFOA and PFOS. While the Maximum Contaminant Levels of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA, and GenX are enforceable, the Maximum Contaminant Level Goals are aspirational. “Setting those goals to zero is an acknowledgement that there’s basically no safe level of exposure to these chemicals,” Carla Ng, an associate professor and PFAS researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, told EHN. The Biden administration expects the new regulations to “protect 100 million people from PFAS exposure, prevent tens of thousands of serious illnesses and save lives.” Additionally, the EPA recently classified PFOA and PFOS, two of the most common PFAS, as “hazardous substances” under the federal Superfund act, which gives the EPA the authority to clean up PFAS contamination and to recover the cost of these cleanups from polluters. “I think these two pieces are one two-punch,” Ng said. “With both, now we’ll have a way to clean up not only water, but also other mediums like soil. That’s important because PFAS exposure also happens through things like indoor air and contaminated food, and this will allow us to start addressing those exposures too.”What will this mean for Pennsylvania?One in three Pennsylvania drinking water systems had detectable levels of PFAS as of 2021. Additionally, PFAS have been detected in 76% of sampled rivers and streams throughout the state, many of which are used for drinking water.In January 2023, six years after initially pledging to regulate the chemicals, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection passed limits of 14 ppt for PFOA and 18 ppt PFOS in drinking water. Now, those limits must be tightened. “Pennsylvania is already working to revise its regulations to align with the federal rulemaking in places where the state rule is less stringent,” PA DEP spokesperson Neil Shader told EHN. Pennsylvania’s regulations need to be updated within two years of the start date for the new federal rules. The agency plans to help water authorities address any challenges and secure funding.“DEP will take every step to ensure water authorities in the Commonwealth can meet state and federal limits for PFAS – including increased training and to help local operators understand the new federal rule,” Shader said. “Additionally, [the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority] has been able to fund 100% of all requests for the construction and installation of treatment facilities to date and has the financial capacity to address any additional requests for the foreseeable future.”The EPA also offers assistance programs for water authorities that need help implementing monitoring and treatment of contaminants like PFAS. The Biden’s administration dedicated $9 billion in funding to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water through the $1 trillion infrastructure legislation that passed IN 2021, commonly known as theBipartisan Infrastructure Law. “Pennsylvania is already working to revise its regulations to align with the federal rulemaking in places where the state rule is less stringent." - Neil Shader, PA DEP spokesperson The new regulations do not apply to the approximately 2.5 million Pennsylvania residents whose water comes from private wells.“DEP recommends private residents who choose to test their water use a state-certified laboratory using EPA-approved testing methods,” Shader said, noting that the agency offers a list of accredited laboratories online.Ng said more resources are needed to help private well owners. “That has always been a big blind spot in Pennsylvania,” she said. “There’s very little protection for people with private wells, and we really need funds to help them do testing and treatment for PFAS and other contaminants as well.”For some water authorities, including the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, which provides drinking water to more than 500,000 people, the new rules won’t require many changes.“We always try to be proactive about looking at emerging contaminants,” Frank Sidari, chief environmental compliance and ethics officer at the Pittsburgh Sewer and Water Authority (PWSA), told EHN. “We’ve been monitoring for PFAS since 2014, so it won’t be too difficult for us to prepare for the new federal regulations.”So far, Sidari said, the municipal authority’s monitoring hasn’t detected levels of PFAS high enough to prompt removal of the contaminants. “We always try to be proactive about looking at emerging contaminants. We’ve been monitoring for PFAS since 2014, so it won’t be too difficult for us to prepare for the new federal regulations.” - Frank Sidari, Pittsburgh Sewer and Water AuthorityAt some smaller water authorities, the new regulations will require a bigger lift. The Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority, which serves around 40,000 people in western Pennsylvania, began some voluntary monitoring for a list of 29 PFAS in both drinking water and source water in 2023 in anticipation of new EPA monitoring requirements, but the process is still new.“This is an extremely complex group of contaminants,” Lou Ammon, manager of purification at the Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority, told EHN. “We have not received any resources to date and do not expect to receive any resources for our continued enhanced monitoring.”While the state’s environmental agency said resources are available for water authorities that reach out to and request help removing PFAS, both Ammon and Sidari said they hadn’t received any outreach from state regulators advertising or offering resources to help with PFAS monitoring or removal.To date, Ammon said, the Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority hasn’t detected PFAS high enough to prompt new treatments, but “if we ever have to treat/remove PFAS from our water during treatment, I have not been informed of what resources we should expect to receive at that time.”“What I really think we need are regulations and remediation funding sources from businesses and corporations that have profited directly from the manufacture and use of these compounds,” Ammon said.As of April 2024, attorney generals in 30 states, including Pennsylvania, have initiated lawsuits against manufacturers of PFAS for contaminating water supplies, according to Safer States, a national coalition of environmental health organizations. “What I really think we need are regulations and remediation funding sources from businesses and corporations that have profited directly from the manufacture and use of these compounds.” - Lou Ammon, Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water AuthorityAmmon also called for regulation of PFAS in consumer products. Some states have begun banning PFAS in consumer products, but Pennsylvania has not.“Every day that these direct consumer contamination sources are unregulated is a day that these compounds can be affecting the public’s health or contaminating source water,” Ammon said, “[and] that will ultimately need to be treated and paid for by water treatment plant rate-payers and in federal/state tax dollars, paid by the public.”

A new analysis concludes that unless California almost triples its rate of cutting greenhouse gases, the state won't meet its 2030 climate change target. Some emissions were rising.

Now Playing | "Again, Together" is a film created in partnership with Ronald L. Jones, bringing stories from communities across Houston that have been impacted by environmental racism — namely redlining, segregation, underinvestment, exposure to pollution, gentrification, inequitable disaster recovery resources and freeway development.

Past Presentation | Essential viewing for those who care about the Floridan environment, Florida Lawmaker Carter Lord highlights the irreversible environmental and economic destruction that follows phosphate mining in southern Florida.

Past Presentation | A film about our love affair with carbon.

“Nearly a million acres of estuaries and 9,000 miles of rivers and streams in the state of Florida are verified impaired for fecal indicator bacteria,” Berman said. “Thirty-five percent of the verified impaired bodies have been on the impaired list for at least eight years.”

Exclusive: Facilities owned by Bingo Industries and Aussie Skips Recycling among more than 20 named in NSW parliament for breaching regulationsRecycling fill sold in Sydney stores tests positive for asbestosGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastSome of the best-known waste companies in New South Wales are among those that broke safety rules that led to potentially contaminated soil fill being supplied to backyard landscapers, schools, childcare centres and parks across the state.As part of an investigation into soil contamination, Guardian Australia can reveal that Bingo Industries, Aussie Skips Recycling, Benedict Recycling and KLF Holdings breached state regulations for testing a type of cheap soil made from recycled construction and demolition waste.Companies found in the 2019 investigation to have asked private laboratories to keep retesting samples when they exceeded contaminant thresholds were: Bingo Industries in Auburn, four Benedict Recycling facilities in Sydney, Breen Resources in Kurnell, South Coast Equipment Recycling at Warrawong, Hi-Quality Waste Management at St Marys and Brandown Pty Ltd at Cecil Park. The 2013 investigation also found two Benedict Recycling facilities were retesting samples.Twenty-one facilities were found in the 2019 investigation not to have been meeting EPA sampling rules such as the frequency with which samples should be collected and tested and what they were tested for: eight sites owned by Bingo Industries, four owned by Benedict Industries and one each by Aussie Skips Recycling, KLF Holdings, Breen Resources, Brandown, Hi-Quality Waste Management, Budget Waste Recycling, Rock & Dirt Recycling, South Coast Equipment Recycling and Builders Recycling Operations. Aussie Skips Recycling and Hi-Quality Waste Management were also among 11 facilities found in 2013 to be breaching testing rules.Following the 2019 investigation, the EPA issued prevention notices to six facilities after it detected asbestos in their recovered fines. In at least two instances the product had already been removed for use in the community.In one case identified in the 2019 EPA investigation, 16 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated soil produced by KLF Holdings was supplied to an apartment complex in Bankstown, and the regulator was forced to order a clean-up. Continue reading...

A black plume of smoke filled the air on May 5 that year as the tank fire burned for three days, releasing toxic chemicals into the air and more than 470,000 barrels of petrochemical products that leached into nearby waterways.

Few economic and social benefits will come to Africans if processing is all done overseas, says Wanjira MathaiAfrica must take greater control in the industries it supplies with raw materials to lift its people from poverty and seize its own destiny in a low-carbon world, one of the continent’s leading environmentalists has urged.Wanjira Mathai, the managing director for Africa and global partnerships at the World Resources Institute thinktank, said much more of what the continent produced must be processed and made use of close to where it is produced, if the world is to shift to a low-carbon footing. Continue reading...

Past Presentation | In a country where one liter of 95 grade car fuel costs less than 25 cents, a man rides a tricycle to get through traffic.

Past Presentation | The people of Florida and Sarasota have repeatedly voted to support acquiring and sustaining environmentally sensitive lands. These precious natural resources have not gone unnoticed by those who could profit from them. A battle is ongoing waging private profit against public parks.

Women play a critical role in sustainable development, combatting climate change, and taking care of our natural resources. But industry needs to do more to support them. The post From Glass Ceilings to Green Houses: More Women Are Needed in Green Industry appeared first on The Revelator.

The University of Costa Rica (UCR) designed a system that reuses coffee waste and transforms it into energy. The model seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency. Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, and Latin America stands out as one of the main producers of this bean. […] The post Costa Rica’s UCR Pioneers Coffee Waste Reuse for Sustainability appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Past Presentation | A short animation based on Richard Heinberg’s book with the same title. It insists that humanity has reached a fundamental turning point in its economic history, and that the expansionary trajectory of industrial civilization is colliding with non-negotiable natural limits.

Past Presentation | The Pipe is a thrilling documentary, portraying the story of a community tragically divided, and how they deal with an oil pipe that could bring economic prosperity or destruction of a way of life shared for generations.

Past Presentation | A look at environmental and human impact of the oil sands in Alberta’s northern territory. Tipping Pointtells the story of the remote community of Fort Chipewyan, down the Athabasca River from the oil sands, and the serious health risks that are plaguing the residents.

Past Presentation | Amidst national controversy surrounding the potential dangers of hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking,' environmental activist Pauline Matt stands alone to protect her native homeland - the Blackfeet Reservation of northern Montana.

Past Presentation | A Wild Idea is a documentary about the Yasuni-ITT Initiative-Ecuador's unprecedented proposal for fighting global climate change: In exchange for payments from the world community, the country will leave untouched its largest oil reserves.

Past Presentation | A Swedish mining giant dumps hazardous waste in Arica in northern Chile. Subsequently thousands of inhabitants are damaged.Now the survivors are seeking justice in a groundbreaking transnational corporate accountability trial.

Past Presentation | British Columbia is one of the last places on earth logging old growth forests. In the face of climate change, old growth forestry isn’t just a threat to species living in the area–it’s a threat to the world itself.

Past Presentation | Exploring the beauty, rigor, and impact of socially engaged art, these short vignettes were made possible by A Blade of Glass (ABOG), which provides resources for artists reaching beyond boundaries and into communities to contribute creatively to social change. ABOG supports this work through a national fellowship program and related programs such as short documentary films.

Past Presentation | In the Paraguayan Chaco region, the area with the fastest deforestation in the world, aboriginal communities see the source of their foodstuffs, their pharmacopoeia, and their mythological tales disappear before their eyes. An unflinching exposé of the effects of uncontrolled settlement on one of the last virgin territories of the planet.

West Coast sea otters are turning to tool use to exploit richer prey and get a leg up on the competition, a new study has found. In Monterey Bay, an incredible rebound in sea otter populations has made their favorite prey scarce — and pushed them to pursue tougher options, according to findings published Thursday in Science....

A new analysis shows that building a California water tunnel would cost $20 billion. State officials say the project's benefits would far outweigh the costs.

Past Presentation | Using stunning high resolution images from a DSLR camera, this team of high school students show the change in our relationship to Hawaiʻi's natural resources over time. Part of the story is told from the perspective of an endemic Koa tree in Waikamoi Forest Preserve.

Past Presentation | A touching and encouraging story about a miner’s young daughter and her battle against one of the world's largest mining companies. The film depicts the destiny of an invaluable protected mine in Finnish Lapland. Is everything for sale when the bid is high enough? A film about exceptional determination, courage and love for one’s own roots and home village.

Past Presentation | Exposes how impending tar sands and oil shale mining would destroy massive landscapes in Utah and put the already imperiled Colorado River Watershed at risk. Utah has approved the USA’s precedent-setting tar sands mine despite widespread health impacts of similar projects in northern Canada.

Now Playing | When a corporate mining giant moves into a small coastal town looking for gold and talking about trickle down wealth some folks just aren't convinced.