A research paper published in Science Advances reveals a direct correlation between plastic production and plastic pollution, such that every 1% increase in plastic production is associated with a 1% increase in plastic pollution in the environment. The study finds that fast-moving consumer goods companies disproportionately contribute to the problem more than household and retail companies. The study marks the first robust quantification of the global relationship between plastic production and pollution. The research, led by scientists from a dozen different universities in the United States of America, Australia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Estonia, Chile, Sweden, Canada, and the United Kingdom, found that 56 global companies are responsible for more than half of all branded plastic pollution. The Coca-Cola Company was responsible for 11% of branded waste, followed by PepsiCo (5%), Nestlé (3%), Danone (3%), and Altria/Philip Morris International (2%). The top companies identified produce food, beverage, or tobacco products.

If one of your initiatives is helping to solve the triple global crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, then the Champions of the Earth award could be for you.

The call for entries launched by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is open until 5 May 2024.

I'm in awe of how we ran historical revisionism on the civil rights movement so bad that people truly believe it was quiet self-sacrifcial non-disruptive christ-like activism that forced progress and not — like — the incredible economic pressure of boycotts and outbreaks of illegal civil disobedience

Yapping to the choir but eughhh it burns me up girl effective protests have to be loud and inconvenient for change to happen because silent cries die in the dark that's the entire pointtt

I watch a ton of great youtube videos about halting and reversing desertification but now youtube recommends me a ton of videos of people using those techniques to turn desert ecosystems into farmland. If you see these too, please downvote them. Going to desert ecosystems and planting food forests is not a trend we should be starting. Many plants and animals are endemic to those areas and those ecosystems are worth protecting. Deserts are not wastelands. These videos mislead people into thinking that this is a good thing for the environment just because there is more green. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are so many actual forest ecosystems that need to be restored, we should not be wasting energy foresting deserts that have been deserts for millennia.

This is proof that capitalism is not about freedom. Not even close.

In a system that values freedom, it would be expected that people would value living over working.

This is the same mentality as those who claimed to value freedom but owned slaves. They want freedom for themselves while everyone else serves them. They still haven't grown out of that.

SUDÄAN, The Nubian Empire

-x-

Finding stores where you're able to purchase food and household staples without packaging can be a challenge. I've compiled a list of stores throughout the country that will allow you to purchase unpackaged staples in your own containers. You can use this list to help you find bulk goods while traveling, or if you're just starting your transition to a zero waste lifestyle.

All of the stores on my list allow or encourage you to bring your own bulk bags, jars, or containers. I've focused on smaller, locally owned grocery stores and co-ops because in my experience they're more likely to welcome containers brought from home. But, it's possible that a larger store near you will allow you to fill your own containers at their bulk section, too, so consider trying out a few larger stores close to your home if you can't find what you need at smaller outlets.

Check out this website!! It gives a list of Zero Waste Grocery Stores around the USA as well as where to do composting!!

Permaculture Homestead/Village Progress

I'm pleased to say that my permaculture homestead/village dream has now started to march towards reality.

I have been looking at land for sale and am in correspondence with both the chamber of commerce as well as the social enterprise network of my city.

It will be a CIC that will have a visitor centre for people to visit and for school classes to have field trips to learn about permaculture and ecology.

The food forests will be opened to the local universities for study and there might be an insect house, mushroom and flower farm along with a venue space for hire to host events, retreats and weddings etc.

We will be growing many heirloom varieties of as many vegetables and fruit/nut tress, berries etc as possible as well as probably keeping a few heritage breeds of sheep, ducks and chickens. Maybe a pony for the kids

All this, along with our house (which will be an off grid strawbale cob house) will most likely be funded by various trusts and foundations here in the UK that specialise in these types of projects.

I will be documenting everything and by the end of it hopefully have a full action plan for anyone who wishes to do the same, the plan will be free of course, I'd love nothing more than for many more people to do this. Wish me luck :)

Because I circulated a call to action about it here that got some traction: to those of you who contacted Maine legislators when it counted, thank you— it worked. Maine just passed sanctuary-state-level protection for trans rights.

A lot of people are radicalised by suffering, which is a valid and sadly all-too-common experience. But you wanna know what really radicalised me? Softness. Joy. Freedom. I spent so much of my adolescence deeply sad and uncomfortable in spaces that weren’t right for me, navigating a body that didn’t feel like home. Despite many many privileges, and lots of moments of genuine happiness, I often didn’t overall enjoy my life. But then I got gender-affirming surgery. I moved into my own modern, clean, comfortable flat in a friendly, walkable city full of nature and beautiful buildings. I started being able to take care of myself. I keyed into robust local social networks of people who shared my interests in nature, creativity and ameliorating the world. And I am deeply, thoroughly content. It has been incredibly radicalising to realise that, contrary to what I thought for so long, it is very easy for human beings to be happy if their material and emotional needs are fulfilled. So alongside my joy there’s this constant simmering rage. I deserve all the good things I have now, sure. But not any more or less than anyone else. The children being bombed deserve this too. So do the homeless people being moved on by police outside my local supermarket. So do the people starving in famines, imprisoned by immigration systems, brutalised by their employers, their families, the state. All I can do is fight for a world where everyone has these things. It’s a choice not to share them equitably.

i think the solarpunk community in particular should talk about freecycle more

You might have seen my posts around and wondered where they came from and where they were going. Turns out they were just a small part of my 150 page comic dissertation that now you can own yourself! Prairies, history, restoration, pawpaws and foraging, it's got all the sorts of things you see posted on my blog!

oh nothing, just daydreaming about accessible public transportation

Flowerbots by Valerie Belan

Solarpunk Activities for the Socially Anxious

 - Read up on the philosophical background(s) of solarpunk. I’ve got a bibliography page if you are looking for more. - Figure out which plants that are indigenous or endangered in your area. Read about their history (and if you can make seed bombs.) - Enjoy Alan Watts lecture on nature - Make a herb drying rack by using string and push pins. You can eat, burn or drink tea from the herbs. - Consider growing food from your scraps - Watch a Ted Talk on Conservation - Draw nature, real or imaginary. Take time to map out fantasy lands. (Think about it as an environmental vision board) - Consider if composting might be right for you - If you have houseplants, learn how to propagate them (or even just take the time to learn more about them…their history, and how best to care for them). If you do want to learn how to propagate, I suggest starting with succulents. They are hardy, fun, and fairly cheap. -Learn how to Talk to Trees with Charis Melina Brown - A National Geographic explainer on how trees talk to each other. - Listen to this amazing, free, nature meditation with Jessica Snow