This Week on Earth

EDN Week in Review: Week of March 25

Good Environmental News

“Mumbai Beach Goes from Dump to Turtle Hatchery in Two Years” (Michael Safi, Guardian)
Though they nest elsewhere in Mumbai, none had been sighted on Versova beach in decades, due to the acute pollution problem there, Shah said. “I had tears in my eyes when I saw them walking towards the ocean.” More…

“McDonald’s Is the Latest Restaurant to Ban Plastic Straws” (Natasha Bach, Fortune)
McDonald’s joins a growing number of retailers who have decided to do away with plastic straws across the U.K., including pub chain Wetherspoons and Pizza Express…. More…

Climate and Energy News

“Anti-pipeline Campaigners Found Not Guilty by Judge Because ‘Protest Against Climate Change Crisis’ was Legal ‘Necessity'” (Andrew Buncombe, The Independent)
…each of the defendants addressed the judge and explained why they were driven to try and halt the pipeline’s construction… More…

“E.P.A. Prepares to Roll Back Rules Requiring Cars to Be Cleaner and More Efficient” (Coral Davenport and Hiroko Tabuchi, New York Times)
“No one should think it’s easy to undo something that’s been not just good for the country, but good for the planet.” More…

“Ice Cores Show Greenland’s Melting is Unprecedented in at Least Four Centuries” (Chris Mooney, Washington Post)
…the study found that current melting atop Greenland is unprecedented over the past several hundred years…. More…

“Biggest Threat to Humanity? Climate Change, U.N. Chief Says” (Somini Sengupta, New York Times)
“I am beginning to wonder how many more alarm bells must go off before the world rises to the challenge,” he said… More…

EDN in the News

“Will Today’s Young Activists Become Their Generation’s Lifelong Advocates for Change?” (Wendy Lazarus & Laurie Lipper, Medium)
Includes a mention of Earth Day Network Board Chair Emeritus Denis Hayes.
Our hope is that some of these young people will build on this passion for justice, and in the tradition of past activists, become the next generation of advocates who commit to work over the long term toward a more equal and humane America… More…

‘Policy is Only Enacted if it Has the Support of the People Behind It’ (Saqib Sarker, Dhaka Tribune)
Interview with Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers.
“Some of the issues behind recruiting more people to the environmental movement is that environmental problems, especially climate change, have impacts that are less tangible than other issues like poverty and malnutrition. Showing the people being displaced and facing hardship in Bangladesh due to climate change will show the world that this issue is already impacting real people’s lives….” More….

“Earth Day Founder’s Daughter Talks Environment, Making a Difference” (Walker Jaroch, Cambridge News & Deerfield Independent)
“This is really my favorite thing to do, come and talk to children about the importance of protecting the environment,” Nelson said…. More….

Good Views

“Plastic Straws: Everyone Uses Them, and That’s the Problem” (Josh Solomon, Tampa Bay Times)
“I really believe that it’s our responsibility to be good stewards of our waterfront….” More…

“To Save The Economy, We Have To Break Its One Sacred Rule” (Jason Hickel, Fast Company)
“If you cut down a forest and sell the timber, GDP goes up; GDP does not count the cost of losing the forest as a habitat, or as a future resource, or as a sinkhole for carbon. What is more, GDP doesn’t count useful activities that are not monetized….” More….