Category: Ecology
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Too Hot to Learn: Cooling Argentina’s Overheating Schools

In many countries, schools are seeking other solutions due to the purchase and operating costs of AC, combined with an electrical grid that cannot handle demand from these devices and suddenly shuts down. There are ways to reduce dependence on AC: changing the buildings, and changing the cities they exist in. But these are not…
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Inside the Indigenous ‘land back’ movement in Colombia

It is common for Indigenous land defenders opposing the interests of armed groups and the extractive sector on their territories to be targeted for harassment or assassination. Colombia is the deadliest country in the world for land and environmental defenders, accounting for 40 percent of killings globally in 2023. Nearly half of the victims were Indigenous…
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6 important things to know about the climate movement’s advances

From the passage of sweeping federal legislation to the halting of major fossil fuel projects, the climate movement — particularly its youth-led contingent — has won astonishing recent victories. These couldn’t come at a more important time, as the climate crisis only continues to worsen. Last year was far and away the warmest ever recorded,…
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Toilet Paper is Wiping Out Forests, but Sustainability may be on the Way

In concept, toilet paper is simple. It’s made of cellulose fibers plus chemicals to glue it together, explains industry expert Greg Grishchenko, a retired mechanical engineer who spent more than four decades in the tissue production industry. The fibers are mostly sourced from trees, but can also come from recycled paper or alternative sources like…
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Human Migration is Ecologically Healthy

Can the movement of people (including those displaced by climate change) aid sustainable solutions to environmental problems? Our research suggests that it can. Migration is good for society in circumstances when it reduces inequality, enhances overall wellbeing, and does not place greater environmental burdens on the regions where people move to or from.
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Report reveals “Fair Trade” labels as a form of business self-regulation, not international solidarity

Critics of ethical certifications like Fair Trade USA and EFI mostly decry them as just more corporate PR. But our research shows the standards are worse than useless—they’re creating a parallel realm of corporate-friendly private regulation. Instead of democratic union elections, farmworkers on certified farms are offered a spot on a committee with management. And…
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The Need for Animal Architecture

There’s hardly any part of the human-built environment that can’t be inhabited or changed by insects, animals and birds. It’s easy enough to understand how this works in relation to animals that are classed as pets. It’s generally taken for granted that pet owners know how to care for their animals. But it’s much harder…
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How to stay cool in hot weather

Though access to air conditioning helps prevent deaths from heat, relying mainly on AC may not be an ideal solution. In urban areas with a lot of AC use, waste heat from the units can make the local environment even hotter. And the carbon pollution caused by running AC can fuel further climate change, leading…

