In early 2009, a new form of currency was introduced that would take the world by storm: the block-chain currency Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a centralized currency separate from any national government and is a fairly anonymous currency. Even the creator is unknown, with the currency tied to an enigmatic “Satoshi Nakamoto” who has yet to be identified.
Read More“A manatee was floating sideways, drifting as it stared helplessly up at her. ‘That happens when they are starving and lacking energy,’” said Monica Ross, a senior research scientist at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. This is the reality of many manatees in Florida’s waters. They’ve run out of their primary food source, seagrass, and are starving to death.
Read MoreElectronics have supercharged our lives, making it easier to stay in touch with loved ones, keep our homes clean with ease, and quickly access important blog posts – like this one. However, a crisis has emerged parallel to our increasingly electrified society, as e-waste the world’s “fastest-growing solid-waste stream.”
Read MoreThat’s right, 35% of the microplastics in the ocean are microfibers from domestic laundry. Microfibers are primary microplastics , meaning that they are created to be small in size, similar to microbeads, rather than secondary microplastics which are microplastics that have fragmented from larger plastic items due to damage and weathering (usually from food containers, disposable utensils, and fishing equipment). Microfibers are created by the polymerization of oil monomers to create plastic polymers .
Read MoreEnergy production is one of the most significant sources of greenhouse gases in America, making it a vital policy area in the transition away from a carbon-based economy. Most American residences and businesses buy their electricity from investor-owned utilities, which are generally government-sanctioned monopolies. Even as the cost of wind and solar energy plummets, many investor-owned utilities (IOUs) have been slow to make firm commitments to shift to renewables, often due to existing investments in oil and gas.
Read Morelimate change is no longer news. We have seen the effects from superstorms like Hurricane Sandy to bigger, hotter wildfires in California. Climate change is complicated, and because it occurs at a global level, those complexities need to be addressed at an international level. This effort came to fruition when the United Nations created the Framework Convention on Climate Change (“UNFCCC”) in 1994.
Read MoreColorado’s 2021 legislative session was extremely progressive on environmental justice and climate. Even environmental groups approved. The following are the major pieces of legislation to know about:
Read MoreOn Saturday, September 25, 2021, a mass of volunteers made their way to the Fall South Platte Stewardship Day, which The Nature Conservancy presented. This Stewardship Day involved cleanup and restoration efforts to the surrounding Globeville Landing Park and South Platte riverside, continuing a 47-year community undertaking caring for the South Platte River.
Read MoreSevere droughts and unprecedented decreases in average water flow have prompted Colorado officials to revaluate water consumption for the White and Yampa rivers. Both rivers flow into the already jeopardized Colorado River, which is experiencing historic low flow levels.
Read MoreNearly 270 million people face food shortages globally; this number has doubled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nine million people die every year from hunger and hunger-related diseases. In the United States, more than one in seven children live in a household facing food insecurity and are not afforded the adequate nutrition needed to grow and develop. The impacts of food shortages are very real
Read MoreGreen spaces and green infrastructure such as parks, bike trails, and greenways are vital for livable cities. Access to high-quality outdoor green spaces has significant impacts on the health of individuals and communities alike. These areas also increase biodiversity, manage stormwater, prevent heat islands, regulate emissions, foster social connections, and encourage healthy lifestyles. Some green spaces filter air, reduce noise, replenish groundwater, and even provide food. Urban trees absorb airborne pollutants from the atmosphere and provide shaded, cooler areas that reduce heat-related risks for city residents.
Read MoreOn the surface, Antarctica seems like a desolate wasteland. Early Antarctic explorer Apsley Cherry-Garrard even described his time on the continent by writing in his memoir, “polar exploration is at once the cleanest and most isolated way of having a bad time which has been devised.”
Read MoreIt’s no secret that carbon dioxide (CO2), among other greenhouse gases, plays a major part in climate change. The Paris Climate Agreement, a binding international treaty adopted in December 2015, set forth an ambitious goal: “limit the [global] temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”
Read MoreIt is not a surprise that electric cars have been growing in popularity. Furthermore, both governments and automakers are promoting electric cars as the vehicles of the future and a “key technology to curb oil use and fight climate change.”
Read MoreThe Colorado River is over-appropriated. The demands that users place on the river far exceed its natural flow. This is primarily because of the Colorado River Compact of 1922, which determined how much water each of the seven basin states and Mexico will receive from the river annually and was based on data that showed uncharacteristically high water levels.
Read MoreWhen asked about Colorado River rights, most would think of the allocations among the Colorado River Compact, an agreement that divides Colorado River water between seven arid states and Mexico; however, a 2017 first in nation lawsuit aimed to establish individual rights on behalf of the Colorado River.
Read MoreAfter the other basin states made their concerns clear over the Lake Powell Pipeline, the Utah State Legislature stepped in to try to ensure water delivery to St. George. Recently passed legislation created the Colorado River Authority of Utah, a group charged with a mission to ‘protect, conserve, use, and develop Utah’s waters of the Colorado River System.” Although it is not uncommon for states to have such a commission, Utah is getting attention for the creation of its commission because of its timing, legislative rhetoric, and intent.
Read More“Beef is bad.” We’ve all heard it, and the statistics show that meat, and especially beef, is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Agriculture broadly accounts for about 10% of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, animal agriculture accounts for an estimated 14.5% of emissions, and beef alone accounts for around 41% of that 14.5%. Ranching is incredibly resource-intensive, especially when the need for pastureland is added into the equation.
Read MoreAmong the many executive orders made in President Biden’s time in office thus far is Executive Order 14013. Aimed at rebuilding and expanding refugee policy and resettlement in the first post-Trump year, section 6 specifically requests a report on climate change and the ways that it affects migration. This inclusion highlights an important aspect of environmental activism and environmental justice: where will people go as climate change worsens?
Read MoreOn May 10, 2021, Governor Polis signed SB21-006, “Concerning the conversion of human remains to basic elements within a container using an accelerated process,” into law. Colorado is now the second state to legalize the composting of human remains. This new law legalizes “natural organic reduction,” a process pioneered by Washington-based Recompose, a start-up that opened its doors in December 2020.
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