The Top 5 Happy Eco News Stories for April 18, 2022

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Founder of Happy Eco News, Grant Brown was recently featured on a podcast for the Butterfly Effect podcast where he talks about the use of clean energy in heavy industry, why and how banks are divesting from fossil fuel, the Paris accord, the trends of good news in climate change and much more. Listen to it here.

Why Supporting a Green Party is More Important Now Than Ever

Guest post by: Jamie D’Souza, Content Manager for Happy Eco News and Green Party of Quebec Candidate 

Whether you live off the grid, grow your own food, shop locally or use sustainable transportation, you do these things because you believe in protecting the environment. You believe that what you are doing is going to make a difference. I live in a metropolitan city but I buy my clothes secondhand, I walk or take the bus whenever I can, I try to buy products that have a minimal environmental impact, and I support green initiatives and policies. I am also a stronger believer that we, as a society, have the power to make changes for our planet, no matter where we live or the initiatives we take.

Over the last few years, I have become interested in how we manage waste in my city, Montreal, Quebec. I am constantly looking for a better understanding of the kinds of wastes we produce, where it goes, and how we can reduce it…[read more].

You, Me and the IPCC

By Grant Brown, Founder, Happy Eco News

It is safe to say that we are all reeling a little from the IPCC 2022 report. Frankly, I do not think a more sobering document could exist. If you could not bear to read it, basically, it says that time is up. We squandered our limited time and must act now, or else.

It is scary, clear and urgent, and when I first read a synopsis of it, my heart started racing and I felt a little sick. I had a mild panic attack, my first in years. The report showed that quite possibly, my worst fears had been realized. I wondered, after enduring all the events of the last two years and now the crisis in Ukraine, can’t we humans even act to save ourselves? What happened to all the grand talk and positive plans from COP26?

But then I became angry. Thinking of the report makes me want to scream about it to everyone I know. It makes me want to grab climate change deniers and try to shake some sense into them…[read more].

The Happy Eco News Weekly Top 5

1. Artificial Whale Poop Could Save the Planet — Here’s How

Takeaways:

• Because whales eat fish, krill or squid, their poop is loaded with iron, a nutrient that is vital for plant growth.
• Researchers at the Cambridge University’s Centre for Climate Repair want to artificially encourage the growth of phytoplankton with fake whale feces and push the oceans’ capacity for carbon capture to 50%.
• They will use risk husks to store the artificial poop on the surface of the seabed…[read more].

2. Grizzly Bears: North America’s Brown Bear

Takeaways:

• Grizzly bears are named after their grizzled hair whose colour ranges from blonde to black, and can be streaked with strands of grey or silver.
• About 95% of the total grizzly bear population is found in Alaska. The bears are also found in Canada and other US states including Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
• Grizzlies can be diurnal (active during the day) or nocturnal (active during the night) as their patterns may change if they are disturbed by humans…[read more].

3. 14 Million Tons Of Coffee Waste Were Used By Rens Original To Make Sneakers

Takeaways:

• Jesse Tran and Son Chu, the founders of Rens Original have made shoes out of waste coffee grounds and recycled plastic pellets.
• The coffee grounds are mixed with recycled plastic pellets found in water bottles. This created a coffee polyester yarn which the upper part of their shoes is made from.
• “Our signature coffee yarn helps cut the amount of methane-producing food waste that ends up trapped in our landfills while providing a material that is UV-protective, odour-fighting, moisture-wicking, and quick-drying” said Son Chu…[read more].

4. Tropical Forests Turn Down the Planet’s Heat by 1C, Scientists Find

Takeaways:

• A new study has shown that tropical forests cool the world by more than 1 degree Celsius, increase rainfall and shield people and crops from deadly heat.
• These forests also provide food and livelihoods, clean the air, support human health and are an essential habitat for wildlife.
• The study also showed that tropical forests can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of lung disease and improve mental wellbeing…[read more].

5. Not-So-Fast Fashion: EU Reveals Crackdown on Disposable Clothing

Takeaways:

• The European Union has said that it plans to counter the polluting use of mass-market fast fashion.
• New rules would call for mandatory minimum use of recycled fibres by 2030 and would ban the destruction of many unsold products.
• These new rules will also contain the release of microplastics and improve global labour conditions in the fashion industry…[read more].

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