The headlines are filled with stories of polar ice caps melting, pollution choking our cities and the billions of microplastics in everything we own and eat. While it is important to stay informed about the problems in the environment, it is just as important to acknowledge what IS going well.
To flip the script for a minute, let’s look at some happy news in the world of the environment.
You can 3D print just about anything…including coral reefs!
A team of scientists at the University of Texas at Arlington is 3D printing coral reefs made from Roman concrete, which is incredibly robust and can withstand years in seawater. Almost 40% of coral reefs around the world have been damaged or killed by human activity, which threatens marine creatures that rely on the coral for habitats. These 3D-printed reefs are designed to house algae, fish and live coral larvae, and are being designed to mimic natural coral structures. This effort creates incredible potential for the safety and health of marine ecosystems.
Environmental education is cool in school
The United Nations has officially included a requirement that climate literacy be included in the school curriculum in participating countries. This means that 152 countries now have climate literacy and environmental education as a part of their curriculum!
An apple a day keeps extra pounds out of landfills
The United States produces billions of pounds of apples each season, though 25-30% of each apple often go unused. The leftover bits, including skin, core, seeds and more, are compressed into a powder called pomace — most of which ends up in landfills where it releases methane greenhouse gases. Researchers at Cornell University have found a way to use this excess apple material as a meat additive, with over 100 taste-testers unable to tell the difference between pure beef meatballs and meatballs containing 20% freeze-dried apples.
Environmentalism is making waves in inclusivity
British Sign Language has expanded to include over 400 words relating to the environment and the climate conversation! Previously, sign language users would have had to spell out most environment-related words. Now, an entire new vocabulary of words, particularly carbon-related words, has been added. For example, signers can now sign “carbon emissions,” in which the left hand forms a “C” shape to represent carbon, while the right hand wiggles and moves in an outward spiral motion to represent the release of gas emissions.
