Approximately one million species currently face extinction because of human activity. Even for humans who do not value nature for its own sake, the impending wave of extinctions is a serious crisis. One out of five people rely on wild species for their jobs or for food, and billions more use wood for cooking and other day-to-day activities....
Originally posted on salon.com
Tolstoy used to be a formidable elephant: Massive in size, revered by the young bulls, and with tusks so long they touched the ground. When he was alive, Tolstoy had been more than just some random animal. He was a beloved member of a close-knit community filled with colorful personalities.
That is why when he died – the victim of a spear wound inflicted while he had been innocently searching for food — other elephants visited his body to pay their respects. ...
Originally posted on salon.com
The term “forever chemical” might sound ominous, but there is a good reason for that. Formally known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), so-called forever chemicals are used in hundreds of common products for water-proofing and stain-resistance. They’re also linked to a tremendous number of health problems, including liver and fertility issues....
Originally posted on salon.com
40,000 pounds of contaminated soil being transported away from East Palestine, Ohio was spilled in the eastern Ohio county of Columbiana at 1 PM on Monday, according to several local news sources. The spill occurred as a truck driver, 74-year-old Phillip Falck of McDonald, Penn., was driving a vehicle full of hazardous material that originated in East Palestine....
Originally posted on salon.com
In suburbanized, car-centric parts of the world, including most of the United States, those who cannot drive are often cut off from fully participating in their community. Walking, bicycles and ride-sharing services can only pick up so much slack in communities without real public transit.
“The poorest are cut off from job opportunities, schools, and other services especially in places where transit service quality is poor.”