At War with the Planet

"If people destroy something replaceable made by mankind, they are called vandals; if they destroy something irreplaceable made by God, they are called developers. "

— Joseph Wood Krutch, American writer, critic and naturalist 1893-1970

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SHOW NOTES

How are speed limits in Germany like gun laws in the United States? 1. Germany is one of the most eco-minded countries in the world – except for one little thing.

2. "Hey Global Warming, is one-degree of warming all 'ya got?" All this talk about the temperatures raising one or two degrees doesn't sound really scary. What are we really talking about here?

3. Time to bring back the milkman? If you're old enough you will remember when the milkman brought fresh milk and other dairy products to your door each morning. With plastics choking our oceans, maybe it time to return to a more sustainable system. The most promising one is called 'LOOP' and it could be the solution. See if you agree.

4. A little bit of outrage: War on the Planet With wildlife populations cut in half, humanity has declared war on the wild.

SPEED LIMITS ON THE AUTOBAHN? NEIN!

Greenhouse gas emissions by country and sector (infographic) | News | European ParliamentCheck out our infographics to discover greenhouse gas emissions by country and by sector in the EU as well as the world's top emitters.

EU Climate Plan Rekindles German Autobahn Speed Limit Debate | DW | 23.01.2008Germany may have to figure out how to fulfill the EU's new plan to cut harmful greenhouse gas emissions. The environment minister said highway speed limits were back on the table but a return to nuclear power was not.

Germans Need Their Freedom to SpeedAutobahn speed limits would reduce carbon emissions and save some lives. They should be rejected anyway.

VW storing around 300,000 diesels at 37 facilities around U.S.Volkswagen has taken parking lots to a whole new level in the United States and ...

Climate change threat to Germans’ need for speed on AutobahnDraft environmental measures include proposal to impose motorway speed limit

I WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO AN REVEALING INFOGRAPHIC OF THE TOP GREENHOUSE EMITTERS IN THE EU AND THE WORLD

Germany: most important environmental issues 2018 | Survey

Climate emergency: Germany’s great environmental failureNot long ago, Germany was seen as a model of climate responsibility. But it will fail to reach its 2020 emissions targets. Is there a way to make industry greener?

Germany’s Cities and Their Environmental Footprint Are Growing AgainGermany aims to be a pioneer in green energy and to fight climate change. Yet recent data suggest that the country has failed to meet its own climate goals. Following the United Nations [...]

Germany’s green energy shift is more fizzle than sizzleDespite spending billions, it is falling behind other European countries.

Germany and Its Failed Climate GoalsWhen even a leader on environmental issues comes up short, that doesn’t bode well for everyone else.

Aerial Footage Shows VW’s Massive Diesel Vehicle GraveyardVolkswagen is storing bought back diesel vehicles around the United States. This video highlights the site in California while playing haunting music.

Dirty lies: how the car industry hid the truth about diesel emissionsThe long read: The ‘Dieselgate’ scandal was suppressed for years – while we should have been driving electric cars

BRING BACK THE MILKMAN & CLOSE THE LOOP

Loop’s launch brings reusable packaging to the world’s biggest brandsWhy a quirky startup has attracted P&G, Unilever, Coke, Pepsi, Nestle, Mars, Clorox, Danone and 20 other brands to a platform for disruptive packaging.

Big brands like Häagen-Dazs and Tide are testing reusable packagingMajor brands are testing out reusable packaging in an attempt to cut down on plastic waste.

Coalition of major companies trial reusable packaging for online ordersUnder Loop scheme, durable containers will be delivered instead of single-use packaging

Loop and big brands boldly reinvent waste-free packagingThe new Loop circular shopping platform—unveiled today at the World Economic Forum in Davos—enables consumers to buy their favorite products in durable, not disposable, packaging. Supported by top brand owners such as Nestlé, Coca Cola, Unilever and Procter & Gamble, Loop relies on premium and long-lasting packaging that is designed for multiple reuse before ultimately being recycled.

Could a reusable revolution inspired by the milkman cure our addiction to plastic?

The quest for better packagingFinding innovative solutions to keep food safe and fresh while ensuring the planet remains unharmed.

PLANET or PLASTIC

World's first plastic-free aisle opens in Netherlands supermarketCampaigners hail progress as Amsterdam store offers dedicated aisle of more than 700 products, with plans for a national roll-out

A sperm whale that washed up on a beach in Spain had 64 pounds of plastic and waste in its stomach This, say officials, is a concern not only because sperm whales are endangered, but also because it's another grim reminder of just how much plastic waste is being dumped into the ocean.

A whopping 91% of plastic isn't recycledBillions of tons of plastic have been made over the past decades, and much of it is becoming trash and litter, finds the first analysis of the issue.

These 10 companies are flooding the planet with throwaway plastic - Greenpeace InternationalVolunteers collected and catalogued more than 187,000 pieces of trash from beach cleanups around the world to find out who’s flooding our planet with plastic.

It's not just the oceans: Microplastic pollution is all around usMarine plastic pollution has been studied for decades, but the extent and effects of plastic pollution elsewhere is only just beginning to be explored.

More plastic than fish in oceans by 2050There will be more plastic than fish in the world's oceans by 2050, the World Economic Forum has warned.

'Moment of reckoning': US cities burn recyclables after China bans importsResidents of cities like Chester, outside Philadelphia, fear a rise in pollution from incinerators after China’s recycling ban

'Mermaid tears' are killing our oceansAlso known as “mermaid tears”, these small plastic pellets are a feedstock in the plastic industry. Instead of being converted into household items, many end up in the ocean, collecting toxins on their surfaces and being eaten by marine wildlife.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES A HALF A DEGREE MAKE?

Why Half a Degree of Global Warming Is a Big DealIt may sound small, but a half-degree of temperature change could lead to more dire consequences in a warming world, according to a sweeping new scientific assessment.

The Best Data Viz and Infographics on Climate Change FactsClimate change is a heated topic. It’s on everyone’s mind. Unfortunately, the global warming controversy still rages on--especially in politics--and this is why data visualization is one of our best allies in this debate. We’ve scoured the Web to find ...

Half a degree can make a world of differenceLimiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius versus 2 has big benefits, says a new report from the IPCC.

This graphic explains why 2 degrees of global warming will be way worse than 1.5Your terrifying climate graphic of the day.

Show this cartoon to anyone who doubts we need huge action on climate change

Interactive: The impacts of climate change at 1.5C, 2C and beyond

WAGING WAR WITH THE LIVING PLANET

Earth has lost half of its wildlife in the past 40 years, says WWFSpecies across land, rivers and seas decimated as humans kill for food in unsustainable numbers and destroy habitats

The shocking decline in birds worldwide is a disaster of humanity’s makingMore than 1300 species of birds around the world – one in eight – are threatened with extinction.

Turtle species decline may impact environments worldwideApproximately 61 percent of the world's 356 turtle species are threatened or already extinct, and the decline could have ecological consequences.

Species worldwide in decline as result of human activityOver the coming decades, climate change will worsen the loss of biodiversity even more, the report warned.

The secretive government agency planting 'cyanide bombs' across the USWildlife Services kills thousands of animals at ranchers and farmers’ behest. But it operates with little oversight – and critics describe it as out of control

We Face A Crisis Bigger Than Climate Change, But We're Not Talking About ItA three-year UN-backed study from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform On Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services has grim implications for the fut...

World on track to lose two-thirds of wild animals by 2020, major report warnsLiving Planet Index shows vertebrate populations are set to decline by 67% on 1970 levels unless urgent action is taken to reduce humanity’s impact

Living Blue PlanetCrisis in global oceans as populations of marine species halve in size since 1970

What are the major reasons why we are losing so much biodiversity?

Humans waging 'suicidal war' on nature - UN chief Antonio GuterresSecretary General Antonio Guterres says our "war" on the natural world will come back to haunt us.