What’s going on here? Last week a new bill entitled the “Clean Air (Human Rights) Act” had its first reading in the House of Lords. What does this mean? This is the first step in enshrining in UK law the right to clean air across all forms of pollution. The law will be known as “Ella’s Law” after Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah (pictured), a…
Here at Curious Earth, we talk a lot about the role privilege plays in the climate crisis. We try to raise awareness of the disproportionate impacts of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and extreme weather events on the global south and many other marginalised groups. (Check out our Stories from the Frontline series to hear directly from those worst affected.) Yet, we also want…
A couple of weeks ago saw the return of the annual Fashion Revolution campaign, designed to raise awareness of the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry. One of the questions they are encouraging consumers to think about is ‘What’s in my clothes?’ and we’re here to take a curious look into that very topic…
From plastic waste to intensive fossil-fuel practices polluting natural environments, we humans have created a lot of mess on our planet. Innovative scientific research has been experimenting with fungi as a potential method of cleaning up our waste. Specifically, mycelium has the potential to help us eat-away at some of the waste we’re leaving behind. What is mycelium? Mycelium is essentially the…
What’s going on here? A plastic treaty is being drawn up to be implemented in 2024, which would regulate the production, design, use and disposal of plastic on a global scale. The treaty has been described as the most significant multilateral environmental deal since The Paris Agreement. What does this mean? At the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) last week in Nairobi, Kenya,…
What’s Going On Here? A recent study revealed high levels of PFASs (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) in the livers of otters. PFASs are known as ‘forever chemicals’ as they don’t break down easily. Instead they accumulate in humans and animals and persist in ecosystems. PFASs are powerful chemicals responsible for the grease and water-resistant properties of a variety of products, from non-stick…
Having a smartphone in the 21st century is a necessity and keeps us connected with friends, family and work. Smartphones aren’t inherently bad, but our culturally ingrained attitude towards switching up our handsets is problematic. We’ve probably all experienced the joy of unboxing a brand new phone. That satisfying moment of peeling off the protective screen cover and unveiling our new device…
What’s Going On Here? The English Environment Agency has revealed that water companies discharged raw sewage into rivers and coastal waters more than 400,000 times last year. Untreated human effluent poured into rivers and seas for a total of 3.1 million hours via storm overflow pipes that are only supposed to be used in extreme weather when the pressure is too high…
What’s Going On Here? Global Action Plan, the Philips Foundation and the University of Manchester (UoM) reveal results from new modelling which suggests that maintaining lower air pollution levels by 20% could improve the development of a child’s working memory by 6%, the equivalent of four weeks extra learning time per year. The announcement has been made today, 8th October on National Clean Air…
