Let’s spread the green news

The global ban of ozone-depleting substances is one of the greatest environmental success stories, but scientists have recently discovered that despite the ban, atmospheric concentrations of one such banned substance, CFC-11, are on the rise. This means someone is cheating, and until the culprit is found the ozone layer and global health is again at risk.

May 21, 2018

The finer nuances of implementing a low-carbon economy from 2020 onwards and the urgency of this task were the topics at the recently concluded UN Climate Conference in Bonn, Germany. Here, experts discussed the circular economy and emphasized how technology and business innovation are crucial to achieving the Paris Agreement's goals.

May 14, 2018

Last week, the birthplace of the coal-fired engine and the cradle of the industrial revolution went over two days without using any coal power in their electricity grid. This is the first time the UK has been powered for so long without coal in 136 years.

April 30, 2018

On its 80th birthday REI Co-op, America's largest outdoor retailer, announced the introduction of standards that will apply to each of the more than 1,000 brands sold in its stores. The standards focus on how brands handle environmental, social and animal welfare impacts, and aim to both make it easier for customers to choose sustainable products and to elevate the sustainability of the outdoor industry at large.

April 23, 2018

In a recent report published in Nature Climate Change, researchers found that further glacial mass loss can no longer be prevented this century - even if all emissions were to cease - and will likely continue well beyond the 21st century. They estimated that at least 36% of all glacial ice will melt even under the most optimistic emission scenario, with significant implications on anticipated sea level rise.

April 16, 2018

Attention Scandinavian Swappers: Make space on your calendar the 14th of April and start digging through your closets for tradeable clothes - the Nordic Swap Day has come again! Hundreds of swap markets are planned by various actors, so for more information and to find an event near you, visit the websites of Naturskyddsforeningen.se for Sweden, Byttemarked.nu for Denmark and Naturvernforbundet.no for Norway.

April 9, 2018

In our last issue’s article “Save Our Seas,” we covered the threat of plastic pollution to marine environments, and what people are doing about it. Researchers have now determined that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is up to 16 times larger than first estimated – covering an area two to three times the size of France.

April 3, 2018

California state assembly member Richard Bloom has introduced a new bill that, if passed, would require all clothing containing more than 50% synthetic fiber to have a label that clearly warns of the threat microfibers pose to the environment. Bloom was also the author of the state’s successful microbead ban, which was later passed into federal law.

March 26, 2018

The European Outdoor Group has added two more guides to its sustainability library, “The Recycled Down Guide” and “The Chemicals in Textile Production Guide,” which are available for download on their website. A third guide, “The Recycled Wool Guide,” is still in development and is expected to be released late March.

Mars 19, 2018

The Sustainable Fashion Academy in Stockholm is arranging what they call the world’s first online course in sustainable apparel. The course Sustainability Fundamentals will be held at three different times, with start dates on 29 January (Term 1), 3 April (Term 2) and 17 September (Term 3).

January 18, 2018

From February to May 2018, Europe's biggest clean-up event will take place throughout the continent. The campaign “Let's clean up Europe,” which has been organized by the European Commission since 2009, aims to inspire activists and organizations across Europe to come together and collect garbage.

January 05, 2018

In a move that its makers claim will reduce audit fatigue and improve performance benchmarking, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition has launched an updated version of its transparency tool known as Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM). The self-assessment module is used by 8,000 businesses globally.

December 15, 2017