A new Living Planet Index report from the London Zoological Society and the World Wildlife Foundation says the world’s populations of wild animals are an average of half the size they were in 1970. The index tracked the populations of more than 10,000 representative populations of species from 1970 to 2010 and showed a bigger decline than previously thought (prior studies estimated that populations had declined by 30 percent). The report sites human consumption—and the resulting habitat loss—as the main reason for the decline. According to the report, there are only 3,000 tigers left in the wild today, as opposed to 100,000 a century ago. And Elephant populations in West Africa are living on about 7 percent of their historic land due to deforestation. You can check out the full report here for more information and ways to get involved to slow the decline ...
The area around Lake Tanganyika, located in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, is touted as one of the few “unspoiled ecosystems” on the planet. The longest freshwater lake in the world and the second deepest, Tanganyika’s crystal blue depths hold around 18 percent of all available fresh water at any given time. It also contains well over 200 species of fish that occur nowhere else in the world.
For generations, communities along the shoreline have thrived on the lake’s clean water, vibrant fishery and accessible boat transportation. Read More
There are a lot of empty Coke bottles that are disregarded around the world every day. But, as the video below shows, the soda maker may have figured out a way to encourage people to hang on to their used plastic bottles instead of just throwing them away. The company has created 16 custom caps that turn old bottles into everything from squirt guns and spray bottles to sauce dispensers and saltshakers. Coke is sending tens of thousands of the caps to several Asian countries later this year ... Discuss
For nearly two years, the Sandwich Me restaurant in Chicago has produced zero waste. The slightly more than eight pounds of trash it did create during that time was given to an artist, who turned it into a sculpture. In this short video from NationSwell, owner Justin Vrany explains his passion for food and community, as well as, his unwavering dedication to sustainability ... Discuss
While documentaries like Food, Inc., Forks Over Knives and King Corn captivate viewers with investigations into the ethics of agribusiness, a new trend is taking hold with diners: holistic food. The rise of socially conscious consumers—aware of both the health and ethical consequences of what they eat—has fueled a food revolution that has inspired restaurants, grocers and farmers to rethink the business of what we eat. Read More