Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar advocates for environmental guardianship as a religious duty, encouraging sustainable practices like planting trees and using renewable energy in mosques.
Indonesian clerics have issued fatwas that frame environmental protection as a religious obligation, aiming to curb climate change and preserve the nation’s biodiversity.
Efforts to green mosques have gained momentum, with the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta setting a precedent by winning a green building award and installing energy-saving technologies.
Key quote:
"The greedier we are toward nature, the sooner doomsday will arrive."
— Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar, head of Istiqlal Mosque
Labor and environmental groups in Pennsylvania unite under the House Blue-Green Caucus to propose a comprehensive 11-bill package aimed at promoting clean energy and job growth.
The legislation includes initiatives like the Solar for Pennsylvania Schools bill, which offers financial incentives for schools to adopt solar energy.
Key measures also include enforcing prevailing wages for state or federally funded green projects and launching an e-waste recycling program.
The bills collectively aim to support union jobs, enhance energy efficiency, and protect natural resources.
Key quote:
“We can help fix the sins of our forefathers when it was done wrong. We can still make Pennsylvania a leader in energy generation. We can start cleaning up our industries.”
— Robert Bair, president of the Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades Council
Why this matters:
Pennsylvania, with its rich history in energy production, particularly coal and natural gas, is actively pursuing clean energy strategies as a pathway to economic revitalization and environmental responsibility. As the impacts of climate change become more evident, the state recognizes the dual opportunity to promote sustainability and stimulate job growth. Transitioning to clean energy not only helps reduce carbon emissions but also positions Pennsylvania as a leader in the burgeoning renewable energy sector.
Earth Day began in 1970 as a significant protest and has since morphed into a marketing tool for companies.
Activists emphasize the day's origins and the need to focus on genuine environmental change rather than superficial corporate shows.
Despite the commercialization, the activists interviewed maintain that Earth Day can still inspire valuable ecological behaviors and community actions.
Key quote:
"I urge anyone who wants to take action for climate to see the undeniable link to social justice.
India plans to increase its solar energy capacity significantly by 2030, yet the longevity of solar panels is often less than expected.
Waste from these solar panels, including glass and metals, is poorly regulated, leading to reliance on informal recycling networks.
Safety and environmental concerns are rampant among workers in the informal sector, who often operate without proper protection or oversight.
Key quote:
"Most solar plants are located in remote areas, so the logistics and transportation is expensive, and once dismantled there is hardly any money from each individual part."
— Srinivas Vedula, EPragathi, a Bengaluru-based e-waste recycling company
Why this matters:
Solar panels, which typically have a lifespan of about 25 to 30 years, eventually reach an end-of-life phase where they must be disposed of. Concerns arise because these panels contain toxic materials such as lead, cadmium, and selenium, which can pose environmental hazards if not properly managed.
The latest Global E-Waste Monitor highlights the vast quantities of metals like copper and aluminum in discarded electronics, with only a fraction currently recycled.
Essential for low-carbon technologies, these metals could significantly offset the demand currently met through environmentally damaging mining.
Improved recycling technologies and policies are crucial for increasing the recovery of rare and valuable metals from e-waste.
Key quote:
“There is very little reporting on the recovery of metals [from e-waste] globally. We felt that it was our duty to get more facts on the table.”
— Kees Baldé, lead report author
Why this matters:
Metals like copper and aluminum, when improperly disposed of, can leach into soil and water, potentially harming wildlife and impacting human health through the food and water supply. Recycling e-waste can mitigate these risks. By recovering metals like copper and aluminum from old electronics, we not only reduce the environmental harm but also decrease the need to extract raw materials, which often involves ecologically and socially harmful mining practices.
A recent poll indicates growing American concern for climate change, though skepticism persists about the efficacy of President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act.
About 45% of U.S. adults report increasing worry about climate change, with marked differences between political parties.
Despite the Inflation Reduction Act's incentives for clean energy, only a small fraction of Americans recognize personal benefits from the policy.
Confidence in the long-term effectiveness of the IRA's provisions to address climate change remains low among the general populace.
Key quote:
"We have four children that are in their 20s. It’s like, what’s our grandkids’ world going to be like?"
— Ron Theusch, truck driver and resident of Alden, Minnesota
Why this matters:
The partisan divide on this issue is also significant. Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to view climate change as a major threat and to prioritize it as a national issue. This divide extends to perceptions of President Biden's climate policies, with Democrats more likely to support aggressive climate actions compared to their Republican counterparts, who show considerable skepticism about the impact and necessity of these policies.
Governor Gavin Newsom proposes a 33% budget cut to California’s Equitable Building Decarbonization Program, initially funded at $922 million, to manage a $38 billion deficit.
The program aims to replace gas appliances in low-income homes with electric ones, such as heat pumps and stoves, to mitigate climate change without evicting tenants.
This reduction threatens to exclude a third of the intended beneficiaries, sparking concern among advocates and participants about the future of this climate initiative.
Key quote:
“The real goal from our perspective was to make healthy homes.”
— Alex Jasset, director of energy justice at Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles
Why this matters:
California’s approach involves providing financial incentives, such as grants or low-cost loans, so property owners can replace outdated, gas-powered systems with electric ones, such as heat pumps for heating and cooling. This transition not only supports the state’s climate goals but also ensures that low-income households are not left behind in the green transition.Why housing security is key to environmental justice.
Tesla announces job cuts for more than 10% of its workforce due to reduced demand for its electric vehicles and increased competition.
The company has also seen high-profile departures including Andrew Baglino, key in vehicle development, and Rohan Patel, former climate advisor.
There is a global slowdown in EV market growth, with Tesla facing strong competition from cheaper models and new entries from traditional automakers.
Key quote:
"I don’t want to make this sound too cynical, but it’s an indication that Tesla is a car company."
— Mike Ramsey, auto analyst at Gartner
Why this matters:
These layoffs could lead to a short-term reduction in EV production, affecting availability and potentially slowing down the overall adoption rates of electric vehicles. On the other hand, it might also lead to cost restructuring, resulting in more competitively priced models that could stimulate market demand.
In the Solomon Islands, Indigenous tribes are leveraging the lucrative carbon credit market to sustainably protect their ancient rainforests from logging while funneling vital income to their communities.
Several Solomon Islands tribes have united to form the Babatana Rainforest Conservation Project, preserving their forests and selling carbon credits internationally.
The project includes verified protected areas and employs local tribespeople as rangers, enhancing biodiversity and environmental stewardship.
The initiative provides significant economic benefits to the tribes, supporting community developments like education and infrastructure.
Key quote:
"If we misuse or destroy this land, we will not have any other,"
— Linford Pitatamae, leader of the Sirebe tribe
Why this matters:
Natural habitats play a significant role in the carbon market because of their ability to sequester carbon naturally. By valuing the carbon stored in these ecosystems, the market incentivizes their preservation. For example, a forest that might otherwise be cleared for agriculture could be maintained as a carbon sink. The revenue from selling carbon credits can make conservation financially viable for landowners and communities, providing an economic alternative to destructive practices like deforestation.
Amid growing scrutiny over the effectiveness of carbon offsets, a major philanthropic organization announces a groundbreaking plan to authenticate their impact by phasing out coal plants in Asia.
The carbon offset market is in disarray, with many credits failing to effectively counteract emissions as claimed.
The Rockefeller Foundation is launching an initiative to create credible offsets by closing down coal plants in Asia.
This effort aims to provide verifiable environmental benefits and support for communities affected by plant closures.
Key quote:
“There has been a lot of sloppy thinking [in the offset industry]. It has lead to bad practices and over crediting.”
— Joseph Curtin, managing director, Rockefeller’s Power and Climate Team
Why this matters:
A robust offset market can provide the financial mechanisms needed to transition to cleaner energy sources. Strengthening the market could help accelerate the retirement of coal plants by ensuring that investments in offsets lead to permanent reductions in greenhouse gases, thus contributing more effectively to the fight against climate change.
Amid legislative and utility pushback, the ambitious Southern Spirit energy project confronts obstacles in its quest to enhance grid connectivity and bolster renewable power in the Southeast.
The Southern Spirit project, aimed at linking Texas' power grid to the Southeast, faces opposition from utilities in Mississippi and Louisiana, fearing competition from cheaper electricity.
Louisiana legislation may block the project by denying eminent domain for transmission lines that don't primarily serve the state.
Despite opposition, the project is seen as a key step in boosting regional power resilience and facilitating renewable energy transmission.
Key quote:
"We have substantial challenges within markets, within generators, that are trying to stop the building of transmission."
— Mark Lauby, chief engineer, North American Electric Reliability Corporation
Why this matters:
Texas operates its own independent power grid managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which covers most of the state. This independence means that when Texas faces power shortages, like during the devastating winter storm in February 2021, it cannot easily import electricity from other grids. Linking grids can facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, by balancing variable outputs across a broader network, thus advancing environmental and public health goals.
As world delegates prepare for a crucial U.N. meeting in Canada, Arctic Indigenous communities emphasize the urgent need to address plastic pollution impacting their health and environment.
Delegates from nearly 180 countries will meet in Ottawa on April 23 to progress a treaty aimed at curbing plastic pollution, considering the lifecycle of plastics from production to disposal.
Arctic Indigenous representatives will present new scientific findings on the presence of harmful plastics in traditional foods like walruses and seals, highlighting the risks to their communities.
The negotiations, which have previously stalled, are seen as a critical opportunity to establish a comprehensive global agreement by year's end.
Key quote:
"To learn that these microplastics are ending up in our main foods, but also in our bodies, is yet another alarm for the decision makers."
— Vi Waghiyi, environmental health and justice director, Alaska Community Action on Toxics
Indiana has launched a pioneering pilot project on U.S. Highway 52, testing wireless electric vehicle charging technology aimed at reducing range anxiety and supporting long-haul truck electrification.
Indiana is testing a new wireless charging technology on U.S. Highway 52, designed to power electric vehicles as they drive.
The project involves a partnership with Purdue University and Cummins Inc., aiming to make EVs more accessible and cost-effective.
Although the technology is still in the pilot phase, it has the potential to reduce range anxiety and lower battery costs.
Key quote:
"Wouldn't it really be something if we could just drive over the road and catch your charge for your vehicle as you drive across it?"
— Blake Dollier, public relations director, INDOT
Why this matters:
The significance of EV-charging roads lies in their potential to address two critical challenges in the transition to a low-carbon transportation system. They offer a solution to range anxiety, a common concern among consumers considering the switch to electric vehicles. By enabling continuous charging while on the road, these technologies alleviate fears of running out of power during long journeys, thus encouraging greater adoption of electric vehicles.
Amid a high-stakes election season, the Biden administration is channeling billions into climate initiatives aimed at securing lasting reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, regardless of future political shifts.
The Biden administration is allocating billions to tackle complex climate challenges, funding innovations from zero-emissions concrete to cleaner food production.
Recent legislation enables significant investment in clean energy projects aimed at reducing emissions, particularly in low-income areas.
Experts highlight the importance of these investments in influencing global climate action and ensuring sustainability beyond current political cycles.
Key quote:
"We are seeing billions of dollars going into really tricky parts of the energy transition and if there’s momentum behind this we will be measuring the impacts many years in the future."
— Melissa Lott, professor at Columbia University's climate school
Why this matters:
Climate change remains a critical issue among Democratic voters; strong action could galvanize the base, proving President Biden’s commitment to one of his key campaign promises. With extreme weather events becoming more frequent and severe, there is a growing public urgency for action that transcends political lines, potentially helping Biden appeal to moderate and undecided voters.
Shared e-scooters' climate benefits depend on how companies manage them and ensure rider safety.
Research suggests that while scooters reduce some emissions, logistics operations may offset these gains.
Safety concerns persist, with injuries rising despite efforts to promote safe riding.
Key quote:
"…we do everything we can to inspire the industries around us to decarbonize as well."
— Andrew Savage, Lime’s head of sustainability
Why this matters:
Despite hopes for e-scooters as a green alternative, their true impact on emissions and safety remains uncertain. Industry efforts to mitigate environmental and safety concerns are ongoing, but challenges persist in realizing their full potential as sustainable urban transport options.
Avina Clean Hydrogen Inc. secured the last available water from the Nueces River to produce hydrogen and ammonia, raising drought concerns.
The project, supported by federal subsidies, aims to replace fossil fuels but faces criticism from local officials over water usage.
Corpus Christi residents face water-use restrictions as new industrial demands exceed the city's dwindling water reserves.
Key quote:
"Increased water drawn solely from the Nueces River system could dramatically increase the potential for scarcity."
— Ryan Skrobarczyk, director of intergovernmental relations, Corpus Christi
Why this matters:
The large quantities of water withdrawn from rivers for hydrogen production can impact local ecosystems. Reduced water flow can disrupt the habitat of aquatic organisms, leading to declines in fish populations and other wildlife. In addition, the withdrawal of water for industrial use can create water scarcity issues, especially in areas already facing water stress due to factors like drought or overuse.
GROTON, Mass. — Steam billows inside Black Earth Compost’s processing facility as Syed Dong, regional operations manager, opens the building’s delivery door and lets in the chilly March air.
Inside, billions of bacteria are breaking down a big pile of food scraps, yard waste and compostable bioplastic packaging into water, carbon dioxide and compost, a nutrient-rich soil amendment.
“This is where we ignite the composting process,” Dong told Environmental Health News over the roar of machinery blowing air through the pile. Soon, his team will move the heap outdoors for further processing in windrows, long organic waste piles covered with leaves. After three months, the compost will be sold or distributed to farmers, landscapers, garden centers and residential customers.
Black Earth Compost is one of a growing number of industrial composters accepting compostable bioplastic packaging along with yard and food waste. Compostable packaging is derived from both plants, such as corn, sugarcane or bamboo, and petroleum products, and is designed to decompose under controlled conditions at a composting facility. It is a type of biodegradable bioplastic that’s a popular substitute for single-use plastics in the food industry, from cups, bowls and cutlery to wrappers, bottles, bags and take-out boxes. In theory, compostable food packaging helps cut plastics pollution and methane gas emissions from landfills by diverting food scraps to a composter and breaking down into a product that nourishes soil. Consumers are more likely to compost food waste if it’s tangled up with biodegradable plastic packaging or restaurant serviceware, experts say.
Black Earth Compost facility in Groton Massachusetts.
Credit: Syed Dong
“If packaging touches food, it really should be compostable if you can't have it [be] reusable,” Frank Franciosi, executive director of U.S. Compost Council, told EHN, citing plastic’s abysmal 5 to 6% recycling rate and the oft-quoted figure that if global food waste were a country, it would produce one-third of greenhouse gas emissions.
But our composting infrastructure isn’t ready to handle bioplastic packaging. We do not have guardrails for ensuring that materials are truly compostable and safe for recycling back into soils. Consequently, traditional plastics often contaminate compost while truly compostable materials often rot in a landfill. Additionally, the potential for compostable packaging to leave behind microplastics and chemical additives that could harm soil ecosystems, or be taken up by crops, isn’t well researched.
Contamination from traditional plastics or materials misleadingly labeled as biodegradable, makes it tougher to evaluate the safety and efficacy of composting bioplastic packaging. It also makes it economically more difficult for industrial composters to thrive.
“These early generation [bioplastic] alternatives are very imperfect, but from our perspective, redesigning packaging is the right direction. I just don't think we're there yet in terms of really having cracked that nut,” Eric Roy, an assistant professor of environmental sciences at the University of Vermont, told EHN.
Composting packaging materials
Composting is nature’s process for recycling organic matter into fertilizer. Industrial composters use temperature, moisture and aeration and hone their feedstock mix to enhance the process. Operators range from small community composters that process waste in windrows to large facilities equipped with forced air and biofilters to capture smelly emissions.
Over the last decade, food waste collection has become more common and so has the collection of compostable packaging. More sophisticated operations are more likely to take compostable bioplastics, as evidence suggests they can decompose packaging better, Linda Norris-Waldt, deputy director of the U.S. Compost Council, told EHN.
“If packaging touches food, it really should be compostable if you can't have it [be] reusable.” - Frank Franciosi, executive director of U.S. Compost Council
Black Earth Compost operates three small facilities and began accepting food packaging when it realized compostable bags were vital for food scrap collection, Andrew Brousseau, compost operations manager at Black Earth Compost, told EHN. “Early on, we felt [compostable packaging] was a great solution to single use plastic,” he said. “Our stance is that reusable should be used where possible and where that's not possible… it should be compostable.”
Food scraps bring additional nutrients to compost, which benefit the soil, while the compostable packaging helps with collection of the scraps, is a carbon source for the compost and creates structure and air spaces in the pile, Brousseau said.
Black Earth Compost takes only packaging that is certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), OK Compost, or the Compost Manufacturing Alliance. These voluntary certifications require manufacturers to meet criteria for breaking down within 12 weeks at an industrial compost facility, as well as be PFAS-free and pass a soil ecotoxicity test. Even so, vestiges of plastic contamination poke out from the windrows at Black Earth Compost—a clear Dunkin Donuts cup, bright blue flowerpots and numerous pale green garbage bags.
Syed Dong demonstrates what a certified compostable garbage bag looks like after roughly one month of decomposing
Credit: Meg Wilcox
Plastic contamination at Black Earth Compost facility.
Credit: Meg Wilcox
Lifting a garbage bag shredded and riddled with holes, Dong said, “This one’s compostable.” But the Dunkin Donut’s cup and flowerpots? Not so much. More troubling are look-alike green garbage bags that are fully intact. These look-alike products are designed to mimic their compostable counterparts and it’s impossible for Black Earth Compost’s drivers to tell the difference, said Dong.
Fraudulent marketing of these materials as “biodegradable” or “plant-based” is rampant and confusing, Brousseau said.
“Our stance is that reusable should be used where possible and where that's not possible… it should be compostable.” - Andrew Brousseau, compost operations manager at Black Earth Compost
Removing plastic items from compost production is a never-ending job at Black Earth Compost. It starts with educating customers and pick-up drivers and ends with the use of specialized fans for sucking out remaining plastic contamination, with a lot of labor-intensive hand sorting in between.
A recent study by the Composting Consortium found that 21% of composters’ operating costs are spent on removing contaminants, the majority of which are traditional plastics. But they also found that plastics contamination was a problem regardless of whether a facility accepted compostable packaging.
“It’s the intrinsic nature of what we're doing as recyclers,” Brousseau said.
Do compostable bioplastics really break down?
Examples of some of the certified compostable materials that Black Earth Compost accepts from its customer, Cabot Theater in Beverly, Massachusetts. The theater composts all popcorn bags, cups, straws and napkins and recycles. All drinks are served in compostable cups.
Credit: Lisa Champigny
While some report that compostable items like cutlery don’t break down well, the Composting Consortium’s field study found that, for the most part, compostable packaging does fully decompose at industrial facilities. Eight of nine composters studied that accepted compostable packaging had no detectable amounts of the materials in their finished compost.
“When [compost] piles have optimum conditions with the best management practices, bioplastics by and large break down very well,” Rhodes Yepsen, an executive director at BPI and a member of the Composting Consortium, told EHN.
That’s Black Earth Compost’s experience. “After three months, there's no more compostable plastic,” Dong said. “Any plastic that you see past that point within the life of a pile, that's conventional plastic.”
However, in compost samples University of Vermont researchers studied, they found fragments of poly-lactic acid, or PLA, which is commonly used to make compostable packaging, and what appeared to be compostable bags but could have been look-alikes. Though they weren’t the majority of plastics found, they were “wellrepresented,” Kate Porterfield, a doctoral student at the University of Vermont, told EHN.
More troubling, the University of Vermont’s research found widespread microplastic contamination in compost materials, though that research didn’t distinguish whether the microplastics came from compostable or traditional plastic materials.
Roy said, “it's a tricky question” what happens to microplastics created by compostable materials.
“Theoretically, they will persist in the environment for a shorter amount of time than traditional plastics will,” and that’s a “good thing.” But there’s “some evidence that these materials are not necessarily entirely benign in the soil environment.”
Degradation of microplastics “all depends on what the polymer is, how it's put together and the environmental circumstances,” Richard Thompson, professor of marine biology and director of Plymouth University’s Marine Institute, told EHN.
Meanwhile, studies show that chemical additives or chemicals transported by microplastics, may be more concerning than the plastic polymers themselves, which complicates our understanding of risk. “All the combinations of polymer, additive, shape and size…each might have different effects in the soil environment,” Roy said.
That is perhaps why Franciosi said that, after PFAS, “microplastics are the next fire” for the compost industry.
PFAS and other chemicals
Food and yard waste delivery inside Black Earth Compost facility.
Credit: Syed Dong
PFAS used in coatings on food packaging have long been a concern for composters, but state actions to ban the chemical from food contact materials along with the Food and Drug Administration’s recent announcement that manufacturers will no longer use it on fiber-based food packaging may alleviate some concerns.
“I think [the FDA’s announcement] would have an enormous impact on really eliminating that source of PFAS into the compost,” David Andrews, senior scientist at the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, told EHN.
BPI’s certification test for PFAS adds another layer of protection for composters accepting only certified materials, although non-certified materials will continue to slip by.
“When [compost] piles have optimum conditions with the best management practices, bioplastics by and large break down very well.” - Rhodes Yepsen, an executive director at BPI
Little is known about the chemicals that are used in compostable bioplastics; however, one study found that many bioplastic materials were as toxic as their conventional counterparts. Certifying entities like BPI require compostable packaging to pass a soil ecotoxicity test that evaluates plant germination and biomass rates over several weeks. But that test may not be sufficient to evaluate the potential for harm, Roy said.
“It's a good test to include, but it's not necessarily the way to comprehensively screen a material for every potential effect on the soil,” he said. It doesn’t capture everything that might be happening within the soil environment, such as effects on microbial communities or effects that take longer to manifest.
In response, Yepsen said, “BPI is open to evaluating how studies might better capture factors like microbial communities and long-term effects.”
But the larger concern is that many manufacturers do not certify their compostable packaging materials and there are no laws requiring them to do so.
Future of bioplastics and compost
Research is needed to understand how quickly microplastics from compostable packaging may linger in soils, and whether they may release chemical additives that could harm soil life.
While Roy said it will be difficult to eliminate microplastics, they can be reduced by reducing unnecessary packaging, setting policies that test for and limit plastic contamination in compost, educating the public and innovating in packaging materials that are free of harmful chemical additives, degrade quickly and have proven not to pose a risk to soil organisms or plants.
Additionally, the U.S. composting infrastructure needs significant investment. Nearly three-quarters of Americans don’t have access to composting services and much of compostable food packaging ends up in peoples’ homes and ultimately in a landfill or incinerator. The proposed federal Compost Act would provide funds for composting infrastructure, Franciosi said. Extended producer responsibility laws that require packaging manufacturers to invest in recovery systems could also help fund these facilities.
Meanwhile, back at Black Earth Compost, Brousseau envisions scaling up to a decentralized network of small compost facilities, each serving ten Massachusetts communities, and a future where food packaging is largely compostable. “Imagine the peanut butter jar, bag of oysters, cheese block wrapping … you don’t have to clean it and maybe have it recycled. You can toss it in the bin, get it recycled locally and support your regional food system.”
As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency nears finalization of its emissions standards for power plants, potential modifications aim to tighten controls on gas-fired facilities.
The EPA is considering extending compliance deadlines for power plants needing carbon capture technology.
Discussions suggest modifications that would broaden the scope of strict emissions standards to include more gas-fired power plants.
Stakeholders including environmentalists and industry groups have influenced the ongoing revisions, seeking feasible implementation timelines.
Key quote:
"We were obviously concerned that by removing existing gas from this rule that it opens up the opportunity to rely more on existing gas, and the emissions from gas plants could increase."
— Ann Weeks, senior counsel and legal director at the Clean Air Task Force
Why this matters:
Natural gas plants, while cleaner than coal-fired plants, still emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide, a leading greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. In addition, these plants can release pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, which can cause respiratory problems and other health issues.
Tightening emissions regulations aligns with broader efforts to reduce the United States' carbon footprint and transition towards more sustainable energy sources.
