EU to slash food and fast fashion waste
Bill McKibben: We’re beyond Mel Gibson’s Mad Max era. We no longer need oil to make it through the apocalypse.
Renewables are thriving, with Africa breaking solar energy records – but action is needed to plug the financing gap.
Drilling for fresh water under the salt water off Cape Cod, Expedition 501 extracted thousands of samples from what is now thought to be a massive, hidden aquifer stretching from New Jersey as far north as Maine.
The case is the first citizen suit to successfully settle over “nurdles” in an inland waterway. State regulators weighed in to help.
Global solar installations up 64% so far this year
Despite waning U.S. support for renewable energy, solar power is booming worldwide, with new capacity hitting 380 gigawatts in the first six months of 2025—driven largely by China’s massive expansion and exports.
Hayden, Colorado, a small former coal town, is building a geothermal heating and cooling network for its new business park, aiming to attract companies while cutting energy costs.
Phil McKenna and Jake Bolster report for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- The town is drilling 1,000-foot-deep boreholes to tap steady underground temperatures, reducing reliance on fossil fuels for heating and cooling.
- State grants and tax incentives are making the project financially feasible, with plans to expand the system as the business district grows.
- Officials see geothermal as a way to relieve stress on the electricity grid and support broader energy efficiency goals in Colorado and nationwide.
Key quote:
“We’re creating the infrastructure to attract employers, support local jobs, and give our community reliable, cost-effective heating and cooling for decades to come.”
— Mathew Mendisco, Hayden town manager
Why this matters:
By replacing fossil fuels with geothermal, Hayden could lower local energy costs, reduce emissions, and strengthen community resilience against extreme weather. As the geothermal network expands alongside the business district, officials are looking at a double payoff: easing pressure on the local grid and nudging Colorado closer to broader energy efficiency goals. For residents, it’s a reminder that energy transitions can be tangible, local, and, maybe most importantly, good for both wallets and the planet.
Read more: Labor and environmental groups can both win in the clean energy transition. Here’s how.
A group of Columbus residents is lowering the cost and hassle of going solar by banding together to buy panels in bulk through a cooperative.
In short:
- The cooperative model helps homeowners vet installers, understand contracts, and negotiate better pricing, reducing confusion and financial risk.
- Members of the Columbus co-op are expected to save more than $1.1 million in lifetime electricity costs collectively, with individual households seeing meaningful monthly bill reductions.
- The program is run by Solar United Neighbors, a nonprofit that facilitates group purchasing nationwide, giving homeowners access to expertise and competitive bids without pressure to commit.
Key quote:
“People want stuff like this, and they feel like there’s just roadblocks right and left, so when you have an organization come along to remove some of those barriers, people really appreciate it.”
— Andy Leber, psychology and neuroscience professor, Ohio State University
Why this matters:
With federal tax credits set to phase out, co-ops could play a key role in making solar accessible for more Americans while supporting the transition to a greener grid. For the Columbus community, the payoff is real, with each household seeing tangible relief on their monthly bills. Beyond the dollars, there’s a quiet health and environmental story: Less reliance on fossil fuels means cleaner air, fewer emissions, and a smaller carbon footprint creeping over the city one roof at a time.
Read more:
When a Chinese-owned copper mine in Zambia spilled toxic waste into rivers and farms, veteran lawyer Jingjing Zhang stepped in to help communities fight back, part of her global campaign to hold Chinese companies accountable.
In short:
- For half a day, 50 million liters of mine waste surged into Zambia’s Kafue River system, poisoning drinking water and wiping out crops and fish stocks for thousands.
- Zhang, dubbed the “Chinese Erin Brockovich,” has spent decades pioneering legal tactics to challenge polluters, now training lawyers across the Global South on how to confront Chinese state-owned firms.
- Despite official claims that the situation was “under control,” independent tests later found high levels of heavy metals, while affected villagers received only small, uneven compensation payments.
Key quote:
“Even if we lose, we show people that the law can be a tool for them — that they have rights.”
— Jingjing Zhang, lawyer and founder of the Center for Transnational Environmental Accountability
Why this matters:
Jingjing Zhang's latest environmental justice battle is part of a bigger story: the expanding global footprint of Chinese companies and the environmental wreckage that sometimes follows. While Beijing talks about green development, its firms abroad have been linked to toxic spills, deforestation, and contaminated air and water. Who pays the price when rivers turn toxic and farmland dies? In this case, the villagers in Zambia got a pittance, even as their health and livelihoods are left in question.
Read more:
- In push to mine for minerals, clean energy advocates ask what going green really means
- Mokshda Kaul on making the clean energy transition work for all
- ‘Living under this constant threat’: Environmental defenders face a mounting mental health crisis
A French startup is breeding billions of black soldier fly larvae to turn food waste into protein for fish and livestock feed, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and reliance on soy and forage fish.
In short:
- Innovafeed operates the world’s largest insect farm in Nesle, France, using black soldier fly larvae to convert food waste into protein powder, oil, and fertilizer.
- The company uses waste heat and by-products from nearby factories to lower energy use and emissions, but has not yet reached profitability amid industry bankruptcies and slow regulatory approval.
- Insect protein remains costly compared to soy and fishmeal, but offers potential environmental and health advantages if scaled up effectively.
Key quote:
“Being able to incorporate insect farming into waste management and use the by-products as safe and nutritious ingredients would be great, rather than hauling so many trucks of trash out to the landfill.”
— Christine Picard, biologist studying insects at Indiana University at Indianapolis
Why this matters:
Nearly one-third of all food produced globally is lost or discarded. This waste releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, when it rots in landfills. At the same time, the demand for protein to feed farmed animals continues to rise, driving deforestation for soy and depleting oceans of small forage fish. Insects like black soldier flies offer a closed-loop alternative: they thrive on waste, grow quickly, and can be processed into high-protein feed and fertilizer. While insect farming remains a niche industry, it could help reduce pressure on land and marine ecosystems and cut emissions — if logistical, regulatory, and economic hurdles can be overcome.
Related: Food waste management practices in hospital: potential for increased environmental sustainability
After a 2020 oil spill devastated marine life and livelihoods in southeast Mauritius, a group of women turned to farming and built a thriving agricultural collective from ruined coastal land.
In short:
- When the MV Wakashio spilled 1,000 tons of fuel oil into protected coastal waters in 2020, it destroyed marine ecosystems and the local fishing economy in Pointe d’Esny.
- In the wake of the disaster, Sandy Monrose and other women formed the South-East Ladies Agro collective, receiving land from a private landowner and training in sustainable farming practices.
- Today, the women grow organic produce on restored farmland, generating food and income for their families while building a support system rooted in community and female solidarity.
Key quote:
“I’ve found something that keeps me going, and every day we’re getting food to take home. Here we come back to the source as women.”
— Marie Claire Robinson, trainee farmer
Why this matters:
When marine disasters hit small island nations, the fallout is often deeper than lost revenue or polluted coastlines — it disrupts entire ways of life. The 2020 oil spill in Mauritius, caused by a grounded cargo ship, blackened fragile coral reefs and mangroves, killed marine life, and abruptly ended generations of fishing traditions. Women, already marginalized in the local economy, were pushed further to the edge. But in adapting to the crisis, they also revealed a powerful shift: women turning to the land, organizing collectively, and practicing agroecology not only fed families but fostered resilience and healing.
Related: Tobago's oil spill crisis: a threat to marine life and local economy
When a Chinese-owned copper mine in Zambia spilled toxic waste into rivers and farms, veteran lawyer Jingjing Zhang stepped in to help communities fight back, part of her global campaign to hold Chinese companies accountable.
In short:
- For half a day, 50 million liters of mine waste surged into Zambia’s Kafue River system, poisoning drinking water and wiping out crops and fish stocks for thousands.
- Zhang, dubbed the “Chinese Erin Brockovich,” has spent decades pioneering legal tactics to challenge polluters, now training lawyers across the Global South on how to confront Chinese state-owned firms.
- Despite official claims that the situation was “under control,” independent tests later found high levels of heavy metals, while affected villagers received only small, uneven compensation payments.
Key quote:
“Even if we lose, we show people that the law can be a tool for them — that they have rights.”
— Jingjing Zhang, lawyer and founder of the Center for Transnational Environmental Accountability
Why this matters:
Jingjing Zhang's latest environmental justice battle is part of a bigger story: the expanding global footprint of Chinese companies and the environmental wreckage that sometimes follows. While Beijing talks about green development, its firms abroad have been linked to toxic spills, deforestation, and contaminated air and water. Who pays the price when rivers turn toxic and farmland dies? In this case, the villagers in Zambia got a pittance, even as their health and livelihoods are left in question.
Read more:
- In push to mine for minerals, clean energy advocates ask what going green really means
- Mokshda Kaul on making the clean energy transition work for all
- ‘Living under this constant threat’: Environmental defenders face a mounting mental health crisis
As Spain swelters under record-breaking temperatures, centuries-old coping methods — from siestas to thick-walled homes — offer practical lessons for a warming Europe.
Jason Horowitz and Ilvy Njiokiktjien report for The New York Times.
In short:
- Seville uses traditional shading, thick walls, and controlled airflow techniques dating back to ancient Persia to keep indoor spaces dozens of degrees cooler than outside.
- Hospitals and workplaces are updating these ancient cooling principles, combining water-cooled systems with modern technology to protect patients, equipment, and workers.
- Public health measures now include home visits to vulnerable older adults, labor regulations for outdoor work, and lifestyle adjustments like shifting children’s play to nighttime.
Key quote:
“The climate is changing, and it’s us who have to adapt to it — not the other way around.”
— Manuel Morales, wholesale market worker in Seville
Why this matters:
Spain’s blend of historical wisdom and modern solutions shows how communities can survive — and even thrive — while climate change turns up the heat. High temperatures can be deadly, especially for the elderly. In Seville and other Spanish cities, the sun can scorch, pushing temperatures into the triple digits and turning the city into a slow cooker. But Spaniards are responding by reviving centuries-old survival hacks, showing how historical ingenuity can meet modern crises. In an era of intensifying heat waves, Seville’s blend of tradition and science offers a lesson for a world running hotter and faster than ever.Read more:
Small plots in cities are being transformed into layered food forests, giving residents a chance to harvest fruits and nuts while supporting local ecosystems.
In short:
- Food forests combine edible trees, shrubs, and plants in multilayered arrangements that mimic natural ecosystems, supporting pollinators and improving soil health.
- Thoughtful design — including wide paths, sight lines, and seating — ensures these spaces are accessible, safe, and enjoyable for visitors of all ages.
- Beyond nutrition, these urban forests provide habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife, turning underused city lots into mini ecosystems.
Key quote:
“You’re targeting different crops and trying to balance ecosystem restoration and food production, which I think we can do in the same piece of ground.”
— Lincoln Smith, founder of Forested
Why this matters:
The benefits of urban food forests extend far beyond the human eye. These innovative green spaces can improve public health by providing free, fresh produce and encouraging outdoor activity, while also mitigating urban heat and supporting biodiversity. In cities that often feel disconnected from nature, urban food forests offer a taste of both nourishment and resilience, proving that even amid urban sprawl, heat, and noise, communities can cultivate both health and habitat.
Read more:
In Southern California, a decades-long grassroots effort may soon convert a Chevron-owned oil site into a protected nature preserve — if federal support doesn't fall through.
In short:
- West Coyote Hills in Fullerton, once slated for suburban housing, is now partially preserved open space supporting threatened wildlife like the California gnatcatcher.
- Local advocates have raised millions to secure land from Chevron, but the final 483 acres are in limbo due to stalled federal conservation funding and a pending development permit.
- State agencies and conservationists are racing to finalize the deal, arguing that preserving the land provides ecological, climate, and public safety benefits, including buffering wildfires.
Key quote:
“You can have housing, and you can conserve land. You might need to think creatively, but it can be done.”
— Melanie Schlotterbeck, a stewardship consultant with the nonprofit Coastal Corridor Alliance
Why this matters:
This hard-fought, fragile victory hangs in limbo. Nearly 500 acres still sit undeveloped, their fate tied up in a stalled federal funding process and a last-ditch development permit. If that funding falls through, bulldozers could win where birds have only just begun to reclaim space. Preserving West Coyote Hills could cool surrounding neighborhoods, offer wildfire buffers, and restore ecological balance in one of the country’s most paved-over regions. But in a state where real estate still shouts louder than nature, the outcome is anything but certain.
Read. more: Wetland protections remain bogged down in mystery
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