The Conscious Scoop: Dying Bats, Plastic Free Aisles and Trump’s Climate Change Denial

Here are 10 things you need to know, that’s happening in sustainability so your friends don’t think you’re stupid!
It’s always good to keep yourself up to date with the latest news and headlines in the conscious community. Who said what, Who’s doing what, Who’s creating the next best thing to tackle global warming? And of course, some of the silly sustainable news, just cause we all need a laugh. Here are this week’s top 10 things.

1.Bats Are Boiling Alive in Australia’s Heat Wave
Nope, that’s not a joke. Bats are literally boiling alive, with more than 400 flying foxes (not actual foxes but a type of bat) from a local bat colony found dead. Why? Australia is experiencing nearly record high temperatures reaching just over 116 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s about 47 degrees celsius for all the locals). Cray!
Read More Here.

2. H&M Launches Its First Conscious-Led Activewear Line
Recycled polyester and elastane in clothing makes us go YASS! H&M’s new conscious collection includes a range of tights, sports bras, hoodies and tops for training, running and yoga. Because we can all think about the environment while getting our bikini bodies.

Find out more about how H&M is making towards its goal of becoming 100% circular

3. Half of Singaporean’s want sustainable brands
Who said Singaporean’s don’t care? More than 50% of Singapore consumers and half of all shoppers in the Asia Pacific region believe that companies should ensure that their supply chains do no harm to the environment. Well duh, who wants to buy stuff that is no good for the planet?

4. Theresa May proposes plastic-free supermarket aisles in green strategy

Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to eradicate all avoidable plastic waste in the UK by 2042. AMAZING. Under the government’s plan, supermarkets will be urged to introduce “plastic-free” aisles while taxes and charges on single-use items such as takeaway containers will be considered. Now if only we can get Singapore on the bandwagon too!

Find out more here.

5. McDonald’s agrees to global phase-out of polystyrene packaging

The world’s largest fast-food chain has announced plans to eliminate foam packaging from its global franchise by the end of 2018.Polystyrene has been widely used for single-use containers across the world for decades, but in recent years its negative environmental and health profile have led major companies to drop it. Just goes to show that if Macs can do it, then why can’t we?

A for effort, McDonald’s!
6. Cape Town Is 90 Days Away From Running Out of Water
After three years of unprecedented drought, Cape Town has less than 90 days worth of water in its reservoirs, putting it on track to be the first major city in the world to run out of water. Yikes! Well, the city won’t literally run dry; in most cases, reservoirs can’t be drained to the last drop, as silt and debris make the last 10% of a dam’s water unusable. Once the dams reach 13.5% capacity, municipal water supply will be turned off for all but essential services, like hospitals.

What happens when the taps are turned off?

7. L’Oréal named the most sustainable company in 2017
Who would’ve thunk it eh? The company is committed to zero-deforestation by 2020 and already sources 100 percent of its palm oil derivatives from sources certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. In October, L’Oréal USA received the 2017 Green Power Partner of the Year Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in recognition of its overall strategy and impact on the green power market.

Read up all about L’Oréal’s sustainability here.

8. As Philippine coastal village sinks, who’s paying for the damage?

A small coastal village, Barangay Alaska, of 306 families in the Philippines has been losing its land to the encroaching sea over the past 27 years. On average, sea levels around the world rise 3.1 centimetres every ten years. Water levels in the Philippines are projected to rise between 7.6 and 10.2 centimetres each decade. That’s Insane!

Find out more about how the community is affected.

9. Week 50: When It Gets Cold, Trump’s Climate Change Denial Heats Up
Donald Trump ended 2017, a year of climate change in true Trump style: with an uninformed, ill-conceived tweet. “In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year’s Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against. Bundle up!” – Donald Trump. Of course, he did.

Just for kicks, read up more about his ignorant tweet and the fallout.

10. Plastic found in mussels from the Arctic to China – enters human food
Tiny bits of plastic are contaminating mussels from the European Arctic to China in a sign of the global spread of ocean pollution that can end up on people’s dinner plates. Yup, we’re eating tiny bits of plastic when we consume seafood. Gross. Human exposure to microplastics in seafood was likely to be below that from everyday plastics ranging from toys to fleece jackets.

Find out more here.

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