Using science to go back in time Using museum specimens dating back to 1900, scientists recently found plastics in fish stomachs starting in 1950 and increasing with time to today. Small plastics have been found across many species in different places, but this research is the first of its kind– studying how small plastics change …

Local news, first! Roanoke became the first local government in Virginia to implement a plastic bag ordinance starting January 1, 2022! According to the legislation, it aims to curb street litter, protect waterways, minimize solid waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Single use plastic shopping bags are all over in our local, Fairfax county streams; …

Rescued turtles alert! 826 turtles, to be exact! These diamondback terrapin hatchlings were rescued from a storm drain in Jersey Shore by a group from Stockton University. Rescuers were looking for animals in need when they came across all these turtles and think these hatchlings were hiding out in the warm drain to avoid cold …

Return of the Cicadas Are you worried this spring? While some people are worried about cicadas taking over their gardens, others are excited for top water fishing to start in order to take advantage of the situation. Cicadas can wreak havoc on lawns, trees, and shrubs, but you can plan ahead for how to deal …

They won’t stop until the well runs dry (or until a cease and desist order is approved) The battle between a bottled water company, Nestle, and local environmentalists continues as the community waits to see if a cease and desist order filed against Nestle is approved by the California Water Resources Control Board. According to …

Blossomed Out from Climate Change Have you noticed cherry blossoms flowering earlier and earlier each year? In the hundred year blooming National Park Service record, bloom dates have jumped forward about a week. Earlier bloom dates make cherry blossoms more susceptible to spring freezes and if blooms are damaged during freezes they no longer flower …

Tons of waste with nowhere to go: Forty-two million metric tons of plastic waste was contributed to land and sea by the United States in 2016. This ends up being 286 pounds of plastic waste per person a year! Where does all of this plastic waste go? Almost 90% of all US recyclable plastic is …

The fight against Arctic Drilling: Let’s start December off with some good news- Every major bank has ruled out funding drilling for fossil fuels in the Arctic! The threat of Arctic drilling still exists, but this is definitely a victory that can be celebrated. Last week we shared a story about drilling lease auctions beginning …

“America Recycles Day” was last Saturday. Recycling is a good thing to do, it has a place in a circular, zero waste society, but it is by no means the answer. There’s a reason it comes at the end of the 5 R’s- Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Rot, Recycle. We cannot recycle our way out of …

New Jersey’s Plastics Ban: In 2018, New Jersey passed a fee for single use plastic and paper bags provided to customers. In early 2019, Governor Murphy vetoed the bill and told state lawmakers to create a stronger bill. The New Jersey state legislature responded with a bill to ban businesses from providing single use plastic …