Why have individuals been slow to reduce their carbon footprint even when they have the financial resources and willingness to do so?Many of our assumptions around environmental responsibility fallshort of making immediate and meaningful change. Still, new research guides us with a framework to decide on individual, corporate, and governmental climate action.
In a world where warnings of “Cancer and reproductive harm” adorn everyday products, the burden of identifying hazardous substances lies with the consumer. The prevalence of hazardous chemical compounds, with alarming rates found in pregnant women, paints a concerning picture of a silent epidemic affecting the health of future generations. As chemical interference in the body’s hormones correlates with rising rates of cancer, obesity, and neurological disorders in children, the need for a fundamental shift in who monitors chemical compounds becomes apparent.
Biodiversity affects our global environment and economy but we lack the scientific knowledge and economic systems required to manage it effectively. Recent research reveals the magnitude of these shortcomings, the questions that must be addressed, and the urgent need for solutions.
Richard Plunz, Professor Emeritus of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University, delves into the importance of urban design for sustainable infrastructure in a changing climate.
Rural communities are essential to food production in the United States. Despite this, they rarely receive the benefits of this food commensurate with their investments in this system. Elders in rural communities are incredibly overlooked in food access interventions and consistently benefit the least from the food they help grow. This oversight makes rural elders particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. The current food system disconnects elders from the food grown in their communities and, therefore, must be transformed to prioritize care for these vulnerable populations.
An urgent call to action from an opinion paper examines the harmful impacts of sand resource extraction on the ecological health of dunes, beaches, and aquatic ecosystems. This paper illuminates how the concrete industry uses these materials to meet the demands of 8 billion people and foretells the dire environmental ramifications if such a rate of depletion were to progress.
Recent research highlights a dark side of renewable energy: wind energy's impact on aquatic wildlife and indigenous culture. A decolonial approach to green initiatives can make climate “solutions” sustainable.
A new study projects disparate risks of climate gentrification through secondary displacement in Florida. As coastal communities become displaced by rising sea levels, inland communities with lower socioeconomic status, lower education attainment, and higher rates of non-white renters are among those predisposed to secondary displacement risk.
