Industrial hemp has played a pivotal role in the economic and agricultural history of the United States. From its use in rope and textiles during the colonial era to its critical importance during World War II, this versatile crop has proven its value time and again. Despite its many benefits, industrial hemp faced decades of…
“Allowing fossil fuel and petrochemical companies to exert their influence in these negotiations is like letting foxes guard the henhouse,” said one campaigner. At the fifth and final session of the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to finalize a global plastics treaty in Busan, South Korea, one anti-pollution campaigner noted on Wednesday that “waste pickers,…
Plastic pollution litters our seas, our air and even our bodies, but negotiators face an uphill battle next week to agree on the world’s first treaty aimed at ending the problem. Countries will have a week in South Korea’s Busan from Monday to round off two years of negotiations. They remain deeply divided on whether…
“Plastics plants are poisoning our waters and contaminating our bodies—and EPA needs to do its job and protect our waterways and downstream communities,” said one watchdog leader. Amid fears over President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a government watchdog on Thursday called out the EPA for letting the plastics industry pollute…
Bio-based materials may pose a greater health risk to some of the planet’s most important species than the conventional plastics they are designed to replace, a new study has shown. Such materials are increasingly being advocated as environmentally friendly alternatives to plastics, and used in textiles and products including clothing, wet wipes and period products….
Seaweed is responsible for producing more than half of Earth’s oxygen and has the potential to suck up and store massive amounts of carbon dioxide. It’s a trending superfood rich in protein, calcium, folic acid, and iron, and can reduce your blood pressure and improve your digestion. It’s used in a diverse range of industries,…
Microplastic pollution is everywhere, even in the exhaled breath of dolphins – new research shows. Bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay in Florida and Barataria Bay in Louisiana are exhaling microplastic fibers, according to our new research published in the journal PLOS One. Tiny plastic pieces have spread all over the planet – on land, in the…
Hemp leaf extract rich in CBD was recently shown in a study to kill both species of yellow fever mosquito in their larval phase, including one that had developed insecticide resistance. The study demonstrates yet again how many different things hemp products can be used for, but unlike anything discovered so far, use as an…
Tiny robots and AI algorithms could help to craft material solutions for cleaner environments Many human activities release pollutants into the air, water and soil. These harmful chemicals threaten the health of both people and the ecosystem. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes an estimated 4.2 million deaths annually. Scientists are looking…
Two hundred years ago, Kentucky was the epicenter of US hemp cultivation. There are a lot of surprising words in that sentence, but it’s true. The US has a long history with hemp that has largely been forgotten since the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 politicized and criminalized the cultivation, distribution, and possession of this…