Posts Tagged ‘oceans’
These Tiny Beads Are Designed To Soak Up The Sunblock Chemical That’s Killing Coral
By Adele Peters | Fast Company A tiny amount of oxybenzone, a UV-blocking chemical that’s commonly found in sunscreen, can stunt and deform the growth of coral reefs, sometimes killing the coral. In Hawaii, lawmakers are attempting to ban the sunscreens that contain the chemical so snorkelers don’t unwittingly destroy the reefs they visit. But until that happens–and until people…
Read MoreWhat the ‘sixth extinction’ will look like in the oceans: The largest species die off first
By Chris Mooney | The Washington Post | September 14, 2016 We mostly can’t see it around us, and too few of us seem to care — but nonetheless, scientists are increasingly convinced that the world is barreling towards what has been called a “sixth mass extinction” event. Simply put, species are going extinct at a rate…
Read MoreGovernment of Canada labels microbeads ‘toxic substance’
Via The Canadian Press | The Globe and Mail | June 30, 2016 The federal government has officially listed microbeads as a toxic substance, giving it the ability to ban the plastic beads used in cleansers. An online notice published Wednesday says the tiny plastic beads commonly found in facial and body scrubs is now listed as…
Read MorePlastiglomerate: The New And Horrible Way Humans Are Leaving Their Mark On The Planet
By Carla Herreria | The Huffington Post | June 19, 2016 Humans will now be forever inscribed into the Earth’s geological history. Our everlasting signature? Plastic-infused stones. The newly identified stone, according to a report from The Geological Society of America, has been officially named plastiglomerate. It is formed when plastic trash melts and fuses together with…
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