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☆ See inside Starbucks' quest for 'the cup of the future'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Peter Prengaman | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Just as noteworthy as what they're carrying is what they are not: the disposable Starbucks cup, an icon in a world where the word is overused. ASU implemented a "borrow and return" plan that has users dump reusable cups in a bin outside the store. AP Photo/Ross D. FranklinNow, in an era where concern for sustainability can be good business, the Starbucks disposable cup may be on its way to extinction thanks to an unlikely force: Starbucks itself. Currently, ASU students can bring their own reusable cups or are given a reusable cup to wash and return. Since the reintroduction of reusable cups in some stores in July 2021 — reusable cups were not used during much of the COVID-19 pandemic — only 1.2% of worldwide sales in fiscal year 2022 came from reusables.

Persons: — Bethany Patton, Patton, Ross D, Franklin, that's, Michael Kobori, Lindsey Wasson, Erin Simon, Simon, Jon Solorzano, Solorzano, Irene Linayao, Aria, Tyler Eglen, Jane Tsilas, Walker, Kyle Walker, Franklin Valencia Villanueva, it's Organizations: Starbucks, Service, ASU, AP, Arizona State University ., Wildlife Fund, Arizona State, Starbucks —, Franklin Locations: TEMPE, Ariz, United States, Los Angeles, Europe, Germany, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Arizona, reusables, Villanueva

☆ Invasive species cost the world $423 billion every year and are causing environmental chaos, UN report finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Scroll through the gallery to see more of the planet's most problematic invasive species. Sarefo / Wikimedia Commons In pictures: Invasive species around the world Prev Next‘Prevention, prevention, prevention’Along with invasive species, other key drivers of biodiversity loss include destruction of land and sea habitats, exploitation of organisms, climate change and pollution. As well as flammable invasive plants sparking and spreading wildfires, climate change is enabling invasive species to move north – even to remote areas such as high mountains, deserts and frozen tundra. Preventing the arrival of new species into new regions is the best way to manage threats from invasive species, according to the report. For invasive species that have already taken hold, eradication has been a useful tool, especially on islands, according to the report.

Persons: ”, Helen Roy, ” Roy, David Gray, Peter Stoett, Anibal Pauchard, Ian Hitchcock, Starling, MENAHEM KAHANA, Phil Mislinski, Jeff J Mitchell, SANJAY KANOJIA, MUNIR UZ ZAMAN, ” Stoett, Stoett, –, ” Pauchard Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UN, Services, billabong, Nile Virus, Ontario Tech University, Chile’s Institute of Ecology, Pacific, World Wildlife Fund, US Department of Agriculture, USA, Studies, New Zealand Government, European, Starlings, AFP, Getty, North, Wikimedia Locations: Darwin, Australia, Africa, Caribbean, Guam, North America, Hawaii, Maui, Antarctica, Pacific, North, South America, Azov, China, Japan, Europe, Bermuda, New Zealand, New York, USA, Australasia, South Africa, United States, AFP, East Africa, Western Asia, Americas, Kenya, India, Puerto Rico, Kunming, Montreal

☆ Greece rescues 25 migrants from deadly Evros wildfire
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Alexandros Avramidis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis Acquire Licensing RightsEVROS, Greece,/ATHENS Sept 1 (Reuters) - Greece on Friday rescued a group of 25 migrants trapped in a wildfire which has been burning in the northeastern region of Evros for almost two weeks, authorities said. The wildfire in Evros, Europe's deadliest this summer, burned for a 14th day after killing at least 20 people, destroying homes and livelihoods and scorching lush forests. Evros is a popular crossing into the European Union for thousands of migrants and refugees every year. Aircraft and hundreds of firefighters battled the blaze in the Dadia Forest amid fast-changing winds on Friday. Switzerland said on Friday it will dispatch three army helicopters and personnel to help firefighting in Evros.

Persons: Alexandros Avramidis, Ioannis Artopoios, Copernicus, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Lefteris Papadimas, Angeliki Koutantou, Andy Sullivan Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Aircraft, Reuters, Copernicus Emergency Management Service, New York City's, Wildlife Fund, Thomson Locations: Evros, Greece, ATHENS, Turkey, Dadia, Giannouli, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, New York, Soufli, Switzerland

☆ Greece to launch drones, temperature sensors to better fight wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Cows stand in front of a burned hill as a wildfire burns at Dadia National Park in the region of Evros, Greece, August 29, 2023. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis Acquire Licensing RightsATHENS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Greece's prime minister said on Thursday it would launch drones and install forest temperature sensors to improve preventive firefighting after criticism from climate activists over a devastating wildfire burning for almost two weeks. He said authorities had initiated steps to acquire more than 100 drones to monitor wildfires in real time. Mitsotakis said tens of millions of euros were spent in wildfire prevention this year but that was still not enough. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said at least 30% of Greece's protected Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest had been lost.

Persons: Alexandros Avramidis, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Mitsotakis, it's, Angeliki, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Greece's, Emergency Management Service, New York City's, Wildlife Fund, Thomson Locations: Evros, Greece, New York, Soufli

[1/4] Smoke rises as a wildfire burns at Dadia National Park in the region of Evros, Greece, August 29, 2023. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis Acquire Licensing RightsATHENS, Aug 29 (Reuters) - A wildfire burning in northeastern Greece for 11 days has destroyed an area larger than New York City, the European Union-backed Copernicus Climate Change Service said on Tuesday, as firefighters from five countries battled to contain the flames. New York City takes up 778.2 square kilometres (300.5 square miles). Panagiota Maragou, head of conservation at the Greece division of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), said at least 30% of the National Park of Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest had been lost to flames. Thanks to its high biodiversity, the national park was "one of the most important protected areas in Greece and also in Europe, perhaps also on an international scale", she said.

Persons: Alexandros Avramidis, Copernicus, Jiri Nemcik, Maragou, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, We've, Karolina Tagaris, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Union, Twitter, Emergency Management Service, New York City, . Aircraft, World Wildlife Fund, of, Thomson Locations: Evros, Greece, New York City, Alexandroupolis, New York, Serbia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Albania, Czech, Soufli, Europe, Athens, Turkey

☆ As Fires Endanger the ‘Lungs’ of Athens, Greek Anger Rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Niki Kitsantonis | More About Niki Kitsantonis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Even as the Greek authorities battled scores of wildfires, stretching from north to south on the mainland, the fires encroaching on a treasured national park north of Athens on Thursday provoked special anger. Mount Parnitha, a protected wildlife area widely known as the “lungs” of Athens, is normally a respite for city dwellers, especially as the heat of Greek summers has tipped to dangerous extremes. But on Thursday, with the air acrid with the smell of burned wood, residents and conservationists alike lamented the potential loss of one of the few green spaces left near the capital. They accused the authorities of failing to protect a precious forestland that is home to more than 1,000 species of plants and animals, including red deer and wolves. “No other European capital has been blessed with such a hot spot of biodiversity literally at its doorstep,” said Demetre Karavellas, director of World Wildlife Fund Greece, adding that the extent of the damage was still unclear as fires continued to rage.

Persons: Mount Parnitha, ”, Demetre Karavellas Organizations: World Wildlife Fund Locations: Athens, World Wildlife Fund Greece

☆ Sun bear: World's smallest bear finally has its time in the sun. But is that a good thing?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Hong Kong CNN —The world’s smallest bear is finally having its moment in the sun – thanks to a viral video that sparked a conspiracy theory on Chinese social media. “With all the media attention surrounding the (sun bear videos) we have a good opportunity to further educate ourselves to save this species.”Taronga Zoo is not alone. A sun bear inside at the Vietnam bear rescue centre, in Tam Dao national park, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam, 09 July 2019. Cubs are especially cute and docile and can be easily tamed compared to bigger and more aggressive bears, said bear expert Dave Garshelis, chair of the IUCN SSC Bear Specialist Group. Will the viral videos actually help save these amazing bears?

Persons: Angela, ”, Wong Siew Te, Wong, Taronga zookeeper Logan Dudley, “, ” Afiqah Nasir, Bosco Chan, ” Chan, Minh Hoang, Dave Garshelis, Thomas Stamford, Garshelis, Shao Zhenzhen Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CNN, Sun Bear Conservation Center, Taronga Zoo, Singapore Zoo, World Wildlife Fund, Cubs, IUCN SSC Bear Specialist Group, Thomas Stamford Raffles, Singapore Locations: Hong Kong, Hangzhou, China, Sabah, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Sydney, Australia, Vietnam, Tam Dao, Vinh Phuc, British, Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore

In a statement written from the perspective of a sun bear named “Angela,” officials from Hangzhou zoo said people “didn’t understand” the species. In 2013, a city zoo in the central Henan province angered visitors by trying to pass off a Tibetan Mastiff dog as a lion. Visitors at another Chinese zoo, in Sichuan province, were shocked to discover a golden retriever sitting in a cage labeled as an African lion enclosure. World’s smallest bears under threatNative to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, sun bears are the world’s smallest bear species. Sun bears are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Persons: “ Angela, I’m Angela Organizations: CNN, Wildlife Fund, Sun Bear Conservation Center, International Union for Conservation of Nature Locations: China, Hangzhou, Weibo, Henan, Sichuan, Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sabah

☆ Unprecedented ocean heat is changing the way sharks eat, breathe and behave
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“An increase in metabolic rates means that sharks are using more energy to just be alive and swim,” Di Santo told CNN. Some fish species are not able to find new, suitable habitats, which causes a decline in their population. “It is important to consider that sharks are very much tuned in the behavior of their prey,” Di Santo said. “These small-scale movements can be just as crucial for their survival as poleward relocations,” Di Santo said. Zidowitz said progress on conservation to protect shark species is “too slow to keep pace” with the numerous threats they face, yet she remains hopeful.

Persons: Heike, Michele Spatari, Valentina Di Santo, biomechanist, Di, ” Di Santo, Di Santo, ”, Joseph Prezioso, Zidowitz, ” Zidowitz Organizations: CNN — Sharks, International Union for Conservation of, World Wildlife, CNN, ”, Cape, Getty, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration Locations: Germany, Umkomaas, Durban, South Africa, AFP, Cape Cod , Massachusetts

Ms. Battle has been leading an effort to have businesses pledge not to finance seabed mining or source seafloor materials in their supply chains. Similarly, prominent banks in Britain, such as Lloyds and Standard Chartered, are refusing to do business with deep-sea mining entities. But critics say that the expense and logistics of mining in the remote ocean — and transporting metals back to land — raise doubts about whether deep-sea mining can be profitable. “This industry could start without being needed,” she said of deep-sea mining. But seabed mining supporters say that existing mining is worse for the environment, and deep-sea mining could help wrestle control of critical metals from China and Russia.

Persons: Barron, DealBook, it’s, Jessica Battle Organizations: ” Regulators, United Nations, World Wildlife Fund, BMW, Google, Samsung, Volvo, Volkswagen, Lloyds, Standard Chartered, International Energy Agency Locations: Britain, China, Russia

☆ How to Start Accounting for Carbon
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

Start with the easier stuffBegin with the more straightforward direct emissions from operations and energy purchases—so-called Scope 1 and 2 emissions. On its website, the company provides emissions data for computers and its sustainability-linked sales rose to $3.5 billion in 2021, about 5% of total sales. For HP and Nestlé, more than 95% of their carbon footprint is Scope 3 emissions. To make Scope 3 accounting more accurate, companies can add data that comes directly from their suppliers, if it is available. Businesses can also work together with their suppliers and customers to provide some training and resources to help them get their own carbon accounting in order.

Persons: James McCall, Benjamin Ware, Holcim, Magali Anderson, HP’s McCall, ” McCall, Nestlé’s Ware, “, McCall, GaBi, Nestlé, ” Ware, Don’t, Holcim’s Anderson, Elisabeth Real “, ”, Dieter Holger Organizations: Sustainable Business, HP, World Wildlife Fund, Environmental Defense Fund, Nestlé, Schneider, Engineers, Finance, WWF, Schneider Electric, Food, dieter.holger Locations: U.S, Europe, Texas

☆ U.S. Companies Face EU Deforestation Rules on Coffee, Wood and Other Everyday Goods
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

The nonprofit estimates at least 37 big U.S.-based companies, including Starbucks and Kellogg, will be covered by the new rules. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, and forest loss and damage has caused around 10% of global warming, according to nonprofit World Wildlife Fund. The EU rules apply to companies meeting the bloc’s broad definition of an “operator,” which includes a business importing into the EU, exporting from it, or putting products on the bloc’s market. The EU rules are expected to become stricter over time. Sen. Brian Schatz, a Hawaii Democrat who is spearheading the effort, said the U.S. needs to follow the EU in enacting deforestation regulations on trade.

Persons: haven’t, “, Starling, —, Kellogg, ” Frans Timmermans, Guillaume Croisant, Sen, Brian Schatz, ”, Dieter Holger Organizations: European Union, EU, Global, Starbucks, Kellogg, Labs, Airbus, Companies, World Resources Institute, Consumer Goods, New, World Wildlife Fund, Cargill, Bunge, Sustainable Business, Barclays, Hawaii Democrat, dieter.holger Locations: European, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, New York, Brussels, Linklaters, U.S, Hawaii, Europe

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). Most hotel, airline, and credit card loyalty programs offer you the ability to donate your rewards directly to charity. Here's how to turn your credit card spending into a force for social good. Donate your points to charityMost hotel, airline, and credit card rewards programs allow you to donate your cash back, points, and miles directly to a number of well-respected nonprofits. The best credit cards for earning rewards on your donationsMany credit cards offer bonus points for your spending in categories like dining out or office supplies.

Persons: —, Miles, JustGiving Hilton, Hilton Organizations: Mastercard, Chase, American Express, Service, American Airlines —, Heroes American, JustGiving, JetBlue, United Airlines — United, Americares Foundation, doesn't, Hyatt Credit, American Airlines, Hyatt, Bank of America's, Wildlife Fund, U.S . Bank Locations: Miles, America, American

Review: Is Discover it® Balance Transfer the Best Credit Card for You? Discover it Balance Transfer Card RewardsThe card offers a generous cash-back rewards structure. With the 0% intro APR on balance transfers, there's an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer that post to your account by September 10, 2023. Yes, the Discover It Balance Transfer Credit Card allows balance transfers. Yes, the Discover It Balance Transfer Credit Card has an an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer.

Persons: you've, you’ve, Cardholders, It's, cardholders, you'll Organizations: Discover, Reading Chevron, Wholesale, PayPal, American Cancer Society, Children's Miracle Network, Diabetes Research Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, JCB, U.S, Bank Locations: Japan, skylines

☆ A critically endangered rat-sized marsupial that looks like a mini kangaroo is returning to parts of Australia for the first time in a century
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Brush-tailed bettongs are thriving in Southern Australia after being reintroduced in 2021. These cute, kangaroo-looking marsupials have been critically endangered for decades. Scientists say it could be the first successful reintroduction of the species in Australia. According to the results of their monitoring of 85 bettongs, 40% of them were newborns, according to the release. A woylie also known as a brush-tailed bettong (Bettongia penicillata) is an extremely rare, small marsupial and is endemic to Australia.

☆ Pro Take: Can Nickel, Cobalt and Other Battery Metals Be Sourced Sustainably?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Yusuf Khan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Lockheed Martin and Norway’s Storebrand also have recently sold their interests in deep-sea mining companies. Others including German luxury carmaker BMW have said that, given environmental concerns, they won’t use battery metals sourced from the deep sea. More than a dozen countries are concerned about the environmental impact of the practice and are calling for a moratorium on seabed mining. A nickel mining site on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Proponents of deep-sea mining say the nascent practice is a less harmful way to extract nickel than how the mineral is currently sourced in Indonesia.

☆ World's longest bridge could transform Sicily. But not if the Mafia and earthquakes get in the way
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Since then, various plans, including a short-lived idea for a tunnel, have come and gone – like water under the bridge. If built, the bridge across the Straits of Messina would span two miles (3.2 kilometers) and would be the longest suspension bridge in the world. When Salvini became transport minister, he made it his priority, betting his legacy on the bridge. “The bridge over the Strait of Messina is a project that can break ground immediately. The recent arrest of Cosa Nostra boss Matteo Messina Denaro after 30 years on the lam in Sicily represented a victory.

CNN —A female bear that was sentenced to death for the fatal mauling of jogger in Italy has been given a stay of execution until May 11, officials in Trento have said. Andrea Papi, 26, was attacked and killed last week while jogging in a public nature reserve in the Trentino–Alto Adige region of northern Italy. In the last 15 years, several bear attacks have been reported, including the nearly fatal attack of a mushroom farmer in 2014 and the 2020 attack of a father and his son while they were hiking. This time, after the fatal attack on Papi the World Wildlife Fund, which had previously petitioned to keep JJ4 alive told CNN they agree that the bear should be put down. There are now four bears, including JJ4, with judicial orders to be culled.

☆ These organizations are trying to tackle plastic pollution and poverty at the same time
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Katie Brigham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

"All the plastic we've ever produced since the inception of the material is still here," said David Katz, CEO of Plastic Bank, a company that's trying to implement plastic recycling systems in developing nations. It's usually because it's not economically feasible to collect, clean and sort plastic waste — at least not in the U.S., where new plastic is cheaper. Asis Wijayanto and his wife Atmawati support themselves and their daughter by collecting plastic with Plastic Bank. Plastic creditsBut only about 20% of Plastic Bank's partners are actually buying recycled plastic for use in new products. The other 80% are buying plastic credits, meant to help offset their new plastic production by funding recycling efforts in the countries where Plastic Bank operates.

☆ A deadline looms for rules governing deep-sea mining, but a rushed decision may be risky
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Proponents say that deep-sea mining there is a less damaging way to gather metals like nickel, copper, manganese and cobalt. Opponents of deep-sea mining say there is not enough information to make that kind of decision. Critics of the idea of deep-sea mining have said the process is being rushed. That's what's behind the drive for diversity of supply on land-based mining, as well as exploration of alternatives such as deep-sea mining." Finding consensus for the Wild West of the seaOpponents of deep-sea mining want to tap the brakes.

Review: Is the Discover it Cash Back the Best Credit Card for You? For example, you could look at a no-annual-fee card that offers a flat cash rewards rate on all purchases, like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, which earns 2% cash rewards on spending. Insider's Featured Cash Back Credit Cards Discover it® Cash BackCiti® Double Cash CardWells Fargo Active Cash® Card Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. How to Earn Rewards With the Discover it Cash Back CardTo earn the most cash back with the Discover it® Cash Back, you'll have to activate the rotating bonus categories each quarter through your online Discover account. How to Use Discover Cash Back RewardsThe best way to redeem your Discover it® Cash Back rewards is usually as a statement credit, which lowers your balance, or simply take the cash as a direct deposit to your bank account.

☆ A guide to climate buzzwords and what they say about corporate promises
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Thousands of companies with climate goals use confusing jargon like "carbon neutral" and "net zero." Corporate climate pledges are rife with terms like "carbon neutral," "net zero," and "carbon negative," leading to confusion among consumers and investors, among others, about what it all means. Some companies, including ExxonMobil, also have net-zero goals that only cover direct operations. Why 'carbon neutral' can be misleadingThe UN's concerns about carbon offsets are why claims of an organization or product being "carbon neutral" can also be worrisome. "I think there is rightfully some skepticism around climate neutral," Fischweicher said.

☆ Bill Gates on why he'll carry on using private jets and campaigning on climate change
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

During a recent interview with the BBC, the billionaire said rich countries needed "to get their emissions down to zero as fast as they can." Bill Gates does not agree that using a private jet and campaigning on the issue of climate change represents a contradiction open to allegations of hypocrisy. It says it "uses a technology called 'direct air capture' to capture carbon dioxide directly from the air." Gates has previously spoken about using Climeworks to "pay for direct air capture." "So a new way of making cement or steel, you know, electric passenger cars, that's all in the rich countries."

☆ The US is bad at recycling. Making businesses pay could boost the rate to 75% in some states, a study found.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Recycling rates in US states could hit 75% if companies bear the costs, a study found. Recycling rates are high there, and taxpayers don't cover the bill, unlike in the US. The Recycling Partnership said it examined these states because they had the best available data. In most cases, recycling rates could get as high as 75%, de Thomas said. At least 11 others have either introduced legislation or plan to, according to a tally by The Recycling Partnership.

☆ This startup that connects conservation projects with funders just raised $8 million. Check out the 30-slide pitch deck Lemu used to secure the fresh capital.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A startup hoping to channel more cash into conservation via its app just raised $8 million. Chilean startup Lemu is developing a marketplace that ranks conservation projects on priority and impact. A Chilean startup connecting conservation projects with funders just raised $8 million. It plans to list and rank high-priority and high-impact conservation projects in the hope that the app's users will donate money, or "invest," in them. It will have two ranking features: LemiImpact, a local-level impact ranking based on potential project outcomes, and LemuRank, which is a global ranking of high-priority conservation efforts.

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