DYK: In 2024, 35 states will introduce policies banning PFAS forever chemicals, according to Safer States, a national alliance of environmental health organizations and coalitions. PFAS are found in numerous consumer products, providing heat, oil, stain, and grease resistance; they also pose serious human health concerns. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: A recent report from Forbes found that a third of Americans surveyed who are moving cited climate change and worsening weather conditions as a motivating factor. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
California orders recycling company to pay $140.5M in bottle, can scheme
Recycling fraud is a serious crime in California. A recycling company was ordered to pay $140.5 million in penalties for defrauding California’s Beverage Container Recycling program. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
California bill would ban all plastic shopping bags at grocery stores
California lawmakers want to ban all plastic bags by 2026. The 2014 plastic bag ban, which banned thin plastic bags but allowed the purchase of thicker plastic bags designed for recycling, was not effective and increased plastic bag use, according to a recent study. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
According to a recent study, climate change is increasing the risk of a California megaflood that would produce runoffs 200-400% greater than anything seen before in the Sierra Nevada, the 400-mile mountain range that traverses 24 of the state’s 58 counties. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: Extreme February rainfall created a temporary lake in Death Valley National Park at Badwater Basin. Informally called Lake Manly, it is about 6 miles long, 3 miles wide and 1 foot deep. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
New initiative transforms LAUSD playgrounds into green space
The new 28 x 28 initiative launched by Trust for Public Land will transform 28 asphalt playgrounds in the LAUSD into green schoolyards, providing access to parks and open green spaces to Los Angeles communities. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Rainfall from atmospheric rivers in February resulted in 2.7 billion gallons of stormwater captured by Los Angeles County Public Works. That’s enough water for 65,600 residents for a year. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
The Los Angeles Unified School District will invest $92.3 million to improve campuses and make them more accessible to students with disabilities, improve water quality and build more outdoor learning spaces. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Almost 8 million gallons of sewage dumped into the Pacific Ocean in early February resulted in the closure of Long Beach and Cabrillo Beach where elevated bacteria levels were recorded. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
According to a recent study, climate change is increasing the risk of a California megaflood that would produce runoffs 200-400% greater than anything seen before in the Sierra Nevada, the 400-mile mountain range that traverses 24 of the state’s 58 counties. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: A new report from the Sierra Club has found that more than 40,000 unplugged oil and gas wells are sitting idle across California, potentially leaking planet-warming gas and unsafe chemicals. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Extreme rainstorms brought on by climate change last month have accelerated landslides causing damaging coastal erosion in California, leaving homes teetering on the edge of cliffs. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
California sea otters are helping to restore their declining coastal marsh habitat at Elkhorn Slough in Monterey Bay. Salt marshes protect the coastline and people living there from erosion and flooding. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: U.S. crude oil production has increased by 21% over the past five years. Top oil producing states in 2023 (percentage of total U.S. production): Texas, 43%; New Mexico, 14%; North Dakota, 9%; Colorado, 3.5%; Oklahoma, 3.4%; Alaska 3.4%; California, 2.5%. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Based on a new state report, experts say sea level rise is the Bay Area’s No. 1 climate change threat, especially to underserved, disadvantaged communities. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: The chasing arrows recycling symbol doesn't always mean a plastic item is recyclable. Depending on where you live, recyclability depends on the number within the arrows. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: Flash flooding is the deadliest severe weather in the U.S., killing more people per year than hurricanes, tornadoes, and lightning. Almost half of flood deaths are vehicle related. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Atmospheric rivers arriving in rapid succession, such as the ones that hit California in early 2023, cause three to four times more economic damage than they would have individually, according to a recent study. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
In January, record rain brought dangerous flooding to San Diego where businesses and homes were destroyed, vehicles were swept away, and roads were closed. Emergency crews rescued injured and displaced residents. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
According to a recent survey, 1 in 10 Americans is experiencing climate anxiety or depression. In addition, more than half of the respondents recognized that climate change is real and mostly caused by humans. They also want to know the solution. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll
Bags made from seaweed can be used as an alternative to plastic bags, according to a new company. The bags biodegrade in four to six weeks and have a 12-month shelf life. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Considering climate change and other factors, researchers predict that warmer lower-elevation areas with less snow may see fewer avalanches, but higher elevations could see more intense storms making avalanches there harder to predict. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Oceanographers recently discovered World War ll-era military munitions and explosives, and sunken whale carcasses, across 135 square miles between Santa Catalina Island and Long Beach. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Thanks to rain from recent atmospheric rivers, Lake Shasta reservoir water levels rose 5 feet to 1,020 feet. Last winter’s atmospheric rivers raised water levels by 135 feet from January to May 2023. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
A new California law mandates that by 2032, 25% of single use plastic be eliminated, 65% of single-use plastic be recycled, and 100% of single-use packaging be recyclable or compostable. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Six California counties receive $42 million to create, renovate parks
Potomac Park in Bakersfield will receive funding from CA State Parks to build new soccer fields, a dog park, basketball courts, a splash pad, shade structures a restroom and renovations. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Climate change is causing decreased fog in the Bay Area and that could affect ecosystems, according to researchers who are using fog collectors to measure fog. Redwood trees, for example, need moisture that currently comes from coastal fog. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll
Southern California beaches lit up in January with bioluminescent waves caused by dinoflagellates which are tiny marine organisms (plankton) that emit a blue glow. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
SoCal water officials test cloud seeding in effort to increase region's water supply
California state officials launched a four-year pilot program that aims to increase precipitation by 5% to 15%. The plan is to release silver iodide into the atmosphere through cloud seeding generators located near the base of mountains surrounding the Santa Ana River watershed basin. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: A recent study found that forest management techniques including prescribed burning and restoration thinning can reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire in California. A combination of thinning and fire could be the most resilient approach to the impacts of climate change. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Eroding dreams: How 2023's storms have accelerated threat to coastal NorCal homes
DYK: A recent study by the US Geological Survey projects up to 75% of California's beaches could become completely eroded by the end of the century. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
A city park means green space and a place to forage for meal ingredients
DYK: Parks can be a great source of food, according to Douglas Kent who teaches ecological land management at Cal Poly Pomona and writes about urban foraging for food. He is the author of "Foraging Southern California." Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Despite long opposition by environmental groups, California officials recently approved construction of the Delta Tunnel. The proposed 45-mile-long tunnel is to be built beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and would pipe water from the Sacramento River, bypassing the Delta, and redirect it into the Bethany Reservoir on the California Aqueduct, and then deliver it to Southern California. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
The public can enjoy a photo exhibit by Marc Shargel that features underwater images of the ocean and learn about California’s endangered kelp forest ecosystem and efforts to save it. The exhibit will be at the Felton Library in Santa Cruz County from January to March 2024. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
CA coastline dotted with carbon hot spots, new study by Bay Area researchers shows
DYK: Scientists have discovered carbon “hot spots” on the ocean floor covering 6,000 square miles from Mendocino County to San Mateo County. The hot spots act as a carbon reservoir, preventing carbon from being released into the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas. The amount contained in the area is equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions of seven million cars driven for one year. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: The Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust plans to redevelop a 1.86-acre former oil drilling site in South Los Angeles into a complex with affordable housing, a community center, and a park. The community fought to shut down the drilling site and to have the wells capped and equipment removed. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: There was a wood-burning ban issued in Southern California during the Christmas holiday. Particles in wood smoke also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5 can get deep into the lungs and cause respiratory problems (including asthma attacks) and lead to increases in emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: According to a new study of 83 U.S. cities, formerly redlined areas (which are still predominantly Black, brown, or low-income) experience higher noise levels which can damage hearing after less than two hours of exposure. The noise also affects animals in the area. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Would you drink toilet water? California approves wastewater for human consumption
California will allow agencies to recycle filtered wastewater into drinking water for homes, schools and businesses. California would be the second state to allow this, following Colorado. State officials say most people are already drinking recycled water: most wastewater treatment plants put their treated water back into rivers and streams, which then flow down to the next town so they can drink it.sLearn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Environmental groups want more protections for marine life and habitats along the California Coast. About 12% of state waters are covered by strongly protected areas known to be effective at conserving ocean life. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
The L.A. City Council voted to close an oil drilling site in the West Pico area, and it may to look to terminate other pipeline franchise agreements in the city. The site is of community concern due to odors, noise, air pollution and environmental hazards. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
The world's largest supply of lithium has been discovered beneath the Salton Sea, according to the Department of Energy. The estimated 18 million-ton discovery could be worth up to $540 billion and meet America's rechargeable battery needs for decades. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
The director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation reported that data and community engagement have helped Los Angeles County increase the accessibility and quality of its 70,000-acre urban park system which serves 10 million residents in 88 cities and incorporated areas. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: The future of the Inland Empire will include more extreme heat, according to climate experts. Between 1985 and 2005, the region experienced an average of seven days a year with temperatures over 102 degrees. Over the next 25 years, it will experience at least 35 days per year above 102. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Californians can redeem for cash their glass wine and liquor bottles, large plastic juice bottles, boxed wine containers and alcoholic beverage pouches. This applies to containers purchased in California. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
A sewage spill last month in Laguna Beach that was caused by a blocked sewage main closed areas from Victoria Beach to Goff Island Beach. Swimming or surfing in contaminated water can cause serious health issues. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll
Today is World Ocean’s Day, a chance to celebrate ongoing actions towards ocean protection. One such endeavor on the U.S. west coast is also an opportunity to uplift Indigenous leadership via the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary in central California.
Laura Hinerfeld and her husband, Dale Geist, never thought they’d leave California. But after the Complex fires of 2017 killed 24 people, ravaged 7,000 structures and crept too close to their house in Sonoma, they talked about it for the first time.
California aims to sharply limit the spiraling scourge of microplastics in the ocean, while urging more study of this threat to fish, marine mammals and potentially to humans, under a plan a state panel approved Wednesday.
Officials are preparing for yet another critical water year in California as the state – along with most of the American west – remains mired in drought.
Snug along the Albany border on Kains Avenue is a verdant new Berkeley open space where monarchs fly among the yellow oxalis flowers common throughout the neighborhood.
James Fawcett of the USC Sea Grant program at USC Dornsife explains how the line of ships floating off the coast waiting to offload goods is making a mark on the local environment.
The global energy sector's methane emissions are massively underreported, the International Energy Agency said in a report, seeking more transparency and stronger policy action
Norwalk Council continues to take input on the plan to build a transit-oriented eco-community on the former 32-acre California Youth Authority property at 13200 Bloomfield Avenue.
On the dusty outskirts of Bakersfield, Rosa Perez and her family are living without a basic housing amenity — clean water. Though they pay the water bill each month, what comes out of the taps is laced with a chemical that California admits could make the family of four more likely to develop cancer. Perez, 43, would rather spend some of her meager farmworker income on bottled water than see that come to pass.
Climate change is warming oceans and melting glaciers, accelerating the rise of tides and coastal flooding at a frightening pace. A recent scientific report confirmed the United States will see another foot of sea level rise by 2050 — as much increase as the country experienced over the entire last century.
California dumps more than 12,000 tons of plastic into landfills every day — enough to fill 219 Olympic-size swimming pools, according to CalRecycle, the state's recycling and waste management agency.
When Lucas Zucker talks about sea level rise in California, his first thoughts aren’t about waves crashing onto fancy homes in Orange County, nor the state’s most iconic beaches shrinking year after year.
