Earth Day Syracuse

04/22/2026

A set for Earth Day, 2026. Images by Paul Otteson

04/22/2026

Earth Day, April 22, 2026 -- Do something lasting and consequential today. Change a life pattern: Cut something negative, like fossil fuel use, plastic excess, chemical polluting of yard and household, fast fashioning, etc. Add something positive, like habitat creation, bird collision protection, non-toxic alternatives, support for great orgs, etc.
And, get ready to vote nature and climate sanity back into office!

04/20/2026

The miracle material has made modern life possible. But more than 40 percent of it is used just once, and it’s choking our waterways.

04/20/2026

04/17/2026

"This is an extraordinary betrayal of our parks, and we are filing litigation to defend the Mojave for the generations that come after us."–Chance Wilcox, NPCA's California Desert Program Manager

04/17/2026

In newly released images, a rare “cloud jaguar” slinks through dense foliage of the jungle-covered Sierra del Merendón mountains in Honduras. The sighting offers a sliver of hope for the imperiled big cat, which is struggling to survive across its range in North and South America, largely because of a combination of habitat loss and poaching. http://spklr.io/6048EJYpy

04/17/2026

Scientists in Japan, primarily at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science in collaboration with the University of Tokyo, have developed a groundbreaking supramolecular plastic that addresses the persistent problem of ocean pollution.

This innovative material matches the strength, durability, and heat resistance of traditional petroleum-based plastics, making it suitable for everyday uses like packaging and consumer goods.

Yet, its unique chemical structure, built with salt bridges using food-additive-like compounds including nitrogen and phosphorus, allows it to behave differently in natural environments.

When exposed to seawater, the plastic rapidly dissolves within just a few hours—typically two to three, depending on thickness—breaking down completely into its original monomers without leaving behind any microplastic fragments that harm marine life and enter the food chain.

This swift dissolution prevents the long-term accumulation of pollutants that plague oceans worldwide. The process is triggered by salt, which disrupts the material's structural bonds, rendering it water-soluble and fully biodegradable by marine bacteria.

On land, the plastic also degrades effectively in soil, fully decomposing within about ten days while releasing beneficial nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen.

These act like natural fertilizers, nourishing soil microbes and enhancing fertility, thereby improving plant growth and restoring ecological balance rather than contaminating the earth.

The material can even be recycled efficiently by recovering its components. This dual benefit positions the Japanese innovation as a promising, eco-friendly alternative that could significantly reduce global plastic waste impacts if scaled for widespread adoption.

04/17/2026

Data center development and sewage pollution threaten the river and drinking water source of our nation’s capital. for the future of the Potomac today.

04/17/2026

FAYETTEVILLE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Tick encounters are up approximately 70% compared to last year, according to experts from Upstate Medical University and SUNY College of Environmental Science a…

04/17/2026

04/17/2026

'That's Soooo American': People Around The World Share Things That Are Really, Really American

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