Dandelion News - May 8-14
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1. In Brazil's Cerrado, a billion-dollar bet pays off
“For Conservation International, closing that [funding] gap means going where the money is. […] It meant working with a timberland investor. BTG Pactual TIG’s plan was simple: replace degraded cattle pasture with 50 percent sustainably certified eucalyptus for timber production, 50 percent native Cerrado. […] “We are helping them restore 33 farms in Brazil totaling 80,000 hectares,” Coutinho said. “And half of that is conservation and restoration.” […] Researchers have identified more than 1,000 species across the properties so far[….]”
2. This teenager just created a biodegradable plastic to change the world
“[Ayra Satheesh won] the world’s largest environmental competition that empowers young people with mentorship and $100,000 (€85,000) in funding […] for her project Eco Purge, a biodegradable plastic that breaks down safely while releasing catalysts that help remove other existing microplastics from the environment. […] This method involves genetically modifying a bacterium to produce the enzyme, which […] remain stable and are released gradually as the plastic degrades[….]”
3. Bald eagle hatchlings spotted in a Chicago park may be the city’s first for more than a century
“Two bald eagles hatchlings have been spotted in a nest in a Chicago park in what city officials believe is the raptors’ first successful wild breeding in the Windy City in more than a century. […] Park 597 was home to a city water treatment plant until the park district took over the property in 2019 and started restoring the natural habitat. Bell said soil improvements, upgraded vegetation and enhanced habitat for amphibians and reptiles have attracted muskrats, mice and deer, as well as eagles.”
4. In Puerto Rico, an Innovative Water Treatment System Fortifies a Community
“Researchers believe the portable system, the first of its kind in Puerto Rico, can be an essential resource for places that have long lacked reliable access to clean drinking water. […] Beyond technical support, the goal is also to give communities autonomy over whether they use the system, and to encourage them to host events and celebrations about their water work.”
5. How a queer-led yoga community is helping refugees heal & rebuild
“[Y]oga classes are free for [… the t]housands of refugees [who] participate every month in sessions designed to support physical and mental well-being in a community navigating trauma, poverty, food insecurity, and the long uncertainty of displacement. […] During training, participants received two daily meals of protein-rich foods, which many refugees in the camp can afford only once or twice a year due to high food costs.”
May 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)
