48 hours in Mackay, north Queensland – where to go, what to do
Use the city as a base to explore the beautiful Cape Hillsborough and Eungella national parks. You may even see some platypus in the wild With the mining boom waning, the Australian city that once boasted the highest per-capita Harley-Davidson motorbikes, breast implants and tattoo sales is now facing the doldrums. The Harleys are for […]
A spider-proof shed – is it even possible?
Are spiders scared of conkers, peppermint or the colour blue? As a £2,000 anti-spider shed goes on sale, we investigate creepy-crawly deterrents – and whether we really need them With autumn’s mists and mellow fruitfulness come a prevalence of spiders, mainly of the male variety, searching for a female to mate with. While the eight-legged […]
Northern California wildfire grows to more than 100 square miles overnight
Officials say the toll of property loss has climbed to at least 585 homes and other structures destroyed and that the blaze is only 15% contained The deadly and destructive wildfire that sped through three Northern California counties has grown to 104 square miles Tuesday, and fire officials say the toll of property loss has […]
Stopping fracking won't stop climate change
I am neither pro nor anti-fracking, but green campaigners must go beyond local level issues and tackle the fossil fuel status quo if we are to combat climate change I am resigning as a shadow minister in the Lords in a few weeks. Not because Jeremy Corbyn is Labour’s new leader but because I decided, […]
Flash flood turns Arizona street into a river – video
Amateur video shows a torrent of water carrying branches and debris under a bridge in Colorado City. The footage, shot by Guy Timpson on Monday, shows various debris beginning to dam under the bridge. Bystanders are heard saying cars were also seen in the water. Flooding hit twin towns on the Arizona-Utah border after heavy […]
You don't have to be rich to lead an 'eco friendly' lifestyle – here's how I do it
Eco-friendly living is being sold as the exclusive domain of those who have too much time, too much money or both. It needn’t be this way Shopping secondhand is hardly a new concept – the practice of making do with castoffs and finding treasure in trash has existed for as long as there have been […]
The palm oil plantations powering communities and tackling climate change
Palm oil mills are generating electricity using waste methane to the benefit of local communities and company profits Environmental concerns over palm oil production tend to focus on rainforest felling and the plight of the orangutan. But palm oil companies are now starting to grapple with a lesser-known issue that could make a significant difference […]
Pirate fishing in the Pacific Ocean – in pictures
In the Pacific Ocean, the source of most of the world’s tuna, thousands of fishing boats roam the seas, pirate vessels in their midst. Conservation photojournalist Paul Hilton joined Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior to expose the illegal fishing that leads to shark finning and the death of countless protected species Continue reading… Source: Guardian Environment
Land degradation costs the world up to $10.6tn a year, report says
Study says effective land management will be critical in meeting sustainable development goals of alleviating poverty and ensuring long-term food security Land degradation is costing the world as much as $10.6tn every year, equivalent to 17% of global gross domestic product, a report has warned. More than half of the world’s arable land is moderately […]
I was diagnosed with cancer at age 11. A factory leaked chemicals near my home | Gabriel Dunsmith
The Environmental Protection Agency panders to polluters and lacks the political wherewithal to hold them to account When an MRI of my spine revealed an enlarged thyroid instead of the scoliosis the doctors had feared, they whisked me away for a biopsy. I lay awake as the surgeon stuck a needle into my neck and […]