Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002

Category Archives: Energy

Global study revealed world’s biggest known plastic polluters

Washington Post: “Every year, companies produce more than 400 million metric tons of plastic. Some of that plastic spills onto waterways or beaches, clogging streams or floating in huge gyres in the ocean. Some of it breaks down into tiny microplastics or nanoplastics that float in the air and enter human lungs, blood and organs. Sometimes it’s hard to know which companies are behind all this plastic — but now, scientists have identified some of the largest contributors. A new study – Global producer responsibility for plastic pollution published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances has pinpointed some of the major brands responsible for plastic pollution across six continents. The researchers, who used a team of over 100,000 volunteers to catalogue over 1.8 million pieces of plastic waste, found that 56 companies were responsible for more than 50 percent of branded plastic waste globally. The largest contributor was Coca-Cola, which accounted for 11 percent of the branded plastic pollution worldwide…”

What Really Happens When You Trade In an iPhone at the Apple Store

Bloomberg [unpaywalled]: Apple touts its network of shredding robots and contractors as a greener way to reuse old gadgets. A lengthy court battle and a Businessweek investigation have cast some light on the recycling industry’s dirty secrets. Few workers at the recycling plant had access to the secure room that some called the “Apple cage.”… Continue Reading

Microplastics are everywhere — we need to understand how they affect human health

Microplastics are everywhere — we need to understand how they affect human health. Nat Med 30, 913 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02968-x. “As evidence emerges describing the accumulation of small plastic particles in various organs and tissues of the body, a much deeper understanding of the effects of these particles on human health is urgently needed. The world… Continue Reading

If you’ve got an EV, Google Maps is about to become much more valuable

Washington Post [no paywall]: “Google has announced new features in its Maps app designed to help electric car drivers find a charge. The updates include a tool to help drivers find nearby chargers with real-time information about availability and charging speed, the ability to find charging stops on longer road trips and more detailed instructions… Continue Reading

Staggering quantities of energy transition metals are winding up in the garbage bin

Grist: “To build all of the solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehiclebatteries, and other technologies necessary to fight climate change, we’re going to need a lot more metals. Mining those metals from the Earth creates damage and pollution that threaten ecosystems and communities. But there’s another potential source of the copper, nickel, aluminum, and rare-earth… Continue Reading

80 Percent of Global CO2 Emissions Come From Just 57 Companies

Smithsonian Magazine: “A new analysis released last week by the international non-profit InfluenceMap reveals an overwhelmingly unequal share of fossil fuel pollution worldwide. From 2016 to 2022, 80 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions were produced by just 57 companies. Shared in the think tank’s Carbon Majors Database, which is authored by some of the… Continue Reading

WHO The state of the climate in 2023

WHO Climate Report – Climate change indicators reached record levels in 2023. The state of the climate in 2023 gave ominous new significance to the phrase “off the charts.” Key messages: State of Global Climate report confirms 2023 as hottest year on record by clear margin Records broken for ocean heat, sea level rise, Antarctic… Continue Reading

The Global E-Waste Monitor 2024

UNITAR: “The world is experiencing significant electronification, including a digital transformation, with technologies profoundly changing the way we live, work, learn, socialize, and do business. Many people own and use multiple electronic devices, and the increasing interconnectivity of urban and remote areas has led to a rise in the number of devices and objects linked… Continue Reading

PowerOutage.us

“PowerOutage.us is an ongoing project created to track, record, and aggregate power outages across the United States. Find out about us on our About page. Click on a state to see more detailed info. Data is updated site wide approximately every ten minutes.” Continue Reading