Integrating trees, grasses and other vegetation with grazing domesticated animals could be a solution to many of the issues associated with raising livestock.
(Luis Moire Aguilar)
The answer lies in silvopastoralism, an agricultural method that attempts to mimic natural forest ecosystems with livestock added into the mix.
Alien pine trees, which use substantially more water than the native vegetation of the Cape Mountains, reduce river flows to dams that supply the city’s water.
Martin Kleynhans
March 14, 2022
Petra Brigitte Holden , University of Cape Town ; Alanna Rebelo , Agricultural Research Council ; Joyce Kimutai , University of Cape Town ; Kamoru Abiodun Lawal , University of Cape Town ; Mark New , University of Cape Town ; Piotr Wolski , University of Cape Town ; Romaric C. Odoulami , University of Cape Town , and Tiro Nkemelang , University of Cape Town
Clearing alien trees before the drought hit could have reduced the impact of climate change on water supply during the ‘Day Zero’ drought.
There’s a growing belief that teachings from religious faiths belong in the discussion around environmental protection.
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As anxiety over the climate and environmental degradation rises, a scholar argues that teachings from religion and spirituality need to inform discussions on sustainability.
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Substituting one food for another – no matter the reason – may not result in a healthier choice.
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People living in sustainable dwellings may use less energy and water which leads to lower bills. But older people may suffer cognitive decline and struggle to use sustainable technology devices.
Technological advances have made many buildings less environmentally friendly.
Micuradu/Flickr
Lessons from ancient architecture can help us design buildings that provide comfort and convenience without costing the earth.
Protestors march in Glasgow during the UN climate conference COP26.
TheLeft_EU/Flickr
Joining a protest doesn’t just help attract others to supporting important causes - it comes with personal and psychological benefits too.
All major religions call on their followers to respect the Earth.
Takver/Wikimedia
Faith leaders hold significant financial and political power - it’s their duty to use it to shape the future of our planet.
Developing affordable, accessible public transit systems is vital to mitigate climate change.
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From buses in Bogotá to cycling through Cambridge, we can learn valuable lessons from how countries across the world deliver sustainable transport.
Builders construct experimental vaults of brick and cement blocks in Santiago de Cuba in December 1960.
Centro de Documentación, Empresa RESTAURA, Oficina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana
After Fidel Castro took power, government plans to build new housing, schools and factories were hindered by sanctions and supply chain issues, forcing architects to come up with creative solutions.
Reusing old buildings, instead of demolishing them, provides a significant opportunity to reduce carbon emissions.
Pxfuel
Embodied carbon - carbon produced during a building’s construction - urgently needs reducing, and reusing buildings could help.
Financial services company Allianz, sponsors of Bayern Munich, are one of 2021’s top performing ESG – environmentally responsible – companies.
Anahtiris/Shutterstock
Big corporations are under pressure to take real action on emissions or risk the wrath of protesters, investors and even shareholders.
Even if additional energy production capacity was added to the national grid through renewables, questions remain about whether access will be equitable and affordable.
Lou Bopp/ GettyImages
Continuous growth of energy production and consumption, even from low carbon energy sources, could create more problems than solutions.
The burden of dealing with plastic waste tends to fall on the shoulders of developing countries.
Tom_Crew/Pixabay
Women and girls in low-income countries are disproportionately likely to be affected by the plastic waste that’s flooding our planet.
NSA’s Utah Data Center, taken by an employee of the Electronic Frontier Foundation during an airship flight.
Super Nova Images / Alamy
‘Hyperscale’ warehouses filled with computer servers use water for electricity and cooling.
Working from home or the office? Hybrid working means splitting your time between both.
Piscine26/Shutterstock
The environmental benefits of less commuting and fewer in-person events could be lost.
Increasing numbers of fish farms are receiving sustainability certifications.
Wikimedia Commons
Ecolabelled seafood fetches higher prices in supermarkets, giving retailers and producers the incentive to up their sustainability game.
Wind turbines at the Mehrum coal-fired power station in the Peine district in Lower Saxony, Mehrum. The phase-out of coal is planned by 2038.
Julian Stratenschulte via GettyImages
Good governance should be seen as the first and main tool for achieving climate change mitigation as policymakers pursue sustainable solutions for the environmental crisis.
Saruntorn Chotchitima/Shutterstock
More and more students want their universities to lead the way on sustainability issues. But are institutions doing enough to produce industry leaders who can meet that challenge?
A blue fishing trawler off the coast of Ullapool.
A collaborative approach with Scottish fishers has led to an app that shares data about the location of endangered species so that other fishing vessels can avoid them.