Paul Hawken

Fin whales return: There has been a massive comeback of fin whales in the Southern Ocean. Over 700,000 fin whales were slaughtered from 1904 to 1976, a 99% reduction causing a near extinction of the species. The second largest creature in the world comes in at 100,000 lbs. Their return does not deplete food stocks. Rather it increases the life and productivity of the ecosystems because whales recycle nutrients and increase algae production for many other marine creatures while it sequesters carbon dioxide.

 Claire Krummenacher

More good news in whale conservation: A federal judge ruled that the U.S. government violated the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act by failing to adequately protect the North Atlantic right whale and must draft new rules to protect the species from extinction.

 Courtney White

Reining in a popular (but highly toxic) herbicide: I was distressed to read this news story about research that found traces of the weed-killer glyphosate (Round Up) in the urine of 80% of Americans, including children. It indicates not only the power of the chemical industry but the degree to which chemicals have saturated our lives. Despite its toxic properties, glyphosate has evaded regulatory restrictions and is now the world’s most popular herbicide. Here is a history of the chemical. Here is a guide to alternatives to herbicides.

 Emily Jensen

The science behind joy as a tool for climate action: After a week spent in Oregon forests — from tiny urban parks to misty coastal cliffs —The Joy Issue from Grist perfectly captures my renewed understanding that joy is more than self-care; it’s an essential part of regeneration. Your Body on Joy is a standout in this issue for its beautiful graphics exploring why doing simple things we love can make us more resilient, creative and effective in the face of the climate crisis.

 Kavya Gopal

Storing renewable energy in “sand batteries:” A team of Finnish researchers recently installed the world’s first fully working commercial “sand battery” which can store power generated from renewable sources for months at a time. The battery is composed of 100 tonnes of builder’s sand piled inside a grey silo. The sand is warmed up to 500 C by resistive heating and discharges hot air when energy is needed, warming water for the district heating system. Although questions about scale and whether it can be modified to generate electricity as well as heat still remain, the researchers are optimistic that it is a low-cost, low impact energy storage solution of the future.

 Juliana Birnbaum

A sea change in plastic legislation: As we reported last week, my home state of California passed a law to phase out the use of disposable plastics, and zooming out to global-scale action on this issue, there is a lot of forward movement to celebrate, especially considering that less than 10 percent of plastics end up being recycled.  Canada and India both passed major legislation in the past few weeks that will end the production and sale of various kinds of single-use plastic items such as grocery bags, straws, and cutlery.  This "sea change" (pun intended) has profound effects on the future of our waterways and marine life.

 Robert Denney

Giving urban trees a second life: A recent article from Next City explains the creative solutions being explored to use the wood cut from problem or dead trees in urban areas, which is predominantly considered waste that would otherwise go to a landfill. It has been estimated that 40% of this wood can be used in furniture, flooring, mulch, and in other applications. The article tells the story of Cambium Carbon, a U.S. startup that works to divert trees cut in urban areas from ending up in landfills, including through a partnership with the sustainable furniture brand Sabai.

 Tim Treuer

Long-awaited protection for global fish stocks: One of the most pernicious issues in global fishing is state subsidization of vessels and fleets, which generates overcapacity and thus overfishing of our oceans. Often they come in the form of free or reduced-cost fuel, directly contributing to climate change. After 20 years of negotiations and with its very legitimacy on the line, the World Trade Organization finally brokered a partial agreement among nations to eliminate the subsidies. There's more to be done, but this is great news for the climate, fish stocks, and artisanal fishers around the world.

Want the Waggle coming to your inbox instead? Click Here to Subscribe!