5 Environmental Stories You Don't Want to Miss

By Aliyah Kovner

October 22, 2015

Snorkeler in Reef

Photo by iStock/cookelma

SUNSCREEN EXPOSED: Oxybenzone, a common UV blocker in sunscreen, has been proven to weaken and kill corals. Entering the waters around reefs via frequent human visitors, the chemical can cause toxicity at a concentration equivalent to one drop of water in an Olympic swimming pool.

HANDS OFF MANI-PEDIS: A chemical suspected to disrupt hormones, listed in the ingredients of at least half of the nail polish brands on the market, has been found to absorb into the body through the nails. Triphenyl phosphate, or TPHP, may interfere with metabolism regulation and the reproductive system.

NOT SO WARM AND FUZZY: The plastics converted into cozy fleece fabric may have avoided the landfill, but the non-biodegradable material is still finding its way into the environment. Researchers discovered that up to 2,000 fibers may shed off during each washing of a polyester item; these microscopic plastics are building up in the oceans and posing a threat to marine life.

PIPING HOT: Canada’s new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party swept Monday’s election, ushering in a new government majority for the first time in nearly ten years. Trudeau vows to invest in sustainable energy projects, phase out fossil fuel subsides, and create national emissions reductions targets, but he still supports the Keystone XL Pipeline.

THAT’S A LOT OF GREEN: New York nonprofit MillionTreesNYC, founded by former mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2007, is about to live up to its name. Finishing two years ahead of schedule, the campaign to add one million new trees to the city’s parklands, green spaces, and neighborhoods will celebrate the milestone with the planting of lacebark elm in the South Bronx.