Spiders are found to be the world’s top predators; they eat between 400 million and 800 million metric tons of other creatures—predominantly insects—each year. 

President Donald Trump’s proposed federal budget would inflict deep cuts on nearly every federal agency in order to increase the military budget by $54 billion. The EPA budget would be cut by nearly a third, and 3,200 staff positions would be abolished. 

Mustafa Ali, the head of the EPA’s environmental justice program, steps down. There is no plan to replace him. 

Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, on federal funding for climate change programs: “We’re not spending money on that anymore. We consider that to be a waste of your money.” 

Secretary of Defense James “Mad Dog” Mattis says that climate change is a national security challenge that requires “a broader, whole-of government response.” 

When now-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was CEO of ExxonMobil, he used a shadow email account to discuss climate change. His alias: “Wayne Tracker.” 

The Trump administration seeks a rollback of the Obama administration’s aggressive fuel-economy standards, which would raise the average for cars and light trucks to about 36 miles per gallon by 2025. 

U.S. citizens are the world’s second-most-profligate users of energy. First place goes to Trinidad and Tobago. 

Despite booming adoption of rooftop solar nationwide, installer Sungevity declares bankruptcy. 

Thai authorities seize 21 rhino horns, 300 kilos of elephant ivory, and three tons of pangolin scales. 

Some sunscreens, especially those that contain oxybenzone, may stunt the growth of baby horseshoe crabs. 

Missing scientists: President Donald Trump has thus far filled only one of 46 vacant science and technology positions in his administration. 

After six years of existence, urban bikeshare programs provide 28 million rides a year. 

This is a weekly edition of "Up to Speed," an environmental news roundup for short attention spans. For more, go to sierraclub.org/uptospeed.