Eco News Roundup June 2021
Could paint replace air conditioning?
️A newly developed ultra-white paint from Purdue University, USA reflects 98% of sunlight and radiates infrared heat to keep buildings cool. Coating structures with the paint keeps surfaces 19°F cooler than their ambient surroundings at night, and indirect sunlight it keeps surfaces 8°F cooler. This new paint is still in an early phase of development, but it’s estimated to hit the market in just a couple of years. A standard AC consumes huge amounts of energy, so finding an alternative way to keep cool could have a major impact on lowering the carbon footprint of buildings.
Etsy is acquiring UK-based social selling site Depop for $1.625B
The interest in reselling platforms has been increasing the last few years. More and more young people are using these apps daily to find new clothes and sell their unwanted clothes. One of these platforms is Depop, a London-based thrift marketplace targeting millennial and Gen Z consumers, which will be soon be acquired by Etsy a New York-based crafty creators marketplace. Etsy is paying $1.625 billion for the company. Around 90% of Depop’s users are under the age of 26, whereas Etsy customers are over 32 years old. Hence, this would be the ultimate opportunity to bring more content and younger shoppers to Etsy.
Cargo ship carrying tonnes of chemicals sinks off Sri Lanka
In the beginning of June, a cargo ship filled with toxic chemicals was sinking off the coast of Sri Lanka. The ship was on fire for 12 days as chemicals spilled into the water and reached the country’s beaches. The vessel was carrying plastic waste, cosmetics and toxic chemicals. In the face of this devastating disaster, the Sri Lankan government has banned fishing within a 50-mile radius of the ship. This devasting event has caused unfixable damage to the ocean.
Leonardo Dicaprio and Conservationist launch $43 million Galapagos rewilding project
The Galápagos Islands are one of the most biodiverse destinations in the world, however, human activity has caused damage to the ecosystems over the last hundred years. This is where a $43 million Galápagos restoration project comes in. Launched by Leonardo Dicaprio and other conservationists, the project aims to restore the islands’ natural beauty.
The project is in partnership with a team of conservationists from the environmental organization Rewild, in conjunction with the Galápagos National Park Directorate, Island Conservation, and local conservationists.
One of the main projects will be to restore ecosystems across the widely visited destination of Floreana Island, which is currently home to a total of 54 threatened species. The project will take many steps to effectively rewild the island, or reintroduce various species, which include reintroducing 13 species that had died out locally, starting a breeding program for pink iguanas, and taking various protective measures to combat marine depletion stemming from tourism.
Abandoned fishing nets are being transformed into COVID-19 protective gear
In Thailand, abandoned fishing nets are a real problem for the marine life in their oceans. These ghost nets are being collected by local fishers in return for money to clean up the oceans and stop marine life being unnecessarily caught up. The nets are then turned into melted down and turned into protective visors and alcohol spray bottles. Even better, some of the money is being used to help local villages adapt to the climate crisis.