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#waterislife — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #waterislife, aggregated by home.social.

  1. Studies link #NewMexico #drilling to #radiation, #AirPollution, health risks

    Small towns in the #PermianBasin have become a petri dish for the perils of living amid the nation’s largest #OilFields.

    Jerry Redfern September 15, 2026

    Excerpt: "Among various forms of air pollution, the monitoring station measured #radon and the particles that form from its decay. Data in the study showed airborne radiation levels in #LovingNM rising up to five times normal background levels, depending on wind direction.

    "Since all readings were taken in one spot, the report’s authors said they could not tie the radiation to a single source. But they pointed to the area’s intense #OilAndGas development, which they said highlights the need for follow-up studies.

    "Detlev Helmig, an atmospheric scientist with air quality program Boulder AIR, said,
    'The analyses of our monitoring data provide evidence that oil and gas operations in the Loving area are a likely source of atmospheric releases of #radioactivity.' Helmig was an author on the study and helped set up and manage the original monitoring station in Loving.

    "This small town in the Permian Basin is a petri dish for the perils of living amid the oil and gas industry’s most productive oil fields. Hundreds of active oil wells lie within two miles of Loving and another dozen large processing facilities sit within the same sweep. The smell of raw #hydrocarbons regularly fills the hazy air.
    'It’s pollution,' said Jackie Onsurez, a Loving resident who ran in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. 'You don’t have to be a scientist to wake up and see it’s brown and it’s not dirt.'

    "The study says radiation sources include oil and gas industry emissions 'such as #GasFlares at active well pads, gas-fired compressors at midstream sites, and produced water ponds.' "

    Read more:
    hcn.org/articles/studies-link-

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/E11NJ

    #BigOilAndGas #USPol #Oiligarchy #Cancer #RadonPollution #AirIsLife #WaterIsLife #LeaveItInTheGround

  2. Studies link #NewMexico #drilling to #radiation, #AirPollution, health risks

    Small towns in the #PermianBasin have become a petri dish for the perils of living amid the nation’s largest #OilFields.

    Jerry Redfern September 15, 2026

    Excerpt: "Among various forms of air pollution, the monitoring station measured #radon and the particles that form from its decay. Data in the study showed airborne radiation levels in #LovingNM rising up to five times normal background levels, depending on wind direction.

    "Since all readings were taken in one spot, the report’s authors said they could not tie the radiation to a single source. But they pointed to the area’s intense #OilAndGas development, which they said highlights the need for follow-up studies.

    "Detlev Helmig, an atmospheric scientist with air quality program Boulder AIR, said,
    'The analyses of our monitoring data provide evidence that oil and gas operations in the Loving area are a likely source of atmospheric releases of #radioactivity.' Helmig was an author on the study and helped set up and manage the original monitoring station in Loving.

    "This small town in the Permian Basin is a petri dish for the perils of living amid the oil and gas industry’s most productive oil fields. Hundreds of active oil wells lie within two miles of Loving and another dozen large processing facilities sit within the same sweep. The smell of raw #hydrocarbons regularly fills the hazy air.
    'It’s pollution,' said Jackie Onsurez, a Loving resident who ran in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. 'You don’t have to be a scientist to wake up and see it’s brown and it’s not dirt.'

    "The study says radiation sources include oil and gas industry emissions 'such as #GasFlares at active well pads, gas-fired compressors at midstream sites, and produced water ponds.' "

    Read more:
    hcn.org/articles/studies-link-

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/E11NJ

    #BigOilAndGas #USPol #Oiligarchy #Cancer #RadonPollution #AirIsLife #WaterIsLife #LeaveItInTheGround

  3. Studies link #NewMexico #drilling to #radiation, #AirPollution, health risks

    Small towns in the #PermianBasin have become a petri dish for the perils of living amid the nation’s largest #OilFields.

    Jerry Redfern September 15, 2026

    Excerpt: "Among various forms of air pollution, the monitoring station measured #radon and the particles that form from its decay. Data in the study showed airborne radiation levels in #LovingNM rising up to five times normal background levels, depending on wind direction.

    "Since all readings were taken in one spot, the report’s authors said they could not tie the radiation to a single source. But they pointed to the area’s intense #OilAndGas development, which they said highlights the need for follow-up studies.

    "Detlev Helmig, an atmospheric scientist with air quality program Boulder AIR, said,
    'The analyses of our monitoring data provide evidence that oil and gas operations in the Loving area are a likely source of atmospheric releases of #radioactivity.' Helmig was an author on the study and helped set up and manage the original monitoring station in Loving.

    "This small town in the Permian Basin is a petri dish for the perils of living amid the oil and gas industry’s most productive oil fields. Hundreds of active oil wells lie within two miles of Loving and another dozen large processing facilities sit within the same sweep. The smell of raw #hydrocarbons regularly fills the hazy air.
    'It’s pollution,' said Jackie Onsurez, a Loving resident who ran in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. 'You don’t have to be a scientist to wake up and see it’s brown and it’s not dirt.'

    "The study says radiation sources include oil and gas industry emissions 'such as #GasFlares at active well pads, gas-fired compressors at midstream sites, and produced water ponds.' "

    Read more:
    hcn.org/articles/studies-link-

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/E11NJ

    #BigOilAndGas #USPol #Oiligarchy #Cancer #RadonPollution #AirIsLife #WaterIsLife #LeaveItInTheGround

  4. Studies link #NewMexico #drilling to #radiation, #AirPollution, health risks

    Small towns in the #PermianBasin have become a petri dish for the perils of living amid the nation’s largest #OilFields.

    Jerry Redfern September 15, 2026

    Excerpt: "Among various forms of air pollution, the monitoring station measured #radon and the particles that form from its decay. Data in the study showed airborne radiation levels in #LovingNM rising up to five times normal background levels, depending on wind direction.

    "Since all readings were taken in one spot, the report’s authors said they could not tie the radiation to a single source. But they pointed to the area’s intense #OilAndGas development, which they said highlights the need for follow-up studies.

    "Detlev Helmig, an atmospheric scientist with air quality program Boulder AIR, said,
    'The analyses of our monitoring data provide evidence that oil and gas operations in the Loving area are a likely source of atmospheric releases of #radioactivity.' Helmig was an author on the study and helped set up and manage the original monitoring station in Loving.

    "This small town in the Permian Basin is a petri dish for the perils of living amid the oil and gas industry’s most productive oil fields. Hundreds of active oil wells lie within two miles of Loving and another dozen large processing facilities sit within the same sweep. The smell of raw #hydrocarbons regularly fills the hazy air.
    'It’s pollution,' said Jackie Onsurez, a Loving resident who ran in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. 'You don’t have to be a scientist to wake up and see it’s brown and it’s not dirt.'

    "The study says radiation sources include oil and gas industry emissions 'such as #GasFlares at active well pads, gas-fired compressors at midstream sites, and produced water ponds.' "

    Read more:
    hcn.org/articles/studies-link-

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/E11NJ

    #BigOilAndGas #USPol #Oiligarchy #Cancer #RadonPollution #AirIsLife #WaterIsLife #LeaveItInTheGround

  5. Studies link #NewMexico #drilling to #radiation, #AirPollution, health risks

    Small towns in the #PermianBasin have become a petri dish for the perils of living amid the nation’s largest #OilFields.

    Jerry Redfern September 15, 2026

    Excerpt: "Among various forms of air pollution, the monitoring station measured #radon and the particles that form from its decay. Data in the study showed airborne radiation levels in #LovingNM rising up to five times normal background levels, depending on wind direction.

    "Since all readings were taken in one spot, the report’s authors said they could not tie the radiation to a single source. But they pointed to the area’s intense #OilAndGas development, which they said highlights the need for follow-up studies.

    "Detlev Helmig, an atmospheric scientist with air quality program Boulder AIR, said,
    'The analyses of our monitoring data provide evidence that oil and gas operations in the Loving area are a likely source of atmospheric releases of #radioactivity.' Helmig was an author on the study and helped set up and manage the original monitoring station in Loving.

    "This small town in the Permian Basin is a petri dish for the perils of living amid the oil and gas industry’s most productive oil fields. Hundreds of active oil wells lie within two miles of Loving and another dozen large processing facilities sit within the same sweep. The smell of raw #hydrocarbons regularly fills the hazy air.
    'It’s pollution,' said Jackie Onsurez, a Loving resident who ran in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. 'You don’t have to be a scientist to wake up and see it’s brown and it’s not dirt.'

    "The study says radiation sources include oil and gas industry emissions 'such as #GasFlares at active well pads, gas-fired compressors at midstream sites, and produced water ponds.' "

    Read more:
    hcn.org/articles/studies-link-

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/E11NJ

    #BigOilAndGas #USPol #Oiligarchy #Cancer #RadonPollution #AirIsLife #WaterIsLife #LeaveItInTheGround

  6. Journalist Arrested While Documenting Legally Contested #Enbridge #Line5 Construction

    by #UnicornRiot, Posted on September 17, 2026

    #AshlandCounty, #Wisconsin – "Police arrested video journalist and Unicorn Riot contributor #RiverAkemann while he was documenting Enbridge Line 5 construction on August 24. He was monitoring fish in a creek where Enbridge lacks necessary authorization to install its #pipeline. He received four misdemeanor charges and was released later that day. The charges include #DisorderlyConduct, #trespassing, unlawful assembly, and resisting arrest.

    "Canadian oil giant Enbridge has a secretive deal with Ashland County to reimburse the sheriff’s department to act as private security. Enbridge is paying police using the #WisconsinCountiesAssociation , a lobbying group, as the pass through. The Association is not subject to state open records laws. The public won’t know how much Enbridge is paying law enforcement or how the money is being spent.

    "Multiple groups are suing Canadian oil giant Enbridge for proceeding with Line 5 construction without required property interests at 49 water crossings. Plaintiffs include the #BadRiverBand of #LakeSuperiorChippewa and multiple #environmental organizations."

    Read more:
    efjournal.wpenginepowered.com/

    #USPol #CanadaPol #NativeAmericanNews #NoLine5 #CriminalizingProtests #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingJournalism #NoPipelines #WaterIsLife

  7. Journalist Arrested While Documenting Legally Contested #Enbridge #Line5 Construction

    by #UnicornRiot, Posted on September 17, 2026

    #AshlandCounty, #Wisconsin – "Police arrested video journalist and Unicorn Riot contributor #RiverAkemann while he was documenting Enbridge Line 5 construction on August 24. He was monitoring fish in a creek where Enbridge lacks necessary authorization to install its #pipeline. He received four misdemeanor charges and was released later that day. The charges include #DisorderlyConduct, #trespassing, unlawful assembly, and resisting arrest.

    "Canadian oil giant Enbridge has a secretive deal with Ashland County to reimburse the sheriff’s department to act as private security. Enbridge is paying police using the #WisconsinCountiesAssociation , a lobbying group, as the pass through. The Association is not subject to state open records laws. The public won’t know how much Enbridge is paying law enforcement or how the money is being spent.

    "Multiple groups are suing Canadian oil giant Enbridge for proceeding with Line 5 construction without required property interests at 49 water crossings. Plaintiffs include the #BadRiverBand of #LakeSuperiorChippewa and multiple #environmental organizations."

    Read more:
    efjournal.wpenginepowered.com/

    #USPol #CanadaPol #NativeAmericanNews #NoLine5 #CriminalizingProtests #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingJournalism #NoPipelines #WaterIsLife

  8. Journalist Arrested While Documenting Legally Contested #Enbridge #Line5 Construction

    by #UnicornRiot, Posted on September 17, 2026

    #AshlandCounty, #Wisconsin – "Police arrested video journalist and Unicorn Riot contributor #RiverAkemann while he was documenting Enbridge Line 5 construction on August 24. He was monitoring fish in a creek where Enbridge lacks necessary authorization to install its #pipeline. He received four misdemeanor charges and was released later that day. The charges include #DisorderlyConduct, #trespassing, unlawful assembly, and resisting arrest.

    "Canadian oil giant Enbridge has a secretive deal with Ashland County to reimburse the sheriff’s department to act as private security. Enbridge is paying police using the #WisconsinCountiesAssociation , a lobbying group, as the pass through. The Association is not subject to state open records laws. The public won’t know how much Enbridge is paying law enforcement or how the money is being spent.

    "Multiple groups are suing Canadian oil giant Enbridge for proceeding with Line 5 construction without required property interests at 49 water crossings. Plaintiffs include the #BadRiverBand of #LakeSuperiorChippewa and multiple #environmental organizations."

    Read more:
    efjournal.wpenginepowered.com/

    #USPol #CanadaPol #NativeAmericanNews #NoLine5 #CriminalizingProtests #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingJournalism #NoPipelines #WaterIsLife

  9. Journalist Arrested While Documenting Legally Contested #Enbridge #Line5 Construction

    by #UnicornRiot, Posted on September 17, 2026

    #AshlandCounty, #Wisconsin – "Police arrested video journalist and Unicorn Riot contributor #RiverAkemann while he was documenting Enbridge Line 5 construction on August 24. He was monitoring fish in a creek where Enbridge lacks necessary authorization to install its #pipeline. He received four misdemeanor charges and was released later that day. The charges include #DisorderlyConduct, #trespassing, unlawful assembly, and resisting arrest.

    "Canadian oil giant Enbridge has a secretive deal with Ashland County to reimburse the sheriff’s department to act as private security. Enbridge is paying police using the #WisconsinCountiesAssociation , a lobbying group, as the pass through. The Association is not subject to state open records laws. The public won’t know how much Enbridge is paying law enforcement or how the money is being spent.

    "Multiple groups are suing Canadian oil giant Enbridge for proceeding with Line 5 construction without required property interests at 49 water crossings. Plaintiffs include the #BadRiverBand of #LakeSuperiorChippewa and multiple #environmental organizations."

    Read more:
    efjournal.wpenginepowered.com/

    #USPol #CanadaPol #NativeAmericanNews #NoLine5 #CriminalizingProtests #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingJournalism #NoPipelines #WaterIsLife

  10. Journalist Arrested While Documenting Legally Contested #Enbridge #Line5 Construction

    by #UnicornRiot, Posted on September 17, 2026

    #AshlandCounty, #Wisconsin – "Police arrested video journalist and Unicorn Riot contributor #RiverAkemann while he was documenting Enbridge Line 5 construction on August 24. He was monitoring fish in a creek where Enbridge lacks necessary authorization to install its #pipeline. He received four misdemeanor charges and was released later that day. The charges include #DisorderlyConduct, #trespassing, unlawful assembly, and resisting arrest.

    "Canadian oil giant Enbridge has a secretive deal with Ashland County to reimburse the sheriff’s department to act as private security. Enbridge is paying police using the #WisconsinCountiesAssociation , a lobbying group, as the pass through. The Association is not subject to state open records laws. The public won’t know how much Enbridge is paying law enforcement or how the money is being spent.

    "Multiple groups are suing Canadian oil giant Enbridge for proceeding with Line 5 construction without required property interests at 49 water crossings. Plaintiffs include the #BadRiverBand of #LakeSuperiorChippewa and multiple #environmental organizations."

    Read more:
    efjournal.wpenginepowered.com/

    #USPol #CanadaPol #NativeAmericanNews #NoLine5 #CriminalizingProtests #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingJournalism #NoPipelines #WaterIsLife

  11. Personally, I think it's foolish to build anything (other than a lighthouse) next to the water, but FEMA's policy is ridiculous! And polluting!

    People's houses are collapsing into the ocean. #FEMA gives them no other option

    By Rebecca Hersher, Ryan Kellman
    September 17, 20265:00 AM ET

    Excerpt: "FEMA provides most residential flood insurance in the United States. The agency will pay homeowners after a house collapses, but not before. That means owners stand to lose tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars by tearing down a doomed house before the ocean takes it.

    " 'The homeowner is incentivized to wait for collapse and get a payout,' says John Ryan-Henry, a policy analyst at the Coastal States Organization, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of #coastal state governments, including those along the #GreatLakes.

    "And when homes collapse, they pollute the water and leave wreckage on the shore."

    npr.org/2026/09/17/nx-s1-58446?

    #USPol #CoastalCommunities #OceansAreLife #WaterIsLife

  12. Personally, I think it's foolish to build anything (other than a lighthouse) next to the water, but FEMA's policy is ridiculous! And polluting!

    People's houses are collapsing into the ocean. #FEMA gives them no other option

    By Rebecca Hersher, Ryan Kellman
    September 17, 20265:00 AM ET

    Excerpt: "FEMA provides most residential flood insurance in the United States. The agency will pay homeowners after a house collapses, but not before. That means owners stand to lose tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars by tearing down a doomed house before the ocean takes it.

    " 'The homeowner is incentivized to wait for collapse and get a payout,' says John Ryan-Henry, a policy analyst at the Coastal States Organization, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of #coastal state governments, including those along the #GreatLakes.

    "And when homes collapse, they pollute the water and leave wreckage on the shore."

    npr.org/2026/09/17/nx-s1-58446?

    #USPol #CoastalCommunities #OceansAreLife #WaterIsLife

  13. Personally, I think it's foolish to build anything (other than a lighthouse) next to the water, but FEMA's policy is ridiculous! And polluting!

    People's houses are collapsing into the ocean. #FEMA gives them no other option

    By Rebecca Hersher, Ryan Kellman
    September 17, 20265:00 AM ET

    Excerpt: "FEMA provides most residential flood insurance in the United States. The agency will pay homeowners after a house collapses, but not before. That means owners stand to lose tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars by tearing down a doomed house before the ocean takes it.

    " 'The homeowner is incentivized to wait for collapse and get a payout,' says John Ryan-Henry, a policy analyst at the Coastal States Organization, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of #coastal state governments, including those along the #GreatLakes.

    "And when homes collapse, they pollute the water and leave wreckage on the shore."

    npr.org/2026/09/17/nx-s1-58446?

    #USPol #CoastalCommunities #OceansAreLife #WaterIsLife

  14. Personally, I think it's foolish to build anything (other than a lighthouse) next to the water, but FEMA's policy is ridiculous! And polluting!

    People's houses are collapsing into the ocean. #FEMA gives them no other option

    By Rebecca Hersher, Ryan Kellman
    September 17, 20265:00 AM ET

    Excerpt: "FEMA provides most residential flood insurance in the United States. The agency will pay homeowners after a house collapses, but not before. That means owners stand to lose tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars by tearing down a doomed house before the ocean takes it.

    " 'The homeowner is incentivized to wait for collapse and get a payout,' says John Ryan-Henry, a policy analyst at the Coastal States Organization, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of #coastal state governments, including those along the #GreatLakes.

    "And when homes collapse, they pollute the water and leave wreckage on the shore."

    npr.org/2026/09/17/nx-s1-58446?

    #USPol #CoastalCommunities #OceansAreLife #WaterIsLife

  15. Personally, I think it's foolish to build anything (other than a lighthouse) next to the water, but FEMA's policy is ridiculous! And polluting!

    People's houses are collapsing into the ocean. #FEMA gives them no other option

    By Rebecca Hersher, Ryan Kellman
    September 17, 20265:00 AM ET

    Excerpt: "FEMA provides most residential flood insurance in the United States. The agency will pay homeowners after a house collapses, but not before. That means owners stand to lose tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars by tearing down a doomed house before the ocean takes it.

    " 'The homeowner is incentivized to wait for collapse and get a payout,' says John Ryan-Henry, a policy analyst at the Coastal States Organization, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of #coastal state governments, including those along the #GreatLakes.

    "And when homes collapse, they pollute the water and leave wreckage on the shore."

    npr.org/2026/09/17/nx-s1-58446?

    #USPol #CoastalCommunities #OceansAreLife #WaterIsLife

  16. Press Release: Rising #Emissions, Depleting #Water and Vanishing #Land—UN Scientists: #AI Is Threatening #NaturalResources for Billions

    By 2030, AI's water use will match the needs of 1.3 billion people while its power use triples that of 650 million, UN University investigation warns

    Date Published
    3 Jun 2026

    Excerpt: "Inference, efficiency, and the rebound effect

    "Public discussion has largely focused on the energy required to train massive models. Training GPT-3 was estimated to require 1.3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, while estimates suggest GPT-4 consumed between 50 and 70 GWh. However, the report reveals this framing is outdated. Once a model is deployed, inference—the continuous running of models to answer everyday user prompts—becomes the dominant cost, accounting for 80 to 90 per cent of total #AI energy use. ChatGPT alone is estimated to process around 2.5 billion prompts per day, translating to roughly 383 GWh of electricity per year for a single product. Offsetting associated carbon emissions would require 2.6 million tree seedlings grown for 10 years, enough trees to cover a land area the size of Manhattan. The water footprint is equivalent to the minimum annual domestic water needs of roughly 500,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the land footprint is equal to over 800 football fields."

    Read more:
    unu.edu/inweh/news/environment

    #AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
    #DatacenterMoratoriums #ArtificialIntelligence

  17. Press Release: Rising #Emissions, Depleting #Water and Vanishing #Land—UN Scientists: #AI Is Threatening #NaturalResources for Billions

    By 2030, AI's water use will match the needs of 1.3 billion people while its power use triples that of 650 million, UN University investigation warns

    Date Published
    3 Jun 2026

    Excerpt: "Inference, efficiency, and the rebound effect

    "Public discussion has largely focused on the energy required to train massive models. Training GPT-3 was estimated to require 1.3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, while estimates suggest GPT-4 consumed between 50 and 70 GWh. However, the report reveals this framing is outdated. Once a model is deployed, inference—the continuous running of models to answer everyday user prompts—becomes the dominant cost, accounting for 80 to 90 per cent of total #AI energy use. ChatGPT alone is estimated to process around 2.5 billion prompts per day, translating to roughly 383 GWh of electricity per year for a single product. Offsetting associated carbon emissions would require 2.6 million tree seedlings grown for 10 years, enough trees to cover a land area the size of Manhattan. The water footprint is equivalent to the minimum annual domestic water needs of roughly 500,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the land footprint is equal to over 800 football fields."

    Read more:
    unu.edu/inweh/news/environment

    #AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
    #DatacenterMoratoriums #ArtificialIntelligence

  18. Press Release: Rising #Emissions, Depleting #Water and Vanishing #Land—UN Scientists: #AI Is Threatening #NaturalResources for Billions

    By 2030, AI's water use will match the needs of 1.3 billion people while its power use triples that of 650 million, UN University investigation warns

    Date Published
    3 Jun 2026

    Excerpt: "Inference, efficiency, and the rebound effect

    "Public discussion has largely focused on the energy required to train massive models. Training GPT-3 was estimated to require 1.3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, while estimates suggest GPT-4 consumed between 50 and 70 GWh. However, the report reveals this framing is outdated. Once a model is deployed, inference—the continuous running of models to answer everyday user prompts—becomes the dominant cost, accounting for 80 to 90 per cent of total #AI energy use. ChatGPT alone is estimated to process around 2.5 billion prompts per day, translating to roughly 383 GWh of electricity per year for a single product. Offsetting associated carbon emissions would require 2.6 million tree seedlings grown for 10 years, enough trees to cover a land area the size of Manhattan. The water footprint is equivalent to the minimum annual domestic water needs of roughly 500,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the land footprint is equal to over 800 football fields."

    Read more:
    unu.edu/inweh/news/environment

    #AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
    #DatacenterMoratoriums #ArtificialIntelligence

  19. Press Release: Rising #Emissions, Depleting #Water and Vanishing #Land—UN Scientists: #AI Is Threatening #NaturalResources for Billions

    By 2030, AI's water use will match the needs of 1.3 billion people while its power use triples that of 650 million, UN University investigation warns

    Date Published
    3 Jun 2026

    Excerpt: "Inference, efficiency, and the rebound effect

    "Public discussion has largely focused on the energy required to train massive models. Training GPT-3 was estimated to require 1.3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, while estimates suggest GPT-4 consumed between 50 and 70 GWh. However, the report reveals this framing is outdated. Once a model is deployed, inference—the continuous running of models to answer everyday user prompts—becomes the dominant cost, accounting for 80 to 90 per cent of total #AI energy use. ChatGPT alone is estimated to process around 2.5 billion prompts per day, translating to roughly 383 GWh of electricity per year for a single product. Offsetting associated carbon emissions would require 2.6 million tree seedlings grown for 10 years, enough trees to cover a land area the size of Manhattan. The water footprint is equivalent to the minimum annual domestic water needs of roughly 500,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the land footprint is equal to over 800 football fields."

    Read more:
    unu.edu/inweh/news/environment

    #AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
    #DatacenterMoratoriums #ArtificialIntelligence

  20. Press Release: Rising #Emissions, Depleting #Water and Vanishing #Land—UN Scientists: #AI Is Threatening #NaturalResources for Billions

    By 2030, AI's water use will match the needs of 1.3 billion people while its power use triples that of 650 million, UN University investigation warns

    Date Published
    3 Jun 2026

    Excerpt: "Inference, efficiency, and the rebound effect

    "Public discussion has largely focused on the energy required to train massive models. Training GPT-3 was estimated to require 1.3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, while estimates suggest GPT-4 consumed between 50 and 70 GWh. However, the report reveals this framing is outdated. Once a model is deployed, inference—the continuous running of models to answer everyday user prompts—becomes the dominant cost, accounting for 80 to 90 per cent of total #AI energy use. ChatGPT alone is estimated to process around 2.5 billion prompts per day, translating to roughly 383 GWh of electricity per year for a single product. Offsetting associated carbon emissions would require 2.6 million tree seedlings grown for 10 years, enough trees to cover a land area the size of Manhattan. The water footprint is equivalent to the minimum annual domestic water needs of roughly 500,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the land footprint is equal to over 800 football fields."

    Read more:
    unu.edu/inweh/news/environment

    #AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
    #DatacenterMoratoriums #ArtificialIntelligence

  21. The #EnvironmentalCost of #ArtificialIntelligence: #Carbon, #Water, and #LandFootprints

    #AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water, and land use, raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.

    Date Published 3 Jun 2026

    UNU-INWEH Report: Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., Madani, K. (2026).

    "This report, Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, by the #UnitedNationsUniversity Institute for Water, Environment and Health ( #UNU - #INWEH ) on its 30th anniversary, examines one of the most underexplored consequences of AI’s rapid expansion: the environmental footprints of the energy required to power it. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in economies, public services, research, communication, and everyday life, it depends on a growing physical infrastructure of #datacenters, advanced #chips, #CoolingSystems, #ElectricityGrids, #WaterResources, land, and #CriticalMineral supply chains. The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable #EnvironmentalCosts.

    "The report moves beyond a carbon-only lens by quantifying the carbon, water, and land footprints associated with the electricity used to train, deploy, and operate AI systems at scale. Its central finding is that AI’s environmental costs depend not only on how much electricity is used, but also on where that electricity is generated and which energy sources power it. Every kilowatt-hour used by AI carries carbon, water, and land implications, and these footprints do not always move in the same direction: low-carbon electricity is not automatically low-water or low-land. The report also shows that AI’s footprint is shaped by both major infrastructure trends, including the rapid growth of data centers, and everyday use patterns, including model choice, output length, modality, and the growing use of text, image, and video generation.

    "Importantly, the report frames AI’s environmental footprint as a governance and justice challenge, not only a technical problem. The benefits of AI often flow across borders and sectors, while the environmental burdens of data center siting, electricity demand, water withdrawals, #LandUse, MineralExtraction, and #EWaste can be concentrated in specific communities and regions. To address these risks, the report calls for a responsible AI ecosystem grounded in transparency, efficiency by design, equity and #EnvironmentalJustice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation, and sustainable use. By making AI’s carbon, water, and land footprints visible and comparable, the report provides a practical basis for integrating AI into energy, climate, water, and land-use planning, ensuring that innovation advances without shifting environmental costs onto vulnerable communities."

    Download PDF:
    unu.edu/inweh/collection/envir

    #AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
    #DatacenterMoratoriums

  22. The #EnvironmentalCost of #ArtificialIntelligence: #Carbon, #Water, and #LandFootprints

    #AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water, and land use, raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.

    Date Published 3 Jun 2026

    UNU-INWEH Report: Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., Madani, K. (2026).

    "This report, Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, by the #UnitedNationsUniversity Institute for Water, Environment and Health ( #UNU - #INWEH ) on its 30th anniversary, examines one of the most underexplored consequences of AI’s rapid expansion: the environmental footprints of the energy required to power it. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in economies, public services, research, communication, and everyday life, it depends on a growing physical infrastructure of #datacenters, advanced #chips, #CoolingSystems, #ElectricityGrids, #WaterResources, land, and #CriticalMineral supply chains. The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable #EnvironmentalCosts.

    "The report moves beyond a carbon-only lens by quantifying the carbon, water, and land footprints associated with the electricity used to train, deploy, and operate AI systems at scale. Its central finding is that AI’s environmental costs depend not only on how much electricity is used, but also on where that electricity is generated and which energy sources power it. Every kilowatt-hour used by AI carries carbon, water, and land implications, and these footprints do not always move in the same direction: low-carbon electricity is not automatically low-water or low-land. The report also shows that AI’s footprint is shaped by both major infrastructure trends, including the rapid growth of data centers, and everyday use patterns, including model choice, output length, modality, and the growing use of text, image, and video generation.

    "Importantly, the report frames AI’s environmental footprint as a governance and justice challenge, not only a technical problem. The benefits of AI often flow across borders and sectors, while the environmental burdens of data center siting, electricity demand, water withdrawals, #LandUse, MineralExtraction, and #EWaste can be concentrated in specific communities and regions. To address these risks, the report calls for a responsible AI ecosystem grounded in transparency, efficiency by design, equity and #EnvironmentalJustice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation, and sustainable use. By making AI’s carbon, water, and land footprints visible and comparable, the report provides a practical basis for integrating AI into energy, climate, water, and land-use planning, ensuring that innovation advances without shifting environmental costs onto vulnerable communities."

    Download PDF:
    unu.edu/inweh/collection/envir

    #AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
    #DatacenterMoratoriums

  23. The #EnvironmentalCost of #ArtificialIntelligence: #Carbon, #Water, and #LandFootprints

    #AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water, and land use, raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.

    Date Published 3 Jun 2026

    UNU-INWEH Report: Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., Madani, K. (2026).

    "This report, Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, by the #UnitedNationsUniversity Institute for Water, Environment and Health ( #UNU - #INWEH ) on its 30th anniversary, examines one of the most underexplored consequences of AI’s rapid expansion: the environmental footprints of the energy required to power it. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in economies, public services, research, communication, and everyday life, it depends on a growing physical infrastructure of #datacenters, advanced #chips, #CoolingSystems, #ElectricityGrids, #WaterResources, land, and #CriticalMineral supply chains. The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable #EnvironmentalCosts.

    "The report moves beyond a carbon-only lens by quantifying the carbon, water, and land footprints associated with the electricity used to train, deploy, and operate AI systems at scale. Its central finding is that AI’s environmental costs depend not only on how much electricity is used, but also on where that electricity is generated and which energy sources power it. Every kilowatt-hour used by AI carries carbon, water, and land implications, and these footprints do not always move in the same direction: low-carbon electricity is not automatically low-water or low-land. The report also shows that AI’s footprint is shaped by both major infrastructure trends, including the rapid growth of data centers, and everyday use patterns, including model choice, output length, modality, and the growing use of text, image, and video generation.

    "Importantly, the report frames AI’s environmental footprint as a governance and justice challenge, not only a technical problem. The benefits of AI often flow across borders and sectors, while the environmental burdens of data center siting, electricity demand, water withdrawals, #LandUse, MineralExtraction, and #EWaste can be concentrated in specific communities and regions. To address these risks, the report calls for a responsible AI ecosystem grounded in transparency, efficiency by design, equity and #EnvironmentalJustice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation, and sustainable use. By making AI’s carbon, water, and land footprints visible and comparable, the report provides a practical basis for integrating AI into energy, climate, water, and land-use planning, ensuring that innovation advances without shifting environmental costs onto vulnerable communities."

    Download PDF:
    unu.edu/inweh/collection/envir

    #AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
    #DatacenterMoratoriums

  24. The #EnvironmentalCost of #ArtificialIntelligence: #Carbon, #Water, and #LandFootprints

    #AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water, and land use, raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.

    Date Published 3 Jun 2026

    UNU-INWEH Report: Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., Madani, K. (2026).

    "This report, Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, by the #UnitedNationsUniversity Institute for Water, Environment and Health ( #UNU - #INWEH ) on its 30th anniversary, examines one of the most underexplored consequences of AI’s rapid expansion: the environmental footprints of the energy required to power it. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in economies, public services, research, communication, and everyday life, it depends on a growing physical infrastructure of #datacenters, advanced #chips, #CoolingSystems, #ElectricityGrids, #WaterResources, land, and #CriticalMineral supply chains. The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable #EnvironmentalCosts.

    "The report moves beyond a carbon-only lens by quantifying the carbon, water, and land footprints associated with the electricity used to train, deploy, and operate AI systems at scale. Its central finding is that AI’s environmental costs depend not only on how much electricity is used, but also on where that electricity is generated and which energy sources power it. Every kilowatt-hour used by AI carries carbon, water, and land implications, and these footprints do not always move in the same direction: low-carbon electricity is not automatically low-water or low-land. The report also shows that AI’s footprint is shaped by both major infrastructure trends, including the rapid growth of data centers, and everyday use patterns, including model choice, output length, modality, and the growing use of text, image, and video generation.

    "Importantly, the report frames AI’s environmental footprint as a governance and justice challenge, not only a technical problem. The benefits of AI often flow across borders and sectors, while the environmental burdens of data center siting, electricity demand, water withdrawals, #LandUse, MineralExtraction, and #EWaste can be concentrated in specific communities and regions. To address these risks, the report calls for a responsible AI ecosystem grounded in transparency, efficiency by design, equity and #EnvironmentalJustice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation, and sustainable use. By making AI’s carbon, water, and land footprints visible and comparable, the report provides a practical basis for integrating AI into energy, climate, water, and land-use planning, ensuring that innovation advances without shifting environmental costs onto vulnerable communities."

    Download PDF:
    unu.edu/inweh/collection/envir

    #AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
    #DatacenterMoratoriums

  25. The #EnvironmentalCost of #ArtificialIntelligence: #Carbon, #Water, and #LandFootprints

    #AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water, and land use, raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.

    Date Published 3 Jun 2026

    UNU-INWEH Report: Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., Madani, K. (2026).

    "This report, Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, by the #UnitedNationsUniversity Institute for Water, Environment and Health ( #UNU - #INWEH ) on its 30th anniversary, examines one of the most underexplored consequences of AI’s rapid expansion: the environmental footprints of the energy required to power it. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in economies, public services, research, communication, and everyday life, it depends on a growing physical infrastructure of #datacenters, advanced #chips, #CoolingSystems, #ElectricityGrids, #WaterResources, land, and #CriticalMineral supply chains. The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable #EnvironmentalCosts.

    "The report moves beyond a carbon-only lens by quantifying the carbon, water, and land footprints associated with the electricity used to train, deploy, and operate AI systems at scale. Its central finding is that AI’s environmental costs depend not only on how much electricity is used, but also on where that electricity is generated and which energy sources power it. Every kilowatt-hour used by AI carries carbon, water, and land implications, and these footprints do not always move in the same direction: low-carbon electricity is not automatically low-water or low-land. The report also shows that AI’s footprint is shaped by both major infrastructure trends, including the rapid growth of data centers, and everyday use patterns, including model choice, output length, modality, and the growing use of text, image, and video generation.

    "Importantly, the report frames AI’s environmental footprint as a governance and justice challenge, not only a technical problem. The benefits of AI often flow across borders and sectors, while the environmental burdens of data center siting, electricity demand, water withdrawals, #LandUse, MineralExtraction, and #EWaste can be concentrated in specific communities and regions. To address these risks, the report calls for a responsible AI ecosystem grounded in transparency, efficiency by design, equity and #EnvironmentalJustice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation, and sustainable use. By making AI’s carbon, water, and land footprints visible and comparable, the report provides a practical basis for integrating AI into energy, climate, water, and land-use planning, ensuring that innovation advances without shifting environmental costs onto vulnerable communities."

    Download PDF:
    unu.edu/inweh/collection/envir

    #AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
    #DatacenterMoratoriums

  26. #PlasticPatrol: the #CitizenScientists tackling #litter in #Australian #waterways

    #Plastics make up the majority of litter across the country. In the absence of regulation, the public are taking matters into their own hands

    by James Norman, Fri 30 Jan 2026

    "Neil Blake weighs a paper bag of fake grass fragments he has collected from a stormwater gutter near #DarebinCreek in #Melbourne’s north.

    "Over the past three years Blake has conducted 56 collections of synthetic turf in the waterway alongside the KP Hardiman Reserve hockey pitch.

    " 'I noticed that a local hockey pitch was being replaced and the plastic surface was running off into the local environment,' he says. Strong northerly winds and #LeafBlowers had helped shed the turf fragments into the local #environment.

    "In addition to impacts on #AquaticEcosystems, scientific analysis suggests #PlasticPollution is exacerbating #ClimateChange, #biodiversity loss and #OceanAcidification.

    "Australians produce more than 3m tonnes of plastic waste each year, and according to Clean Up’s annual survey of parks, beaches, creeks and other public spaces, plastics make up more than 80% of litter across the country. A review by the New South Wales chief scientist found that one #SyntheticTurf field could transport between 10kg and 100kg of plastic fragments into the #stormwater system or local waterways.

    "Blake has taken advantage of the electronic scales provided by the newly opened community science laboratory in the Port Phillip #EcoCentre in #StKilda, to quantify his samples to present to the local council and the Environment Protection Authority. The lab hosts facilities including microscopes, measuring equipment, safety gear and access to advice from trained scientists.

    "It’s one example of citizen scientists tackling the growing problem of plastics in #waterways, including #beaches, #rivers and dive sites around the country."

    Read more:
    theguardian.com/australia-news

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/okVtk

    #SolarPunkSunday #LitterCleanup #NewSouthWales #Australia #PlasticTurf #PlasticPollution #CitizenScience #WaterIsLife #Astroturf #PlasticPollution #Microplastics

  27. #PlasticPatrol: the #CitizenScientists tackling #litter in #Australian #waterways

    #Plastics make up the majority of litter across the country. In the absence of regulation, the public are taking matters into their own hands

    by James Norman, Fri 30 Jan 2026

    "Neil Blake weighs a paper bag of fake grass fragments he has collected from a stormwater gutter near #DarebinCreek in #Melbourne’s north.

    "Over the past three years Blake has conducted 56 collections of synthetic turf in the waterway alongside the KP Hardiman Reserve hockey pitch.

    " 'I noticed that a local hockey pitch was being replaced and the plastic surface was running off into the local environment,' he says. Strong northerly winds and #LeafBlowers had helped shed the turf fragments into the local #environment.

    "In addition to impacts on #AquaticEcosystems, scientific analysis suggests #PlasticPollution is exacerbating #ClimateChange, #biodiversity loss and #OceanAcidification.

    "Australians produce more than 3m tonnes of plastic waste each year, and according to Clean Up’s annual survey of parks, beaches, creeks and other public spaces, plastics make up more than 80% of litter across the country. A review by the New South Wales chief scientist found that one #SyntheticTurf field could transport between 10kg and 100kg of plastic fragments into the #stormwater system or local waterways.

    "Blake has taken advantage of the electronic scales provided by the newly opened community science laboratory in the Port Phillip #EcoCentre in #StKilda, to quantify his samples to present to the local council and the Environment Protection Authority. The lab hosts facilities including microscopes, measuring equipment, safety gear and access to advice from trained scientists.

    "It’s one example of citizen scientists tackling the growing problem of plastics in #waterways, including #beaches, #rivers and dive sites around the country."

    Read more:
    theguardian.com/australia-news

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/okVtk

    #SolarPunkSunday #LitterCleanup #NewSouthWales #Australia #PlasticTurf #PlasticPollution #CitizenScience #WaterIsLife #Astroturf #PlasticPollution #Microplastics

  28. #PlasticPatrol: the #CitizenScientists tackling #litter in #Australian #waterways

    #Plastics make up the majority of litter across the country. In the absence of regulation, the public are taking matters into their own hands

    by James Norman, Fri 30 Jan 2026

    "Neil Blake weighs a paper bag of fake grass fragments he has collected from a stormwater gutter near #DarebinCreek in #Melbourne’s north.

    "Over the past three years Blake has conducted 56 collections of synthetic turf in the waterway alongside the KP Hardiman Reserve hockey pitch.

    " 'I noticed that a local hockey pitch was being replaced and the plastic surface was running off into the local environment,' he says. Strong northerly winds and #LeafBlowers had helped shed the turf fragments into the local #environment.

    "In addition to impacts on #AquaticEcosystems, scientific analysis suggests #PlasticPollution is exacerbating #ClimateChange, #biodiversity loss and #OceanAcidification.

    "Australians produce more than 3m tonnes of plastic waste each year, and according to Clean Up’s annual survey of parks, beaches, creeks and other public spaces, plastics make up more than 80% of litter across the country. A review by the New South Wales chief scientist found that one #SyntheticTurf field could transport between 10kg and 100kg of plastic fragments into the #stormwater system or local waterways.

    "Blake has taken advantage of the electronic scales provided by the newly opened community science laboratory in the Port Phillip #EcoCentre in #StKilda, to quantify his samples to present to the local council and the Environment Protection Authority. The lab hosts facilities including microscopes, measuring equipment, safety gear and access to advice from trained scientists.

    "It’s one example of citizen scientists tackling the growing problem of plastics in #waterways, including #beaches, #rivers and dive sites around the country."

    Read more:
    theguardian.com/australia-news

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/okVtk

    #SolarPunkSunday #LitterCleanup #NewSouthWales #Australia #PlasticTurf #PlasticPollution #CitizenScience #WaterIsLife #Astroturf #PlasticPollution #Microplastics

  29. #PlasticPatrol: the #CitizenScientists tackling #litter in #Australian #waterways

    #Plastics make up the majority of litter across the country. In the absence of regulation, the public are taking matters into their own hands

    by James Norman, Fri 30 Jan 2026

    "Neil Blake weighs a paper bag of fake grass fragments he has collected from a stormwater gutter near #DarebinCreek in #Melbourne’s north.

    "Over the past three years Blake has conducted 56 collections of synthetic turf in the waterway alongside the KP Hardiman Reserve hockey pitch.

    " 'I noticed that a local hockey pitch was being replaced and the plastic surface was running off into the local environment,' he says. Strong northerly winds and #LeafBlowers had helped shed the turf fragments into the local #environment.

    "In addition to impacts on #AquaticEcosystems, scientific analysis suggests #PlasticPollution is exacerbating #ClimateChange, #biodiversity loss and #OceanAcidification.

    "Australians produce more than 3m tonnes of plastic waste each year, and according to Clean Up’s annual survey of parks, beaches, creeks and other public spaces, plastics make up more than 80% of litter across the country. A review by the New South Wales chief scientist found that one #SyntheticTurf field could transport between 10kg and 100kg of plastic fragments into the #stormwater system or local waterways.

    "Blake has taken advantage of the electronic scales provided by the newly opened community science laboratory in the Port Phillip #EcoCentre in #StKilda, to quantify his samples to present to the local council and the Environment Protection Authority. The lab hosts facilities including microscopes, measuring equipment, safety gear and access to advice from trained scientists.

    "It’s one example of citizen scientists tackling the growing problem of plastics in #waterways, including #beaches, #rivers and dive sites around the country."

    Read more:
    theguardian.com/australia-news

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/okVtk

    #SolarPunkSunday #LitterCleanup #NewSouthWales #Australia #PlasticTurf #PlasticPollution #CitizenScience #WaterIsLife #Astroturf #PlasticPollution #Microplastics

  30. #PlasticPatrol: the #CitizenScientists tackling #litter in #Australian #waterways

    #Plastics make up the majority of litter across the country. In the absence of regulation, the public are taking matters into their own hands

    by James Norman, Fri 30 Jan 2026

    "Neil Blake weighs a paper bag of fake grass fragments he has collected from a stormwater gutter near #DarebinCreek in #Melbourne’s north.

    "Over the past three years Blake has conducted 56 collections of synthetic turf in the waterway alongside the KP Hardiman Reserve hockey pitch.

    " 'I noticed that a local hockey pitch was being replaced and the plastic surface was running off into the local environment,' he says. Strong northerly winds and #LeafBlowers had helped shed the turf fragments into the local #environment.

    "In addition to impacts on #AquaticEcosystems, scientific analysis suggests #PlasticPollution is exacerbating #ClimateChange, #biodiversity loss and #OceanAcidification.

    "Australians produce more than 3m tonnes of plastic waste each year, and according to Clean Up’s annual survey of parks, beaches, creeks and other public spaces, plastics make up more than 80% of litter across the country. A review by the New South Wales chief scientist found that one #SyntheticTurf field could transport between 10kg and 100kg of plastic fragments into the #stormwater system or local waterways.

    "Blake has taken advantage of the electronic scales provided by the newly opened community science laboratory in the Port Phillip #EcoCentre in #StKilda, to quantify his samples to present to the local council and the Environment Protection Authority. The lab hosts facilities including microscopes, measuring equipment, safety gear and access to advice from trained scientists.

    "It’s one example of citizen scientists tackling the growing problem of plastics in #waterways, including #beaches, #rivers and dive sites around the country."

    Read more:
    theguardian.com/australia-news

    Archived version:
    archive.ph/okVtk

    #SolarPunkSunday #LitterCleanup #NewSouthWales #Australia #PlasticTurf #PlasticPollution #CitizenScience #WaterIsLife #Astroturf #PlasticPollution #Microplastics

  31. #HoldenME - #StreamExplorers Workshop at #FieldsPond

    April 25 from 10:00 am-12 pm

    Location: 216 Fields Pond Rd. Holden, ME

    Free, registration required.

    "Do you want to volunteer your time to care for your local streams? Do you want to learn more about the critters that live in the water? Come and practice your sampling methods and #macroinvertebrate identification skills at this in-person training workshop. Learn how to sample a stream for science and identify the organisms you find, to help professional scientists monitor water quality. Marsh and Stream Explorers is our community science project featuring #AquaticInsects and what they can tell us about #WildlifeHabitat and #WaterQuality. Educational resources for classroom teachers will be available."

    FMI and to register:
    maineaudubon.org/events/stream

    #SolarPunkSunday #CitizenScience
    #NatureBasedLearning #StreamExplorers #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange #CitizenScientists #ObservingNature

  32. #HoldenME - #StreamExplorers Workshop at #FieldsPond

    April 25 from 10:00 am-12 pm

    Location: 216 Fields Pond Rd. Holden, ME

    Free, registration required.

    "Do you want to volunteer your time to care for your local streams? Do you want to learn more about the critters that live in the water? Come and practice your sampling methods and #macroinvertebrate identification skills at this in-person training workshop. Learn how to sample a stream for science and identify the organisms you find, to help professional scientists monitor water quality. Marsh and Stream Explorers is our community science project featuring #AquaticInsects and what they can tell us about #WildlifeHabitat and #WaterQuality. Educational resources for classroom teachers will be available."

    FMI and to register:
    maineaudubon.org/events/stream

    #SolarPunkSunday #CitizenScience
    #NatureBasedLearning #StreamExplorers #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange #CitizenScientists #ObservingNature

  33. #HoldenME - #StreamExplorers Workshop at #FieldsPond

    April 25 from 10:00 am-12 pm

    Location: 216 Fields Pond Rd. Holden, ME

    Free, registration required.

    "Do you want to volunteer your time to care for your local streams? Do you want to learn more about the critters that live in the water? Come and practice your sampling methods and #macroinvertebrate identification skills at this in-person training workshop. Learn how to sample a stream for science and identify the organisms you find, to help professional scientists monitor water quality. Marsh and Stream Explorers is our community science project featuring #AquaticInsects and what they can tell us about #WildlifeHabitat and #WaterQuality. Educational resources for classroom teachers will be available."

    FMI and to register:
    maineaudubon.org/events/stream

    #SolarPunkSunday #CitizenScience
    #NatureBasedLearning #StreamExplorers #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange #CitizenScientists #ObservingNature

  34. #HoldenME - #StreamExplorers Workshop at #FieldsPond

    April 25 from 10:00 am-12 pm

    Location: 216 Fields Pond Rd. Holden, ME

    Free, registration required.

    "Do you want to volunteer your time to care for your local streams? Do you want to learn more about the critters that live in the water? Come and practice your sampling methods and #macroinvertebrate identification skills at this in-person training workshop. Learn how to sample a stream for science and identify the organisms you find, to help professional scientists monitor water quality. Marsh and Stream Explorers is our community science project featuring #AquaticInsects and what they can tell us about #WildlifeHabitat and #WaterQuality. Educational resources for classroom teachers will be available."

    FMI and to register:
    maineaudubon.org/events/stream

    #SolarPunkSunday #CitizenScience
    #NatureBasedLearning #StreamExplorers #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange #CitizenScientists #ObservingNature

  35. #HoldenME - #StreamExplorers Workshop at #FieldsPond

    April 25 from 10:00 am-12 pm

    Location: 216 Fields Pond Rd. Holden, ME

    Free, registration required.

    "Do you want to volunteer your time to care for your local streams? Do you want to learn more about the critters that live in the water? Come and practice your sampling methods and #macroinvertebrate identification skills at this in-person training workshop. Learn how to sample a stream for science and identify the organisms you find, to help professional scientists monitor water quality. Marsh and Stream Explorers is our community science project featuring #AquaticInsects and what they can tell us about #WildlifeHabitat and #WaterQuality. Educational resources for classroom teachers will be available."

    FMI and to register:
    maineaudubon.org/events/stream

    #SolarPunkSunday #CitizenScience
    #NatureBasedLearning #StreamExplorers #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange #CitizenScientists #ObservingNature

  36. #WestbrookME - Marsh and Stream Explorers Field Training in Westbrook

    April 25 from 9:30 am-12 pm

    Location: #MillBrookPreserve, Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, Westbrook

    Free, registration required.

    "Curious about what critters live in your local streams and freshwater marshes? Come join #MaineAudubon and #MaineDEP for a fun morning of catching and identifying #macroinvertebrates at Mill Brook Preserve! Get hands-on training and learn how you can contribute to an important community science project that acts as a screening tool for Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) water quality assessments. Be prepared to wade into shallow water as you net and handle macroinvertebrates!

    "Marsh and Stream Explorers is a water quality monitoring project that trains volunteers to survey streams and freshwater marshes for large #AquaticInsects (macroinvertebrates) which are sensitive to environmental stressors and can be indicators of #wetland health. After this training session, you’ll have the tools to choose and survey your own stream or freshwater marsh and contribute invaluable data to Maine’s water quality monitoring efforts. If you’re interested in getting outdoors, learning something new, and protecting your local #watershed, this community science project is for you!

    "We will meet at the parking area for the Northern Trailhead and go on a short walk from there. Wear clothes and shoes you’re comfortable walking in and potentially getting wet, waders or muckboots are encouraged and some may be provided."

    FMI and to register:
    maineaudubon.org/events/marsh-

    #SolarPunkSunday #CitizenScience
    #NatureBasedLearning #MarshExplorers #StreamExplorers #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange #CitizenScientists #ObservingNature

  37. #WestbrookME - Marsh and Stream Explorers Field Training in Westbrook

    April 25 from 9:30 am-12 pm

    Location: #MillBrookPreserve, Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, Westbrook

    Free, registration required.

    "Curious about what critters live in your local streams and freshwater marshes? Come join #MaineAudubon and #MaineDEP for a fun morning of catching and identifying #macroinvertebrates at Mill Brook Preserve! Get hands-on training and learn how you can contribute to an important community science project that acts as a screening tool for Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) water quality assessments. Be prepared to wade into shallow water as you net and handle macroinvertebrates!

    "Marsh and Stream Explorers is a water quality monitoring project that trains volunteers to survey streams and freshwater marshes for large #AquaticInsects (macroinvertebrates) which are sensitive to environmental stressors and can be indicators of #wetland health. After this training session, you’ll have the tools to choose and survey your own stream or freshwater marsh and contribute invaluable data to Maine’s water quality monitoring efforts. If you’re interested in getting outdoors, learning something new, and protecting your local #watershed, this community science project is for you!

    "We will meet at the parking area for the Northern Trailhead and go on a short walk from there. Wear clothes and shoes you’re comfortable walking in and potentially getting wet, waders or muckboots are encouraged and some may be provided."

    FMI and to register:
    maineaudubon.org/events/marsh-

    #SolarPunkSunday #CitizenScience
    #NatureBasedLearning #MarshExplorers #StreamExplorers #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange #CitizenScientists #ObservingNature

  38. #WestbrookME - Marsh and Stream Explorers Field Training in Westbrook

    April 25 from 9:30 am-12 pm

    Location: #MillBrookPreserve, Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, Westbrook

    Free, registration required.

    "Curious about what critters live in your local streams and freshwater marshes? Come join #MaineAudubon and #MaineDEP for a fun morning of catching and identifying #macroinvertebrates at Mill Brook Preserve! Get hands-on training and learn how you can contribute to an important community science project that acts as a screening tool for Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) water quality assessments. Be prepared to wade into shallow water as you net and handle macroinvertebrates!

    "Marsh and Stream Explorers is a water quality monitoring project that trains volunteers to survey streams and freshwater marshes for large #AquaticInsects (macroinvertebrates) which are sensitive to environmental stressors and can be indicators of #wetland health. After this training session, you’ll have the tools to choose and survey your own stream or freshwater marsh and contribute invaluable data to Maine’s water quality monitoring efforts. If you’re interested in getting outdoors, learning something new, and protecting your local #watershed, this community science project is for you!

    "We will meet at the parking area for the Northern Trailhead and go on a short walk from there. Wear clothes and shoes you’re comfortable walking in and potentially getting wet, waders or muckboots are encouraged and some may be provided."

    FMI and to register:
    maineaudubon.org/events/marsh-

    #SolarPunkSunday #CitizenScience
    #NatureBasedLearning #MarshExplorers #StreamExplorers #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange #CitizenScientists #ObservingNature

  39. #WestbrookME - Marsh and Stream Explorers Field Training in Westbrook

    April 25 from 9:30 am-12 pm

    Location: #MillBrookPreserve, Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, Westbrook

    Free, registration required.

    "Curious about what critters live in your local streams and freshwater marshes? Come join #MaineAudubon and #MaineDEP for a fun morning of catching and identifying #macroinvertebrates at Mill Brook Preserve! Get hands-on training and learn how you can contribute to an important community science project that acts as a screening tool for Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) water quality assessments. Be prepared to wade into shallow water as you net and handle macroinvertebrates!

    "Marsh and Stream Explorers is a water quality monitoring project that trains volunteers to survey streams and freshwater marshes for large #AquaticInsects (macroinvertebrates) which are sensitive to environmental stressors and can be indicators of #wetland health. After this training session, you’ll have the tools to choose and survey your own stream or freshwater marsh and contribute invaluable data to Maine’s water quality monitoring efforts. If you’re interested in getting outdoors, learning something new, and protecting your local #watershed, this community science project is for you!

    "We will meet at the parking area for the Northern Trailhead and go on a short walk from there. Wear clothes and shoes you’re comfortable walking in and potentially getting wet, waders or muckboots are encouraged and some may be provided."

    FMI and to register:
    maineaudubon.org/events/marsh-

    #SolarPunkSunday #CitizenScience
    #NatureBasedLearning #MarshExplorers #StreamExplorers #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange #CitizenScientists #ObservingNature

  40. #WestbrookME - Marsh and Stream Explorers Field Training in Westbrook

    April 25 from 9:30 am-12 pm

    Location: #MillBrookPreserve, Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, Westbrook

    Free, registration required.

    "Curious about what critters live in your local streams and freshwater marshes? Come join #MaineAudubon and #MaineDEP for a fun morning of catching and identifying #macroinvertebrates at Mill Brook Preserve! Get hands-on training and learn how you can contribute to an important community science project that acts as a screening tool for Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) water quality assessments. Be prepared to wade into shallow water as you net and handle macroinvertebrates!

    "Marsh and Stream Explorers is a water quality monitoring project that trains volunteers to survey streams and freshwater marshes for large #AquaticInsects (macroinvertebrates) which are sensitive to environmental stressors and can be indicators of #wetland health. After this training session, you’ll have the tools to choose and survey your own stream or freshwater marsh and contribute invaluable data to Maine’s water quality monitoring efforts. If you’re interested in getting outdoors, learning something new, and protecting your local #watershed, this community science project is for you!

    "We will meet at the parking area for the Northern Trailhead and go on a short walk from there. Wear clothes and shoes you’re comfortable walking in and potentially getting wet, waders or muckboots are encouraged and some may be provided."

    FMI and to register:
    maineaudubon.org/events/marsh-

    #SolarPunkSunday #CitizenScience
    #NatureBasedLearning #MarshExplorers #StreamExplorers #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange #CitizenScientists #ObservingNature