可食用塑料的原料再添海藻一名生力軍！過去就出現以農產品為原料的可食用塑料，而英國公司Notpla將以海藻為原料製作出薄膜包裝，取代一次性塑料。該公司設計總監辛巴拉表示，海藻不僅生長迅速、還不與農作物爭地，更能從空氣中吸收二氧化碳。近日該公司已獲得1千萬英鎊的融資，將再度擴大生產線，也預計拓展業務至歐洲各地。 可以吃的塑料種類多 《富比士雜誌》報導，可以食用的塑料製品已經不是新聞，EnviGreen創辦人艾許瓦就曾以香蕉、植物油與馬鈴薯等12種原料開發出可以食用的塑料，將塑料袋直接丟入煮沸的水中，則只需要15秒就能直接分解，分解後的液體並可供食用。 他自信表示，「這種塑料袋，完全可以食用，甚至連上面的彩色噴墨塗料也是可以吃的，也不用擔心動物誤食的問題。」但在世界缺糧危機下，以農作物作為替代性塑料的原料，並未受到肯定。 海藻原料很環保 隨著塑料汙染愈來愈嚴重，聯合國統計顯示，全球每年都產生3億噸的塑料垃圾，且有60%的塑料都還潛藏在土壤或大海中。《CNN》報導，而Notpla一改以農產品製作塑料替代品的方式，選擇以海藻作為原料，製造可用於食物包裝、外帶盒塗層等的透明薄膜。 Notpla設計

英國《衛報》報導，全世界最大的煤炭出口港——澳洲紐卡索港（Port of Newcastle）宣布，即日（7日）起將100%使用再生能源供電。與此同時，澳洲全國電力市場的煤炭發電量，降至2021年最後一季的最低水準。 紐卡索港計劃2030年 煤炭收益占比降至50% 雖然煤炭出口量至今仍高達每年平均1.65億噸，紐卡索港已經訂定2040年的脫碳計畫，並預計提升煤炭以外的業務收入，使煤炭在2030年的總收益占比下降至50%。這次宣布的措施正是這些轉型計畫的一部分。 該港已與經營新南威爾斯州Bodangora風電場的營運商Iberdrola，簽署一項大規模零售購電協議。 紐卡索港執行長卡莫迪（Craig Carmody）表示，世界最大煤炭出口港的稱號已經「不像過去那麼好聽」，為了停損和避免關門大吉，紐卡索港必須改變。 「我寧可現在就做，趁我們還可以掌控自己命運、趁我們還有營收的時候，而不是等到營收崩盤，沒人願意借錢給我們時才來做。」卡莫迪說，「我們的港口若運送煤炭，每噸賺84美分，但是運送其他各種產品每噸能賺6到8美元。該把錢花在哪裡很明顯。」 為了轉型，紐卡索港已將97%的車輛換成電動車，

Scientists warn that paint may be one of the most common microplastics in the ocean, but the threat to marine life is being ignored. Toxic paint chips could harm large numbers of marine life in fragile ecosystems, a study shows. Survey finds: Paint chips are second only to microplastic fibers in the sea, according to new research published in the journal Science of the Total Environment by the University of Plymouth and the Marine Biological Association. , researchers conducted surveys in the North Atlantic and found that every cubic meter of seawater contained an average of 0.01 paint chips. They found that this material is second only to microplastic fibers in abundance in the sea. Each cubic meter of seawater contains about 0.16 pieces of microplastic fibers. Chemical analysis of the paint samples found significant amounts of copper, lead and iron, which may pose additional threats to the many species in the ocean and sea that feed on such debris. Ships and oil rigs are coated with paint to protect them from corrosion, but these coatings can peel off and kill marine life. A 2015 study estimated that there were 15 to 51 trillion microplastic particles in the ocean, a number that has continued to rise since then. According to the World Conservation Union (WWF), at least 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year. Large pieces of plastic can suffocate and stagnate wildlife

Scrap wood can also be turned into stunning charcoal flower pots. After a year of research and development, the domestic industry player Muxue Master developed a flower pot with charcoal medium and processed waste wood into beautiful flower pots. The research team of the Forestry Research Institute of the Council of Agriculture further pointed out that in the future, the fallen wood after typhoons can be processed into charcoal potted plants, which can also purify indoor air and turn decay into magic. The woodworking experts use waste wood to develop "charcoal and potted plants", each texture is unique. Wind-downed wood caused by typhoons, or dead branches from pruned street trees, often become waste, increasing the burden on incinerators. There was a drought at the beginning of this year, and a mountain of waste wood piled up in a scrap yard in Tainan, accidentally causing a fire that lasted for several days before it was extinguished. In the past, most of this waste wood could only be planed into sawdust, crushed and processed for use. Nowadays, this waste wood has a new purpose. value. The Forestry Laboratory of the Council of Agriculture cooperated with domestic industries, and the manufacturer "Wooden Master" processed and burned large-scale wood into charcoal, and further designed "charcoal and potted plants". The Forestry Laboratory has further demonstrated that charcoal potted plants can help improve indoor air quality. Lin Zhenrong, leader of the forest utilization group of the Forestry Research Institute, said that large-scale charcoal has health benefits such as humidity control, moisture prevention, deodorization and purification, and the production of negative ions. When charcoal is carbonized at high temperatures, it will transform from a hydrophobic surface to a hydrophilic surface. Different from ordinary barbecue charcoal, which is fired at about 200°C to 400°C, charcoal and potted charcoal must be carbonized at 800°C, "which will increase the hardness and durability of the finished charcoal." Forest Utilization Group Associate researcher Tu Sanxian further explained that the process of charcoal activation can also make charcoal produce

The world's first and largest carbon capture and conversion plant "Orca" was opened in Iceland on the 8th. The plant, built by Swiss start-up Climeworks AG, aims to reduce the impact of greenhouse gases on the planet and is a milestone in the direct carbon capture industry. Permanent storage Orca plant will capture 4,000 tonnes of CO2 per year Climeworks has built 16 installations across Europe, but Orca is the only one that permanently captures and stores CO2 rather than recycling it. According to Climeworks, the plant has the capacity to capture 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, which will be stored safely and permanently using a chemical process developed by Icelandic academic and industrial partner Carbfix. In this process, carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere is mixed with water and pumped deep underground, where it undergoes a natural mineralization process in less than two years before turning into stone. While the Orca plant can only capture a fraction of the world's estimated 35 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, Climeworks believes there is an opportunity to expand carbon removal capacity to one million tons within a decade. Orca passed verification by the independent third party DNV in mid-June 2021 and is the first verified direct atmospheric carbon capture and storage service. A recent report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that the world may experience more frequent extreme weather events in the coming years due to global warming, which experts believe will significantly reduce greenhouse gas levels.

The world conservation congress (world conservation congress) hosted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the most influential organization in the world, passed a resolution in Marseille on the 10th, calling for the 80% Amazon region and 30% The Earth's surface, including land and sea, is designated as a "protected area" to halt and reverse the loss of wild species. IUCN does not formulate global policies, but its recommendations have been the basis for United Nations treaties and conventions. They will help set the agenda for the upcoming UN Summit on Food Systems, Biodiversity and Climate Change. Save the Amazon COICA, a coalition of organizations representing more than 2 million indigenous people in South American countries, proposed a temporary motion at the conference calling for 4/5 of the Amazon basin to be designated as a protected area by 2025, and received overwhelming support. "Indigenous people are here to defend our homeland and at the same time defend the planet. This initiative is the first step." Jose Gregorio Diaz Mirabal, general coordinator of COICA and leader of the Curripaco people in Venezuela explain. Over the past 20 years, the Amazon has lost about 10,000 square kilometers each year to deforestation, much of it through deliberate fires to clear land for commercial agriculture or grazing. Scientists warn that such damage coupled with gas

On July 21 this year, Indonesia, the world's eighth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, submitted an updated version of its national climate commitment to the United Nations, announcing that it would achieve the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 (or earlier). However, NGOs also pointed out that Indonesia’s emission reduction commitment is to maintain the same target as in 2016. It is not ambitious enough and will not be able to achieve the Paris Agreement. Submitting its first long-term strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2060, NGO praised Indonesia for taking the right direction. Although the report submitted by Indonesia added new adaptation and resilience improvement goals, and also proposed new goals for specific sectors, the most critical emission reduction goal remained the same as in 2016. Commitment: Before 2030, greenhouse gas emissions under the unconditional scenario will be reduced by 29% compared with the business-as-usual scenario; or with sufficient international financial support, the emission reduction target will be achieved by 41%. In addition to updating its climate commitments, Indonesia has also submitted the country's first Long-Term Strategy for Low Carbon and Climate Resilience, announcing that it will peak emissions in 2030 and will reach a peak in 2060 or earlier. , to achieve the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, until March this year, Indonesian government officials still stated that net-zero carbon emissions would be achieved by 2070. This time, the officially submitted goal is at least ten years ahead of schedule. Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan said at the end of July that he was optimistic that Indonesia would have the means to do so in May.

Plastic pollution continues to pose a threat to society. After you drink your coffee, what happens to your plastic coffee cup? How much does it cost? How does it affect the environment – land, sea and biodiversity? Humans produce more than 200 million tons of plastic waste every year, equivalent to 523 trillion straws. A new report commissioned by Dahlberg Consultants from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) shows that the plastic produced in 2019 alone The lifetime social, environmental and economic costs alone amount to $3.7 trillion, exceeding the GDP of India. Unless we take action, the real social cost of producing plastic in 2040 will be double what it was in 2019. At this moment, humans produce more than 200 million tons of plastic waste every year, equivalent to about 523 trillion plastic straws. If all these straws were connected, they could circle the earth about 2.8 million times. Nearly half of the waste is not properly managed, but is burned open, dumped directly or leaked into the environment. More than 11 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. The report titled "Plastics: Social, Environmental and Economic Costs" shows that throughout the life cycle of plastics, 1.8 billion tons of greenhouse gases are produced every year, which is more than the annual emissions of aviation and shipping combined. These greenhouse gas emissions are exacerbating the negative effects of climate change, such as shrinking glaciers, floods and more severe droughts, leading to crop death and incurring huge costs for governments and society. Poorly managed plastic waste could threaten the ocean’s ability to act as a carbon sink, further exacerbating the climate crisis

"The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ)" Mark Carney, the United Nations special envoy for climate finance and former governor of the Bank of England, announced that there are currently more than 450 financial institutions in the world with total assets of US$130 trillion. The institution participates in the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), promising that all its assets will achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and also announced that it will mobilize hundreds of millions of dollars to help the global economy move towards this goal. Clean energy transition. The Alliance’s net zero commitment means that climate change will be a key consideration in major financial decisions over the next decade. However, some experts point out that if these financial institutions continue to invest in fossil fuels in the next decade, they may undermine the importance of the above-mentioned net zero commitments. US$10.5 billion energy transition fund. Several public welfare foundations and international development banks announced today (3rd) the establishment of a US$10.5 billion fund to help emerging economies transition to renewable energy. It has raised US$1.5 billion from the Rockefeller Foundation, the IKEA Foundation and the Bezos Earth Fund, as well as US$9 billion from international development banks such as the African Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). On the other hand, human beings and the earth as a whole

Environmental think tank E3G released a report this month stating that after the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the number of new coal-fired power plants around the world dropped sharply, and 44 countries agreed to terminate new construction plans, ushering in a glimmer of hope for the end of highly polluting coal burning. One week after the report was released, yesterday (21st) at the 76th United Nations General Assembly, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China "will stop building new coal-fired power plants overseas" - China alone holds the largest number of coal-fired power plants under construction around the world. capacity of the 53%. Research: Global plans for new coal-fired power plants have plummeted and more than half are owned by China. According to the Guardian, a report released by E3G pointed out that after the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the capacity of new coal-fired power plants planned to be built around the world dropped significantly by 76%. 44 of these countries will no longer build new coal-fired power plants. Dave Jones, who works for the climate think tank "Ember", said, "It was only five years ago that many new coal-fired power plants were being planned and built. Now most of them have either officially announced the suspension of the plans, or the plans have been suspended, and the plans are not very serious. It may restart again." Chris Littlecott, deputy director of E3G, said that the coal economy "has become increasingly uncompetitive compared with renewable energy, and the risk of becoming a stranded asset has become higher." The report pointed out that the world's more than Half of the coal-fired power plant projects are owned by China. Therefore, if China and six countries including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Turkey and Bangladesh can terminate related projects, the number of coal-fired power plants planned to be built around the world will be reduced by approximately 90%. High carbon

Taiwanese technology brand ASUS announced yesterday (4th) that it has joined the global RE100 initiative and committed to operating 100% in Taiwan using renewable energy in 2030, and its global operating bases will follow suit in 2035. In addition, ASUS also reiterated its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 50% in 2030 compared with 2013. ASUS, one of the five major laptop brands, has joined RE100 to fully switch to green electricity by 2035. The global climate crisis is severe. "Carbon neutrality" has become a keyword for sustainable development of enterprises. Energy conservation and the use of green energy are the two major means for enterprises to reduce carbon emissions. ASUS announced in April this year that it would target the use of renewable energy in 100% operations in Taiwan in 2030. Yesterday, it announced that it would join the global RE100 initiative and promised to use renewable energy in global operations of 100% in 2035. RE100 is an international initiative launched by the Climate Group and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in 2014. It invites large global companies to commit to using 100% through investment, construction, purchase of green power or green power certificates. Renewable energy, the world's five major laptop brands (Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple and Acer) have all joined the ranks of RE100. ASUS is the 12th company in Taiwan to join RE100. ASUS Chairman Shi Chongtang pointed out that extreme climate not only affects the human living environment, but also tests the resilience of corporate operations. "These challenges also bring opportunities for innovation, which can be converted into strategies to enhance corporate competitiveness." ASUS will implement independent energy-saving plans to reveal Purchase green electricity and renewable energy by signing