Why Concrete Might Be Doing More Harm Than Good in the Fight Against Flood Risks, CNN, August
“It’s time to ask the question: what other way can we adapt to climate change?” In a 3-minute video, landscape architect Kongjian Yu, FASLA, founder of Turenscape, calls for replacing failing grey infrastructure with a “sponge city” approach that better leverages the many benefits of water. He calls for a more harmonious relationship with nature through “land-based, water-driven solutions.”
California Approves an Unprecedented Plan to Protect Joshua Trees from Climate Change Threats, Los Angeles Times, August 16
The new plan brings together science and indigenous knowledge to look ahead at anticipated climate impacts on the state’s iconic Joshua trees. Permits and fees will now be required for development near them. Critics argue the plan raises regulatory costs and creates obstacles for new housing and infrastructure projects.
How to Accelerate Carbon Neutrality Without Federal Support? Invest in Carbonsheds, Common Edge, August 13
City leaders can start “managing their carbonsheds with the same attention and rigor as their watersheds,” argues landscape architect Chris Hardy, ASLA, PLA, senior associate at Sasaki and founder of Carbon Conscience. Carbonsheds is a relatively new term that describes the “localized concentrations, emissions, and storage of carbon in the atmosphere and in the living environment.” Hardy wants to broaden the definition to include the “carbon metabolism of a city, from emissions for energy and materials to the emissions associated with our waste cycles.”
Global Maps Reveal Where Mycorrhizal Fungi Thrive — and Where They’re Unprotected, Mongabay, August 4
Plants pass 13 billion metric tons of carbon to underground networks of mycorrhizal fungi each year. That’s equal to one-third of all global fossil fuel emissions. But new maps, developed by a global network of scientists over four years, show that less than 10 percent of fungi biodiversity hotspots are protected. “Vast underground ecosystems [are] vulnerable to destruction from agriculture and development.”
World Cannot Recycle Its Way Out of Plastics Crisis, Report Warns, Yale Environment 360, August 4
Scientists estimate there is now 8 billion tons of plastic waste in the Earth’s ecosystems, and chemicals from this waste have created significant health impacts. Just three chemicals —PBDE, BPA, and DEHP — create $1.5 trillion in health damages each year. Still, less than 10 percent of global plastic is recycled annually, so reducing plastic production is key.