a burgundy zine

Tag: ecology

Litter is Not a Suitable Home for Ants, Study Says

The world is your oyster, not your dumpster – although it’s often mistreated as such.

The non-profit organization Keep America Beautiful reports the United States spends approximately $11.5 billion to clean up litter annually. However, crumbled up plastics and abandoned glass bottles still find their way into the natural world, invading forests, lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Recently, researchers investigated the impact of discarded bottles and containers on ants, questioning whether these discarded byproducts of human activity are a “deadly trap or sweet home.”

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Experts Say Deforestation Increases Risks of Future Pandemics

Deforestation doesn’t just jeopardize the environment and the animals we cohabitate this planet with; it also increases the risk of humans contracting zoonotic diseases, which have been at the heat at recent pandemics.

Zoonotic diseases are those that spread from animals to humans – salmonellosis, West Nile virus, rabies, Lyme disease, and coronaviruses being among the “top zoonotic diseases of most concern in the US,” according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.

“Sixty percent of novel infectious diseases originate in animals and can be highly contagious and dangerous,” says a recent article by Sustainable Brands. “Despite advancements in medical technology that improve disease treatment outcomes, the incidence of zoonotic emerging infectious diseases and their potential for pandemic have increased.”

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#EarthDayAtHome – Celebrating Our Home Without Leaving the House

Earth is about 4.54 billion years old (give or take 50 years or so), and yet it took until 1970 for humans to dedicate an official holiday honoring this big, blue marble that we call home.

And now, for Earth Day’s big 5-0, the entire world has found itself on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

So, how is one to celebrate the environment while stuck at home? Don’t fret, there’s plenty you can do to subtly say, “I love you” to this breathtaking, selfless space rock.

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What if a Natural Disaster Strikes During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The coronavirus pandemic has rattled life as we once knew it, like an earthquake trembling society’s foundation… But if an actual earthquake, a hurricane, a tornado, or a tsunami were to hit right now, what would happen?

Last week, we reached out to various organizations including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, World Health Organization, and American Red Cross to find out what emergency response would look like during a pandemic.

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Weekly Newsletter #67: Let’s Go Green

Whew! Following the release of “The Burgundy Zine #14: Healing,” we’ve jumped right into the topic for our next issue – “Go Green.”

We’re excited to begin our two-month celebration of mother Earth and encourage you to join our embrace of the big blue marble we inhabit.

Now, let’s jump into our recap of this week.

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The Ecological Cost of the Trump Border Wall

The “world’s most costly” border wall has a projected budget that extends beyond its dollar amount: the environmental and ecological costs.

If the Trump administration pursues a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, “there are species that will be completely extirpated from the United States,” said Sky Island Alliance program director Emily Burns during our recent interview.

Not to mention, the cement needed to create the border wall will require draining “hundreds of thousands of gallons of water that’s very precious down here in the southwest” from sensitive, local sources, she added.

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Human Impact by Natalia Bennett

Australian artist Natalia Bennett discusses our role in climate change and calls for positive human impact through political involvement.

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Weekly Newsletter #57: Let’s Help Australia Together

Earlier this week, we partnered with Australian artist Natalia Bennett to sell artwork for donation to assist with relief and recovery in Australia, which is still being ravaged by “the most extreme fire disasters of our time,” says a Vox.

We encourage you to join us in assisting Australia during this crisis. For every illustration we sell, we will donate 50 percent to the North South Wales Fire Brigade for relief efforts.

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