Baltimore mayor signs bill banning foam containers
The bill signed Thursday gives businesses 18 months to stop using containers made from this material, commonly called Styrofoam.
North & Central America
Wells Fargo commits $200bn towards low carbon projects by 2030
The US banking giant said more than $100bn of its commitment was earmarked for clean technology, renewable energy, green bonds, low emission transportation and other projects that “directly support the transition to a low carbon economy”.
U.S. wind energy sector now employs 105,000 people
The fast-growing clean sector now employs 105,500 men and women across all 50 states after a bumper year of 9 percent growth, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).
NY City Council passes workplace anti-harassment bills
The New York City Council has passed 11 bills designed to strengthen workplace sexual harassment protections.
Google Cloud hits 100% renewable energy goal
“Over the course of 2017, across the globe, for every kilowatt hour of electricity we consumed, we purchased a kilowatt hour of renewable energy from a wind or solar farm that was built specifically for Google.”
Alaskans reject anti-transgender ‘bathroom bill’
Fifty-three percent of voters in Anchorage, Alaska voted on Prop 1 a citizen initiative that would have required transgender people to use public restrooms corresponding to the gender on their birth certificates
“Love, Simon” becomes first studio teen film to feature gay protagonist
The new film from director Greg Berlanti – showrunner of The Flash and Riverdale – has outpaced expectation in the US where Variety reports it’s expected to take approximately $10-12m (£7-8.6m) on its opening weekend alone against a budget of $17m (£12m).
Adidas has sold a million shoes made of ocean plastic
Each pair uses an average of 11 plastic bottles and incorporates recycled plastic into the laces, heel webbing, heel lining and sock liner covers.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is suing big oil for climate change
Two months after New York’s Mayor announced he was suing oil companies for their role in climate change, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has revealed he intends to do the same, stating oil companies are “knowingly killing people.”
U.S. students stage national school walkout to urge action on gun violence
Students began a national walkout Wednesday morning to press elected officials to take action on school gun violence, one month after the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., killed 17 people.