Plastic found in brains 🌿 Mercury release 🌿 A.I. rising temperatures 🌿 Climate in the Elections

Hi, Everyone!

I’m Amanda Magnani, a Brazilian (photo)journalist and OptOut News’ climate editor. Every other week, I bring you the most important climate news from our network—with an extra serving of decolonial perspectives. ✨🌿

Whatever you felt when you first read about plastic found in testicles, hold onto it because I now give you ✨microplastic found in human brains✨. That's right, a new study has found microplastic in pretty much every part of the human body, and the brain is not an exception. When compared with the 2016 samples, the 2024 ones have a higher concentration of plastic–which is true for the comparison between healthy brains and those with dementia, Yale Environment 360 reports.

But hey, plastic is not the only substance to worry about. We now also have more mercury in our waters, soil and atmosphere, as the ice from the Arctic’s permafrost melts, Yale Environment 360 also reports. The region’s soil has more mercury than any other place in the world and, according to Grist, a new study has found that it has released at least 86 kilograms of mercury per square kilometer, rather than the 40 kilograms previously estimated.

In the meantime, A.I. is making sure that this is the coolest summer of the rest of your life. While the Earth breaks consecutive high temperature records, the U.S. continues to add capacity to the electric grid in a way that keeps postponing the phaseout of fossil fuel-based generation. And one of the main reasons is to meet the increasing demand from data centers and artificial intelligence, The New Republic reports.

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Climate in the Elections

With the November elections drawing closer by the day, here are some good pieces to help you stay up to date on the debate around the climate agenda.

🇺🇸 “The Climate Message Harris Should Embrace: Fossil Fuels Are a Scam,” by The New Republic.

🇺🇸 “The overlooked climate plans of Project 2025,” by HEATED.

🇺🇸 “How will a Harris-Walz administration tackle the climate crisis?” by Your Call Podcast.

🇺🇸 “Where Kamala Harris stands on Big Ag is anybody’s guess,” by Investigate Midwest via Missouri Independent.

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And More:

🛢️ “Why vilify the oil and gas industry?” by HEATED.

🛢️ “National Grid is About to Raise Your Gas Bill to Cover $5 Billion in Infrastructure Projects,” by City Limits.

🛢️ “Oil and ink mix as Chevron reports the ‘news’ in Texas, New Mexico,” by Floodlight News via Louisiana Illuminator.

🛢️ “Idaho doesn’t produce energy like it used to. How drought, renewables are changing our landscape,” by Idaho Capital Sun.

🛢️ “Why the EPA is relying on unproven technology to stop cancer-causing emissions,” by Grist.

🛢️ “Connecticut grapples with the effects of climate change and the impact on aging infrastructure,” by CT Mirror.

🛢️ “In this tiny New Mexico town, the air quality is worse than in downtown L.A.,” by Source NM.

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Decolonizing Climate Change

🌱 “After blocking uranium ore transportation, the Navajo Nation and a mining company are negotiating,” by AZ Mirror.

🌱 “In El Paso, a Migrant Death Crisis Emerges amid Extreme Heat,” by Texas Observer.

🌱 “California Legislators Say New Laws Must Protect Farmworkers From Extreme Heat,” by Capital and Main.

🌱 “Court permanently blocks environmental civil rights protections for Louisiana’s Black communities,” by Floodlight News via Louisiana Illuminator.

🌱 “As Global Temperatures Rise, So Does the Potential for Violence,” by The Nation.

🌱 “Washington solar project paused amid concern about Indigenous sites,” by Grist.

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Around the World

🇨🇦 Canada: “As the world burns: the art and science of responding to B.C. wildfires,” by The Narwhal.

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico: “‘Dulce’: How a sweet-smelling chemical upended life in Salinas, Puerto Rico,” by Grist.

🇪🇨 Ecuador: “Ecuador voted to keep oil in the ground. Will it happen?” by Grist.

🇩🇪 Germany: “As Germany Cuts Red Tape, Renewable Installations Boom,” by Yale Environment 360.

🇳🇬 Nigeria: “Nigeria energy transition gets boost from AfDB $500 mn loan: experts,” by Gas Outlook.

🇳🇱 Holland: “Dutch offshore wind auctions show progress towards ambitious targets,” by Gas Outlook.

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To Lighten Your Heart

💚 “This simple farming technique can capture carbon for thousands of years,” by Grist.

💚 “Respecting Peta, the Life Spark,” by Atmos.

💚 “Arkansas Game and Fish Commission promotes conservation education in schools,” by Arkansas Advocate.

💚 “$500M from EPA will help nonprofit lenders power energy transition in rural Appalachia,” by Blue Ridge Public Radio via Kentucky Lantern.

💚 “Las Vegas to get $98 million to replace water treatment facilities after 2022 wildfire damage,” by Source NM.

💚 “What climate policies work best? A new study has answers,” by Grist.

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That’s all for now, folks! If you have any questions or suggestions, hit me up at amanda@optout.news.

Obrigada and have a great week!

The OptOut Media Foundation (EIN: 85-2348079) is a nonprofit charity with a mission to educate the public about current events and help sustain a diverse media ecosystem by promoting and assisting independent news outlets and, in doing so, advance democracy and social justice.

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