Valentine's roses often covered in pesticides, testing finds
14 February 2026 - Bouquets imported to Europe found to be heavily contaminated, often with chemicals banned in EU and UK. Laboratory testing on bouquets in the Netherlands, Europe's flower import hub, found roses had the highest residues of neurological and reproductive toxins compared with other flowers. Red roses were found to be the worst, with one bunch containing traces of 26 different pesticides, half of which are banned for use in the EU. (more)

US: Firefighters wore gear containing ''Forever Chemicals.'' The Forest Service knew andstayed silent for years
11 February 2026 - Officials at the U.S. Forest Service knew gear worn by wildland firefighters contained potentially dangerous ''forever chemicals'' years before the agency publicly acknowledged the issue, according to internal correspondence obtained by ProPublica. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, have been linked to negative health impacts, including certain cancers and delayed development in children. For years, PFAS chemicals were commonly used to treat the heavy gear worn by municipal firefighters to help it repel water and oil. (more)

U.S. regulations fail to protect wildlife from cell tower and wireless radiation, science review finds
4 February 2026 - A science and policy review published in Frontiers in Public Health documents how increasing levels of non-ionizing electromagnetic (EMF) radiation in the environment, including the wireless radiation from cell towers, combined with the absence of regulations protecting wildlife from harmful impacts, are ''leading to an ecological crisis.'' (more)

Europe's supermarket shelves packed with ''misleading'' claims about recycled plastic packaging
29 January 2026 - Europe's supermarket shelves are packed with brands billing their plastic packaging as sustainable, but often only a fraction of the materials are truly recovered from waste, with the rest made from petroleum. (more)

Era of 'global water bankruptcy' is here, UN report says
20 January 2026 - The world has entered an era of 'global water bankruptcy' that is harming billions of people, a UN report has declared. The overuse and pollution of water must be tackled urgently, the report's lead author said, because no one knew when the whole system could collapse, with implications for peace and social cohesion. (more)

Huge amounts of extra land needed for RFK Jr's meat-heavy diet guidelines
20 January 2026 - The Trump administration's new dietary guidelines urging Americans to eat far more meat and dairy products will, if followed, come at a major cost to the planet via huge swathes of habitat razed for farmland and millions of tons of extra planet-heating emissions. ...But a surge in meat-eating by Americans would involve flattening vast tracts of ecosystems such as forests to make way for the hefty environmental hoofprint of raised livestock, emitting large quantities of greenhouse gases in the process, experts have warned. (more)

Map reveals bizarre January drought hitting 130 million Americans
20 January 2026 - Seeing widespread drought in January is historically rare in the U.S., and yet, the latest data shows that nearly every state is currently experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, which shows the nationwide extent and severity of abnormally dry conditions as of January 13, 49 states are at least partially affected—leaving California as the sole exception. (more)

US: Colorado has lowest snowpack on record; concerns about wildfires, agriculture, economy
19 January 2026 - Colorado is experiencing its lowest snowpack on record, with 59 percent snowpack below median statewide as of January 19. ...The low snowpack is not only a concern for skiers who want to experience powder days, but also for ongoing Colorado drought conditions. (more)