Recent climate news has been overwhelmingly pessimistic. Climate scientists and policy experts declared recently that we only have three more years before we need to drastically reduce carbon emissions. A widely-circulated article in New York Magazine detailed the most catastrophic consequences of climate change for this century if business continues as usual. The article was attacked by critics who claimed that messages of doom and gloom are counterproductive and disempowering. Are they? Is there a more effective way to inform people of the urgency to act on climate change? My colleagues and I have gained some insights into these questions by creating a mini-series of...

The demand for methamphetamine, ecstasy, and other psychoactive substances by wealthy urban residents in East Asia and beyond is reviving organized crime in this region. The recent scale of drug seizures in China's Guangdong Province is staggering. It's increased by 50% over the past year. In Lufeng, on the coast, in January 2015, 2.2 tons of liquid and solid methamphetamine bound for Shanghai was discovered. In May of that year, 1.3 tons of ketamine, along with 2.7 tons of its precursors, were found in the city of Yangjiang. The black tea was bound for Southeast Asia. ASEAN is a young regional security agency that has just begun...

The issue also led the United Nations (UN), which is made up of representatives from 173 nations, to adopt a global resolution on plastic waste. Even if we took all the necessary measures to end plastic production today, there would still be around 5 billion tonnes in landfills and the environment. Researchers have shown that plastics can be disintegrated into microplastics - small particles with different shapes, densities, and mechanical and chemical properties. Microplastics are toxic because of their high surface area and small size. Scientists have looked to nature as a way to fight the plastic crisis for decades. We could avoid future...

The data science industry has grown in the last decade due to advances in computing, mathematics, and data storage. Australia's Industry 4.0 task force has been busy exploring how to improve Australia's economy using tools like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics. Data science has the potential to solve complex issues and drive innovation. However, it is often criticized for unethical data use and unintended adverse consequences. This is especially true in commercial situations where people are treated as data points within annual company reports. Data science shouldn't just be about profit margins and business insights. Big data, when used ethically, can solve many of society's toughest...

Since China closed its market, 58% of New Zealand's waste plastic now goes to Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam - all countries with poor regulations and high rankings in global sources of marine pollution. Incineration of waste-to-energy has been proposed as a possible solution. Although it may sound like a good idea, turning plastic waste into electricity creates even more pollution. Also delays the necessary transition to a Circular Economy. Read more: We need a legally binding treaty to make plastic pollution history. Dirty plastics Shipments of recycled plastic often arrive unsorted and contaminated in developing countries. Material that can't...

The majority of people say that they try to avoid food waste, but Australians collectively dispose of almost A$6 Billion worth of food each year. Food waste accounts for about 25% of household garbage. These wastes are usually disposed of in landfills, where they decompose and produce powerful greenhouse gases like methane. This food is mostly leftovers from meals, food that has been partially consumed (such as a half onion), and food that has expired. There is room for improvement when the average household throws away up to three bin liners of 5 liters worth of food each week. We...

The Economist is not without its critics, but it does provide a lot of interesting information. This table, published by EconomistDailyChart, shows meat consumption by country. This data set is full of strange characteristics, but it is accurate enough for me. I have argued before that if we choose the right options, we can feed the entire world. Our current food system produces far more per person than what is required for adequate nutrition. This can continue in the future if we make the right choices. Distribution is the key issue, not production. The meat consumption figures lead me to an even...

The scheme will allow for 10c to be refunded on most beverage containers larger than 150ml. This can be done through reverse vending machines and state-wide depots. This has reignited an ongoing discussion that is largely driven and fueled by the drinks industry. Refunds Work BehaviourWorks at Monash University, as part of the NSW Process, recently reviewed data and research from 47 CDR schemes around the globe. This work was commissioned but not carried out by the NSW Environment Protection Authority. The 47 CDR programs recovered, on average, 76% of beverage containers. In the United States, the beverage container recovery rates in...

Antonio Guterres (UN Secretary-General) opened the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal with a stark statement: "Without Nature, We Are Nothing." NatureNature is the life support system for humanity, yet they are hell-bent on destruction. The summit brought together over 190 delegates to negotiate the Global Biodiversity Framework for the period after 2020. Its implementation will require a change in how we produce, trade, and consume goods and services that rely on biodiversity and have an impact. Investors and companies have, therefore, been paying attention. Businesses and investors play a crucial role in biodiversity and conservation efforts. They need to invest in...

We must, therefore, make health care services more sustainable and efficient so that we can save money without compromising the quality of health care or damaging ecosystems that are vital to human health. In order to do this, we need to look beyond the traditional and exclusively cost-focused focus in order for us to consider a broader range of factors affecting human health and wellbeing. To be sustainable, an organization must, therefore, balance its books and measure and manage environmental impacts, such as waste management and greenhouse gas emissions, and also consider its social obligations. Among these are the health and well-being...