#environmental-impact

#environmental-impact

The architecture and construction sector currently accounts for the highest carbon emissions among all global industries. Architecture, which has evolved alongside humanity for over 10,000 years, entered the 20th century prioritizing efficiency and economy above all else, adopting concrete and steel as its near-exclusive materials. This pursuit of industrial optimization, while enabling rapid development, also detached architecture from its ecological roots and intensified the environmental burden of the built environment.

When the corroded pipeline burst in 2015, inky crude spread along the Southern California coast, becoming the state's worst oil spill in decades. More than 140,000 gallons (3,300 barrels) of oil gushed out, blackening beaches for 150 miles from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, polluting a biologically rich habitat for endangered whales and sea turtles, killing scores of pelicans, seals and dolphins, and decimating the fishing industry.

This month's multiple whammy of Friezes London and Masters, swiftly followed by Art Basel Paris, and accompanied by the inevitable plethora of adjacent events and satellite art fairs, is never good news for the environment. And in these twitchy times, when there is so much else kicking off-both economically and politically-across the globe, it is especially challenging to keep the attention of the art world on the ever-escalating climate and environmental crisis that faces us all.

Each minute, millions of teens scroll through videos on social media platforms. These platforms are designed to connect people, but their overuse among young users is leading to serious, unintended consequences. The impact of social media on teen mental health has received significant media attention. After Facebook became available to American college students, their rates of depression rose by 7% and anxiety by 20%.

At the sixth edition of the Aichi Triennale, which opened in Japan in September, wars and their effects loom large. The exhibition's title, A Time Between Ashes and Roses (until 30 November), comes from a line in a poem by the Syrian poet Adonis about the cycle of destruction and rebirth, observed through nature. It resonates throughout this year's event, where war, displacement, memory and the natural world are interwoven across venues in Aichi Prefecture, located to the west of Tokyo.

Once upon a time, Lapland was a word that conjured up the home of Santa Claus in the imagination of British children, but increasingly it has become a tourist destination. Last year, more than 700,000 people came to the region, with 100,000 of them coming from Britain. That number is up 160% compared with 30 years ago. Soaring tourism is making a substantial footprint on Lapland's environment.

Arc'teryx recently decided to do two things that plenty of clothing companies do: collaborate with an artist and draw attention to a particular place. In this case, the location was the Himalayas and the artist was Cai Guo-Qiang, who sometimes uses gunpowder in his work.You can tell where this is going, right? Guo-Qiang came up with a memorable installation that evoked the shape of a dragon and followed a path up a hill.

While dishwasher pods seem like a time-saving alternative to powder or liquid detergents, they may actually be causing more harm than good. Not only are pods not as eco-friendly or environmentally safe as other types of dishwasher detergents, but they can also pose a health and safety risk if you have curious children or pets in your home. Plus, even the best dishwasher pods can potentially leave residue or gunk on your dishwasher and dishes.

Taxing Britain's SUVs in line with other European countries could raise almost 2bn a year for the public finances, research has shown. The Transport & Environment thinktank has urged the government to use the autumn budget to bring in a levy on the largest vehicles, which it said would reflect the damage they caused to the environment and infrastructure.

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground.

Two judges appointed to the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit by President Donald Trump issued a Thursday decision that allows a newly established but already notorious immigrant detention center in Florida, dubbed Alligator Alcatraz, to stay open. Friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida sought "to halt the unlawful construction" of the site. Last month, Judge Kathleen Williams - appointed by former President Barack Obama to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida - ordered the closure of the facility within 60 days. However, on Thursday, Circuit Judges Elizabeth Branch and Barbara Lagoa blocked Williams' decision, concluding that "the balance of the harms and our consideration of the public interest favor a stay of the preliminary injunction."

Originally known for its bohemian spiritual community and pristine coastline, Tulum has transformed from a secluded seaside paradise into a small city and bustling tourist spot with design-forward resorts, world-renowned restaurants, nightlife spots aplenty, an international airport, and a plethora of exceptional villas to call home. First-time tourists may flock to Tulum's glam beachfront hotels, but booking a stay at a villa means more space for a

A fluid choreography that combines strength and delicacy, like a dance on the waves, gathers enthusiasts across the world's oceans. Yet, behind this image of freedom and connection with nature, the sport also carries contradictions. It is a symbol of outdoor life and respect for the ocean, but on the other hand, it is marked by territorial disputes over waves and by an environmental footprint that rarely receives the same attention given to its aesthetics.

"Don't mess up my beach, girl," New Yorker and comedian Ilana Glazer pleaded to Gov. Kathy Hochul in late July in an Instagram reel with over 46,000 likes. Glazer wants the governor to reject the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project, which would build a natural gas pipeline that would start in Pennsylvania and end in New York City's beachfront community, the Rockaways, with a 17-mile stretch below the ocean floor.

Starting Sept. 29, the coffee giant, Starbucks, will require many corporate workers to commute into the office four days a week, up from the current three. While framed as a culture-building move, the shift raises new concerns about environmental impact and community strain - both of which add up for a large company - at a time when climate goals should be moving forward, not in reverse.

They note that the 152-acre project site - an undeveloped swath of creosote scrub about a half-mile from the national park boundary - may support at least 10 plant and 17 animal species that are either listed as threatened or endangered or recognized as species of concern, including loggerhead shrikes, golden eagles, burrowing owls and, of course, desert tortoises such as Big Boy and Squiggles.

The deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, has been hit with a legal challenge after she overruled a local council to approve a hyperscale datacentre on green belt land by the M25 in Buckinghamshire. Campaigners bringing the action are complaining that no environmental impact assessment was made for the 90MW datacentre, which was approved as part of the Labour government's push to turn the UK into an AI powerhouse

Fast fashion, which emerged in the 1990s, has changed global clothing consumption by prioritising affordable, mass-produced garments. However, this model comes with significant environmental and social costs. Socially, fast fashion is tied to serious issues like labour exploitation, particularly impacting women and children in developing countries, which continues to tarnish many big brands' reputations. The true cost of fast fashion The fashion industry produces around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions and uses a massive amount of water annually.

Toothbrushes contain nylon bristles, a metal staple, and a plastic handle, all of which must be separated before recycling can occur.

"The finish takes place at a hiking area at 2,247 metres in altitude where the crowds, traffic, and infrastructure could damage the fragile high-mountain ecosystem."

This type of oddly-shaped truck is used in advertising, often parked in strategic locations where permanent billboards aren’t allowed or are too costly due to taxes.

Smoke from a large moor fire in Yorkshire has affected residents over 30 miles away, with firefighters battling the blaze near RAF Fylingdales since Monday.

Choosing the right water bottle in 2025 aligns personal hydration with environmental responsibility, transforming a simple vessel into a statement of care for the planet.

"Just because something is recyclable doesn't mean it's getting recycled. Currently, it is simply cheaper to just make a new plastic product than to collect it and recycle it."