💚 Microalgae Now Make Plastic? 🌊
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
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You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
Happy Thursday 👋
Can you remember the horrific pictures of those plastic islands floating around in the oceans? Especially the picture of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is haunting me…
This one is three times the size of France, with 1.8 billion pieces of floating plastic that kill countless marine animals each year 😢
That’s why I’m especially happy to share today’s main story with you, which aptly involved researchers from the same country that is used as a size reference…
🌊 Discovered: Biodegradable Microalgae Plastic
Great news! French scientists have made a remarkable discovery in the battle against plastic pollution. They are changing the tide by developing sustainable new bioplastics that degrade quickly in an ocean environment!
The key element that makes these plastics break down so quickly? Microscopic algae.
By using these biodegradable plastics—made of renewable resources—we can reduce our use of harmful plastics made from fossil fuels. This is great for our oceans and the creatures that live in them.
Unlike regular plastics, these new microalgae plastics break down fast in the ocean, so they don’t stick around to harm animals and plants.
This breakthrough is a big deal because it helps us protect our environment. It’s like nature cleaning up after itself!
Not only that, these microalgae do not require arable land for cultivation, making them much easier and more sustainable to develop.
While the researchers are currently still fine-tuning this process, this new bioplastic could soon become the ecologically-responsible plastic replacement we’re looking for and play a huge part in reducing sea pollution!
📢 More Good News…
👉 UK ivory ban to protect hippos, orcas, and more: After prohibiting citizens from dealing in elephant ivory, the UK government now plans to extend the Ivory Act 2018 to include 5 other vulnerable species: hippos, orcas, walruses, narwhals, and sperm whales.
👉 Scientists develop new antifreeze car batteries: Unlike current batteries, this new electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries does not freeze in sub-zero temperatures. Not only can this mean a safer experience for electric car users in the winter, but this antifreeze electrolyte can also improve energy storage for phones, computers, and electric grids.
👉 Fungi store large amounts of fossil fuel emissions underground: The vast underground network of fungi beneath our feet stores over 13 gigatons of carbon around the world, roughly equivalent to 36% of yearly global fossil fuel emissions. Researchers are now calling for fungi to be considered more heavily in conservation and biodiversity policies.
Share the news with your friends to make a bigger positive impact on the world and society together!
Stay impactful 💚
Dennis (Founder & Chief Ninja)
PS: Did you notice that this was already our second newsletter of the week? Hit “reply” and let me know how you liked this addition. I’ll respond to every single email 😉
🌎 Event of the Week: World Day Against Child Labor
🧒 Did you know that World Day Against Child Labor is coming up this June 12? This worldwide movement focuses on eliminating child labor by addressing root causes and providing children with legal protection against all forms of child labor. You can also watch the International Labour Organisation (ILO) hold a high-level panel on June 12 to discuss their progress and demonstrate their commitment to ensuring the rights and well-being of children across the globe.
Below are our favorite charities that are especially relevant for this event:
- 10 Best Charities That Fight to End Child Labor
- 9 Best Charities That Fight to End Forced Labor
- 9 Best Charities That Fight to End Human Trafficking
📜 This Week in History
👩💼 June 11, 1880: Jeannette Rankin is born. She becomes the first female member of the U.S. Congress. She helps pass the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, and leads the Jeannette Rankin Peace Brigade in 1968, a protest march including 5,000 women to demonstrate opposition against the Vietnam War.
🕌 June 12, 2015: International Shia Day is celebrated for the first time. This day was introduced by Shia Rights Watch to increase awareness about the struggles, rights, and achievements of Shia Muslims.
💭 Quote of the Week
“Go! Go! Go! It makes no difference where, just so you go! go! go! Remember, at the first opportunity, go!”
― Jeannette Rankin; first woman member of the U.S. Congress, pacifist, and women’s rights advocate
