Climate Change with Scott Amyx

This is Scott Amyx with today’s Climate Change Flash Briefing. Consumerism driven by compulsive consumption habits is the biggest force behind global extractions that are environmentally damaging and depleting resources at an alarming rate. As the novelty of Christmas gifts wear out, what happens to those things? It collects dust or it’s thrown away. The current economy of extract, make, dispose model of production is accelerating climate change. So how can you spend less money that also helps save the planet? ✦ Adopt a circular economy approach in which waste, emission, and energy use is minimized by reusing, repurposing, recycling, and upcycling. That also means buying used before buying something new ✦ Embrace the shared economy by using, sharing or borrowing everything from a car, bicycle, spare bedroom, equipment to small items ✦ Reduce emissions and save money by driving less. Take public transportation, walk or bike whenever possible. Also consider driving a less polluting vehicle. Choose a hybrid and electric car over a gas guzzling SUV to save money and to help the environment ✦ Purchase less food to reduce food waste. 40 percent of food in the U.S. is never eaten but simply wasted. Stay tuned next time to find out how spending more time with family and friends helps fight climate change. And to learn more, visit https://ScottAmyx.com/.

This is Scott Amyx with today’s Climate Change Flash Briefing. It turns out that a plant-based diet not only helps you to lose weight and be healthier but it also helps the environment. Switching from a meat-based diet to a plant-based diet: ✦ Lowers carbon footprint from greenhouse gas emissions from livestock ✦ Conserves water. It takes 1,000 gallons of water to produce just one gallon of milk ✦ Slows deforestation. Animal agriculture consumes a third of arable land and is a major contributor to deforestation ✦ Reduces water pollution. Many outbreaks of E. coli infection such as in romaine lettuce have been associated with water contaminated with animal manure According to the UN, meat products are hundreds of times more water intensive to produce than plant foods. Stay tuned next time to find out how spending less money and saving more can help the environment. And to learn more, visit https://ScottAmyx.com/.

This is Scott Amyx with today’s Climate Change Flash Briefing. As we look forward to 2019, here are some of the most popular new year’s resolutions: ✦ Lose weight, and eat at home more ✦ Spend less money and save more ✦ Spend more time with family and friends ✦ And reduce stress The great aspect about these goals is that almost every one of them have a direct correlation to how we can help fight climate change. Our daily decisions, in aggregate, can help alleviate climate change effects. Stay tuned next time as we explore how your new year’s resolutions can help planet Earth. And to learn more, visit https://ScottAmyx.com/.

This is Scott Amyx with today’s Climate Change Flash Briefing. Due to water pollution, clean drinking water is becoming scarce in many parts of the world. Pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture jeopardize our clean water sources. And agricultural runoff and other land-based pollution are causing massive coral bleaching and killing our marine ecology. Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef faces permanent destruction through coral bleaching. Stay tuned next time to find out what new year’s resolutions you can make to help our planet combat climate change. And to learn more, visit https://ScottAmyx.com/.

This is Scott Amyx with today’s Climate Change Flash Briefing. Food companies are moving away from plastic packaging and pesticides to organic and vegan foods and even meat producers recognize that the future will be animal-free, clean meat. Tyson, for instance, invested in an Israeli clean-meat startup called Future Meat Technologies. The startup is able to manufacture zero carbon footprint, non-GMO clean meat from animal cells in a lab without the need to raise or slaughter animals. Stay tuned next time to find out how pesticides and fertilizers are polluting our drinking water and the ocean. And to learn more, visit https://ScottAmyx.com/.

This is Scott Amyx with today’s Climate Change Flash Briefing. In recent years, it’s been all about organic foods. Now, veganism may be going mainstream. Consumers are making a stand against climate change, animal welfare and unhealthy lifestyles. Big grocers like Tesco and Sainsbury have launched vegan lines. And apparently, it’s good for business. U.K.’s biggest grocer - Tesco - sold over 4 million packaged vegan meals in just 33 weeks and sales are expected to grow. Stay tuned next time to find out how startups are enabling us to eat real meat but with zero carbon footprint. And to learn more, visit https://ScottAmyx.com/.

This is Scott Amyx with today’s Climate Change Flash Briefing. The average person in the U.S. eat 271 lbs of meat per year, more than any other country on the planet. Worldwide, 60 percent of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions come from farm animals. Cows use 83 percent of the energy from agricultural land but only represent 18 percent of the calories that we intake. So how can you reduce your carbon footprint during the holidays? Avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth. Just start with one meal. Stay tuned next time to find out the latest trends in food. And to learn more, visit https://ScottAmyx.com/.

This is Scott Amyx with today’s Climate Change Flash Briefing. So what happens to all the plastic after the holidays? Only 14% of all plastic packaging is recycled and vast quantities escape into the environment. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, if the current trend continues, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean, almost 1 billion tons of plastic. So which countries are the best recyclers? Germany, Austria, followed by South Korea and Wales. They recycle between 52% and 56%. Stay tuned next time to find out how what you eat affects the environment. And to learn more, visit https://ScottAmyx.com/.

This is Scott Amyx with today’s Climate Change Flash Briefing, wishing you a Merry Christmas. The average U.S. consumers will spend $794 on Christmas gifts this year. In total, Americans would have spent $1 trillion. But what happens to all the packaging after Christmas? If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. If every family wrapped 3 presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields. Stay tuned next time to find out which country has the best recycling rate. And to learn more, visit https://ScottAmyx.com/.

This is Scott Amyx with today’s Climate Change Flash Briefing. Is Christmas Eve feeling warmer than usual? Winters will become warmer in every city by 2050. Almost 3 to 4° warmer in most U.S. cities. And usually cold cities in the north and east will be similar in temperature to today’s southern cities. Expect more extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, severe rainstorms, hurricanes, and floods. Stay tuned next time to find out what man-made items will exceed the number of fish in the world’s oceans by 2050. And to learn more, visit https://ScottAmyx.com/.