Environmental Concerns - Plastic pollution is a significant global issue, exemplified by events like island flooding and pervasive plastic waste [1] - Climate change and pollution are causing environmental damage, including the melting of the North Pole and the endangerment of species like polar bears (approximately 600 polar bears die each year due to the melting ice) [2][3] - By 2050, projections indicate there will be more plastic than fish in the sea, highlighting the urgency of addressing plastic pollution [4] Ugandan Plastic Pollution Crisis - Uganda generates approximately 600 tons of plastic waste daily, with 79% ending up in landfills or the environment, 12% incinerated, and only 9% recycled [5] - Burning all of Uganda's plastic waste would release 9,000 tons of CO2 emissions and particulate matter [6] - Particulate matter pollution in Uganda is significantly high, with a 24-hour release of 102 compared to a good amount of 125% [6] - Uganda's efforts to reduce pollution, particularly from "cavveras" (plastic bags), are insufficient, with disintegration rates of 500 to 1,000 years [7] Proposed Solutions - Implementing a "pant" system, similar to Denmark's, could incentivize recycling by offering a refund for returned bottles (e g, paying an extra 500 shillings for a bottle, refunded upon return) [8][9] - Utilizing water hyacinth from Lake Victoria to create 100% biodegradable plastic, which degrades in approximately 6 months, could replace traditional plastics [10][11]

Mosquitoes found in Iceland for first time after record heat https://t.co/f7X64DkVNr ...

If its awful air pollution is ever solved the country will get even hotter https://t.co/RWCnjlfweT ...

Europe needs deeper capital markets to stem its response to climate change, according to ECB President Christine Lagarde https://t.co/0nHNaFNZdK ...

Climate Risk Management - South African actuaries introduced the country's first climate index [1] - The index aims to manage risks and losses from more frequent extreme weather events [1]

Core Viewpoint - Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, is set to release its Q3 2025 financial results on November 13, 2025, followed by a conference call on November 14, 2025, to discuss the company's performance [1]. Group 1: Financial Results Announcement - Stantec will announce its third quarter 2025 financial results after market close on November 13, 2025 [1]. - A webcast and conference call will be held on November 14, 2025, at 7:00 AM Mountain Time (9:00 AM Eastern Time) to discuss the results [1][2]. Group 2: Conference Call Details - Pre-registration is recommended for the conference call, and participants will receive dial-in details and a unique access code via email after registration [2]. - The conference call and accompanying slideshow presentation will be broadcast live and available on the Events and Presentations section of Stantec's website [3]. Group 3: Company Overview - Stantec is recognized as a global leader in sustainable architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting, addressing significant challenges such as aging infrastructure and energy transition [4]. - The company emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives from various stakeholders to tackle critical issues like climate change and digital transformation [5]. - Stantec operates with a focus on innovation at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships, aiming to redefine possibilities for communities [6].

Fears about climate change’s effect on agriculture revolve mainly around rising temperatures. That an unexpected side-effect of such change might be a crop-damaging fall is ironic https://t.co/8kBM4bNBLs ...

Core Insights - Household utility expenses in the U.S. have increased by 41% from 2020 to 2025, significantly exceeding the overall inflation rate of approximately 24% during the same period [1][2][16] - Average monthly costs for American households are now $184 for electricity, $141 for gas, and $99 for water, representing a total increase of $122 per month since 2020 [2][16] - More than 40 states are experiencing rising utility rates, with further increases anticipated in 2026 [2][16] Rising Electricity Costs - Southern California Edison plans a 19% rate increase for five million customers, which will add $33 per household by 2028 [4] - Consolidated Edison is seeking a 13% increase in New York in 2026, raising average bills by $26.60 [4] - Spire Inc. raised rates by 15% in Missouri in October, adding $14 to monthly bills [4] Contributing Factors - Climate change is leading to more frequent extreme weather events, which damage the power grid and necessitate costly repairs and upgrades by utility companies [7][16] - The surge in electricity demand driven by AI and data centers is straining the aging U.S. electric grid, prompting utilities to invest in upgrades that are passed on to consumers [8][16] - The Edison Electric Institute projects $1.1 trillion in spending on energy grid upgrades between 2025 and 2029 [9][16] Impact on Households - Rising electricity costs are increasingly burdening household budgets, particularly for low-income families, with monthly utility expenses now consuming 6.3% of a typical household's income, up from 4.5% in 2020 [10][16] - A survey indicated that two-fifths of low-income households faced overdue electric bills in the past year, with one in three receiving shutoff notices [10][16] Additional Influencing Factors - Other contributors to rising electricity costs include inflation, state clean energy mandates, and aging infrastructure [13][14][16] - Initial infrastructure costs associated with clean energy can elevate bills despite reducing reliance on fossil fuels [14][16]

Does Iceland have a fierier future ahead? This is what the data suggest https://t.co/qxDU7ws2Cn ...

Climate Change & Green Tech Investment - Bill Gates believes preventing a catastrophic rise in temperatures requires unprecedented scientific breakthroughs, technological innovations, and global cooperation [1] - Gates supports President Biden's decision to rejoin the Paris climate agreement and asks the administration to massively increase the budget for climate and clean energy research to $35 billion a year [1] - Cement and steel production accounts for 16% of all carbon dioxide emissions, with demand growing as the world will add an estimated 25 trillion square feet of buildings by 2060 [1] - Gates has invested $2 billion of his own money on new green technologies and plans to spend several billion more [1] - Gates recruited Jeff Bezos, Mike Bloomberg, and nearly two dozen other wealthy investors to back a $1 billion fund called Breakthrough Energy Ventures [1] - Gates is offsetting his personal emissions at a cost of $400 a ton, totaling $7 million a year [2] Tech Industry & Addiction - A former Google product manager suggests Silicon Valley is engineering phones, apps, and social media to get users hooked, with some programmers calling it brain hacking [11][12][13] - Snapchat invented "streaks," showing consecutive days of messaging, causing teenagers stress and password sharing to maintain them [15][16] - Ad spending on social media has doubled in just 2 years to more than $31 billion [34] - Research indicates people check their phones every 15 minutes or less, often without alerts, leading to cortisol release and anxiety [39] - Apple rejected a habit-breaking app called Space from its app store, stating that any app encouraging less iPhone use was unacceptable [49] Google & Antitrust Concerns - Google is worth more than $750 billion and has acquired over 200 companies since going public in 2004 [8] - Google conducts 90% of the world's internet searches [8] - Google controls roughly 60% of worldwide advertising revenue on the internet [8] - The FTC's Bureau of Competition recommended an antitrust lawsuit against Google in 2011, citing anti-competitive behavior, but the recommendations were rejected [10] - The European Union levied a $27 billion fine against Google for depriving certain competitors of a chance to compete [10]