Water at California Beaches Cleanest in Years

Nearly every beach in the Bay Area, and throughout the California state, had dramatically lower levels of bacteria and pollution than last year, according to an annual survey of 650 West Coast beaches by Heal the Bay, a Santa Monica environmental group.
L.A. Approves Ban on Plastic Bags at Checkout

Los Angeles became the largest city in the nation to approve a ban on plastic bags at supermarket checkout lines, handing a hard-fought victory to environmentalists and promising to change the way Angelenos do their grocery shopping.
Cannes: Underneath the Surface

As the 65th Cannes Film Festival is unfolding, a european environmental organization, Expedition med, released a series of videos depicting the grave marine pollution affecting the Mediterraneean sea, plastic and marine debris covering the seafloor… this, just a few feet away from the glitter and glamour of the Marches du Festival…
Sustainable Earth: Oceans

Scientists ask Rio+20 leaders to protect the bounty of the Seven Seas for future generations.
Brazil’s Jubarte Field Oil Spill Under Navy Investigation

An oil spill was discovered off Brazil’s coast near the country’s Espirito Santo state, Brazil’s Navy said on Thursday, the latest in a series of spills that have raised questions about the safety of a massive expansion of the country’s oil production capacity.
Number of English Beaches Gaining Blue Flag Awards Rises

The number of England’s beaches gaining Blue Flag awards for cleanliness has increased in 2012. But about 30% of the beaches might not reach tougher water quality standards being introduced next year.
Living Planet Report 2012: Looks At Ecological State Of The Earth

Twenty years on from the Rio Earth summit, the environment of the planet is getting worse not better, according to a report from WWF. Humans are currently using the equivalent of one and a half Earths to support our activities. This and other startling findings were revealed tuesday with the release of World Wildlife Fund’s 2012 Living Planet Report.
Plastic Trash Altering Ocean Habitats

Sharp increase of small plastic debris in the ‘Garbage Patch’ could have ecosystem-wide consequences.
Chittagong Beach Ship Breaking Yards, Bangladesh

Stretched along 12 miles of what just a decade ago was a pristine sandy beach, ore carriers, container ships, gas tankers, cruise liners and cargo ships of every size and description are being dismantled by hand in 140 similar yards, at Chittagong beach Ship Breaking Yard, Bangladesh, the world’s second largest ship breaking area. Every year more than 250 redundant ships, many from Britain and Europe, come here to be broken up.