Newsflash for July 7, 2026
The Graham Cracker: In the early 19th century, Presbyterian minister and dietary reformer Sylvester Graham believed that rich foods, meat, alcohol, and other indulgences encouraged immoral behavior, including excessive sexual desire. As part of his broader philosophy of moderation, he promoted a simple, unsweetened cracker made from coarsely ground whole wheat flour, encouraging people to bake it at home. Although the original Graham cracker was far plainer than the sweet version we know today, commercial bakers eventually embraced and adapted the idea—helping launch one of the earliest health-food movements.
Newsflash for June 25, 2026
Guinness World Records has crowned Canberra’s town crier as the world’s loudest person, reaching 122.4 decibels. Joseph McGrail-Bateup, an Australian professional air conditioner cleaner and honorary town crier, earned the title after his record-breaking shout.
Newsflash for June 24, 2026
The Trump administration has canceled solar and wind projects, slowed clean energy permitting and development, and terminated $7 billion in funding for affordable solar initiatives. Yet solar power continues to expand, remaining the leading source of new electricity generation in the U.S. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), states won by Trump in the 2024 election accounted for 74% of all solar capacity installed in the first quarter of 2026, with Texas, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Arizona and Mississippi among the top 10 states for new solar additions.
Newsflash for June 13, 2026
NO PHONE: More countries are moving to restrict children’s access to social media. Canada introduced legislation that would bar under-16s from some platforms, while Britain is considering similar measures. In Australia, the first country to attempt such restrictions, surveys show most children still maintain accounts on banned platforms. Teenagers have found workarounds, such as fooling age-verification scans with simple tricks like drawing a mustache on their face. Even so, parents hope tighter enforcement will be more effective for younger children who have not yet joined social media.
Newsflash for June 8, 2026
Chimpanzees do not create fashion trends in the human sense, but they can develop and spread non-functional social fads that resemble primitive fashion trends. Researchers have observed behaviors such as wearing grass or twigs in their ears—actions with no apparent practical purpose—that are then copied and adopted by other chimps through social learning.
Newsflash for May 14, 2026
Chonkers the giant sea lion takes over San Francisco’s Pier 39.
Newsflash for March 31, 2026
Check out this year's European Tree of the Year!
Newsflash for March 27, 2026
According to the most recent data from the Census Bureau, women working full-time, year-round, now earn 81 cents for every dollar men earn. That's down from 83 cents a year ago, and 84 cents the year prior.
Newsflash for March 26, 2026
The Trump administration’s $1 billion payout to a French energy company to exit U.S. offshore wind marks a striking new tactic—hailed by supporters as creative and condemned by critics as extreme. It follows federal court setbacks that have blocked President Donald Trump’s attempts to curb offshore wind through executive action.
Newsflash for March 18, 2026
Sly as ever: Stowaway fox crosses Atlantic, lands safely at Bronx Zoo
Newsflash for March 13, 2026
On February 19th, the BLM published a Notice of Intent to gut the management plans governing nearly 2.5 million acres of these forests across 18 counties. The proposal seeks to eliminate old-growth and wildlife protections to facilitate what the agency calls “maximum” logging capacity. The stated goal is to accelerate timber harvest to approximately one billion board feet per year. That’s four times current levels. It would match the peak production of the 1960s, before the Endangered Species Act existed, before anyone with authority cared whether a spotted owl or a salmon run survived the next decade. Let's not let this happen!
Newsflash for March 11, 2026
Bird Losses Are Accelerating: Bird populations in the U.S. are declining, with the steepest losses occurring in areas of intensive agriculture and in warming regions between 1987 and 2021, according to new research published in Science. While the study identifies correlations with agriculture and rising temperatures — not direct causation — it adds to growing evidence that birds, a key indicator of ecosystem health, are in serious trouble.
Newsflash for February 9, 2026
The EPA is tasked with enforcing environmental laws, but a new report from the Environmental Integrity Project shows the Trump EPA has pursued a record-low number of enforcement actions against polluters, with 2025 numbers even compared to Trump's first term in office.
Newsflash for January 9, 2026
EV Growth Stalls in 2025: What It Means for the Planet and People. As electric vehicle sales dip, higher carbon emissions and worsening air quality may persist for years to come.
Newsflash for December 6, 2025
Be on the lookout for the CAKE Winter Update! If you haven't already, sign up for these periodic emails which offer presale links, and a look into all upcoming events!
Newsflash for October 21, 2025
For the first time, renewable energy has surpassed coal as the world’s leading source of electricity. In the first half of 2025, renewables generated 34.3% of global electricity, compared to coal’s 33.1%, the energy think tank Ember found. Renewable sources include solar, wind, and hydro, while coal and natural gas are fossil fuels.
Newsflash for October 13, 2025
Favelas, which house over 8% of Brazil’s population, are informal settlements often located on the outskirts of major cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Typically built on unstable terrain such as hillsides, they are home to low-income residents and frequently lack basic infrastructure and public services—leaving them especially vulnerable to climate risks like landslides. Green space is scarce in these densely populated areas, but one São Paulo community is proving that more sustainable favelas can not only improve quality of life but also give back to their residents.
Newsflash for August 15, 2025
The effect that nature has on our minds has been studied many times... and the research generally — though not always — finds that exposure to green spaces boosts our cognition and creativity, not to mention our mood. The premise is that our ability to focus is a finite resource that gets easily used up, and being in nature is an effective way to replenish it.
Newsflash for August 3, 2025
Tree planting in city centers needs to "go harder and go faster" in order to help keep them cool ahead of future deadly heatwaves. Scientists working on the problem have said planting more trees could cut urban air temperatures by up to 9 degrees Fahrenheit.
Newsflash for July 10, 2025
Are July 4th fireworks bad for the environment?
Newsflash for July 7, 2025
The U.S. Department of Defense will no longer provide satellite weather data, leaving hurricane forecasters without crucial information about storms as peak hurricane season looms in the Atlantic.