Venezuela battles record wildfires during climate-fueled drought in Amazon & more environmental news.

[View this email in your browser]( Thursday, April 4, 2024 “A ruined planet cannot sustain human lives in good health. A healthy planet and healthy people are two sides of the same coin.” — Dr. Margaret Chan More Than 80% of EU’s Agricultural Subsidies Goes to Animal Farming That Is ‘Driving Us to the Brink’ The European Union has been investing four times the amount of money into [animal agriculture]( — which makes “artificially cheap” [diets]( that heavily pollute the planet — than it has into [plant-based]( [farming]( according to a new [study](. [Read More]( Related: [USDA Census of Agriculture Shows U.S. Losing Small Farms to Factory Farming, While Gaining in Renewable Energy Use]( Venezuela Battles Record Wildfires During Climate-Fueled Drought in Amazon A record number of [wildfires]( are burning in the Venezuelan [Amazon]( as a [drought]( driven by [climate change]( impacts the region. More than [30,200 fires]( have been detected by satellites in the country from January to March, reported Reuters. Brazil’s Inpe research agency said it is the most for the period since records began in 1999. [Read More]( Related: [Wildfires 101: Everything You Need to Know]( Zimbabwe Declares ‘State of Disaster’ as Drought Threatens Food Supply Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the country’s ongoing [drought]( a national disaster, with more than $2 billion needed to feed millions. [Read More]( Related: [Drought 101: Everything You Need to Know]( Oregon Passes One of the Strongest Right to Repair Laws in the U.S. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed a “right to repair” bill into law on March 27. The state isn’t the first to pass such a law, but the new, bipartisan legislation is considered one of the strongest of its kind in the U.S. [Read More]( Related: [E-Waste 101: Everything You Need to Know]( Florida Lawmakers Pass Ban on Intentional Balloon Releases State lawmakers in Florida have passed a bill, HB321, to ban intentional balloon releases and charge intentional balloon releases as littering infractions. The [bill]( passed with overwhelming support in the state’s House of Representatives and Senate in March. Now it awaits signing into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. [Read More]( Related: [Laguna Beach Bans Balloons to Protect Marine Life and Help Prevent Wildfires]( Do you get this newsletter daily? If not, [sign up here]( or forward to a friend. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Website]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2024 EcoWatch, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for EcoWatch Top News of The Day Our mailing address is: EcoWatch 1122 Oberlin RoadRaleigh, NC 27605 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing](