Phthalates in food packaging lead to deaths, world’s largest turtle species gains protections, California records driest year since 1924…

[View in your browser]( [ecowatch]( Top Posts [ ​In Today's Eco Update - Phthalates in food packaging leading to deaths. - World's largest turtle species now protected in California. - California records driest year since 1924. And an EcoWatch guide to saving the bees! [post_image]( [Phthalates in Food Packaging Lead to 100,000 Deaths in U.S. Each Year, Study Finds]( A new study has found that chemicals known as phthalates (PFAS) found in plastic food packaging and other consumer goods are killing 91,000 to 107,000 older adults in the U.S. each year. [The study]( published in Environmental Pollution on Oct.12, 2021, outlines the dangers of phthalates in food packaging, although these chemicals are also found in shampoos, nail polish, creams, and even baby lotions. The researchers found that adults aged 55 to 64 with the highest exposure to phthalates are more likely to die from all causes, particularly cardiovascular disease, compared to their counterparts with lower exposure. They found that 90,761 to 107,283 people in this age group with heightened exposure had died. [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( [email](mailto:?subject=Phthalates in Food Packaging Lead to 100,000 Deaths in U.S. Each Year, Study Finds&body= [post_image]( [California Grants Endangered Species Protections for World’s Largest Turtle Species]( [California]( is taking extra steps to protect its official state reptile. The state's Fish and Game Commission voted Thursday to list the Pacific leatherback [turtle]( as [endangered]( under California's own Endangered Species Act, as the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) announced in a press release. The action comes as the population of these turtles off the California coast has declined by 5.6 percent per year in the last almost 30 years. "California's action will make an outsized difference for leatherback sea turtles, even in the face of global threats like the loss of nesting beaches," CBD attorney Catherine Kilduff said in the release. "Protecting the state's ocean to save leatherbacks benefits not only sea turtles, but whales and people too. The California Endangered Species Act will ensure that leatherbacks' decline gets the attention it deserves during this global [biodiversity]( crisis." [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( [email](mailto:?subject=California Grants Endangered Species Protections for World’s Largest Turtle Species&body= [post_image]( [California Records Driest Year Since 1924]( California just concluded its driest "water year" in nearly a century. Between October 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021, the cycle on which precipitation is measured, the average precipitation across the state's weather stations was less than half of the historical average. Climate change, caused by the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels is [intensifying droughts]( and experts worry the past year is prelude, and even if next year were to see above-average precipitation, "you're not even going to come close to refilling [Lake Mead]( Daniel McEvoy, a climatologist with the Western Regional Climate Center, told the Los Angeles Times. After a near-brush with the Caldor Fire earlier this year, water levels at Lake Tahoe are also extremely low. "The Build Back Better agenda will help us tackle the climate crisis with investments in clean energy and electric vehicles, so we can reduce emissions," Vice President Kamala Harris said Monday while visiting Lake Mead. "And why do we need to reduce emissions? Because that is part of what is contributing to these drought conditions." [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( [email](mailto:?subject=California Records Driest Year Since 1924&body= [post_image]( [Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Saving the Bees]( "Save the bees!" You've heard this call to action before, but what's the buzz really about? Turns out, bees are incredibly important in nature and in human food production. According to an [EarthDay.Org report]( there are more than 20,000 distinct bee species worldwide. In the U.S., there are native bees (more than 4,000 species) and commercially managed bees (mostly imported European honeybees). Both are vital for different reasons. The former are wild and keep our forests and meadow ecosystems functioning; the latter are managed by big agriculture to pollinate crops that feed the world. Unfortunately, most bees are in trouble. Colonies around the world are collapsing and many species are edging towards extinction. Their plight has been described as the death of a thousand cuts, and the causes range from widespread pesticide use to disease to climate change. So, what can we do? How can we save the bees? Here's everything you need to know. [Read More Button]( [9630b8e6-45a3-4648-9335-a47935d7d092.png]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( [email](mailto:?subject=Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Saving the Bees&body= All rights reserved. [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [Unsubscribe]( {EMAIL} [Update Profile]( [about our service provider]( Sent by contact@ecowatch.com