Over 100 Amazon river dolphins found dead amid record-high temperatures & more environmental news.

[View this email in your browser]( Wednesday, October 4, 2023 "Every little bit helps. It's amazing how much you can do when you choose to give a little bit of that natural habitat back." — Roxanne Paul Over 100 Amazon River Dolphins Found Dead Amid Record-High Temperatures Over 100 Amazon river dolphins were found dead in Lake Tefé over the past week, the Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development, a social organization under Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, reported. Thousands of dead fish were also found, with experts concerned that the record-breaking high water temperatures and ongoing drought in the region could be connected to the deaths. [Read More]( Related: [Amazon Deforestation Down 66% From Last July in Lula’s Brazil]( Mississippi River Nears Historic Lows, Putting Grain Exports at Risk An important stretch of the mighty Mississippi River is getting mighty dry, just in time for the busiest grain export season in the country. According to the National Weather Service, this week [water levels on part of the lower Mississippi]( came within inches of a record low, and conditions are expected to continue as grain export season kicks off, reported Reuters. [Read More]( Related: [Large Rivers in Ohio Improved Water Quality From 1981 to 2021, Study Finds]( Forever Chemicals Likely Leaching From Former NASA Lab Into Los Angeles River The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) oversees the cleanup of the [Santa Susana Field Laboratory]( (SSFL), an approximately 2,850-acre site near Los Angeles where nuclear and rocket engine research, as well as liquid metal testing, was conducted until 2006. According to [Boeing]( NASA had operations at SSFL, as did various Boeing heritage companies. Now, at least two toxic “[forever chemicals]( — polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — have been found to likely be leaching into the Los Angeles River and its aquifer, according to a press release from watchdog group [Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility]( (PEER). Farmers in the region get their [water]( from the aquifer. [Read More]( Related: [PFAS 101: Everything You Need to Know About ‘Forever Chemicals’]( Swedish Island of Gotland Holds Second Annual Ugliest Lawn Contest, Wants Entries for New Global Contest On the Swedish island of Gotland, neighbors aren’t bothered by whose grass is greener. Instead, locals are competing for the second year in a row for the “ugliest” lawn, a competition that began in 2022 amid a ban that prevented irrigation for grassy yards. [Read More]( Related: [6 Ways to Transform Your Lawn Into an Eco-Friendly Oasis]( Students Across the U.S. Launch Green New Deal for Schools Students at more than 50 high schools across the United States are launching a [Green New Deal for Schools]( campaign, with the hope of getting climate policies enacted that will require school districts to add climate education to their curriculums and plan for climate disasters. [Read More]( Related: [Landmark ‘David and Goliath’ Youth Climate Trial Begins]( U.S. Government Shortens Indigenous-Proposed Marine Sanctuary to Make Way for Offshore Wind The Biden administration has proposed the [Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary]( which is the first national marine sanctuary nomination to be led by Indigenous peoples and, if designated, would be the country’s 16th national marine sanctuary, according to a press release from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). [Read More]( Related: [Biden’s DOI Protects Indigenous Historical Site From Oil and Gas Drilling]( Microplastics in Clouds Could ‘Modify the Climate,’ Study Finds Microplastics are everywhere. They have been found inside [fish]( at the bottom of the [ocean]( in the [Pyrenees]( mountains and on [Arctic sea ice]( but how they are transported remains largely a mystery. A new [study]( by Japanese researchers has confirmed the presence of [microplastics]( in [clouds]( where they are likely to be having effects on the climate that have yet to be fully realized. [Read More]( Related: [Microplastics 101: Everything You Need to Know]( Do you get this newsletter daily? If not, [sign up here]( or forward to a friend. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Website]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2023 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](