Scientists call for fireworks-free zones to protect birds & more environmental news.

[View this email in your browser]( Wednesday, December 13, 2023 "We don’t own the planet Earth, we belong to it. And we must share it with our wildlife." — Steve Irwin Scientists Call for Fireworks-Free Zones to Protect Birds The fact that loud [noises]( like [fireworks]( on the [Fourth of July]( and New Year’s Eve affect [wildlife]( should come as no surprise. New research has found that the mass use of New Year’s Eve fireworks can cause [birds]( to use precious energy stores as they flee from the loud sounds, even more than six miles from the source. [Read More]( Related: [Light Pollution Linked to Shrinking Eye Size in Birds]( Spain’s Ski Season Delayed Due to Record Heat Temperatures in Southern [Spain’s Iberian Peninsula]( can range from upwards of a scorching 113 degrees Fahrenheit to a bitter minus 4, according to the World Bank. The average annual temperature in the region is from 64.4 to less than 36.5 degrees Fahrenheit. In general, December is usually one of the coldest months in [Spain]( with an average high of 51.8 degrees Fahrenheit and an average nightly low of 42.8, the Thomas Cook travel agency said. [Read More]( Related: [Extreme Heat 101: Everything You Need to Know]( Latest COP28 Draft Does Not Mention Fossil Fuel Phaseout As the United Nations [COP28]( climate talks entered the final stretch, the most recent draft of a climate deal left out the crucial “phase out” language regarding [fossil fuels]( the main demand expressed by many developing countries, particularly those vulnerable to [climate change]( as well as the European Union. The draft deal is the precursor to a final round of negotiations over whether or how long fossil fuels will continue to be a part of the transition to a [renewable energy]( future. [Read More]( Related: [Biodiversity: Everything You Need to Know]( Impossible Foods Announces Plant-Based Hot Dogs Impossible Foods, Inc., a company known for its plant-based burgers, is adding hot dogs to its lineup starting in 2024. Some New Yorkers will be able to try them this month before they officially hit stores. The plant-based hot dogs will be the company’s first new product of 2024, although the exact date that this product will be available in restaurants and grocery stores has yet to be revealed. [Read More]( Related: [Plant-Based Eating 101: Everything You Need to Know]( Wildfires Have Erased Two Decades’ Worth of Air Quality Gains in U.S., Study Finds In recent years, many people have learned first-hand how destructive [wildfires]( can be. Even if they weren’t forced to evacuate their homes, millions in [Canada]( and the United States have had to breathe acrid air polluted with [wildfire smoke](. A new [study]( has found that an increase in the severity and frequency of wildfires in the western U.S. from the years 2000 to 2020 was the primary cause of worsening air quality in the region, with an increase of 670 premature deaths each year. [Read More]( Related: [Coastal Redwoods Have Remarkable Ability to Recover From Severe Wildfires, Study Finds]( 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](