Plastics producers lied to the public about recycling being feasible, report reveals & more environmental news.

[View this email in your browser]( Monday, February 19, 2024 “It cannot be right to manufacture billions of objects that are used for a matter of minutes, and then are with us for centuries.” — Roz Savage California Bill Would Ban Single-Use Cups for Some Dine-In Restaurants A bill proposed in California takes aim at single-use cups used for dining in at chain restaurants in the state. The proposed [Senate Bill 1167 (SB1167)]( would require that chain restaurants provide reusable, non-toxic cups for customers that dine in the restaurant, rather than offering paper, plastic or other single-use cups. [Read More]( Related: [Scientists Create Artificial Worm Gut That Breaks Down Plastic]( Plastics Producers Lied to the Public About Recycling Being Feasible, Report Reveals According to a new report from [fossil fuel]( accountability organization the [Center for Climate Integrity]( (CCI), the [plastics]( industry has known for decades that the widespread [recycling]( of its products was not feasible, but continued to promote it and mislead the public. [Read More]( Related: [Fossil Fuel Industry Was Aware of Climate Threats as Early as 1954, New Documents Reveal]( Solar Energy and Battery Storage to Comprise 81% of New Electricity Generation in U.S. for 2024: EIA According to a recent analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), solar and battery storage is expected to dominate new electricity generation capacity for this year. In 2024, there are currently plans to add 62.8 gigawatts of utility-scale electric generating capacity, about 55% higher than the 40.4 gigawatts of [capacity added last year](. [Read More]( Related: [Solar and Wind Capacity Predicted to Overtake Coal in China in 2024]( Mexico’s Maya Train Project Threatens Vulnerable Ecosystems, Including Ancient Caves [Mexico]( 966-mile Yucatán Peninsula Maya Train rail project — Tren Maya — is causing concern because of the potential for harm to environmentally sensitive areas like an ancient [ecosystem]( of thousands of subterranean caves. [Read More]( Related: [Light Pollution Threatens Entire Coastal Ecosystems, Study Suggests]( Monarch Butterflies Wintering in Mexico Drop to Second-Lowest Level Ever Recorded The estimated number of monarch butterflies migrating to Mexico for winter has reached its second-lowest level ever for the 2023 to 2024 overwintering season. The estimate, based on the size of the butterflies’ hibernating forest area, has dropped by about 59% from the previous year, according to officials. Experts are pointing to extensive heat and drought as well as climate change for the major decline. [Read More]( Related: [Monarch Butterflies Face Three Major Threats]( World Whale Day Celebrates Humpbacks and Raises Awareness of Threats In 1980, Greg Kauffman — founder of nonprofit [Maui]( [Pacific Whale Foundation]( (PWF) — started World Whale Day. A celebration of the [humpback whales]( who grace Maui’s waters each winter, the holiday is observed on the third Sunday of February and is an opportunity to raise awareness about threats to the species. This year, World Whale Day falls on February 18. [Read More]( Related: [4 of the Best Whale Watching Spots in the U.S.]( 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](