Hi all, The world is a tumultuous place and those of us working as environmental professionals can easily lose track of the good things that are happening in the world. I’d like to give you a few examples of organizations that are making progress in sustainability. This is your little dose of hope as you prepare for the holidays. In the past year: - United Nations wrapped up the fifth round of negotiations on a legally binding global plastics treaty that will help to address the world’s plastic pollution crisis - Rare achieved a 40% reduction in regenerative farmers’ use of chemical fertilizers - Xerxes Society and USDA planted more than 100,000 acres of pollinator habitat - WWF Canada launched Mission Restoration, which tracks, monitors, and increases major restoration efforts that are consistent with the Government of Canada’s national and international targets - United Nations’ COP 16 biodiversity summit created a permanent subsidiary body to the Convention on Biological Diversity that will apply traditional Indigenous knowledge toward conservation and biodiversity These are just a few examples. There are also municipalities around the world, both large and small, who are successfully taking action to encourage composting, protection of wildlife, water conservation, energy efficiency, active transportation, and a whole host of other healthy and sustainable behaviors. We invite you to review the positive gains that your organization has made this past year and consider how that is contributing to a more sustainable planet. May you be filled with hope this holiday season knowing that there is plenty of good in the world and that—last but not least—you are a part of it.
