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If you thought <keyword id="6359858" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alcohol" source="Orion">alcohol</keyword> was just a human vice, think again! Animals might be indulging in nature’s own happy hour more often than we ever imagined. Ecologists are starting to turn this idea on its head, revealing that boozy snacks are far more common in the wild than previously thought.<br /><h2>How animals stumble upon alcohol</h2>When fruits are left to ripen a little too long, especially when drenched in warm sunlight, they naturally ferment into a natural brew. Stories of “drunk” animals like elephants, monkeys, and birds toppling around after munching on <keyword id="23742494" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fermented-fruits" source="keywords">fermented fruits</keyword> have been around for ages, but scientists used to think these incidents were rare flukes. But now, they’re rethinking it.<br /><br />"We’re moving away from this anthropocentric view that ethanol is just something that humans use," says study author Kimberley Hockings. "It's much more abundant in the natural world than we previously thought, and most animals that eat sugary fruits are going to be exposed to some level of ethanol."<br />    <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114540943" title="Karnataka to go Goa way and allow alcohol sales in coastal cities to lure tourists" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>In fact, ethanol — yep, the stuff in booze — has been around for over 100 million years. When flowering plants first started making nectar and fruits, natural yeast joined the party, creating alcohol in the process. Today, it’s pretty much everywhere, especially in humid, tropical regions, where fermentation-friendly conditions are available year-round.<br /><h2>Built for the booze</h2>For most wild critters, alcohol isn’t about the buzz; it’s about the calories. According to molecular ecologist Matthew Carrigan, animals prioritise the energy found in these boozy treats rather than the “fun” side effects. <br /><br />“From an ecological perspective, it is not advantageous to be inebriated as you're climbing around in the trees or surrounded by predators at night — that's a recipe for not having your genes passed on,” Carrigan points out. Unlike us humans, animals want the energy but prefer to skip the hangover.<br /><br />Interestingly, animals seem to be pretty well-equipped to handle alcohol. They’ve harboured genes that can degrade ethanol for millions of years, long before natural yeast even got into the game. Primates, birds, and tree shrews that enjoy fruit and nectar have evolved a strong tolerance for it, allowing them to take advantage of ethanol’s calories without too much of a head-spin.<br /><h2>Why do animals bother?</h2>It might seem counterintuitive, but ethanol could have a few perks for wild animals. It’s calorie-dense, helping to fuel their bodies when food is scarce, and some of the odorous byproducts of fermentation can act as a food signal. So, while animals likely aren’t sniffing around for alcohol itself, they could be drawn to the scent of rotting fruits.<br />    <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114453591" title="The Liver Doc shares brain scan of 40-year-old on alcohol; highlights link between brain strokes and drinking" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Insects like fruit flies have even shown a medicinal benefit to ethanol. Fruit fly larvae consume more ethanol when they're fighting off parasites like wasps. The ethanol seems to make their internal environment less hospitable to invaders, which is an intriguing example of self-medicating in the wild.<br /><br />“On the cognitive side, ideas have been put forward that ethanol can trigger the endorphin and dopamine system, which leads to feelings of relaxation that could have benefits in terms of sociality.” as behavioral ecologist Anna Bowland points out. You can imagine animals bonding over a boozy snack – kind of how humans sharing a beer!<br /><br />There’s still a lot we don’t know about how alcohol impacts animals in the wild. Do certain species seek it out more than others? Does ethanol consumption affect their social lives, family dynamics, or evolutionary adaptations? Hockings and her team plan to dig deeper, studying how alcohol impacts behavior and metabolism in animals, particularly primates.<br /><br />The findings of this research have been published in <em>Trends in Ecology &amp; Evolution </em>and can be accessed <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2024.09.005">here</a>.<br />

A lot more animals are alcoholics than we thought! Here’s how they get their booze

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Seed bombing is when people throw capsules containing <keyword id="6356392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="seeds">seeds</keyword> and fertilizers at vacant lots in urban areas.</li><li>Videos showing seed bombing have millions of views on TikTok. </li><li>It might seem uncontroversial, but it's technically illegal and, according to TikTok creators, is fundamentally political.</li></ul><p>"Illicit," "radical," and "revolutionary" are just some of the words TikTok's guerrilla gardeners used to describe the work that they do.</p><p>By throwing seed bombs (capsules consisting of seeds and fertilizer) at vacant lots, the green-thumbed <keyword id="6354632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="social-media">social media</keyword> stars often break the law and flout local regulations.</p><p>Several of these creators told Insider that they are engaging in a righteous act of civil disobedience by launching the horticultural grenades. And that's why they're proud to publish them on TikTok, often to hundreds of thousands of viewers.</p><p>"It's political," said Ellen Miles, an environmental activist with over 50,000 TikTok followers, who goes by <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@octaviachill?lang=en">@OctaviaChill</a> on the video-sharing platform. "And it's direct action that changes things for the better," she added.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/landscape-designer-buys-trophy-trees-ultra-rich-clients-2021-6">I buy and move trophy trees for movie moguls and the ultra-rich, including $40,000 beech trees and 30-foot oaks</a></em></p> <h2>Seed bombing's rebellious roots</h2><p>Creating a seed bomb is simple, and TikTok is rife with tutorials on how to make them.</p><p>"You can wet some red clay powder, mix it with compost, mix the seeds in, which should be native to the region and noninvasive, and roll it into little balls and let them dry out," Miles told Insider. "Then you just literally <a href="https://www.insider.com/24-slang-words-teens-are-using-2020-what-they-mean-2020-12">yeet</a> them at the soil."</p> <p>Seed bombs are believed to have originated in Ancient Japan. They were  known as <a href="https://www.rewildstudio.com/post/the-story-of-the-seed-bomb">Tsuchi Dango</a>, or "earth dumplings." They were also used by some <a href="https://heavypetal.ca/archives/2007/03/a-brief-history-of-the-seed-ball/">Indigenous North American tribes</a>.</p><p>But the practice of throwing these capsules as a form of rebellion has its roots in 1970s New York.</p><p>In 1973, a group of urbanites living in New York City's Lower East Side was desperate to transform the decaying urban jungle around them. Unable to convince local authorities to act, the group designed prototypal seed bombs to toss over fences and into vacant lots.</p><p>Initially, the <a href="https://bcuassets.blob.core.windows.net/docs/CESR_Working_Paper_1_2011_Hardman.pdf">Green Guerillas used condoms filled with tomato seeds.</a> They did this to <a href="https://www.greenguerillas.org/history">reclaim urban land</a>, and make community gardens accessible to as many people as possible.</p><p>Alaina Wood, also known as <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thegarbagequeen?lang=en">@thegarbagequeen</a>, is a sustainability communicator with almost 200,000 TikTok followers. She told Insider that the motivation for seed bombing is the wish to bring nature to disadvantaged communities.</p><p>"Many urban areas don't have green spaces, particularly for communities of color," Wood explained. "So, the premise is that they are going to turn these vacant spaces into something that will be useful and helpful for the community."</p> <p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@prophet.jeremiah?lang=en">Jeremiah Jones</a>, an environmental activist with 13,000 followers on TikTok, said this is partly what inspired him to get involved with guerrilla <keyword id="6374745" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gardening">gardening</keyword>.</p><p>"When we spend time in green space, you'll see that our health, emotionally, and our physical health depends on natural green space. So it's about amplifying that and making sure that everybody has access to that," Jones told Insider.</p> <h2>'I wanted to do something tangible and immediate'</h2><p>Miles, 28, who runs an organization called <a href="https://www.natureisahumanright.earth/about">Nature is a Human Right</a> alongside her TikTok account, was so eager to remedy the problem of unequal access to nature that she left her job as a creative strategist to focus on it full-time.</p><p>She told Insider that her mission feels particularly urgent because the pandemic has exacerbated the negative effects of nature deprivation. </p><p>"Most of the things that are lethal comorbidities for COVID-19 are things that are fueled by being nature-deprived," Miles explained. "So heart and lung problems, diabetes, things like that, are all significantly worse if you live in a nature-deprived area. Then also, obviously, lockdowns have impacted people's mental health if they didn't have a park or a garden to escape to."</p><p>Miles had tried to improve access to these spaces by using "top-down" approaches, like speaking to local authorities and petitioning the United Nations, but found that using social media was more efficient. </p><p>"I got quite frustrated with the lack of pace at which things were going to change and I wanted to do something tangible and immediate," she said. "That's why I started guerilla gardening, and seed bombing, and started obviously posting about it on TikTok where the response was mad."</p><p>Miles' videos have found a large and dedicated audience; her posts have more than one million likes on TikTok.</p> <p>Her success is part of a wider trend; seed bombing and guerrilla gardening videos perform particularly well on TikTok.</p><p>The hashtags #seedbombs, #seedbomb, and #seedbombing collectively have over 5.4 million views on the social media platform. #guerrillagardening and #guerillagardening have over 10 million views in total.</p><h2>Gen Z loves the 'illicit' nature of seed bombing</h2><p>According to Kim Karlsrud, the co-founder of the <a href="http://www.thecommonstudio.com/greenaid">COMMONstudio</a>, a creative agency that distributes seed bomb vending machines around the US, Gen Zers on TikTok are attracted to seed bombing videos because its transgressive.</p><p>"There's something kind of sexy and compelling about illicitly planting seeds," she told Insider.</p><p>Seedbombing is technically illegal in most parts of the US, according to <a href="https://www.conservationjobs.co.uk/articles/is-guerrilla-gardening-a-form-of-vandalism-or-conservation/#:~:text=and%20Conservation%2C%20%40FloraHaynes-,Guerrilla%20gardening%20is%20defined%20as%20gardening%20done%20without%20permission%20on,such%20as%20gardening%20at%20night).">Conservation Jobs</a>, but few people have ever been prosecuted for it.</p><p>Some creators avoid the slim possibility of being caught by wearing balaclavas and doing it in the dead of night, whereas others wear high-visibility jackets to look inconspicuous.</p><p>Jones, who goes by <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@prophet.jeremiah?lang=en">@prophet.jeremiah</a> on TikTok, does neither of these things. He said he is at peace with the fact that he could one day be arrested.</p><p>"I understand that might be the consequences of the actions that I'm taking, and that's okay because those actions are advancing values that not only I believe in but I think benefit everybody," he said.</p><p>Jones said that guerrilla gardening is "revolutionary," and he would urge those thinking of partaking not to be put off by the legal risks. "I'd thank you for getting in the trenches," he said.</p><p>Flower power is rising, and the revolution will not be televised - it will be posted on Tiktok.</p>

TikTok creators are sharing videos of themselves illegally launching seed bombs at vacant lots, and they say it's part of a 'radical' war on urban eyesores and racial inequality

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="1660859" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="bitcoin-Mining">Bitcoin Mining</keyword> Council, led by <keyword id="2430955" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="MicroStrategy">MicroStrategy</keyword> CEO <keyword id="10467759" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="michael-saylor">Michael Saylor</keyword>, made its debut on Thursday.</li><li>Its goals are to promote energy transparency, sustainable <keyword id="6355267" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mining">mining</keyword>, and the benefits of <keyword id="6354947" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bitcoin">bitcoin</keyword>.</li><li><keyword id="6355315" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="elon-musk">Elon Musk</keyword>, who suspended bitcoin payments for Tesla last month, won't be part of the forum.</li></ul><p>The Bitcoin Mining Council <a href="https://bitcoinminingcouncil.com/">formally launched</a> on Thursday, bringing together industry leaders to tackle concerns around the digital asset's <keyword id="506859" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Environmental-Impact">environmental impact</keyword> - but Elon Musk isn't part of it.</p><p>Members of the group, <a href="https://twitter.com/michael_saylor/status/1403015731701297165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1403015731701297165%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcointelegraph.com%2Fnews%2Fbitcoin-mining-council-unveils-details-confirms-elon-musk-has-no-rolerole">described</a> by its instigator MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor as a "voluntary and open forum" of bitcoin miners, first came together in a high-profile meeting in May to discuss ways around those concerns. Research by Cambridge University <a href="https://cbeci.org/">indicates</a> bitcoin generation consumes as much electricity each year as countries like Sweden.</p><p>The prominent miners involved have pledged to share information on their energy usage, and BMC membership is open to any bitcoin miner that agrees to voluntarily do the same, for the purpose of research and developing best practices.</p><p>"We promote transparency, share best practices, and educate the public on the benefits of #bitcoin and bitcoin mining," Saylor <a href="https://twitter.com/michael_saylor/status/1403015731701297165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1403015731701297165%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcointelegraph.com%2Fnews%2Fbitcoin-mining-council-unveils-details-confirms-elon-musk-has-no-rolerole">said in a tweet</a>.</p><p>Saylor, whose business-intelligence company is the <a href="https://www.buybitcoinworldwide.com/treasuries/">largest corporate holder of bitcoin</a>, has been on a mission to squash criticism of the huge amount of energy used in generating the digital asset since Elon Musk said the environmental impact was the reason Tesla <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-bans-bitcoin-payments-due-to-impact-on-environment-2021-5">stopped accepting payments</a> in it.</p><p>After the May meeting, Musk <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1396914548167233537">showed interest in the group,</a> describing it as "potentially promising." But the BMC said the Tesla CEO will not participate further.</p><p>"Elon Musk has no role at the BMC," the group said in its launch statement. "The extent of his involvement was joining an educational call with a group of North American companies to discuss bitcoin mining."</p><p>Along with MicroStrategy, the founding members are eight energy-conscious companies involved in cryptocurrencies, including Riot Blockchain, Galaxy Digital, and Argo. </p><p><strong><em>Read More:</em></strong><em> </em><em><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stocks-to-buy-best-stocks-tech-long-term-value-morningstar-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Morningstar lays out the 10 highest-conviction bets being made by US stock-pickers right now - and shares 4 Big Tech names that look cheap</a></em></p><p>Musk's comments on the ecological impact of bitcoin mining sparked a debate that partly prompted <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-price-cryptocurrencies-china-crypto-crackdown-price-outlook-2021-5-1030445035">a major cryptocurrency sell-off</a> last month. Concerns have not abated, and on Wednesday, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/sen-warren-crypto-calls-for-crackdown-on-environmentally-wasteful-cryptocurrencies-2021-6-1030512227">said</a> the amount of energy required for the token is a "disaster for our planet."</p><p>But the BMC says it believes bitcoin's energy usage is a feature, not a bug, and provides network security. It intends to hold quarterly meetings to present bitcoin mining trends and share best practices from miners to foster growth.</p><p>The founding members will cover any operating expenses for the first year of operation of the BMC, the group said in its statement. Any surplus funding will go back into bitcoin's core development.</p>

The Bitcoin Mining Council kicks off with MicroStrategy's boss at the helm - but Elon Musk isn't part of the group

<br /> ‘Save thy <keyword id="6356826" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="environment">environment</keyword>’ is a cause that is not new in any way. The battle started long ago with scientists, researchers and technology experts highlighting the varied <keyword id="74957" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="climatic-changes">climatic changes</keyword> and their ecological impacts occurring across the world, most often with disastrous results. There are several on-the-face environmental scenarios that also pinpoint how the imbalance created by rapid urbanisation is accelerating the depletion of <keyword id="6368742" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="natural-resources">natural resources</keyword>. But this <keyword id="2034087" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ecological-disparity">ecological disparity</keyword> is man-made and it is our responsibility to try and control it. And there can be no better way to act than starting it from your home.<br />
 <br />
On the macro level, green buildings or eco-friendly homes as a concept are at a nascent stage in India. As of now, it constitutes a very small percentage of the booming Indian real-estate market. But there is optimism among developers, governments and experts indicating, as a tremendous opportunity exists for expanding energy-efficient construction in India.<br />
 <br /> Also, the ‘green construction technology’ is a wide category, covering everything from energy-efficient appliances to <keyword id="1226286" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="geothermal-heating">geothermal heating</keyword> to <keyword id="70990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Solar-power">solar power</keyword> to bio-degradable paints and many more. Given the breadth of this category, this article will narrow down the theme to three key product categories – <keyword id="2034096" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Water-closets">water closets</keyword>, <keyword id="1609750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Faucets">faucets</keyword> and tiles, elements that a home cannot do without. As every act counts, every micro step is a step towards a macro initiative and ultimately, the objective is to build a greener environment in and out of home.<br />
 <br /> Clean and <keyword id="95422" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Green-Technology">green technology</keyword> is more advanced than ever before, and can be as beneficial for your wallet as it is for the Earth. What’s more, adopting or rather installing those products is not at all cumbersome. Plus, they are well-designed to match your taste. A variety of products are already there in the market and that will make designing your <keyword id="2034084" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Green-home">green home</keyword> even easier. Here are some simple choices to look at when you build your home or renovate it.<br />
 <br />
<strong>Water closets:</strong> Bathrooms happen to be the primary source of water and its usage. So the products used here are designed around eco-friendly technologies. The modern-day water closet is an intelligent toilet. The 3/6 litres per flush has become the norm and products like NANO, which uses 1.5 litre per flush, waterless urinals and star-rated, WEP-certified closets usher in a contemporary outlook to the concept of water-saving.<br />
 <br /> In India, we have already switched to energy-efficient appliances, ranging across various products, even the light bulbs. But when it comes to a stamp of approval for water-saving products, both awareness and a trusted certification seem to be missing. But things are now getting better, with the <keyword id="2034080" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="International-Association-of-Plumbing">International Association of Plumbing</keyword> and Mechanical Officials (<keyword id="2034102" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="IAPMO">IAPMO</keyword>) issuing its <keyword id="524544" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="WEP">WEP</keyword> certification. A safe and sustainable environment is everyone’s responsibility and IAPMO has taken the initiative to blend experienced leadership and broad resources, necessary to ensure a focused code development and produce model codes to help the industry and the consumer go green.<br />
 <br /> And the result? The WEP – 1 star-rated certification designed to provide information through labelling at the point of sale to consumers buying products that use water. A natural choice for authentication across the world with its 80 years of experience, IAPMO is equipped with the tools to build a better, more sustainable co-existence with the planet. So, if you have set your mind on being a wholehearted person looking to save our precious natural resources, choose from India’s first <keyword id="2034103" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Water-star-rated-product">water star-rated product</keyword> and you can save over 50,000 litres of water per year. Over 10 models of <keyword id="2034105" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Star-rated-water-closets">star-rated water closets</keyword> are available under the Hindware Italian Collection, all in different shapes and designs. The choice lies with you.<br />
 <br />
<strong>Faucets:</strong> After water closets, faucets are probably the most used in a house! Be it your washroom or kitchen, faucets are in use every two minutes or so as you wash your hands or clean vegetables or rinse your crockery. So is it possible to do without water and a faucet? The answer is – no.<br />
 <br /> However, what you surely can do is to choose the right faucet to lessen <keyword id="66392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="water-wastage">water wastage</keyword>. Several ranges are available in the market, which are technologically smart, in tune with consumers’ diverse styles and requirements, of superior quality and offer best value for money. The single-lever faucet mixes hot and cold water smoothly, made possible by the new cartridge technology incorporated in the faucets. Then there is the quarter-turn faucet, a traditional two-handle faucet with the ability to turn from full turn to half turn to quarter turn, as per usage. Not only does it make the entire experience better, but it also helps reduce water consumption without compromising on the water pressure.<br />
 <br /> Modern faucets use a technology called the <keyword id="2034111" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Faucet-aerator">faucet aerator</keyword>. It adds air to the stream of water coming out of the faucet by breaking the water into fine droplets. Finally, there are the sensor-operated, <keyword id="2034113" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pressmatic-faucets">pressmatic faucets</keyword>. They have a standard, <keyword id="2034114" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Predetermined-water-flow">predetermined water flow</keyword> timer, which controls <keyword id="2034112" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Water-flow">water flow</keyword> for every usage.<br />
 <br />
<strong>Flooring:</strong> The main purpose of floor tiles is protection. But technological advancements such as digital-printed, <keyword id="1064949" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="glazed-vitrified-tiles">glazed vitrified tiles</keyword> and stain-free, multi-charged vitrified tiles offer plenty of designs and surface finish options like marble, wood, stone, rustic, metallic, satin and matt. High-definition, <keyword id="2034118" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Multi-colour-digital-printing">multi-colour digital printing</keyword> technology offers the perfect replacement of natural marble and wooden flooring. These are technically superior and reduce the consumption of precious natural resources. GRIHA-certified tiles are easily available in the market today, and the product range reaffirms the commitment towards our environment. Once you install them, you become a part of the go-green community as well.<br />
 <br /> In short, the best way to design a green home is to make the most of the space and elements around you. This includes using <keyword id="790505" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="natural-light">natural light</keyword> and environment-friendly materials &amp; products. Your home can run on the beauty and wonders of nature, with a <keyword id="2034127" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Minimal-carbon-footprint">minimal carbon footprint</keyword>.<br />
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<strong>About the author:</strong> Sandip Somany is the JMD of HSIL Ltd.<br />
 <br />
<strong>Image:</strong> Wikipedia

Eco-friendly Home Technology: Now Design Your
Green Home

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Volodymyr Repik/AP</span></p><p class="caption">This 1986 aerial view of the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine, shows damage from an explosion and fire in reactor four on April 26, 1986 that sent large amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere.</p></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Humans have had a huge impact on our environment. </li><li>Some of the deadliest disasters in world history were caused by human activity.</li><li>Chernobyl was considered the world's worst nuclear power accident.</li><li>The Union Carbide Cyanide gas leak caused a death toll in the thousands.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul><p>You may hear about natural disasters often, but some of the deadliest disasters in world history have been anthropogenic hazards (environmental disasters caused by human activity).</p><p>For this list, we're focusing on incidents (and accidents) involving nature that were caused or worsened by people and their machines. From oil spills and explosions to nuclear testing fallout, these are some ecological disasters that changed our world forever.</p>

9 man-made disasters that had a big impact on our world

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Paula Bronstein/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Deforestation at a logging camp in Mandalay, Myanmar.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p> </p><ul><li><strong><a href="https://www.overshootday.org/">Earth Overshoot Day</a> is the day each year when humans have consumed a year's worth of the planet's natural resources. In 2018, it falls on August 1.</strong></li><li><strong>The <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/country-overshoot-days/">Country Overshoot Day</a> for the US is much earlier: March 15, 2018. If everyone lived like US residents, we would need <a href="http://www.wwf.se/source.php/1713371/How_many_earths_2017.pdf">five earths</a> to meet our annual consumption.</strong></li><li><strong>Want to reduce your <a href="https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ecological-footprint/">ecological footprint</a>? Changing the way you get around and the food you eat can have the biggest impact.</strong></li></ul><p> </p><p>The <a href="https://www.footprintnetwork.org/">Global Footprint Network</a>, an international nonprofit, takes a number of factors into consideration when it calculates <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/">Earth Overshoot Day</a>, including the earth's capacity to sequester <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-rising-carbon-dioxide-could-lead-to-worldwide-malnutrition-2018-6">carbon</a> and how much <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-food-energy-water-trash-water-carbon-statistics-2018-4">food</a> and other natural resources can grow in one year.</p><p>Earth Overshoot Day is like a report card. Are we using our <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dollar-rates-and-commodity-trends-point-to-growth-slowdown-goldman-sachs-says-2018-7">natural resources</a> wisely and sustainably? At the moment, not so much. In 2018, it would take <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/">1.7 earths</a> to replenish the natural resources we will collectively use up as a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/planet-9-in-our-solar-system-new-evidence-2018-5">planet</a>. Unfortunately, we only have one.</p><p>By August 1, 2018, we will have consumed a whole year's worth of the planet's bounty. Starting August 2, we begin to drain the earth's savings account. We can only deplete our natural resources for so long before the reserves are gone.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/country-overshoot-days/">Global Footprint Network</a></span></p><p class="caption">When Earth Overshoot Day would land if the whole global population lived in each country.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>United States Overshoot Day</h2><p>If you live in the United States, you may consume more than your share of natural resources. According to 2017 Global Footprint Network data reported by the World Wildlife Fund, the US is a close second to Australia in being a <a href="http://www.wwf.se/source.php/1713371/How_many_earths_2017.pdf">resource hog</a>.</p><p>The WWF report shows that it would take five planet earths to support humanity for a year if everyone lived the way Americans do. <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/country-overshoot-days/">Country Overshoot Day</a> for the US came less than a quarter of the way through the year - on March 15, in 2018.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/past-earth-overshoot-days/">Global Footprint Network</a></span></p><p class="caption">Past Earth Overshoot Days, from 1969 to 2018.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>Reversing the trend</h2><p><a href="https://www.footprintnetwork.org/2018/06/13/earth-overshoot-day-2018-is-august-1-the-earliest-date-since-ecological-overshoot-started-in-the-early-1970s/">Earth Overshoot Day</a> has come <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/past-earth-overshoot-days/">earlier</a> and earlier over time, as the global population grows and we consume more resources. In 1970, humans didn't use up more resources than the earth could renew until late December. By 1997, the overshoot date had moved back to late September.</p><p>The good news is that the date has not moved much since 2011, despite population growth. This is an encouraging sign that we can reverse the trend. The experts at Earth Overshoot Day have lots of <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/solutions/">ideas</a> how you can make a difference.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Global Footprint Network</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>4 things you can do to #MoveTheDate</h2><p>What change can you make to reduce your ecological footprint? Take the <a href="http://www.footprintcalculator.org/">quiz</a> to find out your footprint, then take some <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/steps-to-movethedate/">steps</a> to make it smaller.</p><p><strong>1. Take the carbon out of your commute</strong></p><p>More than a quarter of US greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation, according to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions">EPA</a>. If you live close to work or work from home, that's a fantastic way to reduce your ecological footprint.</p><p>But even if you have to go into work every day, you can <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/portfolio/commute-social/">green your commute</a>. For a zero-carbon commute, switch from four wheels to two and go by bike. If pedaling is not your thing, try a train, a bus, or carpooling with coworkers. If you drive with even one other person, you're both cutting your commuting carbon emissions in half.</p><p><strong>2. Strive for zero waste</strong></p><p>One of the ways we put stress on the Earth and its resources is the amount of stuff we buy and then <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/portfolio/garbage-collector-for-a-day/">waste</a>. You can take out the trash, but ultimately, it's never really gone. Can you be more like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tiny.trash.can/?hl=en">Tippi Thole</a>, who reduced the weekly trash she and her son generated to <a href="https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/waste-not-she-cut-her-weekly-trash-down-so-much/article_9c8fc466-270f-553f-98d4-ae4edad72f64.html">almost nothing</a>? If you're up for a challenge, try for <a href="https://www.goingzerowaste.com/zero-waste-1/">Zero Waste</a>.</p><p><strong>3. Eat less meat and more veggies</strong></p><p>A significant amount of our ecological footprint comes from the food we eat. <a href="http://www.fao.org/animal-production/en/">Livestock-related activity</a> uses more global land surface than anything else, and accounts for 14.5% of the <a href="http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/resources/en/publications/tackling_climate_change/index.htm">greenhouse gas emissions</a> produced by humans, according to the UN.</p><p>If you are serious about treading lightly on the earth but aren't able to give up driving, moving to a more <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/portfolio/plant-based-diet/">plant-based diet</a> is a great step. You don't have to be all or nothing; start with <a href="http://www.meatlessmonday.com/">Meatless Monday</a> and find more yummy vegetarian recipes <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFp8uSYCjXOMnkUyb3CQ3Q/search?query=vegetarian">here</a>.</p><p><strong>4. Tread lightly when you travel</strong></p><p>You might commute every day by bicycle and eat only fresh veggies from your garden, but a few long plane trips a year can really add to your ecological footprint. To reduce the damage, choose a more fuel-efficient <a href="https://www.theicct.org/publications/us-domestic-airline-fuel-efficiency-ranking-2015-16">airline</a> when you book a flight.</p><p>Then follow the Global Footprint Network's <a href="https://www.overshootday.org/portfolio/i-travel-with-an-eco-sensibility/">tips</a> to have an eco-conscious vacation once you arrive, including not renting a car and eating foods that are local to your destination.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/london-restaurant-mac-factory-only-sells-mac-n-cheese-2018-7">This London restaurant only sells mac 'n' cheese - here are the six different types it makes</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

On August 1, we'll have consumed more resources than the Earth can regenerate in a year - here's how you can reduce your ecological footprint

<ul><li>Investment in marketing and brand-building critical for business recovery post-COVID-19.</li><li>Innovation and creativity key drivers of growth as <keyword id="1063314" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="BrandZ">BrandZ</keyword> Top 100’s total worth hits $5 trillion and delivers US$277bn in additional brand value growth.</li><li>Amazon maintains no. 1 spot and accounts for a third of the Top 100 total growth.</li><li><keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword> enters the ranking for the first time at no. 79.</li></ul><br />The world’s most valuable brands have seen their total brand value increase by 5.9% despite the economic, social and personal impacts of COVID-19, according to the 2020 BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking released today by <keyword id="168456" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WPP">WPP</keyword> and <keyword id="1199021" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kantar">Kantar</keyword>. The total brand value of the Top 100 global brands reached US$5 trillion, equivalent to the annual GDP of Japan. It has increased by 245% since 2006, when the total brand value first reached US$1 trillion. <br /><br />The Top 100 most valuable brands have shown they are more resilient and less volatile in the current crisis than they were during the global economic crisis of 2008-9, adding an additional US $277bn of brand value growth over the past year. The BrandZ strong brands portfolios continued to outperform the market, including the S&amp;P 500 and MSCI World Index, and even in the current crisis dipped less than the global average. <br /><br />The ranking uses valuations data incorporating stock price performance from April 2020 to reflect the impact of COVID-19. Against a backdrop of uncertainty, those companies that have consistently invested in longer-term marketing and in building strong brands have managed to stave off the worst of the crisis. Prior to the global pandemic, total brand value of the Top 100 brands was set to increase by 9%.<br /><br />Amazon maintained its position as the world’s most valuable brand, growing 32% to US$415.9bn. Having first entered the BrandZ Global Top 100 Most Valuable Brands ranking in 2006, Amazon’s value grew by almost $100bn this year and accounts for a third of the Top 100’s total growth.<br /><br />Technology brands continued to dominate the top of the ranking, representing over a third (37%) of brand value in the Top 100 and growing overall by 10%. Apple maintained its position as the second most valuable global brand (+14%, $352.2bn) while Microsoft regained the no. 3 position (+30%, $326.5bn) ahead of Google (+5%, $323.6bn) at no. 4, due to the growth of its cloud-enabled workplace ecosystem that incorporates Office365 and Microsoft Teams, allowing people to maintain ‘business as usual’ during the lockdown. <br /><br />Asian brands represented a quarter of the Top 100 brands, including 17 Chinese brands. Alibaba (+16%, no. 6, $152.5bn) was the most valuable Chinese brand with Internet services giant, Tencent (+15%, no. 7, $151bn) one place behind. <br /><br />This year’s BrandZ Top 100 showed that innovation and creativity are key drivers of growth as people spend more time online. One of the most exciting new brands, short video-sharing social network TikTok (no. 79, $16.9bn) was the highest new entry this year, offering light-hearted, entertaining user-generated content. <br /><br /><keyword id="317398" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="David-Roth">David Roth</keyword>, CEO of The Store WPP EMEA and Asia and Chairman of BrandZ, says: “The continued growth in value of the BrandZ Top 100 shows that strong brands are in a much better place than they were in the global economic crisis of 2008-9. We see a significant improvement in brand equity now compared to 10 years ago because businesses understand the importance of investing in brand-building and are stronger and more resilient as a result. While the impact of COVID-19 has impacted every business regardless of size or geography, consistent investment in marketing can and will help carry you through a crisis.”<br /><br />  <br />The retail sector showed strong performance, growing the fastest (21%) in brand value driven by the major e-commerce players. Over half of brands in the media and entertainment category appeared in the top 20 risers, including Netflix (+34%, $45.9bn), up eight places to no. 26, Instagram (+47%, $41.5bn) up 15 places to no. 29, LinkedIn (+31%, $29.9bn, no.43), and Xbox (+18%, $19.6bn), up 22 places to no. 65. <br /><br />Retail e-commerce brands Amazon, Alibaba and JD (+24%, no. 52, $25.5bn) demonstrated innovation and agility during difficult times, along with more traditional retailers like Walmart (+24%, no. 27, $45.8bn), which has invested in its e-commerce capabilities. <br /><br />Brands have also found new and creative ways to engage with consumers, build trust and create a level of intimacy, particularly in health and wellness. Athleisure brand Lululemon (+40%, $9.7bn) was one of the fastest risers, having shifted its focus from yoga-inspired wear to work-appropriate clothing, as well as offering online classes for people at home.<br /><br /><keyword id="2701300" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Doreen-Wang">Doreen Wang</keyword>, Global Head of BrandZ at Kantar, comments: “Innovation has proven to be a key driver for growth in this year’s Top 100, and a way to prevent decline. Creativity is also an important trait for the world’s most valuable brands. Companies like Amazon, Apple and Google – the tech giants that keep on innovating – successfully combine both to continue being relevant to consumers’ lives and making it easier for them to choose a brand.”<br /><br />Key trends highlighted in this year’s BrandZ Global Top 100 study include:<br /><br /><ul><li>MasterCard entered the Top 10 for the first time this year, due to strong financial performance, supported by growing brand equity especially in engaging consumers: successfully fitting into the ‘ecosystem’ of their everyday lives and gaining a close emotional connection through its purposeful positioning.</li><li>Five new entrants appear in the Top 100, led by Chinese entertainment brand TikTok, followed by UnitedHealthcare (no. 86, $15.8bn), Bank of China (no. 97, $13.7bn), Lancôme (no. 98, $13.6bn) and Pepsi (no. 99, $13.3bn).</li><li>Building ecology has become a trend in the global business community. Haier (no. 68, $18.7bn) is the leading IoT ecosystem brand for the second year running.</li><li>US brands represented more than half of the Top 100 brands. Asian brands represented a quarter of the Top 100 brands, with 17 from China (including Alibaba and Tencent in the Top 10) and two from Japan (Toyota and NTT).</li><li>Sustainability is the new luxury – younger consumers expect the qualities associated with luxury, but with sustainable materials and less packaging. Four luxury brands made the Top 100 this year, led by Louis Vuitton (+10%, no. 19, $51.8bn).</li></ul>The BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands report and rankings are available to download <a href="https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/brandz">here</a> and via Brandz.com. The Global report, rankings, charts, articles and more can also be found via the BrandZ app. The app also contains the same features and functionality for all BrandZ regional reports and is free to download for Apple IOS and all Android devices from www.brandz.com/mobile or search for BrandZ in the respective iTunes or Google Play app stores.<br /><br />

As the world’s most valuable brands see their total brand value increase by 5.9% despite COVID-19 impacts, Amazon takes the top spot: BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Ranking

<p>There's a fascinating statistical phenomenon called a <a href="http://vudlab.com/fat-tails.html">"fat-tailed distribution"</a> that shows up in several places in economics, sociology, ecology, and elsewhere. These distributions describe situations where a large part of a population sits very close to the average on some measure, but a handful of outliers have a hugely disproportionate impact.</p><p>Fat-tailed distributions are at the heart of Nassim Taleb's idea of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Black-Swan-Improbable-Robustness/dp/081297381X">"black swans"</a>, or apparently unlikely events that nevertheless happen. Most trading days on the NYSE are relatively boring, but a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/investors-always-miss-rallies-charts-2015-2">handful of extreme swing days are responsible for a huge part of long-term price movements</a>.</p><p>It turns out that the number of employees at companies also has a distribution with very fat tails.</p><p>In a note on the state of America's small businesses, Deutsche Bank chief international economist Torsten Sløk pointed out that an overwhelming number of American firms are small businesses with fewer than twenty employees:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Despite the extremely large number of small companies, it turns out that the relatively tiny group of outlier large firms are responsible for a hugely outsize share of actual employment. While only about 0.3% of US firms have over 500 employees, those large companies account for half of employment:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>This works as another example of how in many cases, outliers are extremely important.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-models-pose-with-bear-2015-4">Two models in Russia just posed with a 1,400-pound bear</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="dobDNwdDrBMVZujpjC92M8SlR9FEI06Y" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

You Searched For "Ecological impact" and got 8 results

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As the world’s most valuable brands see their total brand value increase by 5.9% despite COVID-19 impacts, Amazon takes the top spot: BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Ranking

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