Kenya

Climate Activist Spotlight: Winnie Cheche

Climate Activist Spotlight: Winnie Cheche

Winnie Cheche is a 31-year-old climate activist from Nairobi, Kenya. Cheche has many titles, including “conservationist, environmental blogger, climate activist, volunteer and Communication Lead at Kenya Environmental Action Network,” according to GlobalConscience.world.

Kenyan Engineer and Entrepreneur Nzambi Matee Invents Bricks Made Out of Recycled Plastic

Kenyan Engineer and Entrepreneur Nzambi Matee Invents Bricks Made Out of Recycled Plastic

Tired of waiting for her local government to find a solution for the plastic waste produced by households and factories, Nzambi Matee, a Kenyan materials engineer, invented a process and designed a machine that converts plastic waste into bricks. These bricks are denser and around five to seven times stronger than concrete. Her work has been seen as an important capital resource for Kenya’s economy, as the machine simultaneously solves the issues of plastic waste disposal and a lack of durable housing.

Weekly Climate News

Jan. 28, 2021

  • An earthquake hit Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, causing buildings to collapse and leaving 42 people dead.

  • One-third of American rivers have turned green as a result of human activity since 1984. Only 5 percent are now considered blue.  

  • Newly inaugurated U.S. President Joe Biden rolled out a slew of environmental policies and climate change goals, including canceling the Keystone Pipeline and rejoining the Paris Agreement. 

  • America’s greenhouse gas emissions plummeted more than 10 percent in 2020.  

  • Earth is reaching serious climate tipping points.

  • European Union foreign ministers called for an end to financing fossil fuels. 

  • 2020 is tied with 2016 for the hottest year on record, and Earth is now committed to a 2-degree hotter future. 

  • As a result of our changing climate, land ecosystems have been found to become less absorbent of carbon dioxide. Furthermore, recent research suggests that trees may become carbon sources rather than carbon sinks.

  • Women in Kenya are claiming more land rights, a significant step forward, as women’s involvement in decisions about land use and resource allocation is essential to slow down climate change.  

Weekly Climate News

November 12, 2020 

  • A community conservation initiative to revitalize mangrove forests, a resource for fish and medicines as well as a natural mosquito repellant, is financing women’s businesses in Kenya. 

  • A new research study indicates that hurricanes may be retaining surge strength once they move inland from coastal areas as a direct result of climate change. 

  • Hurricane Eta made landfall in Florida, drenching the state in torrential rain and strong winds.  

  • Data from acoustic and oceanographic instruments recovered by the Norwegian Coast Guard from iced-over waters north of Alaska will provide essential information for scientists researching Arctic Ocean climate changes.

  • A biotech startup in Singapore is making milk without animals or humans. 

  • Renewable electricity installation is on track to hit global records in 2020, according to the International Energy Agency. 

  • Austin, Texas plans to invest $7 billion on a new transit system which will include a 31-station rail system, rapid bus routes and bike lanes. $460 million will be allocated specifically to infrastructure for enhancing walking and biking throughout the city. 

  • Rising sea levels may threaten two-thirds of NASA’s infrastructure, so they are taking steps to prepare. Read about it here.

  • Air pollution may cause threats to honey bee populations.