Published

2 years ago

January 19, 2024

Alice Rush

“Mojo,” a 500+ pound leatherback sea turtle, stranded on Miami’s South Beach just before the new year. He’s estimated to be 30 to 35 years old.

According to NOAA, leatherback sea turtles are the largest turtles in the world. They’re the only species lacking scales and a hard shell and have existed in their current form since the age of dinosaurs. Their build allows them to dive deeper than most marine mammals – with the deepest recorded dive reaching nearly 4,000 feet. They’re highly migratory and can swim over 10,000 miles a year between their nesting and foraging grounds.

^{A rare and endangered leatherback sea turtle stranded on Miami’s South Beach, likely due to entanglements in marine debris. The Turtle Hospital}

“Leatherbacks act as keystone species within the pelagic, or open ocean, ecosystem, as they control jellyfish populations,” said Callie Veelenturf, the founder and executive director of conservation organization The Leatherback Project. “Jellyfish consume fish and fish larva, so sea turtles contribute to healthy ocean ecosystems and also support local fishing communities by controlling blooming jellyfish populations.” Veelenturf was not involved in Mojo’s rescue or rehabilitation.

Miami-Dade Sea Turtles responded to the emergency call for Mojo on Dec. 29. In an Instagram post, the conservation group detailed how the male sea turtle struggled in the shore break of Miami’s most famous beach. Eventually, they brought him ashore for an initial assessment. In pictures, Mojo appears with wounds on his upper carapace and head. A capture shows the magnificent reptile staring at the lights of the big city.

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A post shared by Miami-Dade Sea Turtles (@miamidadeseaturtles)

Mojo was transported via Turtle Ambulance to the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida for further assessment and treatment. Manager Bette Zirkelbach told EcoWatch, “The best guess based on his condition is he suffered a severe entanglement, got himself free, got caught in the inshore current and then was not strong enough to swim back out through the surf.” He ended up beached on South Beach and eventually under Zirkelbach and her team’s care.

^{Turtle rescue technicians tend to Mojo, a leatherback turtle, in the Turtle Ambulance. The Turtle Hospital}

Unfortunately, this is a common challenge for leatherback sea turtles worldwide. Once prevalent in every ocean except the Arctic and Antarctic, leatherback populations are now in rapid decline, NOAA reported. The agency estimates that the global population has declined over 40 percent in the last three generations, with some nesting populations “essentially disappeared” and others “at risk of extinction.”

Florida’s Atlantic coast constitutes some of the main nesting areas for the Atlantic leatherback in the continental United States. However, “significant decreases in recent years” have also been observed in the sunshine state. See the Endangered Species Act’s 2020 Status Review for additional information on leatherback sea turtle abundance and population trends.

So, what’s taking down these “dinosaurs”? According to NOAA, the greatest threat to leatherbacks is becoming bycatch (incidental capture in fishing gear), hunting of sea turtles and collection of eggs for human consumption. Marine debris makes NOAA’s top five list of threats to leatherbacks, with entanglement in lost or derelict fishing gear leading to serious injuries, drownings and even death.

Veelenturf explained, “Sea turtles are air-breathing reptiles and can only hold their breath for up to 2 hours, so they are specifically susceptible to drowning via entanglement in fishing gear that is set for many hours at a time.” She launched several unrelated projects to combat fisheries bycatch of leatherback sea turtles but was not involved in this rescue.

Luckily for our sea turtle, the veterinary staff at The Turtle Hospital helped him get his mojo back. He received fluids, a long-acting, broad-spectrum antibiotic, vitamins and an anti-inflammatory. With treatment, he regained strength and passed his swim test. Leatherback sea turtles do not do well in captivity and often deteriorate in tank settings, Zirkelbach said. Therefore, when Mojo proved he could swim strong and dive as normal, he was cleared for release – just a few days after his rescue.

^{After treatment and swim tests, Mojo was released into the Gulf Stream off the Florida Keys. The Turtle Hospital}

“We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome to end the year on!” Zirkelbach celebrated. “Mojo made a big splash returning to his ocean home in time for the New Year! Swim free, Mojo!

All sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation activities were conducted by authorized personnel under FWC marine turtle permits.

^{A group of people and organizations worked together to rescue, rehabilitate and release Mojo, an endangered leatherback sea turtle that stranded itself on Miami’s South Beach. The Turtle Hospital}

The post Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release: A Sea Turtle Success Story to Kick off 2024 appeared first on EcoWatch.

https://www.ecowatch.com/sea-turtle-rescue-rehabilitation-miami-south-beach.html

Green Living

Earth911 Inspiration: Nothing In Vain

Published

22 hours ago

January 23, 2026

Alice Rush

Aristotle, who saw purpose and design in everything, wrote in several different works that “Nature does nothing in vain.” We reply that regardless of purpose, nature does everything with grace; we are fortunate to witness the miraculous results of 13.4 billion years of experimentation.

Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click the poster to get a larger image.

The post Earth911 Inspiration: Nothing In Vain appeared first on Earth911.

https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-nothing-in-vain/

Green Living

Can You Recycle Computers?

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2026

Alice Rush

Last Updated on January 21, 2026

Picture this: Your laptop of three years decides it’s going to conk out. What’s the most sustainable solution? Seeing if you can get it repaired, of course.

Fighting planned obsolescence is a full time job, and it occurs with way more than just electronics.

But lets say you can’t repair your laptop for some unforeseeable reason…what then? You recycle it of course.

Computers don’t belong in landfills, nor do most conventional curbside recycling programs accept them. So how do you recycle computers? Here’s everything you need to know about computer recycling (and why we need to dispose of them properly).

why should you recycle computers?

First, lets tackle the reason we should bother to recycle computers. Computers are made up of several components – and when we dump them out, they become notorious for leaking toxins and carcinogens into the environment. This poses a risk for humans, wildlife, and soil quality alike.

However, if we recycle computers, all those components get a second shot at life. There are several valuable materials in our old computers that can be used to make new electronics, thus reducing waste and pollution.

According to the EPA, recycling 1 million laptops saves enough energy to power ~3,500 U.S. homes for a year.

And if that’s not reason enough – improperly disposed computers can put your personal or business files at risk of being recovered. And that can escalate to data breaches or reputation damage (yikes).

how do I get rid of my old computer?

To get rid of your old computer, you must first back up your data, sign out of all accounts, wipe & destroy the hard drive, then recycle the computer through local e-waste centers or retailers with take-back programs (Best Buy, Staples, etc.).

To wipe a hard drive, be sure to back up any important data first. Use built-in tools like ‘reset this PC’ or check with your computer’s manufacturer to see specific instructions. For example, here’s how to wipe a Dell hard drive and erase a Mac hard drive.

For absolutely no chance of your data being recovered, it’s always best to remove and destroy the hard drive, if possible. Here’s a guide to destroying a hard drive safely.

Once the hard drive is no longer an issue, you can recycle computers through a number of drop-off or mail-in options.

drop off:

Local e-waste recycling events (make sure to ask if your specific computer will be accepted in advance). Check your local .gov to see when your next one will be!

Best Buy accepts various desktops, laptops, and tablets, including some accessories. There’s a limit of 3 items per household per day. They charge a small fee for recycling monitors.

Staples accepts computers & Macs. They charge a fee for monitors. When you recycle, you get rewards with their store!

Use ERI’s recycle search and find recycling locations near you. Just type in “computer recycling” and your zip code to learn what your options are.

mail-in:

Several manufacturers will accept mail-in recycling for their computer models. Dell and HP have trade-in programs for computers that meet certain standards, as well as recycling options for lesser functioning computers of any brand. Apple also accepts trade-in and recycling for several devices, including computers.

Green Citizen offers free mail-in recycling for laptops, desktops, and tablets, but there may be fees for data destruction.

Most of these places will also accept computer accessories, like keyboards, mice, etc. But be sure to double check!

should you remove the hard drive from a computer before recycling?

Yes, always remove the hard drive before recycling. It’s best to wipe it, then remove it and destroy it. Because even a wiped hard drive can still be recovered, to an extent.

Even if you empty the recycling bin on your computer it doesn’t guarantee that the content is gone because the computer marks that data space to be overwritten with new data. So if the data hasn’t been overwritten, data recovery software can pick it up.

does best buy erase hard drives when recycling?

Best Buy offers tips and advice on wiping hard drives and data for Windows computers prior to drop off, but won’t actually do it for you. It’s best to go prepared by wiping/destroying your hard drive first.

So, what did you think of this guide to recycling computers? Let me know in the comments!

The post Can You Recycle Computers? appeared first on Going Zero Waste.

Can You Recycle Computers?

Green Living

Best of Sustainability In Your Ear: Carbonfuture is Building the Trust Infrastructure for Carbon Removal

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2026

Alice Rush

Read a transcript of this episode. Subscribe to receive transcripts: Learn more.

The carbon removal industry stands at a crucial crossroads. While cutting emissions remains essential, avoiding catastrophic warming now requires pulling billions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere permanently. But as this nascent field grapples with questions of legitimacy, scalability, and accountability, a critical challenge remains: How do we build the infrastructure needed to track, verify, and certify that carbon has actually been removed and stays removed? Meet Hannes Junginger-Gestrich, CEO of Carbonfuture, a company helping define the monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) infrastructure that could transform carbon removal from scattered efforts into a functioning ecosystem. Launched five years ago, Carbonfuture has emerged as what CDR.fyi describes as “the largest facilitator of durable carbon removal” by volume. The company’s digital platform integrates data across the carbon removal life cycle, connecting diverse approaches like biochar, enhanced rock weathering, and direct air capture with buyers seeking to meet climate commitments. “We are probably more the crowd, the ground keepers in a stadium that makes sure that everything is provided properly,” Hannes explains, using a sports analogy to describe their role: “We are the ground keepers in a stadium [who ensure] the players have a playing field that’s in shape and no one gets hurt, and the audience can come and they pay their tickets and have a good experience.”

Hannes Junginger-Gestrich, CEO of Carbonfuture, is our guest on Sustainability In Your Ear.

The MRV infrastructure becomes crucial as corporate demand for verified carbon removal grows and trust becomes currency. One of the most interesting aspects of the conversation centers on balancing data confidentiality with transparency needs, particularly when collecting data along industrial value chains from agricultural residue producers to biochar processors to end users. Perhaps most telling is Junginger-Gestrich’s unwavering commitment to scientific rigor over short-term economic gains: “We never had to trade off between rigor and allowing a not so good project on our platform for economic reasons. We always lean to the scientific and rigorous side.” This philosophy has guided Carbonfuture’s work with leading buyers like Microsoft, helping develop increasingly sophisticated approaches to carbon removal verification. While Junginger-Gestrich expresses concern about delayed emission reductions globally, he remains optimistic about carbon removal scaling: “I think we will be on the path to the gigatons by 2040 for sure.” His vision emphasizes ecosystem thinking over vertical integration, aiming to drive down costs while creating network effects that could accelerate the entire field. As governments worldwide grapple with climate policy, the monitoring, reporting, and verification systems companies like Carbonfuture are developing now may well determine the success of our collective effort to reverse climate change. You can learn more about Carbonfuture at carbonfuture.earth.