Chainsaw Injuries in Myanmar Tied to Illegal Logging
Despite Myanmar’s nationwide commercial logging ban in 2016, illegal loggers continue to find work cutting down trees with chain saws, imported largely from China and often obtained illegally and used without training or protective gear, according to a months-long investigation by Mongabay.
INFOGRAPHIC: How Wide Does the Sky Lantern Clean-Up Need to Be?
The once annual event has now turned into a daily tourist attraction that harms the environment.
The Ups and Downs of Chinese Dams on Mekong: New Report
A new study shows the significant impact of Chinese dams on the Mekong, but it is not all bad.
Blasting the Mekong for Commercial Shipping
Thai government moves ahead with plans to demolish rocks and islets to allow cargo ships from China, sparking outrage among environmentalists.
Japan Seeking Nature Heritage Status for Islands
The Japanese government recently submitted a proposal to UNESCO for two islands in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Fungus Among Us: The History of Mushrooms in Taiwan
Taiwan has a long history of growing a wide variety of mushrooms, and was once a major exporter.
BOOK REVIEW: 'Green Growth: Ideology, Political Economy and the Alternatives'
In 'Green Growth: Ideology, Political Economy and the Alternatives' editors Gareth Dale, Manu V. Mathai and Jose Puppim de Oliveira bring together a range of contributors to challenge the green growth paradigm and outline alternative approaches. This is a rigorous and compelling book that Geoff Goodwin recommends to all those looking to better understand our current environmental crisis.
Chinese Demand for Bloodwood Cuts Into Congo’s Ecosystem
Corruption and lack of oversight allow illegally logged timber to be traded from Africa’s heartland to the coast of China.
The First Observations of Sea Ice Came From 8th-Century Irish Monks in Iceland
In 1978, satellites started collecting data on sea ice to create a continuous record, and that’s the data that shows that this year is the worst of those 38 for sea ice. But those satellites are aging, and there’s no guarantee they will be replaced.
Japan Needs to Provide Relief for Minamata Victims
The government has not responded to requests from Minamata disease victims, doctors and experts on pollution that it carry out comprehensive medical examinations to grasp the overall picture of damage from the disease.
To Flush or Not to Flush: Change in Taiwan’s Bathroom Etiquette
Is Taiwan ready to change its toilet habits?
Coal, Development and Death in Asia
A new report from Greenpeace and Harvard says Chinese-financed coal projects in Asia could lead to 70,000 premature deaths a year.
An Asthma Patient in Every House
Often overlooked, the massive amount of air pollution created by stone crushing machines is a major health hazard for mountain communities from where the stone is mined.
Japan's Energy Policy Needs Overhaul
The government’s long-standing claim to the cost advantage of nuclear power over other energy sources must be reassessed and the energy policy should be reviewed.
Are Apps in Asia Killing the Planet?
'Without key policy changes, the rapid growth of the internet in East Asia will likely be powered by coal and other dirty sources of electricity,' Greenpeace says.
My Party or My People? Indigenous Legislator on the Fight for Self-Determination in Taiwan
Taiwan looks set to open the door for its indigenous people to achieve some degree of autonomy. Will the rest of the population accept it?
From Turning Tricks to Stomping Kickflips in Jakarta
Park life in the slums: Why the problems facing the controversial Jakarta governor could hurt the city’s skateboarding community.