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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
New study makes startling discoveries after studying birds' feathers: 'It's a slower and more meandering process'
A recent University of Utah study found that birds are molting at earlier dates. The underlying reason? Our planet's warming. Researchers used 13 years' worth of data on 134 bird species to come to their conclusion. They studied molting patterns from 2011 to 2024 and found that fall migratory birds consistently molted a day earlier than in the previous year. Molting is a crucial precursor to migration and, consequently, breeding. Old feathers could negatively impact both their flight and mating capabilities, Kyle Kittelberger, research team lead, told Spring migratory birds, however, were a different story. "We didn't see any shift at the community level for spring body molt," Kittelberger said. "Some of the reasons for that might be birds tend to migrate much faster in the spring … whereas in the fall, it's a slower and more meandering process." The specific reason isn't entirely clear yet. Kittelberger suggests that earlier breeding or later migration times — both of which result from the warming planet — are viable options. If molting overlaps with either breeding or migration, it could sap birds' energy, damaging species' survival in the long run. If that is the case here, it could spell bad news for migratory birds — and humans. Different bird species provide different benefits to humanity. Take hummingbirds, for example. Most hummingbird species migrate and are excellent pollinators. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, about 35% of the entire world's food supply depends on pollinators to reproduce. The extinction of hummingbird species will globally jeopardize human food supplies. And that's just one example out of many. On the whole, every bird plays a part in their local ecosystem, spreading seeds, scavenging carcasses, and keeping pests at bay. Without them, the world will be thrown out of balance. Kittelberger already has the next steps in mind. He told that he plans to research birds in their breeding and/or post-breeding grounds. "That is the next element of this kind of research," he said, "to not only look at what's going on in the summer when they're beginning to molt but to see if that overlaps with anything like breeding." If you'd like to help on an individual level, there are a couple of things you can do. Converting just a portion of your yard to a native lawn can give pollinators, like hummingbirds, crucial food sources. You can also consider donating to climate causes that research birds and conserve their habitats, like the National Audubon Society. Do you think America could ever go zero-waste? Never Not anytime soon Maybe in some states Definitely Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Donation centers overwhelmed after law causes massive surge in dropped-off items: 'It's a huge amount coming in every day'
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways The European Union took an eco-friendly step this year and outlawed throwing away textiles. As a result, tons of clothes are being recycled or donated instead. Unfortunately, the recycling system and thrift stores in Sweden are struggling to manage the spike, according to an Agence France-Presse article shared on What's happening? Before the law was passed, trashed garments in the EU were burned, which can mean nasty things for the air we breathe. More of the pile is now being sorted, reused, and recycled like glass or paper waste. In Stockholm, 60% more textiles were collected for recycling in the first two months of this year than in the same time frame last year, AFP reported. However, Sweden lacks the necessary sorting facilities and resources to handle the uptick. Instead, the bulk of its overflow is sent to other countries, namely Lithuania, for processing and often incineration. Items are also still being burned in small Swedish towns without secondhand markets. And thrift stores in cities are swamped. "It's a huge amount coming in every day. It's been crazy, it's a huge increase," said Brian Kelly, secretary-general of a Stockholm charity shop, per AFP. Why is keeping clothes out of landfills important? Fast fashion is a notoriously polluting industry. Synthetic materials used in clothes are full of plastics, which are slow to biodegrade and dangerously worm their way into our food and bodies. On top of that, making a single T-shirt can require 660 gallons of water and more than 2 pounds of chemicals, AFP reported. Yet some people wear an article of clothing only a handful of times before tossing it and buying something new. Indeed, the outlet reported that the average person discards nearly 42 pounds of clothes a year in the EU. That figure is almost twice as high in the United States, per The industry also adds more than 1.3 billion tons of harmful carbon gas to the atmosphere each year, which is worse than air travel, the Carbon Literacy Project noted. Put all that together, and you have a pretty convincing case for getting the most out of your clothes and keeping them out of landfills. What's being done to improve textile recycling? An improvement to the Swedish system is expected. As part of an EU agreement, fashion giants such as H&M and Zara will soon be required to help finance the increased recycling burdens. As AFP explained, the hope is that this kind of incentive will encourage big companies to produce longer-lasting items that are less likely to end up in the garbage. Consumers can also make a difference — and save cash — by cutting back on new clothes and thrifting used items whenever possible. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
