In this week’s feature report, Carrie Albright introduces us to a group of young girls who have formed a band through attending the Girls Rock Bloomington Summer Camp. They made a song titled “I Am A Tree” about saving the environment.
Indiana communities are breathing, drinking, and eating microplastics that wash into rivers and the Great Lakes. Yet if your city wanted to address this locally by banning plastic bags, state law would make that illegal. Since 2016, Indiana Code has prohibited any city, town, or county from passing ordinances that restrict or tax single-use items like plastic bags, cups, and boxes.
House Bill 1053, signed by then-Governor Mike Pence, created what’s called a “ban on bans”—even if your local council wanted to charge a small fee like other states allow, that ordinance would be void. Indiana is one of 20 states where the state government has stripped communities of local control over plastic waste.
This isn’t random—powerful groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council have pushed model legislation written together with corporate lobbyists and state legislators to block these local protections. The plastics industry has focused heavily on this approach, preventing communities from acting on environmental threats in their own backyards.
Here at Eco Report, we’ve talked often about avoidable plastic use and what is—and isn’t possible. But some states like Colorado have been able to repeal these preemption laws, proving it îs possible. We encourage you to contact Indiana senators and state representatives and ask them to support repealing IC 36-1-3-8.6, reminding them that local control over plastic waste matters to this community.
Speaking of plastic waste, some legislators are setting great examples for how to improve the plastic problem at the state level. Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation making Illinois the first state in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds to classify spilled nurdles as pollution. In a previous Eco Report, Dr. Julie Peller discussed the prevalence of nurdles at the Indiana Dunes.
These tiny plastic pellets are showing up throughout Illinois’ waterways, too, and in every Great Lake, threatening both drinking water and wildlife. But Illinois just became the first state in the region to officially crack down on them. The new law requires companies that manufacture, use, or transport these pre-production plastic pellets to report spills and develop plans to prevent this type of hazard in the future..
Nurdles—the raw material used to make new plastic products—escape from chemical plants, factories, trains, trucks, and boats during production and transport. Researchers regularly find them in waterways. One Loyola University biologist collects 50 to 60 nurdles weekly from a trap right downtown on the Chicago River.
State Representative Joyce Mason, the chief House sponsor of the bill, said in a statement, “Plastic pellets may be small, but their impact on our environment, wildlife and public health is significant.” This is one of those solutions that feels obvious in hindsight—if you’re manufacturing trillions of tiny plastic pieces, someone should be accountable for where they end up.
Wildfires are burning through the states of Oregon and Washington this week as human caused fires and dry conditions create fires around the world that continue to destroy homes and other buildings, and raise concerns, following evacuations. In eastern Washington state, as of Tuesday, August 4th, estimates of 60,000 people had evacuated their homes due to wildfires, and over 600 structures had been destroyed.
The Spokane fires burned an estimated 8.2 square miles over the weekend, as reported in the Associated Press, and about 390 square miles have been burned in Washington state so far this year, some fires, such as the Spokane fires, still uncontained. Federal agencies and local fire fighters are at their limits as to what they can do to contain these fires, asking for assistance from the White House.
In Idaho, crews were fighting fires with bulldozers and helicopters in the cattle ranching farmlands as a fire burned more than 525 square miles through grassland, in eastern Oregon, and western Idaho. The Associated Press reported the fire has posed a threat to over 600 homes and 800 other structures, and that lightning was the official cause, as dry conditions and temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit continue to cause wildfires.
The wildfire map of the United States on egp.wildfire.gov shows there are still wildfires burning in Washington state, Oregon, Montana, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California, as well as several in Texas, Florida, and Minnesota, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. There are also several fires along the coast of North and South Carolina.
While wildfires are natural and occur every year, the hot conditions this year have caused wildfires and human caused fires to burn areas of the world more than before, and in many instances, authorities are continually at their limits on how to respond to contain them. Forget doomscrolling.
Nowadays young people are spending hours scrolling through bird videos on TikTok, and we are thrilled to shout out a trend that is reshaping what outdoor hobbies look like for a younger generation. Posts with the hashtag #birdwatching, #birdtok, and #birding have exploded in recent years. This new interest is particularly popular in the UK where these hashtags have topped a billion views.
The number of young Brits under 30 who regularly watch birds has jumped by more from 60k to nearly 750K since 2018! Apps like Merlin, which is like Shazam but for bird songs and calls, have lowered the barrier to entry dramatically. You don’t need to be a skilled birder or have tons of wilderness experience. BirdTok has made birding accessible and shareable—and dare we say cool?
Birdwatching groups say they’re struggling to keep up with demand for events from young people who never showed interest before. One wildlife adviser noted that birding has become something everyone can do, no matter how much they know about birds. There are minimal accessibility issues, as birds are found in wild, wooded, and urban environments. And plenty of free fun can be had just watching for or listening to birds in your area.
Psychologists even point out that birdsong—especially at sunrise—can actually boost serotonin. A recent study even suggests watching birds could protect your brain from age-related decline. For a generation often criticized for screen addiction, this trend represents something refreshing. Young people using their devices as a gateway to outdoor connection. It’s authentic, it’s social, and it’s getting them off the couch and into nature.
In this week’s feature report, Carrie Albright introduces us to a group of young girls who have formed a band through attending the Girls Rock Bloomington Summer Camp. They made a song titled “I Am A Tree” about saving the environment.
Credits:
Julianna Dailey
Stephanie Stewart
Are you looking for a way to make a difference on environmental issues?
Eco Report is looking for reporters, engineers, and segment producer to report facts on how we’re all affected by global climate disruption and the ongoing assaults on our air, land and water. We also celebrate ecologists, tree huggers, soil builders and other champions who actively protect and restore our natural world, particularly those who are active in south central Indiana. All levels of experience and all ages are welcome, and we provide the training you’ll need. WFHB also offers internships.
To volunteer for Eco Report, call at (812) 323-1200, or e-mail [email protected].
