The Hole in the Ozone Layer is Shrinking. For Real.

Climate success stories from around the web — January, 2019.

Healing the Ozone

Thanks to increased international regulations on CFC’s since 1987, satellite data now shows that the ozone layer is healing. Data from 2016 indicates 20% less depletion than in 2005.

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser

Politics Gets Greener

Presidential candidates for 2020 are outspoken on climate change, including Kristen Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, and Elizabeth Warren. Governors in the Great Lakes region are standing up to big polluters. Idaho’s new governor acknowledges that climate change is real. The Pentagon released a report stating that climate change is a national security issue. And Washington, DC is going green whether the White House does or not.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Letting Go of Fossil Fuels

New Zealand banned all new off-shore oil exploration as part of the country’s plan for a carbon-neutral future. Local municipalities all over the world are making the same move, including King County, Washington, which just voted to ban new fossil fuel projects.

Let’s Get Down to Business

Budweiser is now run on 100% wind power, and they’re telling the world with a Super Bowl ad. Meanwhile, companies pledged $1.5 billion to reduce plastic waste. These companies need to do even more, and seriously reduce emissions, but with plastic waste as a real problem in waterways and drinking water, this is a good step.

Declined

The Supreme Court declined to hear ExxonMobil’s appeal in a Massachusetts case, meaning the company will have to turn over internal documents about their knowledge of climate change. Meanwhile, a judge made it clear that no, protesting is not racketeering in a case concerning Greenpeace.

About Patrick Metzger

Patrick is the founder of TheNewClimate.com, ThePatterning.com, and TheNextMix.com. He is a writer, product leader, and musician. He grew up in Chattanooga, TN and now lives in Beacon, NY.