Category: Water

Planetary Solvency: Why Our Future Depends on Protecting Nature

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Cover of 'Planetary solvency – finding our balance with nature: Global risk management for human prosperity' study.
Cover of “Planetary solvency – finding our balance with nature: Global risk management for human prosperity” study.

The Big Picture

Imagine waking up to find grocery store shelves half-empty, the price of fresh produce soaring, and unpredictable storms disrupting everyday life. This isn’t science fiction—it’s a growing reality as our planet’s climate shifts in dangerous ways.

Scientists warn that unless we change course, we risk reaching Planetary Insolvency—a state where nature can no longer support human needs. But here’s the good news: we still have time to act. Understanding the risks and making smarter choices today can help us create a future where people and nature thrive together.

What Is Planetary Solvency?

Think about a business. If it spends more money than it earns, it eventually goes bankrupt. Our planet works in a similar way—if we take more from nature than it can regenerate, we risk collapsing the very systems that support life.

Planetary Solvency is the idea that we must manage Earth’s resources wisely to keep society stable. This means keeping our air and water clean, protecting forests and oceans, and ensuring that nature continues to provide the essentials we rely on—like food, water, and a livable climate.

For decades, economies have focused on short-term profit without considering the environmental “debt” we’re racking up. Now, we’re starting to see the consequences—but it’s not too late to course-correct.

The Warning Signs: Key Statistics You Need to Know

Climate scientists and risk analysts have uncovered troubling trends that show just how urgent this issue is:

  • The past 12 months were the hottest on record, with global temperatures averaging 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels (Trust et al., 2025).

  • A key ocean current system (AMOC) has a 45% chance of collapsing by 2040. This would cause extreme weather shifts, including stronger hurricanes, longer droughts, and disrupted food production.

  • If global warming reaches 2.5°C, over 50% of land suitable for growing wheat and maize could be lost, making food shortages more common.

  • Economic risk models ignore 87% of industries, assuming they won’t be affected by climate change. This is a dangerous miscalculation—nearly all businesses depend on stable natural systems.

  • Some projections estimate that climate-driven disasters could reduce global GDP by up to 63% by 2100, leading to widespread economic instability.

The takeaway? Climate change isn’t just about rising temperatures—it affects food security, jobs, public health, and global stability.

Why Current Climate Plans Are Not Enough

Many governments have pledged to cut carbon emissions and protect ecosystems, but current efforts fall short. Here’s why:

  • The Paris Agreement didn’t account for tipping points: Climate disasters don’t happen in isolation. When one event (like Arctic ice melting) triggers another (such as changing ocean currents), the effects spiral out of control. Many climate policies fail to consider this domino effect.

  • Short-term economic focus: Many governments prioritize economic growth over environmental stability, even though our economy depends on nature—from agriculture to clean water to disaster resilience.

  • Underestimated risks: Climate models often leave out the worst-case scenarios because they are hard to predict. However, ignoring unlikely but catastrophic events is a major risk management failure.

In short, we need stronger and more realistic climate policies that recognize the full scale of the threat.

What Needs to Change: The RESILIENCE Plan

To prevent Planetary Insolvency, experts recommend a RESILIENCE-based approach, which includes:

  • Better Risk Assessments: Governments and businesses need realistic climate risk models—like financial audits, but for Earth’s health.

  • Stronger Policies: Enforceable limits on pollution, deforestation, and overfishing.

  • Faster Emissions Reductions: The longer we wait, the harder it becomes to prevent extreme warming.

  • Restoring Nature: Protecting and rebuilding ecosystems like forests and wetlands, which absorb carbon and prevent natural disasters.

  • Educating Leaders: Many policymakers lack a deep understanding of climate risk. We need climate-literate decision-makers who can balance economic growth with sustainability.

The path forward isn’t just about stopping damage—it’s about creating a world where nature and people thrive together.

What Can YOU Do?

While governments and businesses play a major role, individuals can make a difference too. Here are some ways to take action:

  • Stay Informed: Read about climate solutions, not just problems. Understanding what works can help shape smarter decisions.

  • Push for Policy Change: Vote for leaders and support policies that prioritize sustainability. Your voice matters.

  • Make Smarter Choices: Support businesses committed to sustainable practices. Reduce waste and be mindful of energy consumption.

  • Spread Awareness: Talk about these issues with friends and family. Many people want to help but don’t know where to start.

These small steps, when multiplied across millions of people, can drive real change.

Summing Up

The future isn’t set in stone. What we do today will determine whether our planet remains livable or spirals into crisis. By managing Earth’s resources as carefully as we manage money, we can protect future generations and ensure a stable, thriving world.The good news? We still have time to act—but the clock is ticking. Will we make the right choice?

Source: Trust, S., Saye, L., Bettis, O., Bedenham, G., Hampshire, O., Lenton, T. M., & Abrams, J. (2025, January). Planetary solvency – finding our balance with nature: Global risk management for human prosperity. Institute and Faculty of Actuaries & Exeter University.

Microplastics in Our Brains?!? What Scientists Have Discovered About Plastic Pollution and Human Health

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Comparison of microplastic accumulation in human organs—brain has 10x more than liver and kidney, visualized with sugar in glass jars.
Microplastic Concentrations in Human Organs: Brain samples contained 7–30 times higher MNP concentrations than liver or kidney tissues. Median MNP concentration in the brain (2024 samples): 4,917 µg/g (range: 4,026–5,608 µg/g). Median MNP concentration in the liver (2024 samples): 433 µg/g. Median MNP concentration in the kidney (2024 samples): 404 µg/g.

Why Should We Care?

Plastic pollution is everywhere. Scientists have found microplastics in our food, drinking water, and even the air we breathe. But a new study has revealed something even more alarming—microplastics are accumulating in human brains!

Researchers found that brain samples contained up to 30 times more microplastics than other organs, raising concerns about long-term health risks. Even more shocking, people with dementia had five times the amount of microplastics compared to those without the disease.

What does this mean for our health? Let’s break it down.

What Did Scientists Find?

A team of researchers studied liver, kidney, and brain samples from people who had passed away. Using advanced technology, they found:

  • All organs contained microplastics, but the brain had the highest levels—even more than the liver and kidneys, which naturally filter toxins.

  • The most common type of plastic found was polyethylene (PE)—used in plastic bags, food packaging, and containers.

  • The average microplastic concentration in the brain was 4,917 µg per gram of tissue—compared to 433 µg/g in the liver and 404 µg/g in the kidneys.

To put the quantity of microplastic concentration into perspective, imagine you’re filling three jars with sugar to represent the amount of microplastics in different organs:

  • The kidney jar gets a small teaspoon (404 µg/g).

  • The liver jar gets about the same—just over a teaspoon (433 µg/g).

  • But the brain jar? You dump in more than 10 times that amount—nearly half a cup (4,917 µg/g)!

Now picture that sugar as tiny plastic shards instead of something sweet. Your brain—one of the most protected organs in your body—is absorbing these particles at a dramatically higher rate than the liver or kidneys, which are designed to filter out waste.

While other organs process and remove toxins, the brain seems to be holding onto plastic, potentially for life. Scientists still don’t know exactly what that means for long-term health, but they do know the levels are rising quickly, and that’s a cause for concern.

This is the first time scientists have confirmed that microplastics are accumulating in the human brain—a place that should be well-protected from foreign substances.

Why Is This a Big Deal?

Plastic doesn’t belong in our bodies, let alone inside our brains! Scientists are especially worried because:

Microplastics in the brain may contribute to neurological diseases. In people diagnosed with dementia, microplastic levels were over 26,000 µg per gram of brain tissue—more than five times higher than in non-dementia cases. These tiny plastics were found inside blood vessel walls and immune cells, suggesting they might be affecting brain function.

Microplastics can bypass the brain’s defense system. The blood-brain barrier normally protects the brain from harmful substances. This study suggests nanoplastics (as small as 100–200 nanometers) may be slipping through, raising concerns about how they could impact brain health over time.

While scientists haven’t proven that microplastics cause diseases like dementia, the fact that they are accumulating in the brain demands more research.

How Do Microplastics Get into Our Bodies?

You may not realize it, but we consume and inhale plastic particles every day. Here’s how they might be reaching our brains:

  • Breathing in tiny plastic particles from dust, air pollution, and synthetic fabrics.

  • Eating plastic-contaminated food—studies have found microplastics in seafood, salt, fruits, and vegetables.

  • Drinking bottled water, which contains nearly double the amount of microplastics as tap water.

  • Absorption through the bloodstream—scientists believe that some nanoplastics are small enough to pass through protective barriers in our bodies.

Once inside, these plastics don’t just disappear. They may stay trapped in organs like the liver, kidneys, and brain for years.

Has This Problem Gotten Worse?

Yes—dramatically. Scientists compared brain samples from 2016 and 2024 and found that:

  • Microplastic levels in the brain have increased by nearly 50% in just 8 years.

  • Similar increases were found in the liver and kidney, suggesting we are all being exposed to more plastic than ever before.

  • Older brain samples (1997–2013) contained far fewer microplastics than recent ones, proving this is a rapidly growing problem.

With plastic production and pollution continuing to rise, scientists predict that microplastic exposure will only get worse unless major changes are made.

What Can We Do About It?

While the full health effects of microplastics are still unknown, reducing exposure is a smart move. Here’s how:

  • Use fewer plastics: Switch to reusable bags, glass or metal water bottles, and cloth grocery bags.

  • Filter your water: Some high-quality filters can remove microplastics from drinking water.

  • Limit processed foods: Fresh, whole foods are less likely to contain microplastics than packaged and processed foods.

  • Ventilate your home: Indoor air contains plastic particles from synthetic fabrics and household dust—keeping air clean can reduce inhalation.

  • Support policies to reduce plastic pollution: Push for laws that limit plastic waste and promote better recycling solutions.

Summing Up

Microplastics are inside our brains, and their levels are rising at an alarming rate. Scientists don’t yet know the full impact on human health, but the findings from this study suggest a need for urgent action. While research continues, the best thing we can do is reduce plastic exposure and push for solutions to stop plastic pollution at its source.

The next time you drink from a plastic bottle or open a plastic-wrapped snack, remember—some of that plastic may never leave your body.

Would you like to see a future where our brains stay plastic-free? At activist360, we sure would!

Nihart, A. J., Garcia, M. A., El Hayek, E., Liu, R., Olewine, M., Kingston, J. D., Castillo, E. F., Gullapalli, R. R., Howard, T., Bleske, B., Scott, J., Gonzalez-Estrella, J., Gross, J. M., Spilde, M., Adolphi, N. L., Gallego, D. F., Jarrell, H. S., Dvorscak, G., Zuluaga-Ruiz, M. E., … & Campen, M. J. (2024). Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains. Nature Medicine. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03453-1?error=cookies_not_supported&code=79978c49-7500-4963-807e-3de1d60b6782

Glacial Floods, Climate Change, and What the U.S. Can Learn from the Himalayas Disaster

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Field evidence of sediment aggradation.
Field evidence of sediment aggradation. (A to F) Photographs taken along the Teesta River show the aggradation of the sediments transported by the flood cascade and its impact. Latitude, longitude, and elevation (in m a.s.l) are at top right; locality name and distance from SLL are at bottom right. Photo credits: Praful Rao (study co-author).

A Disaster Unfolds

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to a roaring wall of water crashing through your town. That’s what happened in Sikkim, India, on October 3, 2023. A glacial lake high in the Himalayas burst suddenly, sending a flood of 50 million cubic meters of water rushing downstream. Villages were washed away, bridges collapsed, and a massive hydropower dam was completely destroyed.

The flood traveled 385 kilometers, even reaching parts of Bangladesh. This was no ordinary flood—it was a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), a type of disaster that’s becoming more frequent as the planet warms.

What Caused the Flood?

At the heart of this disaster was South Lhonak Lake, one of the fastest-growing glacial lakes in the Himalayas. Scientists have been watching it for years, warning that its natural dam—made of ice and rock—was getting weaker.

Then, the worst happened:

  • A 14.7-million cubic meter chunk of frozen land collapsed into the lake.
  • This triggered a 20-meter-high wave—as tall as a six-story building.
  • The wave smashed through the natural dam, sending a torrent of water and debris barreling down the valley.

Think of it like a bathtub overflowing, except instead of a few gallons of water, it was millions of tons rushing out all at once.

The Impact: Lives, Land, and Infrastructure Lost

The destruction was swift and brutal:

  • 55 people lost their lives, and 74 are still missing.
  • More than 7,000 people were displaced, their homes and villages washed away.
  • 31 bridges, 25,900 buildings, and 276 square kilometers of farmland were destroyed.
  • The flood carried away 270 million cubic meters of sediment—enough to fill 100,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Entire communities were left without power, food, or clean water, and the road to recovery is long.

The Role of Climate Change

So, why did this happen? The simple answer: climate change.

  • The South Lhonak Glacier has been melting faster than ever, losing 0.58 meters of ice every year.
  • The lake it feeds has grown dramatically in the past few decades.
  • Warming permafrost (frozen soil) is making mountain slopes unstable, increasing the risk of landslides and dam failures.

This isn’t just a Sikkim problem—glaciers around the world are melting at record speeds, putting millions of people at risk.

Could This Happen Again?

Unfortunately, yes. Scientists warn that South Lhonak Lake is still unstable.

  • The natural dam is eroding, making another flood likely.
  • Riverbanks weakened by the last flood could collapse, leading to more destruction.
  • Extreme rainfall—which is increasing due to climate change—could trigger another disaster.

And it’s not just Sikkim—other glacier-fed lakes in the Himalayas, the Andes, and even North America are showing similar warning signs.

Why This Matters

If you think this is just a distant problem, think again. The same climate forces that caused the Sikkim flood are also affecting other mountainous regions worldwide.

Melting Glaciers Are a Global Issue

Glaciers are retreating in Alaska, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Northwest. As ice melts at a faster rate, more glacial lakes are forming, increasing the chances of floods like the one in Sikkim. If we don’t prepare, communities in mountainous regions of the U.S. could face similar disasters.

U.S. Disasters Are Increasing

The 2022 Yellowstone flood destroyed roads, bridges, and homes, forcing many residents to evacuate. In California, record-breaking storms and floods are becoming more frequent, causing billions in damage. Extreme weather events—whether floods, hurricanes, or wildfires—are getting stronger, deadlier, and harder to predict.

Our Infrastructure Is at Risk

Just like the Teesta-III dam in Sikkim collapsed, many worldwide dams, roads, and power plants are vulnerable to extreme weather. Many of these structures were built decades ago and weren’t designed to handle the kinds of disasters we’re seeing today.

We Can Learn

By taking action now, the U.S. can prevent similar disasters:

  • Invest in early warning systems—monitor unstable lakes and glaciers.
  • Upgrade infrastructure—build flood-resistant bridges and roads.
  • Plan for extreme weather—ensure communities are prepared for disasters.

Preventing Another Tragedy

While we can’t stop glaciers from melting overnight, we can take steps to reduce the damage.

Early Warning Systems (EWS)

Science and technology give us powerful tools to predict disasters before they happen. Governments and scientists must monitor unstable lakes and glaciers using satellites, sensors, and AI-driven models. These systems can detect early signs of danger, giving communities valuable time to evacuate before disaster strikes. Investing in real-time alerts and community education could save thousands of lives.

Building Stronger Infrastructure

We need to rethink how we design bridges, roads, and power plants. Structures built decades ago were not designed to handle the kinds of extreme weather we’re facing today. Engineers and policymakers must ensure that new infrastructure is flood-resistant and that existing structures are reinforced to withstand future disasters. This kind of investment is expensive, but the cost of doing nothing is far greater.

Preparing for Disasters

Education and preparation can mean the difference between life and death. Governments and communities must train people on emergency evacuation plans and improve international cooperation to respond to climate disasters. Since floods and other extreme weather events are increasing, being prepared is no longer optional—it’s essential.

Addressing Climate Change at Its Root

At the core of these disasters is a warming planet. To slow down glacial melting, we need to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Governments, businesses, and individuals can all play a role by switching to clean energy sources, reducing waste, and advocating for policies that combat climate change. These actions will protect glaciers, and help stabilize global weather patterns.

A Wake-Up Call

The Sikkim flood wasn’t just a freak event—it was a preview of what’s to come if we don’t act now. The good news? We still have time to prepare. By investing in early warning systems, better infrastructure, and climate solutions, we can reduce the risk of future disasters—both in the Himalayas and here at home.

Source: Sattar, A., Cook, K. L., Rai, S. K., Berthier, E., Allen, S., Rinzin, S., Van Wyk de Vries, M., Haeberli, W., Kushwaha, P., Shugar, D. H., Emmer, A., Haritashya, U. K., Frey, H., Rao, P., Gurudin, K. S. K., Rai, P., Rajak, R., Hossain, F., Huggel, C., … Younis Bhat, S. (2025). The Sikkim flood of October 2023: Drivers, causes, and impacts of a multihazard cascade. Science.