Gaea Cabico

Nearly Everyone Will Need to Change Their Diets by 2050 to Meet Climate Goals — Study Suggests Researchers estimate that 44% of the population in 2012 had dietary habits fueling food-related emissions.

Nearly everyone on the planet will need to change the way they eat by 2050 to help slow the effects of climate change and, for a sizable chunk of the population, that shift needs to start immediately. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports:

How New York City’s Largest Food Rescue Organization Stepped Up During the SNAP Crisis City Harvest’s food rescue efforts are a win for both climate and food insecurity.

City Harvest's work tackles two issues of vital importance right now: food insecurity and climate change, both aggravated by policy decisions made by the Trump administration. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports, with visual reporting by @floodlightnews.org:

The climate solution sitting in America’s trash Cutting food waste is a huge potential climate win. Why are we ignoring it?

Reducing food waste is one of the simplest, fastest ways to fight climate change — an “emergency brake” that can slash emissions right now, without waiting for new technology or complex fixes.

Your Squid May Be Harvested By Chinese Vessels With Forced Labor Officers on fishing vessels often subject workers to physical violence, intimidation and fraud. Most of the crew members interviewed by the Environmental Justice Foundation reported being trapped in…

Most buyers sourcing squid from Chinese vessels accused of crew abuse and deaths are based in North America — nearly half in the U.S. and one-third in Canada, according to a September report by the London-based nonprofit @ejfoundation.org.

(via @gaeacabico.bsky.social for @sentientmedia.org)

Squid on U.S. Tables May Come From Vessels Linked to Human Rights Abuses Most buyers sourcing squid from vessels accused of crew abuse and deaths are based in North America — nearly half in the U.S. and one-third in Canada

Some of the squid on U.S. tables comes from ships that engage in human rights violations and ecologically destructive fishing off the coast of Argentina, according to a report by @ejfoundation.org. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports:
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The Climate Solution Sitting in America’s Trash Cutting food waste is a huge potential climate win. Why are we ignoring it?

Reducing food waste is one of the most practical ways to slow climate change. Why are we ignoring it? @gaeacabico.bsky.social explains, with visual reporting by @floodlightnews.org:

How a California Clean Energy Program Became a Boon for Big Dairies Central Valley residents say the state’s program for cutting methane emissions incentivizes factory farms and leaves local communities gasping.

While state regulators see California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard as a model for slashing emissions, critics say that it incentivizes factory farms, deepening health, environmental and economic burdens in Central Valley. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports:

How a Bronx Activist Fights Food Injustice With Fresh Produce As drastic SNAP cuts loom, feeding the Bronx more fruits and vegetables is a community-led effort.

Wearing floral boots and a fisherman’s hat, Karen Washington is preparing to plant kale, spinach and collard greens — crops she will sell at New York City farmers’ markets and share with her former community in the Bronx. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports:

Water Pollution Fight in Iowa Hits a Snag as EPA Removes Rivers from ‘Impaired’ List Iowa clean water advocates criticized the EPA’s move to reverse a decision adding seven Iowa river segments to the state’s impaired waters list.

When the EPA added seven Iowa river segments to the state’s impaired waters list last year, it seemed like a meaningful step toward addressing water pollution. Now, the agency has rescinded its order, upending the progress of clean water advocates. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports:

Doulas empower mothers in NYC, but struggle with finances and burnout In the face of a growing maternal mortality crisis, doulas are seen as a critical form of support. But the field has many barriers to entry

“A lot of doulas are starting to burn out, and we’re not the band-aid for the deficiencies in the health care system—and that’s sometimes how we’re treated,” said Anjanette Silas, a doula based in Staten Island. My latest for @prismreports.org prismreports.org/2025/08/25/d...

NYC ‘Health Bucks’ and Grassroots Efforts Help Make Healthy Produce More Affordable in the Bronx Coupons and community farms aim to bring more fruits and vegetables to those most often priced out.

In the Bronx, a small crowd gathers around a farmers market stand outside Walter Gladwin Park to trade in “Health Bucks” — $2 coupons from the New York City Department of Health — in exchange for fresh fruits and vegetables. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports from New York:

New Bill Would Block Bacon From Sick and Injured Pigs Representative Veronica Escobar introduced new legislation to curb slaughter of downed pigs.

While the USDA bans the slaughter of adult downed cattle and veal calves, there is currently no federal prohibition on slaughtering nonambulatory pigs. @repescobar.bsky.social wants to change that. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports:

Why Biodigesters Fall Short as a Climate Fix A new report from the World Resources Institute finds anaerobic digesters offer limited climate benefit for a high price tag.

“We should be very cautious when we actually talk about the climate benefits of a digester,” says Swati Hegde of @worldresources.bsky.social. “It really depends on whether you are seeing it as a waste management technology or an energy generation technology.”

Why Biodigesters Fall Short as a Climate Fix A new report from the World Resources Institute finds anaerobic digesters offer limited climate benefit for a high price tag.

New research from the World Resources Institute finds that while digesters can produce energy by capturing methane and converting it into biogas, they fall short of substantially curbing methane emissions. sentientmedia.org/biodigesters...

What It’s Like to Be an Evangelical Climate Scientist Jessica Moerman doesn’t want evangelicals to dismiss climate change as a purely “liberal” concern.

Here's my reported profile of Jessica Moerman, climate scientist and executive director of the Evangelical Environmental Network, in the latest issue of @sojo.net sojo.net/sojoshare/Nz...

Alternative Proteins May Be Our Best Bet to Curb Food Emissions New research argues tackling food-related climate emissions is more urgent than you think.

A new study finds that replacing meat and dairy with climate-friendlier alternatives, such as plant-based proteins and cultivated meat, could significantly reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions. But the window to act is narrowing fast. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports:

Extreme Heat Has Animals Trapped in a Climate Doom Loop Nearly all farm animals in the U.S. are confined in industrial operations that lack adequate space, ventilation or cooling systems.

While public health warnings and cooling systems help people avoid the worst of extreme heat, animals crammed in factory farms or packed into trucks during transport have no way to escape the soaring temperatures. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports:
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Eating Just 10% Less Meat Could Help Protect Drinking Water Cutting meat consumption would slash nitrate levels in groundwater by 20 percent, a new study finds.

New research finds swapping conventional meat for alternatives — defined by the researchers as plant-based, insect-based or cultured meat — would reduce rising levels of water pollution from meat and dairy farming. Gaea Cabico reports:

US rural communities bearing the brunt of bitcoin mining – DW – 06/30/2025 As US President Donald Trump loosens cryptocurrency rules, one community reports that noise and pollution from a local bitcoin mining operation has become "relentless."

Yvonne Taylor of the Seneca Lake Guardian said bitcoin mines are "spreading across the country like a cancer," adding that "slick crypto corporations" are popping up in rural underserved communities with promises of job creation and earnings. www.dw.com/en/us-rural-...

big thanks to @sciencewriters.org for this support ❤️

Octopus Farming in the U.S. Doesn't Exist, and a New Bill Wants to Keep It That Way A bipartisan bill aims to stop commercial octopus farming before it starts.

For @sentientmedia.org, I reported about a bipartisan bill that seeks to stop commercial octopus farming before it even starts in the United States. sentientmedia.org/octopus-farm...

Octopus Farming in the U.S. Doesn't Exist, and a New Bill Wants to Keep It That Way A bipartisan bill aims to stop commercial octopus farming before it starts.

A bipartisan bill aims to stop commercial octopus farming before it starts. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports:

For New York canners, a dime could make all the difference The deposit on a bottle remains just 5 cents. The “Bottle Bill” could change working and living conditions for canners

New York City canners—many of them immigrants and people of color—help keep millions of containers out of landfills. Their work keeps the country’s largest city cleaner, yet their contributions remain largely unrecognized. My latest for @prismreports.org

For New York canners, a dime could make all the difference The deposit on a bottle remains just 5 cents. The “Bottle Bill” could change working and living conditions for canners

For New York canners, a dime could make all the difference, @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports. While the cost of living in New York has soared, the deposit on a bottle remains just 5 cents. The “Bottle Bill” could reshape conditions for canners, many of whom are immigrants & people of color.

New York Bill Aims to Ban New Mega-Dairies Proponents for the bill hope to curb environmental pollution and bolster small dairy farms.

In New York, a new legislative measure, introduced by Assemblymember @lindabrosenthal.bsky.social and @jabaribrisport.bsky.social, takes aim at the rapid growth of massive dairy farms. @gaeacabico.bsky.social reports:

Aside: I've joined @sentientmedia.org as an editorial fellow this summer. I'll be covering food systems and the impacts of factory farming on animals, people, and the planet. For tips, leads or a chat, please reach me at gaea@sentientmedia.org

New York Bill Aims to Ban New Mega-Dairies Proponents for the bill hope to curb environmental pollution and bolster small dairy farms.

In New York, lawmakers are taking aim at the rapid growth of massive dairy farms, in what environmentalists say is a crucial first step to addressing environmental and social impacts from these industrial facilities. My first for @sentientmedia.org sentientmedia.org/new-york-aim...

Philippines bets on natural gas to accelerate renewable energy A new law paving the way for the promotion of natural gas has been labelled an “insult” by climate campaigners

Energy analysts and environmental advocates argue that doubling down on natural gas could force the Philippines to depend on fossil fuels and further delay the transition to clean energy. My latest for @dialogueearth.bsky.social
dialogue.earth/en/energy/ph...

🚨 LAST CHANCE to submit your work for the fifth annual Covering Climate Now Journalism Awards!

The deadline is March 31st at 11:59pm US Eastern Time. Visit coveringclimatenow.org/awards to learn more and apply.

🎥 Featuring 2024 winner @gaeacabico.bsky.social

Winning a #CCNowAward last year was a huge honor 💚 If you’ve done amazing climate reporting in 2024, don't miss this chance 🌱