Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez, featured in "Our Planet: Visionaries," highlights the moral duty to integrate biodiversity protection into development policies. The #OurPlanet Netflix series, created with WWF, has sparked a global conversation about safeguarding nature.

Add your voice to the urgent call for planetary health by visiting OurPlanet.com. #ShareOurPlanet #VoiceForThePlanet

Physicist Michio Kaku argues humanity faces an extinction threat from Mother Nature and the laws of physics, making space travel our ultimate destiny. Citing Isaac Asimov's question and the 99.99% extinction rate of species, Kaku believes our survival depends on exploring beyond known physics. For more insights, subscribe to Big Think Edge: http://bit.ly/bigthinkedge

Dr. Kaku, co-founder of string field theory and a New York Times bestselling author, explores these themes in his latest book, "The Future of Humanity: Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth": https://amzn.to/2N8dQ3G. For licensing or further reading, visit Executive Interviews: https://www.executiveinterviews.biz/rightsholders/bigthink/ or Big Think: https://bigthink.com/videos/99-99-of-species-go-extinct-what-is-humanitys-future.

California will mandate solar panels on all new homes starting next year. This significant policy shift aims to accelerate renewable energy adoption across the state.

Jigar Shah, founder of SunEdison and co-host of "The Energy Gang" podcast, highlights this as an example of rapid innovation. He notes that five to seven major ideas can achieve widespread implementation in under ten years.

Solar installations continue nationwide despite an unprecedented tax on solar imports. This resilience underscores the growing demand for renewable energy.

Lynn Doan, team leader for Power and Gas Americas at Bloomberg News, notes that renewable energy proposals are increasingly competitive. They are consistently outperforming coal and natural gas alternatives across the country.

Russel Gold, author of "Superpower: One Man's Quest to Transform American Energy," asserts that political views should not dictate one's perspective on clean energy.

Despite this ideal, Gold observes that political affiliations frequently influence opinions on the subject.

America began building a national power grid but then halted its progress. This observation comes from Russel Gold, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

Gold is also the author of *Superpower: One Man's Quest to Transform American Energy*, a book exploring the challenges and future of the nation's energy infrastructure.

Bioplastics are often marketed as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics. However, this "green" image can be misleading. Many bioplastics are not compostable and cause similar environmental harm, particularly in oceans, as their petroleum-based counterparts.

It's crucial to recognize that not all bioplastics offer a sustainable solution. To truly combat plastic pollution, we must move beyond all forms of plastic.

Join the #BreakFreeFromPlastic challenge here: https://bit.ly/2z3DPkh.

Leatherback turtles, ancient creatures dating back to the age of dinosaurs, are now critically endangered.

A significant new threat comes from plastic pollution. These plastics often resemble jellyfish, the turtles' primary food source, leading to accidental ingestion and severe harm.

Help protect leatherbacks. Take the pledge to #BreakFreeFromPlastic: https://bit.ly/2MgW2Uj

Cigarette filters, often called the "last acceptable form of littering," are a major source of plastic pollution. Made from cellulose acetate, these filters release plastic, nicotine, heavy metals, and other toxic chemicals into waterways and oceans, posing a significant threat to our health and the planet.

National Geographic explores this critical issue and potential solutions. Learn more about this widespread plastic pollution by subscribing to National Geographic or reading "Cigarette butts are toxic plastic pollution. Should they be banned?" here.

Rare winter snowfall recently hit parts of Australia, causing flight cancellations and power outages for approximately 10,000 homes.

Despite the disruption, the country's kangaroos seemed delighted. A joyous herd was observed bouncing through the unexpected winter wonderland.

Food production generates 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Adopting a more climate-friendly diet can significantly benefit our planet.

Humans have long settled and farmed grasslands across the globe. These vital ecosystems are unique habitats, supporting vast herds and many of Earth's largest land mammals.

It is imperative that we re-evaluate our approach to grassland use, lest we lose these invaluable natural resources forever.

A growing global population presents a significant challenge: how can we produce enough food without expanding our current agricultural land? This necessitates exploring alternative farming methods.

Could innovative farm designs or sustainable practices offer a viable solution to meet future food demands efficiently and responsibly?

Ocean farmer Bren Smith demonstrates how new underwater farming techniques for seaweed and sustainable shellfish can support our oceans and revolutionize food production.

This initiative, part of #OurPlanet, is a collaboration with the World Economic Forum. We showcase innovative solutions for climate change and nature restoration, bringing you a new inspirational story each week.

Read more: Pioneers for Our Planet #ShareOurPlanet #VoiceForThePlanet

Sharks are vital indicator species for coral reef viability. Without them, fish populations can go unchecked, causing significant damage and threatening the delicate balance of these crucial marine ecosystems.

Join Oceana in demanding a #FinBanNow to protect sharks and ensure the health of our coral reefs. Support the initiative here: Oceana Fin Ban

A young bottlenose dolphin mother has adopted and is caring for a melon-headed whale calf. This unusual interspecies adoption showcases a remarkable bond in the marine world.

Researchers are uncertain why the dolphin chose to nurture a calf from another species, but they speculate it may be due to empathy for the orphaned whale.

Support marine life protection. Join Oceana to help safeguard dolphins and other ocean creatures: Oceana.

Cities are vital for advancing the circular economy, unlocking economic, environmental, and social benefits, especially as two-thirds of the global population will live in urban centers by 2050. Currently, cities face challenges from a "take-make-waste" linear economy. A circular economy offers a critical opportunity to rethink resource use and ensure long-term urban prosperity.

The "Circular Economy in Cities" project focuses on urban systems like buildings, mobility, and products, guiding city governments on implementing circular principles and policies. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a UK charity, is a global leader accelerating this transition.

Learn more about our work at ellenmacarthurfoundation.org and subscribe to our channel: YouTube.

In the latest Border Views video, the Center's Laiken Jordahl explores Arizona's Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. This vital national monument faces an imminent threat.

It is poised to become one of the first wild places permanently scarred by the Trump administration's border wall. We must act to prevent its construction and protect this irreplaceable natural area.

Achieving a 100% clean energy economy in the U.S. presents challenges, including modernizing the grid, addressing power storage, and electrifying transportation.

Russell Gold's new book, "Superpower: One Man's Quest to Transform American Energy," explores wind power's history as a potential roadmap for renewable success. It delves into the transition from fossil fuels and how to finance our clean energy future.

Join Lynn Doan (Bloomberg News), Russell Gold (The Wall Street Journal), and Jigar Shah ("The Energy Gang") for a conversation on redesigning the U.S. energy landscape.

Airline delays and cancellations cost over $50 billion annually. Hamsa Balakrishnan, an MIT Bisplinghoff Professor, addresses this critical issue, proposing AI and network analytics to build resilience against expected and unexpected disruptions in air travel.

Her research focuses on control and optimization algorithms for large-scale air transportation systems. Her contributions include airport congestion control, air traffic routing, machine learning for delay prediction, and environmental impact mitigation. This talk was given at a TEDx event. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx.