Millions of people in lower 48 states may be relying on PFAS-contaminated water & more environmental news.

[View this email in your browser]( Thursday, October 31, 2024 “I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.” — John Cage [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [X]( Millions of People in Lower 48 States May Be Relying on PFAS-Contaminated Groundwater for Drinking Roughly 71 to 95 million people living in the contiguous United States — more than one-fifth of the population — may be reliant on [groundwater]( with detectable concentrations of [per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)]( for their [drinking water]( according to a new [study]( by the U.S Geological Survey (USGS). [Read More]( Related: [Scientists Detect PFAS in Bottled and Tap Water Around the World]( Urban Green Spaces Are Increasingly Vital for Preventing Heat-Related Deaths, Analysis Finds As global warming worsens, green spaces in urban areas will play an important role in providing respite. According to a new analysis, these urban green spaces will be crucial in preventing heat-related deaths, which have been on the rise in recent years. [Read More]( Related: [Could Living Near More Trees Boost Your Heart?]( World Meteorological Organization Reports Record High Emissions for 2023 Yet again, global greenhouse gas emission concentrations have risen to record highs for 2023, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). [Read More]( Related: [Planet Will Warm as Much as 3.1°C Under Current Policies: UN Report]( Brazil Fines Meat Ranchers and Packers $64M for Raising and Purchasing Cattle From Deforested Amazon Rainforest [IBAMA]( Brazil’s environmental protection agency, has fined [meat]( packers and cattle ranchers — including the largest on the planet, JBS — $64 million for buying or raising [cattle]( on illegally deforested land in the [Amazon]( rainforest. [Read More]( Related: [Deforestation and Wildfires in Brazil Contributing to ‘Most Intense and Widespread Drought in History’]( Artificial Light at Night in the Arctic Indicates Rapid Growth of Industrial Activities In the [Arctic]( 85 percent of areas affected by [artificial light at night]( (ALAN) are because of [industrial activities]( not urban development, indicating the rapid increase of these destructive undertakings in the region. [Read More]( Related: [Artificial Light at Night Disrupts Ecosystems, Even at Low Levels, Studies Find]( Do you get this newsletter daily? If not, [sign up here]( or forward to a friend. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Website]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2024 EcoWatch, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for EcoWatch Top News of The Day Our mailing address is: EcoWatch 1122 Oberlin RoadRaleigh, NC 27605 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing](