Some breathtaking blue lakes may not be so blue in the future, thanks to climate change.

In the first global record of lake color, researchers find that roughly one-third of Earth’s lakes are blue. But, should average summer air temperatures rise by a few degrees, some of those clear waters could turn a cloudy green or brown, the team reports in the Sept. 28 Geophysical Research Letters.

The changing colors could change how people use those waters and offer information about the balance of lake ecosystems. Lake color depends in part on what’s in the water, but factors such as water depth and surrounding land use also matter. Compared with blue lakes, green or brown lakes have more algae (水藻) and organic matter, says one of the researchers.

The scientists then looks at local climates during that time to see how they may be linked to lake color around the world. Lakes in places with average summer air temperatures that was below 19°C were more likely to be blue than lakes with warmer summers, the researchers find. If average summer temperatures increase another 3°C — an amount that scientists think is possible by the end of the century — those 3,800 lakes could turn green or brown. That’s because warmer water helps algae produce more flowers, which changes the qualities of the water, giving it a green-brown color, Yang says.

If some lakes do become less blue, people will probably lose some of the resources they have come to value, says O’Reilly, a scientist at Southern Methodist University in Dallss. But the color changes wouldn’t necessarily mean that the lakes are any less healthy. “Humans don’t value lots of algae in a lake, but if you’re a certain type of fish species, you might be like this is great, ” O’Reilly says.

Lake color can hint at the balance of a lake’s ecosystem and it gives sickness a baschins for assessing how climate change is affecting Earth’s freshwater resources. Continued increasing of lakes could help scientists discover future changes.

If you’re a fan of fast fashion, your choices may be narrowing in the near future.

At the end of 2020, fast-fashion giant H&M said it would close 350 stores worldwide. Recently, Spanish fashion giant Inditex announced that it would close all its Bershka, Pull & Bear and Stradivarius stores in China. It all indicates that fast fashion is slowing down, noted the website Fast Company.

A major reason is the shift in the mindset (心态) of consumers. Millennials, those who were born in the 1980s or 1990s, are now the largest consumer group. Unlike their predecessors (前人), millennials are more financially stable,and thus low-priced fast fashion is not their priority. According to The South China Morning Post, more people are starting to care about quality and the stories behind a product.

Another factor is the growing concern over the fashion industry’s effect on the environment. As The New York Times noted, the fashion industry is one of the largest polluters of clean water and three-fifths of clothes produced in a year end up in landfill (垃圾场). As there is more awareness of the climate crisis, younger people are pursuing more eco-friendly choices.

Molly, 22, is one of them. Before she went to college, she used to frequent fast-fashion shops like Forever 21 and H&M. But after taking a class that focused Fast fashion slows down on the environmental impact of clothing production, her preference changed. Now, she tries to shop in a way that is both sustainable (可持续的) and affordable: She shops second-hand. “My friend showed me how easy it was to be thrifty (节约的) and I developed a new personal style that focused less on trends but on basics that don’t go out of style.” she told MTV News.

In order to survive in the competitive market, many fast-fashion brands are making changes as well. For example, Inditex said that the company plans for all of its clothes to be sustainable by 2025.

“Sustainability is a never-ending task in which everyone here is involved.” said Pablo Isla, CEO of Inditex.

In 1561, King Philip Ⅱ of Spain made the decision to move the capital to Madrid, which had a significant impact on the city’s environment that is still felt today. Some suggest that the move was motivated by a desire for a healthier environment for his wife, as well as Madrid’s closeness to the Manzanares River. However, the removal of the surrounding woodlands to support the royal court exposed the city to severe weather, leading to the saying “nine months of winter and three of hell”.

Today, Madrid continues to struggle with environmental problems, such as pollution from a large number of vehicles that enter the city each day. To battle with this issue, Madrid’s city planners are constructing a 75-kilometer-long Metropolitan Forest, which is one of the most ambitious initiatives of its kind in Europe. This forest will consist of 1.5 million trees of species native to Madrid, along with eco-friendly bridges and recreational centers. Additionally, a 23-kilometer-long Forest Avenue for cyclists and pedestrians will connect the new forest with existing parks, schools, offices, and the airport. In 20 years, the Metropolitan Forest should be able to remove more than 800,000 tonnes of CO from the city’s atmosphere.

The idea for the forest was born in 2019 when Madrid councilors for urban development asked the children what kind of Madrid they would like to see in 2040. The dominating response was a “green city”, which motivated the city council to plan seriously. The city council has been aware of Madrid’s environmental problems since the 1990s, but it wasn’t until 2019, when a survey revealed that over 40 percent of the citizens cited the environment as the city’s number one   problem that they decided to take action.

The Metropolitan Forest project represents a significant investment in Madrid’s future, demonstrating how a willingness to listen to the next generation’s ideas and the public’s concerns can lead to positive change.