Sustainability Weekly
Fridays are for…
Summer Solstice, Renewable Energy, Heat Waves, and more!
by Alli DiGiacomo
Happy Friday! Are you ready for the upcoming heat wave in New York? During a heatwave in New York City, it's important to stay cool and safe by using public cooling centers (find them by calling 311 or online), staying hydrated, and avoiding outdoor activity during peak heat hours. Other things you can do is try to spend time in air-conditioned spaces like libraries, malls, or museums, and keep your home cooler by closing blinds and avoiding the stove. Use fans wisely, take cool showers, watch for signs of heat illness like dizziness or nausea, and check on vulnerable neighbors!
Tomorrow is also the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year and the first official day of Summer! On Saturday, June 21st, NYC will get 15 hours and 6 minutes of daylight.
Keep reading for sustainability news…
T H I S W E E K ’ S T O P S T O R I E S
VATICAN CITY BECOMES THE 8TH COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WITH ITS ELECTRICITY GENERATED ENTIRELY BY RENEWABLE ENERGY.
As of May 29, 2025, Vatican City has officially transitioned to being fully powered by solar energy, making it one of the only fully solar-powered states in the world. The energy comes from a solar energy facility at Santa Maria di Galeria, a former Vatican Radio site, developed by the Italian utility company ACEA. This change was part of former Pope Francis’s long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and follows his 2024 plan to build an agrivoltaic solar plant. The move is part of a bigger overall sustainability effort that also includes electrifying the Vatican’s vehicle fleet with over 40 electric cars by 2030. It is joining Albania, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Iceland, Nepal, Paraguay and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where more than 99.7% of their electricity comes from geothermal, hydro, solar or wind energy. Even though the Vatican is just 0.49 square kilometers, it was able to make clean energy possible without any fanfare or public campaigns, in contrast to larger nations still struggling to meet climate goals, proving that decisive action and leadership can result in meaningful change.
THE LARGEST EVER INDIGENOUS LANDBACK DEAL HAPPENS IN CALIFORNIA
The Yurok Tribe has regained 47,000 acres of ancestral forest along the lower Klamath River in California, which is the state’s largest land back conservation deal. This reclaimed land includes critical salmon habitats, old-growth forest, and areas with deeply-routed cultural and ecological value. This deal was a partnership with the Western Rivers Conservancy, took 23 years of effort and a $56 million investment. The land was originally taken during the California Gold Rush, when the U.S. seized 90% of Yurok territory. The tribe can now restore and steward the land using indigenous ecological knowledge, which has been shown to support healthier, more biodiverse ecosystems. The area’s return is both culturally significant and a significant step for environmental conservation and climate resilience, finally recognizing the role Indigenous communities play in protecting forests and addressing climate change.
SCIENTISTS PREDICT ANOTHER RECORD-BREAKING HOT SUMMER WITH INCREASED HURRICANES
With summer here, forecasters are warning of record-breaking heat and a highly active hurricane season across the U.S. AccuWeather predicts 13–18 named storms and up to 10 hurricanes, alongside extreme temperatures, especially in the West and Southeast, where some areas could see temperatures 3-4 degrees above average. These extreme conditions come with serious risks for droughts, wildfires, and heat-related illnesses, especially as nights are expected to stay warmer, limiting relief from heat waves. Coastal cities may face “compound disasters,” where hurricanes and heat waves hit at the same time or right after each other, putting a major strain on infrastructure and emergency services.
Despite the escalating climate threats, the Trump administration is proposing deep cuts to key federal agencies and programs that help forecast, manage, and respond to disasters. The 2026 budget would slash billions from NOAA, FEMA, the EPA, and clean energy research, while eliminating the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides $4 billion annually to help families afford electricity during extreme heat. Low-income communities could suffer the most because they are already vulnerable because with fewer trees, less access to cooling, and higher utility burdens. Access to air-conditioning in these neighborhoods could mean the difference between life and death. With 1 in 6 households already behind on energy bills, this summer’s extreme weather could hit hardest where support is being stripped away.
MORE IN SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
In a paper published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, researchers conclude that offsetting the potential carbon emissions from reserves held by the world’s 200 largest fossil fuel companies would require planting new forests that are larger than the entire continent of North America.
China is building the world’s largest national park system, with a network of wilderness bigger than Texas.
European probe snaps the first images of the sun's south pole.
College students invent 'smart car seat' to prevent hot car deaths in infants: 'Protects vulnerable lives’.
Alaska just hit a climate milestone — its first-ever heat advisory.
Science says plastic bag bans really do work.
Trump’s second term is creating ‘a limbo moment’ for US battery recyclers.
A new book, Murderland, argues that famous Pacific Northwest serial killers minds were warped by lead pollution.
A new “first of its kind” tool details where your food comes from — and just how fragile the global food system really is.
Trump quietly shutters the only federal agency that investigates industrial chemical explosions.
Lauren Mason and Benjamin Harman co-founded Retribe, which collects abandoned tents from music festivals to upcycle them into durable bags, clothing, and other items. She noticed 250,000 tents are left behind at festivals and was inspired to create a solution to reduce landfill waste.