ÐìÖÝËÄάԤԼÐèҪʲôÐìÖÝ×öÒ»´ÎÎÞʹθ¾µ´ó¸Å¶àÉÙÇ®,ÐìÖݽϼÑ×öËÄά²Ê³¬Ê±¼ä,»³Ôжà¾ÃÄÜÓÃÑéÔаô²â³öÀ´ÐìÖÝ,ÐìÖÝ×ö¿ÉÊÓËÄά²Ê³¬±È½ÏºÃµÄÒ½Ôº,ÐìÖÝÊÐÄļÒ×ö³¦¾µºÃ,ÐìÖÝÒõµÀ³öѪʲôԭÒò,ÐìÖÝ»³ÔÐ44Ìì¿´²»¼ûÔÐÄÒ

Europe is proposing a ban on single-use plastic items such as cutlery, straws?and cotton buds in a bid to clean up the oceans.The European Commission wants to ban 10 items that make up 70% of all litter in EU waters and on beaches. The list also includes plastic plates and drink stirrers.The draft rules were unveiled Monday but need the approval of all EU member states and the European Parliament. It could take three or four years for the rules to come into force.The legislation is not just about banning plastic products. It also wants to make plastic producers bear the cost of waste management and cleanup efforts, and it proposes that EU states must collect 90% of single-use plastic bottles by 2025 through new recycling programs.The European Commission estimates that these rules, once fully implemented in 2030, could cost businesses over €3 billion (.5 billion) per year. But they could also save consumers about €6.5 billion (.6 billion) per year, create 30,000 jobs, and avoid €22 billion (.6 billion) in environmental damage and cleanup costs.The Rethink Plastic Alliance -- an association of environmental organizations -- called the proposals "a leap forward in tackling plastic pollution" but criticized some perceived shortcomings.The proposals do not set targets for EU countries to reduce the use of plastic cups and food containers, it said."This could result in countries claiming they are taking the necessary steps as long as any reduction is achieved, regardless of how small," the alliance said in a statement.The proposal also faced criticism from the plastics industry.Plastics Europe, which represents manufacturers, said it supported the "overarching objective" of the proposal but said there must be more resources dedicated to "waste management" to ensure better collection of used plastic."Plastic product bans are not the solution," it said in a statement, and noted that "alternative products may not be more sustainable."On a global basis, only 14% of plastic is collected for recycling. The reuse rate is terrible compared to other materials -- 58% of paper and up to 90% of iron and steel gets recycled.Research shows there will be more plastic than fish by weight in the world's oceans by 2050, which has spurred policy makers, individuals and companies into action.Last month a group of more than 40 companies including Coca-Cola, Nestle, Unilever and Procter & Gamble pledged to slash the?amount of plasticthey use and throw away in the United Kingdom.Starbucks also announced in March it was launching a  million grant challenge to solicit designs for a cup that's easier to recycle. 2689

ENCINITAS, Calif. (KGTV) - The oldest tree at North County¡¯s San Diego Botanic Garden is finding new life as a work of art.The Eucalyptus cladocalyx was planted 100 years ago at the Encinitas garden. It had to be euthanized last year because it was leaning and posing a threat to visitors, officials said.Artist Erwin Young ¡°Mitch¡± Mitchell IV took the 30-foot stump and transformed it into a replica of a baobab tree. He expects to be finished this week."The Garden is a wonderful place, not only to visit, but to create such a great endeavor there is fantastic - I appreciate the opportunity," said Mitchell. "It is the first time I have ever changed a tree into another tree. I hope I do the Baobab justice." Mitchell recently completed the "Hodgee Monster" at Lake Hodges, also sculpted from a deceased Eucalyptus tree. See the artwork in progress at the San Diego Botanic Garden. 907

ESCONDIDO (KGTV) - Employees of an Escondido golf course are frustrated and at their breaking point after their boss missed August 3rd's paycheck.UPDATE: Business owner paid employees missed and upcoming paycheck.Employes of the?Castle Creek Golf Course & Country Club said they heard their boss had a stroke on the first of the month and that was what caused the pay to be late. Employees were too afraid to speak on camera but said it wasn't the first time payment has been delayed.Golfers also said they've seen the course deteriorate since Osama Alkasabi took ownership in October.An employee said several people have already quit and some have their final day on the job this week.Alkasabi also owns two OAAI gas stations. Employees there vehemently defended Alkasabi but confirmed they hadn't been paid either. Employees there said Alkasabi had heart surgery."They missed only one, and that wasn't intentional," Alkasabi said over the phone. He blamed the delay on a car accident. "My car landed over the curb, and I arrived at the hospital here and had head surgery to make sure there is no bleeding, no fracture or damage," he said that happened August 1 off SR-78 near the Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside.10News spoke with Oceanside Police and California Highway Patrol and neither have records of a crash in that area for the entire week.Alkasabi's gas stations are running out of gas. The pumps at Ninth Avenue and Centre City Parkway only had one kind of gas for sale.At the station off Midway Drive and Valley Parkway, the pumps were draped with caution tape.Alkasabi blames the prior owners."They did not renew or apply for the licensing permit from the APCD," he said.The Air Pollution Control District requires gas stations to maintain permits to operate. The permits must be renewed annually, and employees say Alkasabi has owned the stations for at least four years.Alkasabi made this promise to all his employees, "receive the check tomorrow by 1:15 p.m. for all three periods, although there is one period missing. So we're making a cushion for the next two weeks."He promised along with three paychecks, one for the missed cycle, one for this week and one in advanced, that he'll give each employee a 0 bonus.He also promised several improvements to the golf course and that gas will be available at his pumps soon. 2427

FBI agents have been questioning Missouri lawmakers about possible coercive tactics by associates of Gov. Eric Greitens, as the state legislature is set to consider impeaching the embattled governor.Two state Republican lawmakers told CNN they were contacted and interviewed in recent weeks by FBI agents, who asked whether they were aware of any threats and bribes made on behalf of the governor regarding an impeachment vote.One of the lawmakers, who met with an agent in Jefferson City, said they told the FBI they were not directly aware of any such incidents. The second lawmaker declined to discuss their responses to FBI questioning.The second lawmaker also said the FBI's questioning suggested investigators' interest is not limited solely to possible threats and bribes, although that was one focus.Spokespersons for the governor and the FBI did not comment. 875

Families in 17 states will receive nearly 15,000 devices and 7,500 Lego Education Solutions as part of a new partnership aimed at supporting 45 school districts that serve students who are in critical need and who were hit hard by the pandemic.¡°We often get kids who are under educated and under served from our community, 90% on free and reduced lunch,¡± Rose Norman, chief operations and grant officer of Southwest Schools in Houston.It's a district that struggles to meet the needs of their students. COVID-19 hit them hard and the abrupt switch to e-learning was problematic for many reasons.¡°We found out that our high school students were turning in assignments but when we looked closely, we realized they were doing those assignments off of a cellphone,¡± Norman said.One day, Norman was reading a newsletter, and saw a way for schools to apply for a new initiative that would help with connectivity, devices and educational materials. Norman says, she wrote from her heart, describing what life was like for her students. Less than 10% had a device at home. Some parents lost their jobs and needed help with rent and food, and the district didn't have enough computers for virtual instruction.¡°What we¡¯ve learned from the COVID was that for a student to have a laptop is a must, not a privilege. It¡¯s a must. But because our kids are not privileged, we have to make that must come to fruition,¡± Norman said.Southwest Schools was among more than 40 other school districts selected for a program aimed at providing technology for low-income students. Working off a survey from First Book stating that 40% of children in need in the U.S. do not have reliable internet access and another 40% are without access to devices, Intel and CDW-G, a tech solutions provider, joined forces with First Book to give students a fighting change as they head into the fall. It's call the "Creating Learning Connections Grant."¡°Technology if it's properly implemented especially in the context of COVID, it can save lives in the context of education it can change lives,¡± says Brian Gonzalez, senior director for global partnerships and initiatives at Intel.A big part of Gonzalez¡¯s job is to bring technology into education.¡°This has now become the challenge of our lifetime, certainly my lifetime but to really understand how technology can take that next step and improve student outcomes and it¡¯s not about devices, it¡¯s about connectivity and content and that has to come together in a way that we¡¯ve not done before,¡± Gonzalez says.He added you can¡¯t just hand out computers without educational advice, support and training without it being successful. That is where Lego Education comes in.¡°Our mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow, all the builders, all the kids,¡± says Esben Staerk, president of Lego Education. ¡°We all know Lego products and we understand this idea of the joy of building and the pride of creation and that¡¯s what we¡¯re bringing into a learning setting, that joy and pride in creation.¡±Things like Spike Prime, Simple Machines Kit - there's even a "break-dancer" version.¡°Who doesn¡¯t love to dance? Not everyone¡¯s great at it but everyone loves to do it and therefore, I think that personal relevance becomes important.¡± Staerk said.Lego is focused on purposeful play, giving kids the confidence and love of learning. It's a gift that will last a lifetime.¡°I¡¯m not sure if the kids or the principals who will be the happiest to get the 350 computer,¡± Normal said. ¡°I believe it will be a tossup between both of them. I know the kids will be so excited to get the Lego Educational Spike Prime kits.¡±Norman says a "thank you" doesn't even cover her gratitude. Her students will be one to one this fall, meaning everyone will have a device at home and a portion of their award gives them money to purchase more hot spots.So, this time around, no one will have to do homework on a cellphone. 3932