The Latest Environmental News Trends: Ocean Conservation, Reforestation, and More

A look at the environmental news from PR Newswire in July and August that you might have missed.

By Cameron Schneider | Published Sept. 9, 2023

As we find ourselves in the transitional period between the third and fourth quarters of 2023, environmental news remains a consistent topic of conversation. From conservation in our deepest oceans and saving sea turtles to protecting and preserving our planet and sustainable initiatives from consumer brands, the story topics varied widely.

Begin your deep dive into all things environmental with the three main trends our editors discovered among the headlines in July and August: ocean conservation, reforestation and wildlife conservation, and recommerce.

These news releases can be found on the PR Newswire Environmental Page as your go-to environmental information hub, but for now, keep on reading. 

The Most Popular Environmental Headlines

During July and August, many releases that passed through PR Newswire’s network were met with great success, but these few releases were particularly notable among readers.

1. Ty Warner, creator of Beanie Babies, introduced the 'Aloha' bear to benefit victims of the Hawaii wildfires.
2. Kodiak and Zac Efron partnered for wildlife conservation with the Keep It Wild campaign.
3. J.B. Hunt purchased 13 zero-emission Nikola trucks.

Most Common Trends in Environmental News

While Ty Warner, Kodiak, and the Nikola Corporation took the cake in most popular for July and August, they were only a select few of the 1,500+ environmental news releases PR Newswire distributed during the period. From ocean conservation to recommerce, this two-month period has seen wide-ranging environmental news.

Let’s jump to the reason you are here, the trends.

Ocean Conservation

The ocean is a vast area of the unknown but what we do know is it was the topic of conversation hundreds of times during this two-month period. From saving sea turtles and coral to cleaning the ocean of plastics, ocean conservation is on the up-and-up in terms of environmental news.

Oceans are the world’s connector and it's essential we do our part to conserve the ocean and everything inhabiting its waters.

Here are a few examples from July and August:

• QNET partnered with VeryNile to take on plastic waste in the River Nile during Plastic Free July.
• RTX developed a space sensor to monitor coastal ecosystem health.
• Royal Caribbean Group transformed waste management in the cruise industry, helping protect the oceans.

Animal Conservation and Reforestation

What a two months it’s been in the world of environmental news. Among all the headlines, we’ve seen tremendous efforts to increase conservation and reforestation in habitats across the globe. From saving the penguins in South Africa to protecting the elephants, conservation has been a must-read topic, but we mustn’t forget about the reforestation efforts happening all over the world to bring our forests back to life.

Protecting what we have and restoring it back to its full potential was the main focus in these releases from July and August:

• San Diego Zoo Safari Park announced Elephant Valley, the largest transformative project in its 50-year history.
• In partnership with the Rimba Collective, Dove is set to help protect and restore 123,000 acres of rainforest in Southeast Asia over five years.
• Ørsted partnered with The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy to protect and restore native tallgrass prairie near Sunflower Wind Farm .
• Global Conservation launched a $50 million Global Parks Fund to protect 100 of the last intact forests and habitats.

Conservation and reforestation are a massive part of helping the world become a greener (literally) and healthier place. We saw its strong emergence in this two-month period with about 200 releases crossing the wire.

Recommerce, The Better Way to Shop

Everyone shops, whether it’s for needs like food and drink or wants like a new pair of shoes or a brand-new phone. The question is how we can shop sustainably, and it seems that many consumer brands are asking the same. Recommerce is a term taking over the retail industry with brands like Carhart, Canada Goose, and eBay, just to name a few, making strides in this sustainability initiative.

Recommerce is the new way to shop and do so sustainably. Here are a few examples from July and August:

• Bumbleride joined forces with Rebelstork to maximize value for families and minimize waste.
• OfferUp's 2023 Recommerce Report revealed 85% of shoppers now engage in recommerce as secondhand shopping becomes a mainstream trend.
• LRS announced the grand opening of The Exchange, a revolutionary material recovery facility pioneering a new era of sustainable waste management and recycling.

Final Thoughts

July and August brought major highs in the world of environmental news. We have seen major steps forward in conservation of all kinds, from our oceans to wildlife habitats around the world. Shopping, something we all do, is becoming increasingly more sustainable, making it a more pleasant and guilt-free experience. Let’s hope we can continue riding this wave and more positive environmental headlines keep coming.

Make sure to tune in to PR Newswire for all news environmental. 

About the Author

Cameron Schneider is a Content Editor from a small town in Minnesota and a recent communications and graphic design graduate of the University of Wisconsin La-Crosse. She loves spending time with her dogs, family, and friends. A few hobbies of Cameron’s would be art, reading, and relaxing outside when the Minnesota weather cooperates.