This Week on Earth: February 2-8
The lake on NU campus, February 15, 2026 (Lula Fox/ION)
Pennsylvania
This past Monday, Feb. 2, was none other than Groundhog Day: a national tradition where the well-known groundhog known as Punxsutawney Phil once again emerges from his burrow and provides the season’s fate for the year. According to the New York Times, Phil saw his shadow on the ground, meaning that six more weeks of winter are ahead of us. If Phil were not to see his shadow after his emergence, the legend says that the U.S. would expect an early spring with warmer temperatures. Despite residing in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the well-regarded groundhog has been trusted by many across the United States to predict the winter’s length since 1877 according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.
Although Phil’s prediction accuracy from the last ten years is about 35% according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Organization, this prediction of extended winter raises alarms as temperatures in many regions have been the coldest in decades. Chicago hasn’t faced a period this long of extreme temperatures since 1963, according to WGN. Although Phil might not be the most scientifically accurate in predicting winter’s duration, this annual tradition provides hope to many in times of cold and uncertainty.
United States
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Friday that will permit commercial fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, which encompasses almost 4,913 square miles of waters and submerged lands that are home to dozens of marine species. This proclamation reverses the work put in place by former President Barack Obama, who created this monument in 2016 according to the New York Times. The Monument represents the Atlantic Ocean’s first United States marine monument intended to protect the ocean habitat.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Monument is known for an abundance of diverse types of marine animals, including at least 10 dolphin species and 13 whales species. The oceanic area is also home to deep-sea coral ecosystems that can provide food, protection from predators, and breeding environments for other deep-sea fish species. While Trump said in the proclamation that “appropriately managed commercial fishing” will not endanger the objects protected by the Monument, environmentalists argue that commercial fishing could indeed threaten the livelihood of these ecosystems.
World
On Tuesday, Florence, Italy became one of over 50 cities worldwide that have approved restrictions and/or bans on advertisements for fossil fuels in public spaces, according to Earth.org. These bans seek to discourage the use of products and models that are harmful to the environment, and promote social movements towards more sustainable practices. According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, fossil fuels—ranging from coal, oil, and natural gas—produce repercussions spanning human health and climate and environmental conditions. Ocean acidification, terrestrial and aquatic pollution, sea level rise, and increasing susceptibility to asthma and cancer are some of many issues that can arise from continual fossil fuel use.
These formal limitations have been approved by an overwhelming majority of European cities, with cities including Edinburgh, Stockholm, and Sydney banning these advertisements altogether. Amsterdam’s city council voted for a legally binding ban on fossil fuel and meat advertising last month, which will take effect on May 1. This ban encompasses dozens of high-carbon products and services, such as air travel and petrol-powered vehicles, according to EuroNews. The local and national action of these cities serves as a step forward for effective climate policy on a global scale, starting with what individuals see in their day-to-day life.
This week’s newsletter was written by Gabriela Selva — gabrielaselva2028@u.northwestern.edu.
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