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The Xylom

@thexylom.com

28K followers 602 following 1.3K posts

Take root and flourish in a healthier planet. We cover everything you need to know about the world's most pressing health and environmental disparities. Get newsletter: newsletter.thexylom.com Donate: fnd.us/sustain-the-xylom?ref=cr_1EH…

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The Xylom @thexylom.com · 1h

A joint study by Yale University and George Mason University found that those who are disengaged, doubtful, or dismissive of climate change tend to highly trust healthcare providers on the subject — even more than public officials from agencies like NASA and news organizations. (Published 2025)

The Fifth Vital Sign: Atlanta Doctors Are Talking Climate Change With Patients

Leveraging trust built over time, doctors hope to depolarize the issue and break through misinformation.

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 8h

The U.S. has ended funding for Zimbabwe's health programs at the end of September, after Zimbabwe rejected a deal to share sensitive health data. Last year, we reported on the country's booming black market for lifesaving HIV medicine as supplies dwindled: www.thexylom.com/post/zimbabw...

Zimbabwe's HIV Medicine Black Market is Flush with Sex Workers and Asian Cash

Legally purchasing PreP and PEP pills from private pharmacies can be expensive for sex workers, who are required to submit to expensive medical tests on top of purchasing the pills.

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 21h

This week on The Shoots: • An unfortunate update on our recent Ukraine coverage • A curiously located gas pipeline • Frugal science under Trump 2.0 • Where indigenous food culture works in harmony with ecosystems Read and subscribe to our news digest for free:

newsletter.thexylom.com

(Not) Everything Is On Fire

Dear Reader, Happy end of Q3! Like the U.S. federal government, our new fiscal year begins on October 1st. You will hear more about our FY 2027 Budget in a...

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 23/09/2026

But as governmental bodies fail in their stewardship and investor interests steer conversations about the mountain away from conservation, the wildness that makes Mount Kenya so unique and tantalizing could easily vanish, as it has in so many other places. (Published 2024)

Perspective: Mount Kenya's Risky Adventure

As the mountain’s ecosystems weaken due to increased tourism, its future looks uncertain, especially with failing governmental stewardship.

Reposted by The Xylom

Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 19h

In case you needed a refresher on how dire things are with fighting HIV in Zimbabwe: here's our reporting from last year: www.thexylom.com/post/zimbabw...

Zimbabwe's HIV Medicine Black Market is Flush with Sex Workers and Asian Cash

Legally purchasing PreP and PEP pills from private pharmacies can be expensive for sex workers, who are required to submit to expensive medical tests on top of purchasing the pills.

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 21h

This week on The Shoots: • An unfortunate update on our recent Ukraine coverage • A curiously located gas pipeline • Frugal science under Trump 2.0 • Where indigenous food culture works in harmony with ecosystems Read and subscribe to our news digest for free:

newsletter.thexylom.com

(Not) Everything Is On Fire

Dear Reader, Happy end of Q3! Like the U.S. federal government, our new fiscal year begins on October 1st. You will hear more about our FY 2027 Budget in a...

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 30/09/2026

In a 150-page order, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman noted that roughly 88,697 incarcerated people were housed in unairconditioned units in Texas heading into summer 2026, meaning the Texas Department of Criminal Justice provides “cool beds” for only about 37 percent of its population.

The ‘Lionesses’ Who Sued To Get Air Conditioning in Every Texas Prison — And Won

A group led by formerly incarcerated women spent years advocating for those trapped inside prison walls during Texas’ hot summers.

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 30/09/2026

Annual AC sales in the Philippines have risen from 700,000 units sold in 2016 to 4 million in 2025, making them one of the most commonly dismantled electronic items in Tondo. The market is expected to double over the next 10 years, further increasing the e-waste problem.

The Toxic Cost of the Philippines’ Growing E-Waste Crisis

Inadequate recycling facilities mean that e-waste handling falls to Manila’s informal sector, exposing entire communities to toxins and serious health problems.

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 28/09/2026

BREAKING: Ukrinform, the state news agency of Ukraine, reports that a Russian drone has struck the National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv, causing a fire. Last month, we reported on a visit to one of the research groups housed within the complex, which studies fungi across the country.

Ukrainian Mycologists Are Not Giving Up

As the Russo-Ukrainian war continues, Ukrainian mushroom scientists struggle in their quotidian work.

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 27/09/2026

Be like Jenny and get our twice-weekly news digest: newsletter.thexylom.com

newsletter.thexylom.com

Founded in 2018 and based in Atlanta, The Xylom reports on everything you need to know about the world’s most pressing health and environmental disparities. We’re glad you’ve found your way here! (And...

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 28/09/2026

If we have brought you clarity and insight, please support The Xylom’s award-winning coverage of the world's most pressing health and environmental disparities by becoming a monthly member or making a one-time tax-deductible donation: fundrazr.com/sustain-the-...

Sustain The Xylom!

Support The Xylom's independent reporting by making a monthly recurring donation!

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 28/09/2026

The Xylom is joining hundreds of newsrooms from over 100 countries around the world in celebrating World News Day on September 28th. Know the facts. Understand what matters. Choose Trusted Journalism. #WorldNewsDay #ChooseTrustedJournalism #JournalismMatters #WND26 #WND2026

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The Xylom @thexylom.com · 28/09/2026

“I don't think that someone who has not had the experience of surviving during war can understand the conditions in which people live and work in Ukraine,” says Margarita Lomberg, a microbiologist who has worked at Kholodny for more than three decades. www.thexylom.com/post/ukraini...

Ukrainian Mycologists Are Not Giving Up

As the Russo-Ukrainian war continues, Ukrainian mushroom scientists struggle in their quotidian work.

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 28/09/2026

A group led by formerly incarcerated women spent years advocating for those trapped inside prison walls during Texas’ hot summers. This week, a federal judge ruled that the state must air-condition all Texas prisons by the end of 2029. This story was first published by @19thnews.org.

The ‘Lionesses’ Who Sued To Get Air Conditioning in Every Texas Prison — And Won

A group led by formerly incarcerated women spent years advocating for those trapped inside prison walls during Texas’ hot summers.

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 27/09/2026

This week on The Roots: our Editing and Fact-Checking Intern, Pragathi Ravi, shares what she learned at a New York Climate Week event featuring Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Join us every Sunday as we discuss one of the week's top news stories: newsletter.thexylom.com/archive/the-...

newsletter.thexylom.com

The Unequal Cost of Climate Crisis

Know the facts. Understand what matters. Choose Trusted Journalism. Before you get to this week’s edition of The Roots, we want to let you know that The...

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 28/09/2026

“I don't think that someone who has not had the experience of surviving during war can understand the conditions in which people live and work in Ukraine,” says Margarita Lomberg, a microbiologist who has worked at Kholodny for more than three decades. www.thexylom.com/post/ukraini...

Ukrainian Mycologists Are Not Giving Up

As the Russo-Ukrainian war continues, Ukrainian mushroom scientists struggle in their quotidian work.

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 28/09/2026

BREAKING: Ukrinform, the state news agency of Ukraine, reports that a Russian drone has struck the National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv, causing a fire. Last month, we reported on a visit to one of the research groups housed within the complex, which studies fungi across the country.

Ukrainian Mycologists Are Not Giving Up

As the Russo-Ukrainian war continues, Ukrainian mushroom scientists struggle in their quotidian work.

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 28/09/2026

If we have brought you clarity and insight, please support The Xylom’s award-winning coverage of the world's most pressing health and environmental disparities by becoming a monthly member or making a one-time tax-deductible donation: fundrazr.com/sustain-the-...

Sustain The Xylom!

Support The Xylom's independent reporting by making a monthly recurring donation!

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 28/09/2026

The Xylom is joining hundreds of newsrooms from over 100 countries around the world in celebrating World News Day on September 28th. Know the facts. Understand what matters. Choose Trusted Journalism. #WorldNewsDay #ChooseTrustedJournalism #JournalismMatters #WND26 #WND2026

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 28/09/2026

A group led by formerly incarcerated women spent years advocating for those trapped inside prison walls during Texas’ hot summers. This week, a federal judge ruled that the state must air-condition all Texas prisons by the end of 2029. This story was first published by @19thnews.org.

The ‘Lionesses’ Who Sued To Get Air Conditioning in Every Texas Prison — And Won

A group led by formerly incarcerated women spent years advocating for those trapped inside prison walls during Texas’ hot summers.

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 27/09/2026

This week on The Roots: our Editing and Fact-Checking Intern, Pragathi Ravi, shares what she learned at a New York Climate Week event featuring Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Join us every Sunday as we discuss one of the week's top news stories: newsletter.thexylom.com/archive/the-...

newsletter.thexylom.com

The Unequal Cost of Climate Crisis

Know the facts. Understand what matters. Choose Trusted Journalism. Before you get to this week’s edition of The Roots, we want to let you know that The...

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 24/09/2026

“I don’t want to be excessively rich. I can’t take that with me when I die anyway. If life becomes easier, that’s enough for me. Just a little money for everyday food and household expenses.” www.thexylom.com/post/the-tox...

The Toxic Cost of the Philippines’ Growing E-Waste Crisis

Inadequate recycling facilities mean that e-waste handling falls to Manila’s informal sector, exposing entire communities to toxins and serious health problems.

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 24/09/2026

Over the past 15 years, the coastal communities of the Caribbean have undertaken the arduous task of learning what they can about sargassum and converting the waste various products. However, climate change is making the task increasingly sisyphean. (Published 2024) www.thexylom.com/post/turning...

Caribbean Countries are Turning Seaweed Trash into Bricks and Fertilizer

“There is a lot of money out there, and now we just must mobilize it towards the supply chain.”

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 27/09/2026

Be like Jenny and get our twice-weekly news digest: newsletter.thexylom.com

newsletter.thexylom.com

Founded in 2018 and based in Atlanta, The Xylom reports on everything you need to know about the world’s most pressing health and environmental disparities. We’re glad you’ve found your way here! (And...

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 26/09/2026

This weekend on The Shoots: • An airport that is betting on no AC • Meet some of the world's most impactful women water defenders • More developments at Climate Week and the UN General Assembly Read and subscribe to our news digest for free: newsletter.thexylom.com/archive/happ...

newsletter.thexylom.com

Happy Moon-Watching!

Dear Reader, Happy weekend (and Mid-Autumn Festival for those who celebrate)! Here are the top stories on the world’s most pressing health and environmental...

Reposted by The Xylom

Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 26/09/2026

You know what would benefit from an additional $10 or $20 million? Independent, nonprofit, award-winning science reporting. Become one of the hundreds of readers in @thexylom.com membership community (our annual budget is "only" ~$160,000!) fundrazr.com/campaigns/su...

Sustain The Xylom!

Support The Xylom's independent reporting by making a monthly recurring donation!

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 24/09/2026

Adjusted for inflation, federal grants to support the public air monitoring network have fallen more than 35% over the past two decades, while the Trump administration tried unsuccessfully last year to eliminate them entirely — and is trying again this year. www.thexylom.com/post/air-mon...

A Major Disappearance: America’s Air Monitors — and Your Power to Expose Polluters

Across several states, a quiet chemical industry campaign is making it harder to hold polluters accountable.

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 25/09/2026

This week on The Shoots: • Our team is out and about during Climate Week and the ScienceWriters conference! • Disaster recovery raises gender violence and gentrification concerns • Federal funding for minority health and childhood vaccines diverted Read and subscribe to our news digest for free:

newsletter.thexylom.com

Climate Week Is Not the Full Story

Dear Reader, Happy Hump Day! If you see our team at New York Climate Week (or the ScienceWriters conference in Corvallis, Ore.), please say hi! That being...

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 24/09/2026

Over the past 15 years, the coastal communities of the Caribbean have undertaken the arduous task of learning what they can about sargassum and converting the waste various products. However, climate change is making the task increasingly sisyphean. (Published 2024) www.thexylom.com/post/turning...

Caribbean Countries are Turning Seaweed Trash into Bricks and Fertilizer

“There is a lot of money out there, and now we just must mobilize it towards the supply chain.”

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 24/09/2026

Adjusted for inflation, federal grants to support the public air monitoring network have fallen more than 35% over the past two decades, while the Trump administration tried unsuccessfully last year to eliminate them entirely — and is trying again this year. www.thexylom.com/post/air-mon...

A Major Disappearance: America’s Air Monitors — and Your Power to Expose Polluters

Across several states, a quiet chemical industry campaign is making it harder to hold polluters accountable.

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 24/09/2026

“I don’t want to be excessively rich. I can’t take that with me when I die anyway. If life becomes easier, that’s enough for me. Just a little money for everyday food and household expenses.” www.thexylom.com/post/the-tox...

The Toxic Cost of the Philippines’ Growing E-Waste Crisis

Inadequate recycling facilities mean that e-waste handling falls to Manila’s informal sector, exposing entire communities to toxins and serious health problems.

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 23/09/2026

But as governmental bodies fail in their stewardship and investor interests steer conversations about the mountain away from conservation, the wildness that makes Mount Kenya so unique and tantalizing could easily vanish, as it has in so many other places. (Published 2024)

Perspective: Mount Kenya's Risky Adventure

As the mountain’s ecosystems weaken due to increased tourism, its future looks uncertain, especially with failing governmental stewardship.

Reposted by The Xylom

Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 23/09/2026

If you want to support climate reporting that is free from Big Oil sponsorship, members of the Climate News Task Force are a good bet: trustfnd.com/thexylom/c/g...

Trustfnd | Climate newsletter bundle

Twelve climate newsrooms joined forces in 2025 to create the Climate News Task Force, to increase and improve climate journalism collaborations and innovate new solutions to current challenges.

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 20/09/2026

This week on The Roots: our Managing Editor, Laasya Shekhar, is in Sri Lanka reporting on cyclone recovery! Join us every Sunday as we discuss one of the week's top news stories: newsletter.thexylom.com/archive/repo...

newsletter.thexylom.com

Reporting on Cyclone Recovery in Sri Lanka

Dear Reader, I’m writing this newsletter from a small dorm hostel in Kandy, Sri Lanka. I came here to report on how, nine months after Cyclone Ditwah...

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 21/09/2026

In a country of almost 120 million inhabitants, the Philippines has only 28 formal facilities where e-waste can be disposed of safely, as per a report cited by BAN Toxics, a local NGO advocating for environmental justice and workers’ rights. www.thexylom.com/post/the-tox...

The Toxic Cost of the Philippines’ Growing E-Waste Crisis

Inadequate recycling facilities mean that e-waste handling falls to Manila’s informal sector, exposing entire communities to toxins and serious health problems.

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 18/09/2026

A 2024 study analyzed over two decades of data from China and found that even short-term spikes in the levels of the contaminant PM2.5 can significantly raise the risk of ear diseases. Older populations living in underprivileged regions can be especially vulnerable to these risks. (Published 2025)

Air Pollution Is A Silent Thief of Hearing

While factors such as loud noise, aging, injuries, and chronic illnesses can cause hearing impairment, a growing number of studies have found an unusual connection between air pollution and hearing…

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 19/09/2026

This weekend on The Shoots: • The world's busiest passenger airport has its fourth oil spill in 2026... • ... and three more very different stories about dirty water in urban areas • Our friends at @biographic.bsky.social are back!... • And a powerful collaboration by solo indie climate journalists

newsletter.thexylom.com

Priorities, Priorities, Priorities

Dear Reader, Happy weekend! Here are the top stories on the world’s most pressing health and environmental disparities. Best regards,Alex IpPublisher and...

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 20/09/2026

NEW: Inadequate recycling facilities push e-waste handling into Manila’s informal sector, exposing entire communities to toxins and serious health problems. This dispatch is published in English by The Xylom and in Spanish by Planeta Futuro, @elpais.com.

The Toxic Cost of the Philippines’ Growing E-Waste Crisis

Inadequate recycling facilities mean that e-waste handling falls to Manila’s informal sector, exposing entire communities to toxins and serious health problems.

Reposted by The Xylom

Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 20/09/2026

India completed one of the most ambitious public infrastructure projects in recent history (electrifying the entire country's rail network over the last decade), and now the next frontier is electrifying its autorickshaws. You can read our reporting from March: www.thexylom.com/post/india-n...

India’s Popular Transport Electrification Is Still Picking Up Speed

Vehicular emissions are a major contributor to air pollution in New Delhi, one of the most polluted cities in the world. Despite government incentives to promote electric vehicles, adoption is slow, e...

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 21/09/2026

In a country of almost 120 million inhabitants, the Philippines has only 28 formal facilities where e-waste can be disposed of safely, as per a report cited by BAN Toxics, a local NGO advocating for environmental justice and workers’ rights. www.thexylom.com/post/the-tox...

The Toxic Cost of the Philippines’ Growing E-Waste Crisis

Inadequate recycling facilities mean that e-waste handling falls to Manila’s informal sector, exposing entire communities to toxins and serious health problems.

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 20/09/2026

This week on The Roots: our Managing Editor, Laasya Shekhar, is in Sri Lanka reporting on cyclone recovery! Join us every Sunday as we discuss one of the week's top news stories: newsletter.thexylom.com/archive/repo...

newsletter.thexylom.com

Reporting on Cyclone Recovery in Sri Lanka

Dear Reader, I’m writing this newsletter from a small dorm hostel in Kandy, Sri Lanka. I came here to report on how, nine months after Cyclone Ditwah...

Reposted by The Xylom

Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 20/09/2026

Our first editorial collaboration with El País, one of the biggest newsrooms in Spain!

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 20/09/2026

NEW: Inadequate recycling facilities push e-waste handling into Manila’s informal sector, exposing entire communities to toxins and serious health problems. This dispatch is published in English by The Xylom and in Spanish by Planeta Futuro, @elpais.com.

The Toxic Cost of the Philippines’ Growing E-Waste Crisis

Inadequate recycling facilities mean that e-waste handling falls to Manila’s informal sector, exposing entire communities to toxins and serious health problems.

Reposted by The Xylom

Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 20/09/2026

On the other hand, "how did a particular powerful person/ group wiggled its way to these important conferences" is a very good investigative journalism starting point, as our collaboration with @opendemocracy.net shows: (yes, that is Trump's pastor with another "cult" at the European Parliament):

In Parliaments, TikTok and COP Summits, This Atlanta-Based Doomsday ‘Cult’ Spreads Climate Disinformation

AllatRa, a “religious cult” founded in Ukraine and now headquartered in Atlanta, has spread climate misinformation from parliaments and TikTok to COP summits, including the false claim that greenhouse...

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 18/09/2026

Due to a lack of political will and the absence of specialist engineering skills, Zimbabwe’s landfills are on a trajectory to become deadlier, especially with the caustic, toxic materials from EVs added to the mix. (Published 2025) www.thexylom.com/post/aging-j...

Aging Japanese EVs Are Giving Zimbabwe Fits

Due to a lack of political will and absence of specialist engineering skills, Zimbabwe’s landfills are on a trajectory to become deadlier, especially with the caustic, toxic materials from EVs added…

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 19/09/2026

Read and subscribe to our twice-weekly news digest for free: newsletter.thexylom.com

newsletter.thexylom.com

Founded in 2018 and based in Atlanta, The Xylom reports on everything you need to know about the world’s most pressing health and environmental disparities. We’re glad you’ve found your way here!…

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 19/09/2026

This weekend on The Shoots: • The world's busiest passenger airport has its fourth oil spill in 2026... • ... and three more very different stories about dirty water in urban areas • Our friends at @biographic.bsky.social are back!... • And a powerful collaboration by solo indie climate journalists

newsletter.thexylom.com

Priorities, Priorities, Priorities

Dear Reader, Happy weekend! Here are the top stories on the world’s most pressing health and environmental disparities. Best regards,Alex IpPublisher and...

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 17/09/2026

“As soon as we were informed that there was electricity, everyone came to work and tried to do the most necessary things in time,” recounts microbiologist Margarita Lomberg. “We warmed ourselves with heaters, tea, and burned alcohol burners, which we usually use to reseed the culture collection.”

Ukrainian Mycologists Are Not Giving Up

As the Russo-Ukrainian war continues, Ukrainian mushroom scientists struggle in their quotidian work.

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 17/09/2026

While families wait for their loved ones, China is facing accusations of a lack of transparency in hydrological and meteorological data and of not providing adequate disaster‑related information. But Nepal’s government officials and Chinese officials in Kathmandu rejected these accusations.

How Did The Nepal-Tibet Floods Become This Deadly?

Scientists are piecing together the factors that led to the disaster, which has also exposed gaps in cross-border information sharing on hazards in the rapidly changing Himalayas.

Reposted by The Xylom

The Xylom @thexylom.com · 17/09/2026

Thank you, James Meeker, for your support! The Xylom's coverage of the world's most pressing health and environmental disparities is supported by readers like you. Join our community: fundrazr.com/sustain-the-...

Sustain The Xylom!

Support The Xylom's independent reporting by making a monthly recurring donation!