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It’s polluting our oceans and killing our wildlife, but how easy is it to get by without it? Four writers find out

No man is an island. However, if I were an island, I’d probably be the best one ever. When the Guardian asked me to record all the single-use plastic I got through in a week, I scoffed. Piece of cake, I thought.

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Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: From the depths of dormant bramble thickets, tangled and moribund, robins called and chased defiantly as they reinforced their territories

In the last stages of its journey to the sea, the river Ystwyth curves in gentle meanders across a broad valley pasture grazed by a modest scattering of sheep. This close to the coast, the wind from the sea is a powerful force, carving the small riverside trees into forms that leave no doubt as to its direction and persistence.

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A new dam on the river Nile could trigger the world's first war about water, writes Alastair Leithead.

There were no models to help predict the behaviour of the released oil. It affected tens of thousands of fish and other marine creatures including turtles and marine grasses.

They begin a cascade of reactions which produce air pollutants harmful to humans and other animals.

Over a year since his inauguration and President Trump remains without a science advisor.

Investor Vinod Khosla has battled regulators for years over Martin’s Beach, which can only be reached by road on his property

A Silicon Valley billionaire who was ordered by California courts to restore public access to a popular surfing beach is seeking to take his case to the US supreme court.

The case could entirely upend public access to beaches in a state with more than 1,000 miles of shoreline.

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The environment secretary suggests outlawing plastic straws could be easier after Brexit.

Meet the catering brigade - the often forgotten volunteers of the RFS; the endangered Mary River cod is making a comeback; Sydney's Vietnamese community picks their own lychees; and the Darkan show is back after 60 years.

Minister in Twitter spat with Brussels after suggesting UK ban could be prevented by EU

Michael Gove has become embroiled in a Twitter row with the EU over his suggestion that Brussels could block the UK government from banning plastic straws.

The environment secretary and Frans Timmermans, a European commission vice-president, goaded each other on the social media platform over their rival claims to be the most advanced in clamping down on plastic waste.

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Satellite tracking shows fishing's footprint on Earth is now over four times that of agriculture.

The week’s top environment news stories and green events. If you are not already receiving this roundup, sign up here to get the briefing delivered to your inbox

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White-tailed sea eagles, a rose-ringed parakeet and an Aldabra giant tortoise are among this week’s pick of images from the natural world

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Subpoena could see the campaign group forced to release huge amounts of internal communications including the email addresses of four million people who have signed online petitions

A US court will today hear a request from Monsanto for access to a huge batch of internal communications by Avaaz, in a move that the campaign group says could have grave repercussions for online activism and data privacy.

Monsanto is seeking the release of all lobby documents, emails, correspondence and notes “without limitation”, where the firm or its herbicide ingredient glyphosate have been mentioned.

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Tidal patterns made by ocean waves, sand and marine life are captured by the photographic process of Meghann Riepenhoff, a US artist fascinated by the nature of humans’ relationship to an impermanent landscape. She will be creating a site-specific work for Photofairs San Francisco by the shore at the city’s Fort Mason arts centre

• See more of the best from Photofairs San Francisco

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Billions of people still have no access to mobile services, but nano-satellites could change this.

Ashton, Northamptonshire: Woodland management changes did for this butterfly as the woods were drained, rides narrowed and glades shaded. But now it is to be reintroduced

This May the small brown and gold wings of the chequered skipper will once again beat in the woods of England. Susannah O’Riordan from Butterfly Conservation is here in the butterfly’s spiritual home, the Chequered Skipper pub in Ashton, to reveal the plot to an enthusiastic audience of 80 or so.

Related: 20 great UK walks with pubs, chosen by nature writers

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SA Labor promises to waive stamp duty, five years of registration costs, on purchase of zero emissions cars, if it wins election.

There are some significant issues still to be resolved around the NEG – complexity and potential costs are concerning.

In the past, switching from coal to natural gas has driven US power sector emissions cuts. In 2017, it was declining load and greater renewable generation.