Sustainable Brands University of Maryland researchers have developed a new type of porous material made of chitosan and copper to spray on fresh produce that absorbs chemical pesticides, extends shelf life and easily washes off. Crab shells have emerged as something of a dark horse in recent years, in terms of …
Report: 6 Strategies for Building Nature-Positive, Circular Economy for Europe
Sustainable Brands The Ellen MacArthur Foundation outlines six circular strategies to transform Europe’s built environment that will boost economic activity, increase climate resilience, and make cities more vibrant places to live and work. A new report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation asserts that transforming how European towns and cities are built could …
Here’s how Michelin plans to make its tires more renewable
By Roberto Baldwin, Ars Technica The tire company wants a completely sustainable tire by 2050. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—it’s more than just a fun alliteration tagline. It’s also a set of instructions for how to consume in a way that’s less destructive to our environment. We reduce our consumption and reuse …
AI will be help rather than hindrance in hitting climate targets, Bill Gates says
By Jillian Ambrose and Alex Hern, The Guardian Microsoft co-founder says efficiencies for technology and electricity grids will outweigh energy use by datacentres. Bill Gates has claimed that artificial intelligence will be more of a help than a hindrance in achieving climate goals, despite growing concern that an increase in …
This Canadian city is finding rare earth minerals needed for the green transition through recycling
By Chris Arsenault, Corporate Knights Kingston has become a burgeoning hub of start-ups processing and recycling critical minerals for the North American market in a challenge to China’s EV supply chain dominance. Inside a sprawling warehouse in Kingston, Ontario, a forklift beeps past huge cardboard boxes full of discarded electric …
Will the climate transition be a battle of materials?
By Ulrich von Lampe As things stand today, global demand for cobalt and lithium for e-car batteries will increase almost 20-fold by 2050. By then, the development of a fossil-free power supply will require a lot of copper, aluminum and iron, and the respective demand is likely to roughly double. …
As reservoirs go dry, Mexico City and Bogotá are staring down ‘Day Zero’
By Jake Bittle, Grist In Mexico City, more and more residents are watching their taps go dry for hours a day. Even when water does flow, it often comes out dark brown and smells noxious. A former political leader is asking the public to “prioritize essential actions for survival” as the city’s …
Ingenious Trick Cuts Cargo Ship Carbon Emissions by 17 Percent
By Frank Landymore, Futurism Just ‘one simple trick’ that actually works! The behemoth cargo ships that serve as the lifeblood of our global economy have an enormous environmental toll; the maritime shipping industry released more than a billion tons of CO2 in 2018. But researchers at a project called the “Blue …
How Europe reduced its greenhouse gas emissions last year
By Kate Abnett, Reuters BRUSSELS, May 16 (Reuters) – The European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 5% last year, official data published this week showed, continuing a trend of declining emissions in Europe. WHY IT’S IMPORTANT Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, where climate change is already worsening droughts, wildfires …
To aid the green energy transition, we need to modernize our grid infrastructure
By Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), The Hill While it’s true that some things get better with age, the United States’ aging transmission infrastructure is not one of them. Updated transmission infrastructure is crucial to reducing emissions and ensuring dependable electricity service. Congress has passed green energy laws to help make …