Starbucks’ experimental new cup costs extra, but it’s worth it

Good News Notes: “Starbucks is launching an experimental “borrow a cup” program at select locations in its hometown, Seattle. The program is part of Starbucks’aim to make its cups more sustainable, and it will kick off as a two-month trial in five Seattle stores. Customers at those stores will have an option to receive their drinks…

Making Cleaner, Greener, Biodegradable Plastics From Waste Fish Parts

Good News Notes: “Polyurethanes, a type of plastic, are nearly everywhere — in shoes, clothes, refrigerators, and construction materials. But these highly versatile materials can have a major downside. Derived from crude oil, toxic to synthesize, and slow to break down, conventional polyurethanes are not environmentally friendly. Today, researchers discuss devising what they say should…

Mars Wrigley Partners with Danimer Scientific on Compostable Packaging

Good News Notes: “Snack giant Mars Wrigley has announced a two-year partnership with Danimer Scientific to advance home-compostable packaging. Mars Wrigley said it will soon introduce Skittles candy packaged in Danimer’s Nodax polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material in US stores. Sourced from the seeds of plants such as canola and soy, Nodax PHA is produced through natural…

Compostic launches home-compostable plastic products in US

Good News Notes: “New Zealand-based zero-waste packaging manufacturer Compostic has introduced its product line in the US. The company, which manufactures fully home-compostable cling wrap and resealable bags as an alternative to kitchen plastics, will sell its products via its website and Amazon. The vegan-friendly products and packaging can break down in home compost after…

S. Koreans Turn to Urban Farming to Overcome ‘Corona Blues’

Good News Notes: “The number of South Koreans who seek consolation by cultivating small vegetable gardens or growing companion plants on rooftops or balconies is on the rise. In a nutshell, they are ‘farming’ using small outdoor spaces like balconies inside apartments. In the midst of an increase in the amount of time spent at…

Startup Debuts First-Ever Plant-Based Burger Made From Microalgae

Good News Notes: “A food-tech startup has debuted the first-ever plant-based burger made from microalgae.  Sophie’s Bionutrients says its meat-free patties contain up to two times more protein than beef or most commercially available fish. Each 60g burger contains a staggering 25g of protein, comprising all nine essential amino acids. ‘Meat-like consistency’ The burger took the Singaporean…

UK To Fund Underwater Camera Network To Monitor Deep Ocean Wildlife

Good News Notes: “The targets: loggerhead turtles, silky sharks and sailfish. The mission: figure out how many of them are left. The United Kingdom announced Saturday it would launch a worldwide effort to monitor wildlife in the open oceans, hoping to fill a blue hole of scientific knowledge and get a clearer sense of which…

Rare animal photographed alive for the first time in the wild

Good News Notes: “Camera traps, devices used to capture wildlife using motion sensors, are saving the animals from bushmeat hunters and spotting rare animals in the process. In the West African country of Togo, researchers were able to see images of the Walter’s duiker, a petite African antelope species, for the first time in the…