Good News Notes: “Humans produce more than 6 billion tons of plastic every year, and its accumulation in landfills and oceans is considered by many to be an environmental crisis. Only 9% of plastics are recycled in the U.S., and while bans on single-use plastic bags and straws have some benefits, we’re nowhere near addressing the volume…
Tag: greenhouse gases
Turning tree bark and compost into aircraft wings and plastic bags
Good News Notes: “Trees, crops and even organic waste can be transformed into a bewildering array of plastics to use in products ranging from single-use bags to heavy-duty airplane wings. These so-called biopolymers could play a vital role in weaning us off petroleum plastics—which will help cut greenhouse gas emissions, and ensure plastics come from…
GM’s Ultium partners with Li-Cycle to expand U.S. EV battery recycling
Good News Notes: “General Motors announced Tuesday that its Ultium battery joint venture with LG Chem is partnering with Li-Cycle to expand America’s battery recycling capabilities, promising to return up to 100% of the valuable materials used in battery construction to the market for re-use. “Our combined efforts with Ultium Cells will be instrumental in redirecting…
Million-tree mission hopes to fix reforestation flaws
Good News Notes: “It’s an environmental policy embraced by heads of state, multinational businesses and even leading climate sceptic Donald Trump: plant more trees to help the planet and slow global warming. But experts claim some recent mass tree-planting schemes have failed to reduce greenhouse gases when not done properly, and even harmed the environment….
How cities are using nature to keep heatwaves at bay
Good News Notes: “The more the planet warms, the more cities are finding they need new ways to keep urban temperatures down and protect their residents. Heatwaves are already by far the deadliest weather-related disasters in Europe; 140,000 deaths associated with 83 heatwaves have been recorded since the beginning of this century. Today, only 8…
University of Minnesota-Morris says it now has a net zero carbon footprint
Good News Notes: “After years of nationally renowned sustainability efforts, the University of Minnesota-Morris says it has achieved carbon neutrality. This means the campus produces the same amount of energy it consumes, eliminating its carbon footprint. Clean energy sources that don’t give off carbon dioxide, such as wind, solar panels and a biomass-burning facility allow…
Adidas and Allbirds to design world’s most sustainable shoe
Good News Notes: “Six-year-old sneaker startup Allbirds is collaborating with the 70-year-old sporting giant Adidas to design a performance sports shoe with what the brands believe will be the world’s lowest carbon footprint. The companies aren’t sharing many specific details, but we know they’re planning to combine their respective areas of expertise to create a…
Mysterious glowing coral reefs are fighting to recover
Good News Notes: “A new study by the University of Southampton has revealed why some corals exhibit a dazzling colourful display, instead of turning white, when they suffer ‘coral bleaching’ – a condition which can devastate reefs and is caused by ocean warming. The scientists behind the research think this phenomenon is a sign that…
Germany Gets Over Half of Their Electricity From Renewable Sources In The First Quarter of 2020
Producing almost 52% of the domestic electricity it needed with renewable power sources, the first quarter of 2020 marked a record for Germany. Compare that to only 44% in the first quarter of 2019. Several factors contributed to this landmark event. The country had record wind power production in February as well as particularly high…
Taco Bell says it will add plant-based meat
Good News Notes: “Long before the Impossible Whopper at Burger King and Beyond Meat chicken at KFC, Taco Bell filled a fast-food gap for vegetarians and vegans with its easy ability to swap beans for beef and its “fresco” style modification, which subs pico de gallo for dairy toppings such as sour cream and cheese. The…