Good News Notes: “In the waters of a marina near the Plymouth Marine Laboratory in England, a group of mussels are busy at work: filtering the water for microplastics. As the bivalves feed, they suck bacteria, algae, and anything else in their surroundings, including microplastics, out of the water and into their gills. When they…
Tag: microplastics
Scientists develop method to recycle plastic bottles into aviation fuel using less energy
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…
This Styrofoam-like packaging is made of popcorn—not plastic
Good News Notes: “Those bits that come inside your packages are called peanuts, but of course they are made from polystyrene, not anything natural. But what if we could send things packaged in popcorn—the actual food, not another plastic-derived counterpart—instead? That’s the hope of researchers at the University of Göttingen in Germany, who have developed the plant-based…
These microscopic robots swim through the ocean and dissolve microplastics
Good News Notes: “Microplastics—tiny pieces of plastic smaller than five millimeters across—are everywhere, from snow in the Arctic and rain in the Rocky Mountains to bottled water and beer. On the ocean floor, there may be nearly 16 million metric tons of it. In the top 200 meters of the Atlantic Ocean, there may be 21 million more metric…
Biodegradable plastic that can break down in your compost developed by scientists
Good News Notes: “Biodegradable plastic bags, cutlery and coffee cup lids may seem like a win for the environment, but they often introduce more problems than solutions. Despite being touted as “green”, many of these plastics take just as long as their conventional counterparts to break down in home composts and landfill, leading to more pollution…
Plastic trash can now be recycled into ultra-strong graphene
Good News Notes: “Packaging from the grocery store, lint from our clothing, plastic shopping bags – plastics and microplastics are everywhere, and they’re not going anywhere. In fact, it will take them hundreds of years to decompose in landfills . In order to speed up this decomposition process, scientists from Rice University are transforming these discarded…
Millions of toothbrushes go into landfills each year. Colgate is trying to reduce that.
Good News Notes: “Our landfills are a graveyard for old, plastic toothbrushes. Last year, 495 million nonelectric toothbrushes were purchased in the U.S. They’re not recyclable, which means the vast majority get tossed or end up in the ocean. Colgate, which sells 30% of the world’s toothbrushes, is trying to cut down on this waste….
Food containers and utensils made from sugar pulp could be a game-changer to battle plastic pollution
Good News Notes: “When Hongli (Julie) Zhu first came to the United States in 2007, she was surprised by the prevalence of single-use plastic containers at supermarkets and restaurants. ‘The material is cheap and convenient, but most of these containers are not biodegradable,’ saysZhu, an assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at Northeastern. According…
Suzuki’s motorboat filter gobbles up microplastics
Good News Notes: “Suzuki Motor has created an attachment for its boat motors that collects microplastics, a major source of pollution in the world’s oceans and waterways, the company said Thursday, adding that the device was the first of its kind. The Japanese company plans to launch the collector as an optional add-on next year,…
La Bouche Rouge launches fully sustainable makeup collection
Good News Notes: “Three years ago, Nicolas Gerlier co-founded La Bouche Rouge with one mission: to bring sustainability to the world of luxury beauty. Free of micro-plastics and housed in customisable, refillable cases, his haute line of lipsticks quickly became a cult favorite. Covetable collaborations with fashion brands includingNanushka, The Attico, and The Webster would…