German State Requires Solar Panels On New, Non-Residential Buildings

Good News Notes: “If, say, a monster was threatening the future of humanity and the only way to defeat it was to stop feeding it pollution, there’s a good chance governments would take strong steps to cut pollution urgently. Unfortunately, despite everything above being the same except that the word “monster” should be replaced with…

European life expectancy increases by 9 months due to less pollution

Good News Notes: “Europeans have gained an average of nine extra months of life expectancy, thanks to successful air pollution regulations. Since the creation of the European Environment Agency, resulting emissions targets have meant European citizens are now exposed to 41 per cent less particulate pollution than they were two decades ago. This insight was published…

Johnnie Walker whisky to be sold in paper bottles

Good News Notes: “Johnnie Walker, the whisky which traces its roots back 200 years, will soon be available in paper bottles. Diageo, the drinks giant that owns the brand, said it plans to run a trial of the new environmentally-friendly packaging from next year. While most Johnnie Walker is sold in glass bottles, the firm…

Non-plastic bag can dissolve in cold water in just 5 minutes – AOL News

Good News Notes: “This non-plastic bag can dissolve in water in less than 5 minutes — and its creators are hoping it can help cut down on global pollution. Solubag’s revolutionary material closely resembles a generic shopping bag at first glance. However, unlike its plastic counterpart, a Solubag can easily be dissolved in cold water,…

Asian Otter Pups Born at Florida Jacksonville Zoo

Good News Notes: “The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has four new Asian small-clawed otter pups running around their facility. The adorable little otters — two males and two females — were born on Dec. 28 but had been kept behind the scenes with the rest of their family to give them time to grow and…

Good, Better, Best — Eliminating Plastic Waste

Good News Notes: “The top three materials filling American garbage bins are paper, food waste, and plastic. Of the three, plastic may be the most problematic. Not only does its production use nonrenewable natural resources and energy, but unlike paper and food waste, it is neither biodegradable nor easily recyclable. Nonexistent a century ago, plastic…

22-year-old runs from ocean to ocean for Clean Seas

Good News Notes: “On 26 July 2019, 22-year-old Sam Bencheghib asked the crowd of friends, supporters and media gathered around him, to take two deep breaths as a reminder of the importance that the oceans have in giving life. Bencheghib was about to embark upon a 3,100-mile run across the United States of America from coast…

Scientists Discover New Bacteria that Feeds on Plastic

 Good News Notes: “Researchers have identified a new bacterium that feeds on polyurethane, a kind of plastic that is difficult to recycle or destroy. Scientists say the discovery could help reduce a flood of hard-to-recycle plastics that are ending up in the world’s landfills and polluting oceans. A team from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in…

Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative Plants 500,000th Tree

Good News Notes: “The Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI) today announced the planting of its 500,000th native tree in Hawaii.  More than 1,200 acres of former pastureland on both Oahu and Hawaii Island have been reclaimed and returned to native forest.  ‘It’s wonderful to witness the birth of a forest, but there is much more…

‘Deceptively simple’ process could boost plastics recycling

Good News Notes: “Plastics are a victim of their own success, so inexpensive, easy to use and versatile that the world is awash in plastic waste. Now researchers from the University of Houston have reported a new method of producing polyolefins—made from hydrocarbons and the most common building block of plastics—structured to address one of…