Good News Notes: “Plastics are everywhere. Often described as the material of the 21st century, plastics are found in our polyester clothes, our outdoor furniture and our supermarket food containers. An estimated 360 million tons of plastic were produced globally in 2018, and worldwide consumption continues to grow rapidly. The vast majority of it, more than…
Tag: pollution
Tour buses enlisted in smog fight
Good News Notes: “The Tourism and Sports Ministry has a short-term plan to seek cooperation from 10,000 tour buses in Bangkok to tackle the smog problem, including the use of alternative routes. Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is cooperating with tour operators to strictly prohibit polluting buses…
Milan Banning Cars On Sunday To Lessen Smog
Good News Notes: “Italy’s fashion and design capital, Milan, is banning cars from driving within city limits on Sunday to reduce air pollution levels. This means that, on Sunday, residents and tourists in the city will have to get around using bikes, electronic scooters or public transport from 10:00 a.m. (9:00 GMT) to 6:00 p.m. The…
The Architect Scooping Tiny Plastic Out of Our Waterways
Good News Notes: “Marcella Hansch had already been in a bad mood when the barista told her “no.” She tries to take as few planes as possible but had decided to fly to New York to attend a special event organized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Before getting on the 10-hour flight back…
‘A turtle inspired us to tackle plastic pollution’
Good News Notes: “A couple who saw the ‘scary’ impact of plastic pollution while traveling want to encourage others to make ‘simple changes’. Tommie Eaton and Rebecca Dudbridge, from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, were so shocked after seeing a turtle amid a ‘wave of plastic’ that they started a business selling toothbrushes with recyclable bamboo handles.” View…
Adidas used 1.8 million plastic bottles to make a football field – CNN
Good News Notes: “Adidas has taken approximately 1.8 million plastic bottles and turned them into a sustainable football field. A typical turf field uses a large amount of virgin plastics and re-ground rubber. James Carnes, vice president of global brand strategy for Adidas, told CNN that the sustainable field that the company built was made…
Reducing Air Pollution Saved the US $24 Billion on Elderly Health Benefits
Good News Notes: “Air pollution is expensive. Like, really freaking expensive. That’s why it’s worthwhile to keep our air clean. A study out recently has found that reduced air pollution levels between 1999 and 2013 saved the U.S some $24 billion a year looking only at the benefits to elderly people and early deaths related…
The drive to stop plastic pollution growing in new forests
Good News Notes: “Hundreds of thousands of plastic tube tree guards are used every year to protect saplings from being eaten by deer, rabbits and voles. Most are made from single-use plastics and are often left to disintegrate in the open when a tree grows. Forestry and Land Scotland said it would now use recyclable…
A simple burst of bubbles is keeping this canal clear of plastic
Good News Notes: “If you walk along the Westerdok canal in Amsterdam, you might not notice a line of bubbles moving across the surface. But underwater, a tube stretches along the bottom of the canal, pushing air upward. It’s a pilot test of new technology, called the Great Bubble Barrier, designed to help catch plastic…
France begins radical plan to phase out single-use plastic
Good News Notes: “As mentioned above, in 2020 single-use plastic plates, cups, and cotton buds are banned. In 2021, disposable cutlery, plastic takeout cup lids, confetti, drink stirrers, foam containers, plastic straws, and produce packaging containers will be banned. And there will be penalties for excessive plastic packaging. There will also be the deployment of…