Good News Notes: “You’ve heard, of course, of solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectric power plants, but did you know there are some other lesser-known renewable technologies currently in the pipeline? From stretchable or paint-infused solutions that can generate electricity from the Sun to ways for you to power your own electronics, the future of energy generation…
Tag: solar panels
Engineer discovers how to extract water from air and sunlight
Good News Notes: “When you have sugar in a bowl, that sugar gets a little clumpy over time,” says Cody Friesen. “Have you ever thought about why?” Friesen, who teaches materials science at Arizona State University, explains that the sugar absorbs moisture from the air around it. “The science term for that is the sugar…
Ex-Reddit CEO raises $30M to offer ‘reforestation in a box’
Good News Notes: “Over the past 4.5 billion years (give or take a few hundred million), the Earth has cultivated many perfect examples of circular economy principles — including the natural patterns through which water is withdrawn from rivers, springs, streams, lakes (and so forth) through evaporation and returned through rainfalls both gentle and stormy. …
China lands on Mars in major advance for its space ambitions
Good News Notes: “China landed a spacecraft on Mars for the first time on Saturday, a technically challenging feat more difficult than a moon landing, in the latest step forward for its ambitious goals in space. Plans call for a rover to stay in the lander for a few days of diagnostic tests before rolling…
Solar Mountain Would Produce Renewable Energy at Burning Man
Good News Notes: “Environmental design is becoming more and more relevant as we feel the effects of climate change on our planet. Artists, architects, and other designers are finding new ways to consider the impact of their work and to design less intrusively. Burning Man is a well-known community focused on art and self-expression, so it is…
Barcelona installs Spain’s first solar energy pavement
Good News Notes: “Barcelona city council has installed Spain’s first photovoltaic pavement as part of the city’s drive to become carbon neutral by 2050. The 50 sq metres of non-slip solar panels, installed in a small park in the Glòries area of the city, will generate 7,560kW a year, enough to supply three households. …
California and Biden plot to vacuum away climate change
Good News Notes: “Solar panels, wind turbines and electric cars will go far in helping California and the Biden administration meet their aggressive climate goals — but not far enough. As time runs short, scientists and government officials say the moment to break out the giant vacuums has arrived. The art of industrial-scale carbon removal — sucking…
Vienna’s green mini-city offers a model for sustainable, urban living
Good News Notes: “On a recent winter afternoon, Phillip Naderer-Puiu and his partner picked up their 4-year-old daughter from day care in aspern Seestadt, a new community focused on green living on the edge of Vienna. Naderer-Puiu was one of the first residents when he moved there in 2015. He loves the sense of community….
Pope Francis commits Vatican to net zero carbon emissions by 2050
Good News Notes: “Pope Francis urged countries on Saturday to work towards net zero carbon emissions and committed Vatican City — the world’s smallest state — to reaching the target by 2050. Francis, who has championed environmental causes since his election in 2013, told a U.N. climate summit the 108-acre (44-hectare) city-state surrounded by Rome…
How Tommy Hilfiger is working toward sustainability and inclusivity
Good News Notes: “On the roof of Tommy Hilfiger’s European distribution center—located in the Dutch town of Venlo—are 48,000 solar panels, just one of the latest steps the fashion brand has taken to be more sustainable. CEO Martijn Hagman announced the completion of the solar panel roof at the Fast Company Innovation Festival on Tuesday,…