Good News Notes: “Scientists have developed technology that can turn footsteps into electricity. By tapping into an unexpected energy source, wooden flooring, researchers from Switzerland have developed an energy-harvesting device that uses wood with a combination of a silicone coating and embedded nanocrystals to produce enough energy to power LED lightbulbs and small electronics. …
Tag: technology
Searching For A Solution: Ecosia Is Taking On Google And Aiding Reforestation Efforts In The Process
Good News Notes: “When many of us have a question, want to find something nearby, or are looking for information, we think, “I’m going to Google that.” Google is the world’s predominant search engine, commanding more than 90% of market share. The company’s name is synonymous with looking something up on the internet. But, like…
Tiny Robots Could Clean Up Microplastic Pollution
Good News Notes: “Microplastics—minuscule, hard-to-degrade fragments of clothing fibers, water bottles and other synthetic items—have made their way into air, water and soil around the world. Now new research published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces shows a way to promote their deterioration, at least in water, with technology on an even smaller scale: microrobots. When added to water along with a bit…
Drones fired ‘seed missiles’ into the dirt. A year later, the trees are already 20 inches tall.
Good News Notes: “Technology is the single greatest contributor to climate change but it may also soon be used to offset the damage we’ve done to our planet since the Industrial Age began. In September 2018, a project in Myanmar used drones to fire “seed missiles” into remote areas of the country where trees were…
This startup uses the cooling towers on buildings as carbon capture devices
Good News Notes: “On top of a nondescript industrial building in the Bay Area city of San Leandro, a company is pioneering a new way to fight climate change: Hacking a cooling tower—the equipment used for air conditioning in large buildings—to help pull CO2 from the atmosphere. So-called direct air capture machines are already in use elsewhere….
Price Rite kicks off pilot of Flashfood food waste reduction app
Good News Notes: “Wakefern Food Corp.’s Price Rite Marketplace has begun testing the Flashfood food waste reduction app in western New York. The free app from Toronto-based Flashfood gives shoppers access to exclusive deals on products — including meat, produce, seafood, dairy, deli and bakery — that are nearing their best-by date. In turn, the significantly reduced…
Tesla Says It Can Now Recycle 92% of Battery Cell Materials
Good News Notes: “Tesla released its 2020 Impact Report this week, in which the electric vehicle (EV) automaker claims it has the capacity to recover approximately 92 percent of battery cell materials thanks to ongoing improvements to its recycling process. The company has been working with third-party recycling firms for years to improve its capacity for end-of-life…
Hydroponic farming startup Just Vertical cultivates growth at home
Good News Notes: “The indoor growing industry is starting to scale. Farms that utilize hydroponics (grow produce without soil, usually in large warehouses) and traditional greenhouses have started to become integral parts of our food supply chain, mainly for leafy greens like lettuce, spinach and arugula. Vertical hydroponic farming is often seen as a sustainable…
Nebraska MRF adds plastic-lumber manufacturing line
Good News Notes: “Firstar Fiber is receiving a loan from the Alliance to End Plastic Waste that will help the processor convert hard-to-recycle plastics into building materials, all within the confines of the MRF. Omaha, Neb.-based Firstar Fiber last week announced the project, stating that the company will develop an “integrated recycling facility” adjacent to Firstar’s…
This Robot Goes Around The Beach Helping To Pick Up Litter
Good News Notes: “Beaches are fun places to go to, but it only takes a few bad apples to ruin the experience for everyone. By that we mean litterbugs, people who don’t think about other people and just dump their trash on the beach. This includes empty bottles, cans, food wrappings, actual food, cigarette buds,…