Ecology

Changing the ‘throwaway culture’

By Jerry Brownstein

Repair cafés in the UK are dedicated to giving new life to things that might otherwise be thrown away, and to saving tonnes of waste from going into landfills. Two branches of a group called the Remakery are basedin Edinburgh and Brixton. They serve as both repair centres and as second-hand stores. They are also education centres - showing people how to mend and extend the lives of their appliances, which helps the environment and also saves money. Since opening in 2012 these Remakerys say they have diverted over 200 tonnes of waste that would have otherwise [...]

Renewable energy surpasses fossil fuels in EU

By Jerry Brownstein

In 2020 Europeans got more of their electricity from renewable sources than fossil fuels for the first time. The annual report which has been tracking the EU’s power sector since 2015, found that renewables delivered 38% of electricity compared to 37% from fossil fuels. This shift comes because wind and solar have nearly doubled since 2015, and now account for 20% of electricity generation in EU countries. As a result, coal power has greatly declined, making up only 13% of electricity generated in Europe. “Rapid growth in wind and solar has forced coal into decline, [...]

Drones that plant trees

By Jinny Throup

The Toronto based tech company, Flash Forest, is aiming to plant one billion trees by 2028 in the first drone project of its kind in Canada. Using pre-germinated seed pods, the aerial drones are capable of planting trees at a quarter of the cost of typical planting methods and ten times faster than human planters. Flash Forest uses eight different species of trees in order to diversify the ecosystems of the areas in which they plant. The overall goal is to have a significant and measurable impact on mitigating climate change, while also combating deforestation and biodiversity loss on a global [...]

First zero-emission cargo ship

By Jerry Brownstein

The Green Shipping Program is a public-private partnership for the development of environmentally advanced shipping projects. They created a competition to develop, build and operate a zero-emission bulk cargo carrier. The Norwegian Ship Design company, in partnership with other firms, has won the contract, and they are moving forward with the development of the world’s first zero-emission cargo ship. The name of the project is “Powered by Nature”, as a significant part of the energy required to operate the vessel will be harvested directly from nature through two large rotor [...]

Floating houses for cities

By Jerry Brownstein

With a growing global population and an increase of people living in cities, high land values are causing a shortage of affordable housing in urban areas. One way of adapting to this challenge is by creating floating neighbourhoods in cities that are by the sea. In Amsterdam there is one called ‘Schoonschip’, which is Dutch for ‘clean ship’. It is a model for this type of development, and its architect says, “With Schoonschip we want to set the example, and show how living on water can be a better alternative for people and our planet.”  The 46 homes sit on floating pontoon structures [...]

Plastic from fish waste

By Michelle Robertson

A new material made from fish waste that can be utilized as a type of plastic has the potential to solve two huge worldwide problems simultaneously. It was invented by a British student named Lucy Hughes, and it earned her the internationally recognized James Dyson Award. Her MarinaTex bioplastic is a strong, translucent and flexible alternative for single-use packaging that breaks down quickly and easily.The material was developed as part of Lucy’s final year project at the University of Sussex. She was determined to prove that you could utilise a waste product to create a sustainable [...]

White painted streets

By Michelle Robertson

Los Angeles (US) has found a new way of keeping city streets cool by coating some of its pavements with a special white coloured coolant. Dark asphalt absorbs up to 95% of the sun's rays, which causes the surface temperatures on the roads in city centres to climb rapidly. This not only heats up the streets themselves but the entire surrounding area as well. This new method can reduce the temperature of the asphalt by up to 15 degrees Celsius because the sun’s rays are reflected rather than absorbed. How are these white streets created? The white coating known as CoolSeal [...]

Sustainable energy in apartments

By Jinny Throup

More and more people are living in urban apartments where they have no way to create their own sustainable clean energy. But that may be about to change thanks to two new inventive technologies that can harvest solar power from windows, and wind power from balconies. Soligami is a unique origami-inspired solar panel that can turn windows into a source of electricity. The system looks similar to shutter blinds but they are actually solar energy panels. What makes it efficient is the folded design which greatly increases the surface area so that the energy production of the light passing through [...]

Norway’s Arctic seed vault

By Jerry Brownstein

Norway has announced it will spend 100 million Norwegian crowns (€12 million) to make improvements to its important seed vault in the Arctic. The Norwegian government built the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in 2008 to store seed samples of the world’s crops and plants. The vault serves as a natural deep freeze, and is meant to protect important genetic material in case of a major man-made or natural disaster. It holds seed varieties of crops from around the world, including corn, rice and grains. The vault received its one-millionth seed sample in 2018, and it has the capacity to hold up to [...]

A “Green City” in Africa

By María V.R.

The first green city project in Africa is being planned for construction on 620 hectares of land near Rwanda’s capital of Kigali. This urban area will be a model for future development as it will feature clean technologies, electric vehicles, renewable energy, biogas plants and urban forests. Other fundamental aspects of sustainability that are planned include the creation of mini-factories with clean technologies, affordable ecological housing and integrated craft production centres. The Rwanda Green Fund, with the financial support of the German Development Cooperation, plan to begin the project [...]

Protecting whales and dolphins

By Michelle Robertson

In an important win for the protection of marine life, Canada’s government has decided to ban the holding or breeding of whales and dolphins in captivity. This law has been hailed as a ‘moral obligation’ by animal rights activists who have been fighting to end the cycle of mammals being trained and forced to entertain people. Any new cases of these species of marine life being exploited in this way could face fines of up to 200,000 Canadian dollars (€150,000).Marine mammals that are already held will be allowed to remain in captivity, plus any animals that need rehabilitation from injury. [...]

Wood from hemp

By Michelle Robertson

A solution to saving trees while still producing solid, sustainable furniture, could be a new wood made from hemp which is being produced in the US. With the same durability as traditional oak hardwood, the new HempWood is said to be “a reverse-engineered wood substitute”. It grows in just six months, has a 20% higher density than wood and can be used in furniture, flooring, and other woodworking projects – plus it is less expensive than oak. This product was brought into production by a company called Fibonacci – named after the famous Italian mathematician of the Middle Ages.The company’s [...]

Mexico creates a giant marine reserve

By Jinny Throup

In a move to protect wildlife from commercial fishing, whilst also promoting eco tourism, the government of Mexico has created the largest ocean reserve in North America. The Revillagigedo Archipelago, situated southeast of Baja California, has been declared a national park. All fishing activities are now prohibited, and hotel infrastructure will be constructed on each of the park’s four volcanic islands. The Environment ministry will carry out surveillance, training activities and environmental education for fishermen, whilst the Mexican Navy will enforce the fishing prohibitions and issue sanctions [...]

Toward a ban on bee-killing pesticides

By Jinny Throup

A major new assessment from the European Union has concluded that the world’s most widely used insecticides pose a serious danger to all species of bees, making a total ban on neonicotinoid pesticides across the EU highly likely. The report from the European Food Safety Authority is based on an analysis of more than 1,500 studies. It shows that these pesticides are nerve agents which cause a wide range of harm to bees, including reduction of the number of queen bees and damage to memory. The report also concluded that much of the risk to bees comes from contamination of the soil and water [...]

Wildlife highway crossings

By Jerry Brownstein

Sweden will build a series of new animal bridges as part of the global efforts to help wildlife navigate busy roads. Every April Sweden’s main highway comes to a standstill as hundreds of reindeer cross the asphalt on their annual journey to the mountains. Swedish authorities announced they would build up to a dozen “renoducts” (reindeer viaducts) to aid the crossings, which will also help moose and lynx to move around the landscape. These renoducts are part of a growing number of wildlife bridges and underpasses around the world that aim to connect fractured habitats. On the Yucatán peninsula [...]

Cleaning plastic from rivers

By Jerry Brownstein

The Ocean Cleanup Project is famous for working to clean up the vast amount of plastic waste known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This non-profit, created by Boyan Slat of Holland, has undertaken another novel ecological solution based on stopping plastic from entering the oceans via rivers. Removing waste from the oceans is of course important, but stopping the flow of new plastic trash is arguably even more important. Over eight million tons of plastic waste enters the oceans each year, and the vast majority of it comes from rivers in Asia and Africa. The Ocean Cleanup [...]

Samsung reduces plastic packaging

By Jinny Throup

The world’s largest smartphone maker, Samsung, has pledged to reduce the amount of plastic packaging typically used to wrap and protect its electronic devices and appliances. Samsung phones, tablets and wearable devices will be packaged in paper, pulp molds and bio-based or recycled plastics. In addition, the glossy plastic exterior of the phone charger will be replaced with a recycled matte finish, and plastic protection films will be discontinued. The plastic bags used to protect the surface of Samsung’s large home appliances will be replaced by bags made from recycled materials and bioplastics, [...]

Air bubble traps plastic waste

By Michelle Robertson

A simple yet highly effective solution for trapping plastic pollution has been unveiled in Amsterdam, and it is powered by… bubbles! The Great Bubble Barrier has the potential to divert more than 80% of waste in the city’s canals before it reaches the North Sea. In addition, it does all of this without affecting marine life or recreational activities on the water. Here is how it works: A long perforated pipe runs diagonally for 60 metres across the bottom of the canal. Compressed air is pumped through the tube creating a wall of bubbles that catches the debris. The natural water current helps [...]

Massive new public lands in US

By Jerry Brownstein

A new law in the US will designate over 500,000 hectares as nationally protected wilderness. Another provision of the law will ban mining practices on an additional 150,000 hectares of land that surrounds two existing national parks, and will increase the protected areas of six other national parks. This greatly expands an existing program known as the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Since its creation over 50 years ago, this program has supported more than 42,000 state and local projects throughout the US. The LWCF is also important for the nation’s booming outdoor recreational economy, [...]

New wildlife in a replanted forest

By Jinny Throup

After many years of hard work and dedication, Brazilian photojournalist Sebastiao Salgado and his wife Lelia, have succeeded in transforming a barren plot of land into a tropical paradise. Almost 30 years ago the couple inherited their family’s sprawling cattle ranch in Minas Gerais. They were dismayed to find that, what had once been a lush and lively rainforest was now almost bare of trees, and all of the wildlife had disappeared. Determined to restore the forest, they called their project the Instituto Terra, and began the slow but steady process of reviving this massive 750 hectare forest. [...]

Natural swimming pools

By María V.R.

Another long hot summer has many people thinking about adding a swimming pool to their home, or renovating an existing pool. After all, what could be more refreshing than diving into the crystal clear water of your own pool. In most pools that beautiful water is kept free of bacteria and fungi by using chlorine and/or other chemical agents, however there are also more natural ways to keep your pool pristine. One alternative is to build a natural swimming pool – also known as an eco-pool or bio-pool – to create clean and clear water with an ecological purification system. This type of pool is designed [...]

220 million trees planted in one day!

By Jinny Throup

In a government campaign to tackle climate change and improve the environment, more than a million people in Lucknow, the capital city of the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India, worked together to plant 220 million trees in one day. Dozens of species of saplings, including 16 fruit species, were planted in over a million locations including 60,000 villages and 83,000 sites in forest ranges. The target number was 220 million saplings because that is one for each of the 220 million people living in Uttar Pradesh. They started at sunrise and their goal was achieved by 5:00 pm. This was the [...]

Mumbai beach recovery

By Michelle Robertson

Hailed as one of the world’s largest clean-ups, a heavily polluted beach has been transformed from a “shin-deep dump for plastics and rubbish” into the site of a massive turtle nesting. Thanks to hundreds of volunteers who worked tirelessly to rid the beach of 13 million kg of rubbish over a two year period, a host of Olive Ridley turtles have made their way onto Versova beach in Mumbai, India for the first time in decades. To ensure that the turtles were not harmed at the hands of wild dogs or birds of prey, volunteers slept in the sand to watch over them, resulting in at least 80 hatchlings [...]

Making the desert green

By María V. R.

The African country of Burkina Faso had been suffering severe droughts since the middle of the 20th century, and by 1980 desertification of the land had caused widespread famine. That was the year that a simple farmer named Yacouba Sawadogo decided that he was going to do something about it. He had little help, and most people said he was crazy, but he started to plant trees in this desert. [...]

Hemp is legalized in the US

By Jerry Brownstein

Hemp is a species of the cannabis plant that has been valued since ancient times for its fibres and seeds, but it has been illegal to grow it in the US for many decades. That all changed in late 2018 with the passage of a law that included the legalization of hemp production. This paves the way for a resurgence of this versatile plant, overturning a strange history of confusion and ignorance that led to making hemp illegal in the US. Legislative hysteria over the use of recreational drugs in the 1960’s led to the ill-advised Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Hemp and marijuana were grouped together [...]

Bus stops become bee stops

By Jinny Throup

The Dutch city of Utrecht is taking inventive measures to help the environment and improve its air quality. Over 300 of the city’s bus stops now have flowering sedum plants on their roofs. These colourful plants help to capture fine dust, store rainwater and provide cooling in the summertime. Another welcome result is that these bus stops, which are outfitted with efficient led lights and bamboo benches, have also become favourite stops for the local bee population. Supporting honey bees is important in these times when they are threatened by overuse of pesticides. The green bus stops also contribute [...]

Minimizing waste in Slovenia’s capital

By Jinny Throup

Just 15 years ago all of the waste from Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia, went to landfill. But now, thanks to the city’s drastic change of course, Ljubljana is the first European capital to commit to eventually going to zero-waste and aiming for at least 75% of its rubbish being recycled by 2025. It started in 2002 with separate collection of paper, glass and packaging in roadside containers. Four years later, the city began collecting biodegradable waste door to door, and in 2013 every property received bins for packaging waste. The Regional Centre for Waste Management (the most modern [...]

The Solar Mamas of Malawi

By María V. R.

The Solar Mama rural electrification program simultaneously brings electricity to rural communities whilst empowering women through education and training. These eight women live in an area of Malawi (Africa) that has no central electricity. Even though none of the women had finished school, they were selected by the charity Voluntary Service Overseas to train in India to become solar engineers. They are now using these skills to light the way for their villages by installing cost-free solar power. One example of how this has changed people’s live is Lines Nguluwe. She had lived in poverty, but [...]

Restoring the Scottish Highlands

By Michelle Robertson

Two Danish entrepreneurs are becoming pioneers of ‘rewilding’ in their efforts to restore the natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Rewilding basically means returning the land to its natural wild state. Anders and Anne Holch Povlsen own more than 80,000 hectares across the Grampian mountains, and they have aspirations to be “exemplars of community engagement by reversing years of neglect and mismanagement”. They have already planted over 1.5 million native trees across this part of Scotland. The couple have made billions of euros through Ander’s clothing empire which includes the online [...]

New map to protect Spanish forests

By María V. R.

The Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications has prepared a map showing which forested areas in Spain need the most protection. These are the areas that store the most carbon which makes them important for cushioning the effects of global warming. Most of these forests are located in the north of the country in Cantabria, Navarre, Asturias, Galicia, the Pyrenees and the Basque country. There are also some forests in the interior that need priority protection, in Rioja, Andalusia and around Madrid. Obviously, the more trees a forest has, the more carbon it can accumulate. [...]

Growth of renewable energy in Spain

By María V. R.

Renewable energy is obtained from the natural sources of sun, wind and water, which are inexhaustible and non-polluting. In the past Spain had not taken advantage of its abundant sunshine to fully promote clean solar energy, but that is now changing. In recent years the installation of solar panels has grown exponentially with some of the country’s largest companies adopting a more sustainable attitude toward energy production. Many factories have already achieved energy autonomy, which means they produce, manage and consume their own energy. One of the main reasons for this change is the high [...]

Taking plastic out of rivers

By Michelle Robertson

Sometimes the simplest solutions can be the best solutions. A new filtration system which is “unbelievably simple” could massively address the problem of contamination of our seas and oceans. It has already proven itself to be efficient by preventing large amounts of rubbish from entering the waters around Australia. Simply placing a net on the outlet of the drainage pipes that carry water from residential areas into the sea, traps large amounts of debris that would otherwise pollute the environment. Authorities from the Australian city of Kwinana were the first to install the new system, and [...]

Great Green Wall of Africa

By Jinny Throup

In an attempt to help fight the effects of climate change, over 20 African countries have joined together to plant a massive wall of drought-resistant acacia trees across the continent. Nicknamed The Great Green Wall of Africa, this international tree planting project stretches across roughly 8,000 kilometres of arid land along the southern edge of the Sahara desert. For centuries this had been an area of lush greenery and foliage, creating a green border that stopped the desert from expanding. But over the past fifty years, a combination of population growth, unsustainable land management and [...]

Costa Rica: 99% renewable energy

By Michelle Robertson

Costa Rica is a small country that’s setting a huge example for the rest of the world with the news that up to 99% of their energy comes from renewable sources. Around 75% of that energy is derived from hydroelectric generators using river water, while the rest comes from geothermal, wind, biomass and solar power. This effort got a big boost with the opening of a large hydroelectric plant on the country’s Caribbean coast, which began operations in 2016. It is the largest plant of its kind in Central America. The country also has seven wind turbine plants, six hydroelectric plants and a large solar [...]

Free public transport in Luxembourg

By Jinny Throup

Luxembourg is set to become the first country in the world to make 100% of its public transport free by abolishing fares on trains, trams and buses. Luxembourg City suffers from some of the worst traffic congestion in the world. The country as a whole has only 600,000 inhabitants, but nearly 200,000 people from France, Belgium and Germany cross the border every day to work there. This small nation already has a progressive attitude towards transportation which includes free passes for young people under the age of 20 and free shuttles for secondary school students. This new initiative is the next [...]

Natural restoration of lakes in India

By María V. R.

In 2013 Ramveer Tanwar had just finished his engineering studies at university, and he turned his attention to the unfortunate environmental situation of his native village in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The region had experienced 13 droughts over a 15 year period, with the result that all the rivers and lakes were either dried-out or polluted. Ramveer decided to take action by going house to house raising awareness among the residents about this critical situation. He organized the villagers to come together on a weekly basis to study the problem, and they came up with a plan to resurrect [...]

World’s largest urban farm in Paris

By Jinny Throup

A groundbreaking rooftop farm is currently under construction in southwest Paris which will be the largest urban farm in the world. This oasis within a city will span approximately 14,000 square metres, and will grow more than 30 different types of edible plants. The site will produce around 1,000 kg of fruits and vegetables every day in the high season, and will be using entirely organic methods. Located on top of a major exhibition complex, the farm will also have its own on-site restaurant and bar, which will feature seasonal produce grown right on the farm, along with panoramic views over [...]

France to shut down all coal plants

By Jinny Throup

French President Emmanuel Macron announced during the World Economic Forum of 2019, that all of France’s coal-fired power plants will be shut down by 2021 – two years earlier than initially planned. As a strong advocate for the advantages and economic benefits of climate action, President Macron accelerated the timescale for phasing out the country’s coal to send a clear signal about France’s determination to be a leader in this area. The country intends to be carbon neutral by 2050. Macron also called for the EU to set a stable carbon price which will send the right signals to the energy market. [...]

Costa Rica bans single-use plastic

By Jinny Throup

In an attempt to alleviate the problem of plastics polluting the oceans and the environment, Costa Rica has decided to ban all single-use plastic products by 2021. Under the ban water bottles, lids, drinking straws, eating utensils and a myriad other products would be prohibited. Costa Rica’s Ministries of Health and Environment are calling for the participation of all sectors – public and private – to commit to actions to replace single-use plastic through municipal incentives, guidelines for suppliers, research and strategic initiatives. Costa Rica is the Central American leader in protecting [...]

Aldi switching to eco bags

By Michelle Robertson

The Aldi supermarket chain has been working to reduce the amount of plastic that is used in their stores. One example of this effort is the introduction of eco-friendly bags that are 100% biodegradable in all of their 139 stores in Ireland. This change eliminates 12.5 million single-use plastic bags per year, and it will eventually be implemented in all of Aldi’s stores. It is part of a new eco-friendly system that includes biodegradable loose produce bags, reusable shopping bags, and recyclable paper bags. The loose produce and shopping bags can be put into regular compost bins and are made from [...]

New York bans Styrofoam

By Jerry Brownstein

Since 2019 most Styrofoam products have been banned from possession, sale, or use in New York City. This ban includes foam takeout containers, cups, plates, bowls, trays and ‘packing peanuts’ (the little things that they use to cushion packages). The prohibition is an effort to eliminate this ecologically damaging material that cannot be recycled and doesn’t biodegrade. New York joins other US cities that are working to eliminate foam products including San Francisco, Minneapolis, Oakland, Portland and Seattle.

Taiwan to ban plastic

By María V. R.

Ordering take-out, picking up groceries, and buying a soft drink are among the many activities that will change over the next decade in Taiwan as the island nation imposes a blanket ban on single-use plastic bags, straws and cups. It will be one of the farthest-reaching actions on plastic in the world, and it is another example of the momentum of the anti-plastic movement. An estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans each year, which is like emptying a truck-load of plastic into the sea every minute. The majority of this pollution comes from rivers in Asia – particularly in China. [...]

Ocean Cleanup Project has success

By Jerry Brownstein

A huge floating device designed to clean up an island of rubbish in the Pacific Ocean that is three times the size of France is successfully accomplishing its mission. About 800,000 metric tonnes of fishing gear is abandoned or lost at sea each year, and another eight million tonnes of plastic waste flows in from rivers and beaches. Ocean currents have brought a vast amount of this trash together at a point halfway between Hawaii and California. It is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and it is by far the largest accumulation of plastic trash in the world. This mass of floating debris [...]

Norway bans palm oil biofuels

By María V. R.

Once again it is a Scandinavian country that is the leader in an area of positive ecological policymaking. Norway is set to become the first country in the world to ban its biofuel industry from using palm oil, which is linked to deforestation and other harmful environmental practices. Norway’s use of palm oil in diesel fuel reached an all-time high of 10% in 2017. This oil has been linked to the persecution of native people, greenhouse gas emissions, and the destruction of wildlife habitats. Norway’s new policy is being hailed as a landmark victory for the environment. This [...]

The Earth is getting greener

By Jerry Brownstein

The world is literally a greener place than it was 20 years ago, and the latest research has revealed that China and India are the surprising sources for much of this new foliage. These two emerging countries, with the world’s largest populations, are leading the way with ambitious tree planting programs and intensive agriculture. This detailed information was made possible by a 20-year data record from two NASA satellites. They are called the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, or MODIS, and their high tech data provides accurate information for researchers to determine what’s happening [...]

Adidas ‘Loop’ running shoes

By Jerry Brownstein

The giant sporting goods company Adidas is taking a leading role in the global effort to lessen the plague of plastic waste. Their latest project is the Futurecraft Loop performance running shoe. When these shoes are worn out they can be returned to the company, where they will be completely recycled to make new shoes. Adidas is no stranger to sustainability innovations. In 2015 they partnered with ‘Parley for the Oceans’ to create running shoes whose uppers were made entirely from marine plastic waste. In 2018 they produced 11 million pairs of those shoes using plastic collected on beaches, [...]

Loop: for sustainable packaging

By Jerry Brownstein

The biggest brand name companies are also the largest producers of plastic trash, and they face mounting public pressure to curb their environmental footprints. As a result, some of the world's largest food, beverage and consumer goods companies have partnered with recycling giant TerraCycle to launch an ambitious e-commerce platform to tackle single-use waste. It’s called Loop, and here is how it works. Goods such as Pantene shampoo, Tropicana orange juice and Häagen-Dazs ice cream will come in sturdy, reusable glass bottles or stainless steel containers. Instead of throwing away the packaging [...]

Help for India's air pollution from IKEA

By Jinny Throup

The Swedish furniture giant IKEA has come up with a plan for reducing air pollution in some of the world’s most badly affected cities. Under its initiative called “Better Air Now” the company will start making products out of the unwanted rice straw that Indian farmers normally burn as waste. The smoke from these fires is one of the major contributors to India’s pollution crisis as it causes huge amounts of harmful particles to be released into the environment. IKEA plans to buy the straw and turn it into a renewable source for their products. Working with the Indian state, local governments, [...]

Philanthropist creates vast national parks in Chile

By Jinny Throup

Thanks to the largest private land donation in history, a sparsely-populated area in South America, known for its untouched landscape and beautiful national parks, will continue to be preserved. Over 400,000 hectares were donated to the Chilean government by a philanthropic American couple - the late Doug Tompkins (founder of The North Face clothing and equipment line) and his widow Kristine. The couple had spent the past 25 years acquiring this land in Patagonia with the goal of preserving it. In 2015 Doug died in a tragic kayaking accident, and since that time Kristine has been working with [...]

Glastonbury Festival bans sale of single-use plastics

By Jinny Throup

The famous Glastonbury Festival (UK) has banned the sale of single-use plastics from all of their events. Not only will plastic drinks bottles be unavailable to purchase, they will also no longer be supplied in any of the festival’s backstage, production, catering and dressing room areas. Festival-goers are being encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles which they can refill at any of the hundreds of free water taps, or at ‘WaterAid’ kiosks around the site. In excess of one million plastic bottles have been sold at Glastonbury every year for the past decade. So it is high time [...]

A capital city centre with no cars

By Jinny Throup

As in many cities, the centre of Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana had always been crowded with polluting car traffic. Ten years ago they decided to do something about it, and since then the city centre has been car-free. Residents who live in the city centre have to park their cars at an underground garage outside the car-free area and walk from there. The only exceptions are for elderly and disabled people or mothers with young children who are offered free rides in electric taxis. Bicycles and buses are the only other form of traffic permitted in the historic and compact city centre. At first local [...]

Recycling almond shells

By Jinny Throup

The production of almond-based products has increased greatly in recent years, as word has spread about the many healthy benefits to be had from them. However, this rapid rise in production has created a massive amount of waste from the hull or shell that protects the nut. Traditionally, these were fed to dairy cows but because of the decline in dairy products (ironically due in part to almond milk) producers in the US are experimenting with other solutions. One possibility is crushing and compressing the hulls to create sugar which can be converted into hard cider, beer and tea. These sugars [...]

France supports recycled plastic

By Jinny Throup

As part of a pledge to use only recycled plastic nationwide by 2025, France introduced a penalty system in 2019 that increases the cost of goods that use non-recycled plastic packaging. Under the new plan, products with recycled plastic packaging will cost up to 10% less than their non-recycled counterparts. France has already outlawed single-use shopping bags in supermarkets in an effort to encourage shoppers to use their own bags. The government also intends to increase taxes on burying waste in landfills, whilst at the same time cutting taxes for recycling operations. They say that this [...]

Avocado pits converted to plastic

By Jinny Throup

There is growing awareness that plastic straws, cups, plates and disposable cutlery are very damaging to the environment. One way to face this challenge is to come up with new forms of plastic that are biodegradable and sustainable. A company in Mexico is doing just that by manufacturing a bioplastic that is made from avocado pits. Biofase was founded by Scott Mungia who, as an engineering student, had been motivated to find a reliable source of biodegradable plastic. After testing the properties of numerous raw materials, he came up with the idea of extracting a molecular compound from the avocado [...]

Norway chooses ecology over profits

By Jerry Brownstein

Western Europe’s biggest petroleum producer is falling out of love with fossil fuels. To the dismay of Norway’s powerful oil industry, the government has withdrawn its support for offshore oil exploration around the sensitive Lofoten islands in the Norwegian Arctic. A solid majority of the parliament has decided to keep this pristine natural area off limits to drilling. Oil companies led by state-controlled Equinor ASA, the biggest Norwegian producer, said that gaining access to Lofoten had been crucial if the country wanted to maintain production, as existing oil fields are being depleted. Estimates [...]

Recycling plastic at the subway

By María Vila Rebolo

Let’s say you are in Istanbul but you don’t have enough cash for the bus fare… No worries! You can now refill your travel card with recycled plastic bottles. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) has an environmentally friendly system that lets you top up your card by recycling plastic. They have installed automated "Smart Mobile Waste Transfer Machines" across the city which take used plastic bottles and containers as payment. The machine issues a credit corresponding to the value of each plastic item entered. These reverse vending machines have been installed in 25 locations around the [...]

EU ban on single-use plastics

By Jinny Throup

In a bid to stop pollution of our landfills and oceans, the EU has called for a complete ban on a wide range of single-use plastics by 2021. The directive targets some of the most common polluting plastics such as straws, drink-stirrers, cotton buds, cutlery and plates, as there are readily available alternatives to these products. Other items, where no easy alternatives yet exist, such as burger boxes and sandwich wrappers, will still have to be reduced by 25% in each country by 2025. Another ambitious target is to ensure that 90% of all plastic drink bottles are collected for recycling by 2025. [...]

Morgan Freeman aids bees

By Jinny Throup

The esteemed American actor Morgan Freeman has converted his 50 hectare Mississippi ranch into a sanctuary for bees, in an effort to help counter their decreasing population. The sanctuary consists of 26 large beehives where Freeman feeds the bees sugar water to spur their growth, and has planted bee-friendly trees and plants such as clover, lavender and magnolia. He has no intention of harvesting honey or disrupting the bees in any way. It seems as if the bees sense his good intentions as they have not yet stung him even though he never wears a bee suit or hat! The decline of bee colonies [...]

Green walls in your home

By Jerry Brownstein

Long relegated to corporate atriums and hotel lobbies, living green walls, or vertical gardens, are becoming increasingly popular in private homes. These lush walls of plants clean the air, insulate the home from outside noise and create a soothing environment. They are also a beautiful and natural work of art. Gennaro Brooks-Church (who grew up here on Ibiza) is a creative builder in New York, and his company, Eco Brooklyn, installs green walls in homes throughout the city - usually as part of a modernizing renovation. Brooks-Church has been perfecting the concept [...]

Coal plant becomes a solar village

By Michelle Robertson

Using about a third less power than their conventional counterparts, a former coal mine in England will be the site of 2000 energy efficient solar powered homes. The houses will get half their power from on-site solar energy produced by rooftop, ground-mounted and even floating solar panels. They will also use natural geothermal heat pumps. It’s another demonstration of the huge shift towards low carbon electricity supplies in the UK. The site is being developed by the Engie power company which decided to regenerate the land of their old coal plant rather than selling it off.

Soluble plastic bags

By María V. R.

A group of Chilean scientists have created a plastic bag which does not pollute the environment because it can disappear. The ‘SoluBag’ is just as strong as a traditional plastic bag, but it dissolves on contact with water in just five minutes. The bag does not leave any kind of contaminant in the water, so it remains potable. But what happens when it rains! Of course the inventors have thought about that, and they assure us that the bags only dissolve when the water is a certain temperature. When demonstrating the product, the creators of SoluBag put one into a container with water to [...]

Germany to close all coal plants

By Jinny Throup

Germany has announced that it will shut down all of its coal-fired power plants by no later than 2040, in order to meet its international commitments in the fight against climate change. Germany is one of the world’s biggest consumers of coal which currently produces 40% of the country’s electricity. In order to eliminate these coal plants they will need to greatly increase the production of renewable energy sources, so that they are able to supply 80% of the nation’s power by 2040. The panel that made the declaration to close the coal plants included leaders in the federal and state governments [...]

Spain's green energy plan

By Jerry Brownstein

A new plan put forward by the government of Spain aims to cut carbon emissions by 50% and produce 100% of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2050. Teresa Ribera, minister for ecological transition, states that the new government, which came to power in June 2018, aims to revolutionize the energy sector of the economy. Under this proposal there will be no new licences issued for oil and gas exploration in Spanish waters, and all drilling will stop completely by 2040. Cars fuelled by petrol or diesel will be phased out, and after 2040 only electric and other “zero emission” vehicles [...]

Ireland stops fossil fuel investments

By Jinny Throup

A bill supported by all political parties has been passed in the Republic of Ireland’s lower houses of parliament which compels the country’s national investment fund to sell all of its €312 million investments in global fossil fuel companies as soon as possible. This far-reaching commitment is part of a divestment movement that is pushing governments, religious institutions, universities and other organizations to divest their money from coal, oil and gas companies. Norway, the Church of England and 40 Catholic Church institutions have said they will be turning their backs on fossil fuel investment. [...]

Straws that are re-usable and collapsible

By Jinny Throup

Re-usable straws have been on the market for quite some time, but they are not very convenient to carry about. ‘FinalStraw’ provides the solution using a clever mechanism that allows the straw to fold down into a lightweight case that is small enough to fit on your keychain. Created by Canadians Emma Cohen and Miles Pepper, the straw is made from stainless steel and is designed to last a lifetime. It is suitable for both hot and cold drinks, is dishwasher-proof and comes with a mini-squeegee to keep it clean on the go (this also collapses and fits inside the same case). Plastic straws [...]

Water bottle refill points in London

By Jinny Throup

In an effort to reduce the amount of waste caused by plastic water bottles in the city of London, a network of new drinking fountains and bottle refill points will be rolled out this summer. This pilot scheme will see twenty new drinking fountains being installed across the city. In addition, a bottle refill initiative, whereby businesses make tap water available to the public, will be set up across five areas of London. If this proves to be successful then the program will be expanded to the rest of the city during the summer. Those businesses offering free tap water will display signs [...]

The Palau Pledge

By Jinny Throup

In the world’s first initiative of its kind, Palau, an archipelago of around 200 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, has introduced a “passport pledge” in an effort to protect the environment and preserve their homeland. The pledge is stamped into visitors’ passports and must be signed before they are allowed to enter the country. If anyone is found breaking the conditions of the pledge, they risk incurring a heavy fine. It was drafted with the help of children from across Palau, and everyone who signs promises that they will: not litter, not smoke in restricted areas, avoid treading on or touching [...]

Floating solar power in China

By Michelle Robertson

China is literally making waves with the news that it has built a huge floating solar energy array on the surface of a lake. Located in Huainan province, this solar structure is the biggest of its kind, and can produce enough electricity to power the lights and air conditioning of a large nearby city - around 40 Megawatts of electricity at its’ peak. This is another step forward for China as it continues to make progress in reducing its reliance on fossil fuel energy sources. This news is even a bit ironic because the solar installation is floating on a lake that was formed by a [...]

The world’s first hemp airplane

By Jerry Brownstein

The Canadian cannabis company Hempearth has designed the world’s first airplane that is made from and powered by cannabis. The primary material used is hemp - the non-psychoactive member of the cannabis family. Not only does this totally functional plane run on 100% hemp oil, but it was made entirely from cannabis. Everything from the seats, the wings, the plane walls and even the pillows contains hemp. This natural and earth-friendly material had been used for numerous purposes since ancient times, but in recent decades it fell into disuse due to confusion with its psychoactive cousin marijuana. [...]

Greenhouse of the future

By Michelle Robertson

Given the uncertainty of global warming, innovators are looking for alternative ways to produce food without relying on the unstable natural climate. A team from Quebec, Canada claim to have developed an eco-friendly and exceptionally cost-effective solution to our future food needs. It’s a micro-climate that allows people to grow their food all-year round with minimal energy usage. They designed and built a special growing system that allows organic food to grow in any climate. It is also very inexpensive to construct as it uses recycled materials. In addition to growing food, this ‘greenhouse [...]

Plants are sensitive to what we say

By Jinny Throup

The Swedish company, IKEA recently created an inspirational video to support the company’s  #SayNoToBullying campaign. A very interesting part of the project was an experiment to see what happens when kids in a school bully a plant. A group of students were asked to make voice recordings, and half of the children were asked to repeat positive verbal compliments, while the other half repeated verbal abuse. Two identical Dracaena plants were taken to the school, and for 30 days they received exactly the same physical care with water, light and fertiliser. The only difference was that one of [...]

Innovative bamboo houses

By María V. R.

A young Filipino has won the international “Cities of the Future Award” for designing a bamboo house that can be assembled in just four hours. It is called CUBO, and the jury that awarded the prize highlighted its simplicity which makes it a practical solution for a global problem. Earl Forlales designed these dwellings with the aim of solving the housing crisis in his native country. The spark of the idea came from his grandfather's bamboo hut where he spent his childhood, and which has stood for decades. His goal is to offer decent, affordable and sustainable residences to the four million inhabitants [...]

Carrefour supports reusable packaging

By Jinny Throup

The French supermarket giant Carrefour has over 1,000 stores in Spain, and it is now allowing customers to bring their own food storage containers (like Tupperware) in all locations. Shoppers are able to put their fresh groceries into glass or plastic containers rather than having them wrapped up or put into a plastic bag. The only stipulation is that the containers must be transparent and come with lids. The move is part of Carrefour’s “Act for food” campaign which aims to cut down on plastic use both in its own operations and for its shoppers in their homes. As part of this initiative they have [...]

Innovative plastic bottle recycling in Norway

By Jinny Throup

A deposit-based system for recycling plastic bottles in Norway is being studied for widespread adoption in other parts of Europe. The industry-led scheme recycles 97% of the country’s bottles and has massively reduced plastic litter on both land and sea. It works like this: You pay a deposit on every bottle that you purchase. The amount of the deposit ranges from about 10 to 25 centimos depending on the size of the bottle. When the bottle is empty you place it into a deposit-return machine which reads the barcode and gives you a coupon for the amount of your deposit. Ecologists [...]

Vertical highway gardens in Mexico and India

By Jinny Throup

Innovative green projects have been launched in both Mexico and India which aim to improve air quality. In Mexico City the Via Verde initiative has over 40,000 square metres of vertical gardens on more than 700 columns of the city’s ring road. They project that each year this will filter over 27,000 tonnes of harmful gases, capture about 5,000 kg of suspended powders, and process more than 10,000 kg of heavy metals. These vertical plants will also add a significant amount of oxygen to the air. The system has automated irrigation to keep the plants healthy, and most of the water used comes from [...]

Beer bottles made into sand

By Jinny Throup

DB Breweries of New Zealand has created a machine that pulverizes beer bottles and turns them into fine-grain sand in just five seconds. When an empty bottle is deposited, the machine first eliminates the plastic labels, and then uses miniature steel hammers to crush the bottle into a sand-like substance. Not only could this help to keep glass out of landfills, but it also provides a solution to the problem of extensive sand mining. Two-thirds of the world’s beaches are seriously depleted because so much sand is being used for the construction and manufacturing industries. This machine has the [...]

World’s cutest solar energy farm

By Carmen Loren

A massive solar installation in the shape of a panda was recently opened near Beijing in China. This interesting initiative was devised by the Panda Green Energy company, and they say that the goal of the design is to interest children in how clean, renewable electricity can be generated. But perhaps more important to the Chinese authorities is that this panda-plant is a way to get positive international attention, as they try to leave behind their image as a highly polluting country with hundreds of coal power plants. Moreover, given the rejection by Trump of the United States’ commitment to [...]

Progress for home solar in Spain

By María Vila Rebolo

Solar panels could soon cover millions more rooftops in Spain and the rest of Europe after the EU reached a deal to make it easier for households to play a part in the renewable energy transition. The European Parliament and member governments agreed to the right of citizens, local authorities, small businesses and cooperatives to produce, consume, store and sell their own renewable energy, without being subject to punitive taxes or excessive red tape. In addition this law makes it easier for people to set up their own renewable energy projects. Cooperative projects like this bring much more revenue [...]

Shopping mall for recycled goods

By Michelle Robertson

A shopping centre with a twist in Sweden is the heart of a new way to think about retail commerce. It is entirely dedicated to repairing and upcycling goods, and then reselling them. This is a model that could be followed all over the world to help create a ‘circular economy’ - one in which products are reused so that manufacturing uses less energy and less raw materials. Shoppers are flocking to this new concept located in the Swedish city of Eskilstuna, about 100 kilometres west of Stockholm. There are 14 shops selling everything from furniture and building materials to computers and clothing. [...]

UK plans for electric vehicle charging stations

By Jinny Throup

London-based Pivot Power has unveiled ambitious plans to accelerate electric vehicle adoption and usher in low carbon transport. Taking a page from Tesla’s book, they plan to construct 45 large charging stations around the UK in locations near towns and major roads. Each station will have fast charging 50 megawatt batteries, with enough capacity to support a variety of electric charging needs including rapid charging stations for cars, electric bus depots and bases for large transport fleets. At the moment, the three major barriers to electric vehicle adoption are availability of chargers, [...]

France moving away from fossil fuels

By Jinny Throup

The French parliament passed a law banning the ecologically unsafe practice of fracking to obtain oil and gas. This is part of a larger plan to end all production of oil and gas by the year 2040. Beyond that date, no new permits will be granted to extract fossil fuels and no existing licenses will be renewed. The ban will not only affect production and prospecting for oil in mainland France, but also in its overseas territories such as Guyana in South America. President Emmanuel Macron has said that he wants France to become a leading nation in the movement to replace fossil fuels and nuclear [...]

The architect of trash

By María V. R.

Who says that you cannot build houses with bottles, tires, and used cans? The visionary architect Michael Reynolds has been doing it for more than 35 years in his now-famous ‘Earthships’ - houses built mostly from trash. He has founded an experimental community in Taos, New Mexico (US) that consists exclusively of Earthships which are constructed using local natural materials and waste products. The inhabitants live in symbiosis with nature raising their own crops, and managing their own water treatment systems. The [...]

An ecological alternative to plastic

By Carmen Loren

Most people are aware that plastic rubbish is a very serious problem on a global scale. Fortunately, the scientific community has long been working to find the perfect alternative to conventional plastics that are made from fossil fuels. A promising new material has been created by researchers at Harvard University (US), and they call it ‘Shrilk’. It is made from chitosan, which is a component present in the shells of many crustaceans and insects, that has amazing resistance and flexibility. These characteristics make Shrilk a real alternative to plastic, and its creators say that it is also twice [...]

Protecting Antarctic Ocean wildlife

By María V. R.

In a progressive step toward protecting our oceans and climate, 85% of krill fishing companies have agreed to stop fishing in areas around Antarctica. Krill are small crustaceans – like very tiny shrimp – that are the main diet of many larger animals including whales, seals, squid, penguins, and other fish. Since krill are one of the most important elements in the Antarctic food chain, declining numbers have threatened the wildlife that depends on them. Protecting the krill will also help in the fight against climate change because krill feed on the algae that produce greenhouse gases near the [...]

Free solar energy for 800,000 UK homes

By Michelle Robertson

As many as 800,000 low-income homes across England and Wales could get free solar panels as part of a major new government program. The potential savings on energy bills for each home would be about €270 per year. The €1.2 billion project will be led by the renewable energy company Solarplicity in partnership with local housing providers who will install the solar panels. Residents in the northwest of England will be the largest beneficiaries of the scheme. About 100,000 homes that fall into the ‘fuel poverty’ category will be the first to receive the free panels this year, with the rest [...]

Traditional farming creates a wildlife haven

By Jinny Throup

An experiment using 13th century farming methods has transformed a stretch of the Welsh coastline into a haven for rare animals, birds and wildflowers. Four National Trust rangers along with 80 volunteers spent 12 months recreating a 13th century patchwork of fields that includes 2,000 metres of banks and hedges. The “strip field” farming method involved planting flower crops, including sunflowers, poppies, lavender and lupins, alongside more arable crops such as millet, wheat, oats and barley. Other nearby fields were uncultivated and remained as wildflower hay meadows with grasses and flora. [...]

India’s solar powered trains

By Michelle Robertson

Indian Railways has found an innovative way to harness natural energy by mounting solar panels on the top of its coaches. Power from these panels runs the lights, fans, and information display systems inside the passenger coaches. While the train itself will still be pulled by a diesel-powered locomotive, solar energy will replace the diesel generators that typically power these appliances. The idea was developed by Jakson Engineers. Sundeep Gupta, managing director of the company, explained: “It is not an easy task to fit solar panels on the roof of train coaches that run at a speed of 80 [...]

Animals as lawn mowers

By María V. R.

Some large cities in Europe and the US are finding that grazing animals are an efficient substitute for lawn mowers. Although it may seem like an innovative experiment, urban grazing is a return to the times before the Industrial Revolution when agriculture, livestock and the city were not three separate concepts. Recent images of animals grazing in the vast open spaces at airports, golf courses, urban parks, etc., have put the spotlight on this practice. Even the Ibiza Golf Course has used donkeys to cut the grass in areas that are difficult to reach. The Paris Archives uses a flock of [...]

Palestinian solar energy revolution

By María V. R.

From orderly rows of solar panels in a field in the West Bank to the chaotic rooftops of Gaza, Palestinians are hoping that harnessing the energy of the sun can reduce their dependence on Israel for electricity. The West Bank only gets around 70% of the power its 3 million people need, and in the Gaza Strip power generation is so paltry that the 2 million Gazans struggle with an average of just four hours of electricity a day. In the West Bank, the public and private sectors have launched projects using solar power to achieve more self-sufficiency. Over the past four years the number of solar [...]

Scotland bans fracking

By Michelle Robertson

Scotland’s government has unanimously voted to ban the controversial process of drilling for oil and gas using the technique of hydraulic fracturing - popularly known as “fracking”. Following a public consultation, a staggering 99% of the 60,000 responses completely opposed fracking. The vast majority felt that protecting the environment far outweighed any possibility of economic benefits. Speaking about the landmark decision, Scottish Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse said: "The Scottish government will not support the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland. The views expressed [...]

Better efficient light bulbs

By Jerry Brownstein

Ever since the EU restricted sales of traditional incandescent light bulbs, people have complained about the shortcomings of their energy-efficient replacements. The clinical white beam of LED and fluorescent (CFL) bulbs is not as attractive as the warm glow of traditional filament bulbs, which also show colours far more naturally. In addition, there is evidence that the blue light emitted by modern bulbs could be harmful to our vision. But help is on the way as scientists in the US have come up with a solution which could bring back the old light bulbs by making them extremely efficient. Traditional [...]

Global wind power surpasses nuclear

By Jerry Brownstein

According to data released by the Global Wind Energy Council, the worldwide capacity of wind power has surpassed that of nuclear energy for the first time. Wind power generation worldwide reached 432 gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2015, while global nuclear power generated 382 GW. The capacity of wind power increased by 17% in 2015, and these newly constructed wind farms equalled the power of about 60 nuclear reactors. China has now supplanted the European Union as the leader in the global wind power sector. However, to keep that in perspective, China also has the largest installed [...]

Google to be 100% renewable

By Michelle Robertson

One of the world’s largest companies is powering its entire operation with renewable energy. Google made a promise in 2015 to be 100% green by the end of this year and it’s sticking by that pledge. The massive organization has revealed that all their data centres will still be hooked up to the electric grid to ensure continuous service. However, they will buy enough ‘green energy credits’ to more than cover their entire electric usage, so the company will actually be purchasing more renewable energy than they are using. The search giant will become the biggest corporate buyer of renewable [...]

Innovative Plant Pods

By María Vila Rebolo

Imagine that you could have an inexpensive, nutritious food source in your home that required no daily maintenance. While this may sound too good to be true that is exactly what the innovative agricultural company called Aggressively Organic has developed. They claim that their micro-gardening ‘Plant Pods’ can grow more lettuce in a 3 square metre room than can be produced on 2,000 square metres of farmland. The Plant Pods are built with a hydroponics system that uses no soil. This means that owners only need to water the pods every few weeks. Not only is this beneficial for busy people who forget [...]

Let’s clean IBIZA and be part of the movement!

Ibiza Limpia, Proartso and Plastic Free Ibiza invite everybody who loves the beauty of Ibiza, to join them in the biggest World Clean up Action ever, on the 15th of September 2018. On the World Clean up Day 15th of September, millions of people in 150 countries will stand up against the global mismanaged waste problem and clean the world in a single day. The environmental groups in Ibiza will rise to the challenge and organise a massive clean up of the whole island the same day. Citizens, local governments, NGOs and various companies are already getting [...]

Fix it instead of throwing it away

By María Vila Rebolo

The association Friends of the Earth (FOE) has begun a campaign through social networks with the aim of showing the environmental benefits of what they call "lengthening”.  Their goal is to stop the rampant consumerism caused by programmed obsolescence – a prevalent form of marketing that deliberately designs objects with a very limited lifespan. The campaign uses vivid photos which show how we can fix things instead of throwing them away. This is basic to creating a sustainable world. The project is part of the “They deserve a 10” ("Se Merecen un 10") campaign, which highlights the work [...]

Amazing underground refrigerator

By Michelle Robertson

An ingenious idea called the Ground Fridge eliminates the need for electricity to keep products cool by using the insulating and cooling effects of being in the ground. This is how it works: The spherical Ground Fridge is buried in the earth and covered with a layer of soil that is about one metre thick. This natural insulation keeps the temperature inside the fridge very stable throughout the year at between 10 and 12°C. This is ideal for the storage of fruits, vegetables, wine and cheese. It has a capacity of 3,000 litres, which means it can hold about 500 kg of fresh food. This is the equivalent [...]

Ocean plastic cleaner

By Michelle Robertson

A huge clean-up machine is heading on a mission to start collecting the estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic that are floating in the Pacific Ocean halfway between California and Hawaii. With around 79,000 tons of plastic to tackle in the area now known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the incredible Ocean Cleanup system uses a combination of huge floating nets (called “screens”) held in place by giant tubes which are designed to suck stubborn waste out of the water. Once this happens the debris is then transferred to large ships which take it to shore for recycling.How [...]

Renewable energy record in Costa Rica

By Jinny Throup

Costa Rica is making great strides when it comes to clean energy. This small Central American country recently managed to run for 300 days using 100% renewable sources: hydro, wind, geothermal, biomass, and solar. The government is following a ten year plan to become carbon neutral by 2021, and this latest milestone follows previous impressive achievements. The Costa Rican Institute of Electricity claims that improvements to the grid and upgrades to various clean energy power plants are key to helping them reach their goals. The country is fortunate that it has an abundance of natural energy sources [...]

Trash turned into electricity in Ethiopia

By Jinny Throup

The largest rubbish dump in Ethiopia has been converted into a new waste-to-energy plant that converts trash into electricity. The first of its kind in Africa, the Reppie Project is the result of a partnership between the Government of Ethiopia and a consortium of international companies. The plant, which is located in the country’s capital Addis Ababa, will incinerate 1,400 tonnes of trash per day, which represents about 80% of the waste generated by the city. The trash is burned in a combustion chamber, and the heat produced creates steam which drives a turbine generator. It produces enough [...]

Zero waste for a cleaner planet

By Jinny Throup

The Zero Waste Movement aims fora more sustainable society by promoting a‘circular economy’ where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for another use.An example of this trend is a store in Victoria, Canada which is thatcity’s first completely zero waste shop.Their goal is to promote a lifestyle that is free of packages and plastics, while offering local products that are organic. Customers can either bring their own empty containers, or use glass bottles provided by the store; they then fill them with the products of their choice. Many of the health food stores here on Ibiza [...]

A car made from hemp

By Jerry Brownstein

More and more people are starting to wake up to the many uses of hemp, and one man has built a sports car that shows the value of this forgotten natural asset. Bruce Dietzen from Florida (US), is the mastermind behind this green machine, and he hopes that his environmentally friendly car will ‘weed out’ the taboo that surrounds the cannabis hemp plant. Hemp has none of the psychoactive effects of its cousin marijuana, yet as Dietzen says, “Hemp is still considered a dangerous drug according to the (US) government. It’s considered as dangerous as heroin or cocaine – that’s insane!”The body [...]

Training crows to pick up trash

By Michelle Robertson

A Dutch start-up company called Entitled Crowded Cities, has come up with an ingenious idea to get our feathered friends to help clean up urban areas. It is estimated that there are 4.5 trillion (4,500,000,000,000!) non-biodegradable cigarette filters littering the cities of the world. This company is training crows to recognize and pick up cigarette butts from streets and green areas in return for a reward. When the crows drop thelitter into a specially designed 'Crowbar', a camera examines the item to confirm that it is actually a cigarette butt. The birds are thengiven somefood which reinforcestheir [...]

Biodegradable packaging from mushrooms

By Jinny Throup

The Swedish furniture retailer Ikea plans to use mushroom-based packaging as part of its efforts to reduce waste and increase recycling. Aware of the environmental devastation that polystyrene creates, the company wants to be part of the solution by introducing biodegradable eco-friendly mycelium “fungi packaging”. Mycelium is the part of a fungus that effectively acts as its roots. It grows in a mass of branched fibres which attach themselves to the soil or whatever surface the fungus is growing on. Known as Mushroom Packaging, and developed by the US company Ecovative, this alternative to Styrofoam [...]

Spain phasing out plastic bags

By Jerry Brownstein

Since 1 July, 2018, all shops in Spain are obligated to charge customers if they ask for plastic bags. The stores are free to set the price they wish, although the government recommends between five to 15 cents depending upon size, thickness and composition of the bag. Very lightweight bags are recommended to be sold at the least expensive price, because they break down more quickly and are cheaper to recycle. Carrier bags can only be given out free of charge if they are completely necessary for hygiene reasons - such as the small plastic bags for fish or for loose products sold by weight. All [...]

Ireland bans fracking

By Michelle Robertson

Ireland has joined the growing list of countries which have decided to ban oil and gas exploration by hydraulic fracturing – the procedure known widely as ‘fracking’. This controversial drilling method of extracting petrochemicals from shale rock has been linked to contaminated water supplies, increased earthquakes and serious air pollution. Following in the footsteps of France, Scotland, Germany and others, Ireland has decided to ban this dangerous procedure.Tony McLoughlin of the Irish Parliament commented: “This law will mean that communities in the West and Northwest [...]

First plastic-free supermarket in Spain

By Carmen Loren

According to a report by the World Bank, more than 3.5 million tons of waste are produced every day, and a large amount of this is plastic that goes into the seas and rivers of our planet. This problem has spawned movements like "Zero Waste" that propose simple rules to reduce our garbage production. Thanks to this movement, new businesses are emerging that seek to minimize the problem by creating sustainable awareness. One of these is the "Yes Future” positive supermarket, which recently opened in Barcelona. It represents a new model of supermarket that offers only bulk products, and encourages [...]

Wild flowers as pesticide

By Jinny Throup

The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology is running a trial on 15 farms using wildflowers instead of chemicals to beat back pests in an effort to reduce pesticide spraying. These brightly coloured flowers are planted directly within the crops, in strips that are six metres wide and spaced 100m apart. The flowers are chosen because they support the natural predators of the pests that attack cereal crops. This allows beneficial insects such as hoverflies, parasitic wasps and ground beetles, to attack aphids and other pests throughout the fields. Other countries have also been experimenting [...]

Tesla electric semi truck

By Jerry Brownstein

Elon Musk is intent on bringing the future closer to the present, and he has been extremely successful in promoting solar energy, efficient space travel and electric transportation. It seems like he unveils a new creation every month, and one of his latest is the Tesla electric semi truck which he plans to start delivering in 2019. Here are some of the design and performance features that it promises:- 20% less expensive to operate than diesel (and 50% less when driven in convoy).- Range of 800 km on one battery charge.- Zero to 100kph in just [...]

The 'Sea Bin' collects plastic debris

By Michelle Robertson

A new invention has been installed in the waters of several European ports to help fight the growing problem of plastic pollution. This ingenious way to help remove tons of rubbish is called Sea Bin, and it collects and disposes of all manner of debris including bottles, plastic bags and cigarette butts. Each unit has a capacity of up to 12 kg per day, which means it can collect the equivalent of 20,000 plastic bottles or 83,000 plastic bags every year. Two Australian inventors, Pete Ceglinski and Andrew Turton, created this device to be more efficient than existing solutions. Most harbour [...]

California targets 100% renewable energy

By Jinny Throup

California may be setting an ambitious target to completely abandon fossil fuels by 2045. The state Senate passed a bill that aims for 100% renewable energy, and if it becomes law California, would have less than 30 years to transition away from natural gas and other fossil fuels for the production of electricity. Already admired for its clean-energy leadership, California’s Senate is determined to set a strong example for other states to follow. The bill next moves to the California Assembly where it needs to pass for final approval. 

Madrid launches 100% electric buses

By Carmen Loren

The Madrid City Council government of Manuela Carmena wants to reduce pollution by replacing old buses with more than 70 zero emission buses. The first of these EMT 100% electric buses was recently put into service. This new fleet of five buses does not emit any polluting gases, and they run silently. The buses are re-charged by an innovative induction system that does not need cables or plug-ins. The batteries are charged by magnetic coils that are located in the lower part of the bus and in the road. A magnetic field is generated between the coils which produces a transmission of energy [...]

German cities try free public transport

By Michelle Robertson

Combating air pollution by dramatically reducing the number of private cars is the main purpose of a radical new proposal to make public transport free in some of Germany’s biggest cities. “Effectively fighting air pollution without any further delays is of the highest priority for Germany,” according to environment minister Barbara Hendricks. This plan was spurred by Germany’s resolve to meet new air pollution levels that have been set by the EU.Even the major car manufacturers - including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen - have agreed support this plan. Together they [...]

Electric car sales could surpass petrol in 20 years

By Jinny Throup

A new analysis has predicted that sales of electric vehicles will surpass fossil fuel powered vehicles by 2038. Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) projects that this will happen because lithium-ion battery prices will plunge sooner and faster than most people expect. This claim is supported by increased investment in lithium-ion battery production by companies such as Tesla and Nissan. BNEF also forecasts that electric cars will be about the same price as petrol vehicles by 2026, and the global electric fleet will reach 530 million vehicles by 2040. This report is another sign of the changing [...]

California boosts home solar energy

By Carmen Loren

The state of California (US) has approved a historic law that will require newly constructed houses to incorporate photovoltaic panels to provide electricity. In addition, all new homes must meet certain standards of thermal insulation, efficiency of appliances and increased capacity for the batteries that store the energy generated by the solar panels. According to experts in the field, this law will save energy, lower utility bills, keep homes comfortable and reduce pollution. The estimated cost to adapt these measures to a new building will be around $10,000, which would be offset by savings [...]

Plastic bags that are 100% eco-friendly

By Jinny Throup

A company based in Bangalore, India has developed shopping bags that look like plastic but are, in fact 100% organic, biodegradable and eco-friendly. These ‘EnviGreen’ bags are made with natural ingredients that include potatoes, tapioca, corn, vegetable oil, and bananas. The raw materials, which are sourced from local farmers, are first converted into liquid form. They then undergo a six-step procedure to produce the end result. Absolutely no chemicals are used, and even the paint on the printing of the bags is natural and organic. The bags take less than 180 days to biodegrade naturally [...]

Elevated e-bike cycleways

By Michelle Robertson

Streamlining two-wheel traffic to an elevated cycleway in city centres is the vision of a project which could serve as a model for cleaner commuting that eases both congestion and emissions. BMW came up with this alternative to banning cars from increasingly crowded cities. It is an elevated cycleway with a roof, solar panels, climate control and even a rainwater collection system. They call it the BMW Vision E³ Way, and the triple E in the name highlights that these cycleways are Elevated, Electric, and Efficient.Markus Seidel, head of the BMW Technology Office, explained that [...]

High tech ‘CityTrees’ clean the air

By Michelle Robertson

A breath of fresh air in a crowded city could come from devices that provide the environmental benefits of a small forest in areas where space is extremely limited. It’s called the ‘CityTree’ - a freestanding vertical unit that is covered in moss and lichens, with a huge surface area to absorb harmful pollutants, nitrogen dioxide and ozone. The creators from the company Green City Solutions explain that each of these CityTrees has the environmental benefits of 275 trees, but takes up 99% less space and can be installed for only 5% of the cost of planting trees.Each unit [...]

Plastic-free shopping aisle

By Jinny Throup

Europe’s first plastic-free shopping aisle has been installed in the Amsterdam branch of the Dutch supermarket chain Ekoplaza. The move comes amid growing global concern about the damage plastic waste is causing on oceans, habitats and food chains. Sian Sutherland is the co-founder of the environmental group called ‘A Plastic Planet’, which supports plastic-free shopping initiatives. She says, “There is absolutely no logic in wrapping something as fleeting as food in something as indestructible as plastic. Plastic food and drink packaging remains useful for a matter of days yet remains a [...]

Cities becoming more sustainable

By María Vila Rebolo

Many of our cities are changing for the better. Recent reports show that more than 100 cities around the world – from Auckland, New Zealand to Nairobi, Kenya – get at least 70% of their electricity from clean energy. Even more impressive is the fact that 40 of these municipalities are powered 100% from renewable sources. Five of these cities are in the United States, including Burlington, Vermont, which was the first to obtain all of its electricity through a combination of biomass from local wood, hydropower, wind and solar energy. In the UK, there are 84 urban centers and towns that have joined [...]

Norway bans fur farms

By Michelle Robertson

Animal rights activists are overjoyed at the news that all fox and mink farms in Norway will be closed in 2018. This action has been hailed as “a fantastic victory” for the movement to protect animal rights in Europe. Norway will become the 14th country in Europe to implement such a ban, but the first in the Nordic region which has always been a major source of animal fur. While the plans to completely phase out the farms will take some time, there’s already been a massive decrease in recent years. Norway's economy used to rely heavily on the fur industry, and at one point there were around 20,000 [...]

Gucci goes fur-free

By Jerry Brownstein

The Italian fashion company Gucci has announced that they will no longer be using animal fur in their products - effective starting with its spring-summer 2018 collection. Furthermore, all of their remaining fur products will be sold at a charity auction to benefit the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and LAV, the Italian animal protection organization. Marco Bizzarri, Gucci’s President and CEO, said: “Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals. With the help of HSUS and LAV, Gucci is excited [...]

Trees in the Amazon make their own rain

By Jerry Brownstein

Scientists have always been puzzled by the fact that the rainy season in the Amazon begins two or three months before the other regions of Latin America. Now a team of researchers at the University of California believe that they have the answer: these trees make their own rain. It is done through transpiration, which is a well-known part of photosynthesis that starts when moisture is drawn up through a plant’s roots. It then gathers on the leaves and eventually evaporates into the atmosphere. These scientists believe that in the Amazon rainforest this process goes one step further. They [...]

Growing hemp on Ibiza

By Carmen Loren

Hemp is a plant that has multiple beneficial uses which have unfortunately been forgotten for many years. The confusion that exists between this vegetable and marijuana is what has caused us to lose the many uses of this valuable resource. One example is hemp seeds which are considered a superfood, and are an excellent source of protein for vegan diets. In addition, hemp has many uses in cosmetics, medicine and industry. You can also extract from this plant a very high quality natural fiber with strong resistance that can be a substitute for polluting plastic.Given all of this, Casita [...]

Shipping containers become homes

By Michelle Robertson

A great solution for putting a roof over the heads of homeless people comes from the transformation of shipping containers that would otherwise by lying empty. This idea has been pioneered in the UK by the social enterprise Help Bristol’s Homeless (HBH). They convert the containers into small self-contained units with a bathroom (including a hot shower), a basic kitchen and a futon bed. They are designed to be used as a safe, short-term emergency accommodation until permanent homes can be found. Jasper Thompson is the founder of HBH, and he was aided in this project by members of the homeless [...]

Sweden to be 100% renewable

By Michelle Robertson

Sweden is setting out to become fossil-free and running completely on renewable energy by 2040. With 57% of its resources in 2016 coming from hydropower, wind and other natural sources, the country is well on target to meeting its goal. Part of their plan includes tapping into the huge potential of land-based wind power, and eventually phasing out all nuclear power plants. The country’s Director of General Energy recently commented: "Nuclear is quite an expensive energy source due to safety regulations and funding for long-term nuclear waste management among other things. On the other hand, renewables [...]

A truly eco-friendly house in Ibiza

By Carmen Loren

One of the world’s most energy efficient houses has recently been constructed right here on Ibiza. It is located in the San Lorenzo area, and has been awarded the coveted Premium Passivhaus energy certificate. This exclusive designation is only given to buildings that meet the most demanding construction standards, and are powered entirely by renewable energies. This fascinating house was built by the Ibiza company Terravita in the record time of just eight months, using sustainable materials to minimise the carbon footprint.The house covers an area of 210 square [...]

World’s biggest indoor vertical farm

By Jerry Brownstein

AeroFarms aims to grow two million kilos of fresh food per year in its 8,000 square meter facility near New York City. Their all-season growth works with specialized LED lights and climate controls – all without the need for sunlight or soil. “We use aeroponics to mist the roots of our greens with nutrients, water, and oxygen,” explains AeroFarms’ director. “Our system uses 95% less water than field farming, 40% less than hydroponics, and zero pesticides.”The farm’s proximity to the New York Metropolitan area minimizes transportation costs to this large urban market. AeroFarms has big [...]

World’s largest wind farm in Scotland

By Michelle Robertson

The world’s largest floating wind farm has been built in the waters around Scotland. The Norwegian energy company Statoil will develop a flotilla of five large turbines about 25 km off the Scottish coast. The UK is ‘blowing every other country out the water’ with Northern Europe’s largest offshore wind capacity. Germany is working hard to catch up to the UK, while Japan, China and the US are also focusing heavily on how they can harness the huge potential of power from wind farms built on the water.Due to improved technology, offshore wind farms have become an economically [...]

Italy’s food waste law

By Michelle Robertson

The country most famous for its incredible cuisine approved in 2016 a law making it much easier for excess food to be donated to those who need it most.In a bid to reduce a whopping 5.1m tonnes of wasted food every year, a law was recently passed in the Italian Senate that focuses on incentives which make it easier for companies to give excess foodstuffs to charity.This law comes just six months after a similar bill was passed in France, so there appears to be great momentum for solving the problems of wasted food.The Italian law makes significant changes in previous legislation, [...]

First bicycle highway in Germany

By Carmen Loren. Photo: ecologiaverde.com

The first bicycle-only highway in Germany is currently under construction. The project will provide the population with up to 100 kilometres of roads without traffic lights, trucks or traffic jams, and is intended for use solely by this environmentally friendly mode of transport. Following its completion, the highway will connect 10 cities in the west of the country including Duisburg, Bochum and four universities. Once finished it is expected that millions of cyclists will make use of this bicycle ‘autobahn’. If all goes according to plan many residents will opt to leave their cars at home [...]

Ban on ivory sales protects elephants

By Jane Charilaou

In a very positive turn of events, the endangered African elephant has received a much needed reprieve that will greatly help the much-loved mammal’s prospects of survival and well-being. The announcement comes from Hong Kong which has proposed a complete ban on the sale of ivory. Hong Kong is the centre of this lucrative trade that sees the tragic and often illegal poaching and killing of elephants for their valuable teeth and tusks. Ivory has been used widely for jewellery, carvings, piano keys and even snooker balls - it is also a prized ingredient in many dubious potions designed for human [...]

Sunflower shaped solar panels

By Javier Alcaraz

James Cameron, the famous director of Avatar and other popular movies, has been promoting the use of solar energy for years. As a matter of fact Avatar, one of the highest-grossing movies in cinema history, was completely filmed with solar energy. Now this American filmmaker has gone a step further by creating attractive solar panel structures in the shape of sunflowers. They are designed to rotate automatically following the path of the sun, allowing them to produce higher amounts of photovoltaic energy than standard panels.The use of the sunflower shape in solar panels had been tried [...]

Arctic drilling is abandoned by Shell

By Jane Charilaou

After years of controversial drilling to look for fossil fuels in one of the planet’s last remaining unspoiled environments, the Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell has finally abandoned its search in Alaska’s Arctic, “for the foreseeable future.” The official decision to pull out of the Arctic was said to have been made due to a combination of factors. Reasons cited included the high costs associated with drilling in such a harsh environment, the disappointing results from surveys made so far in the Chukchi Sea and “The challenging and unpredictable federal regulatory environment in offshore Alaska.” [...]

EU countries are allowed to ban all GM Crops

By Jerry Brownstein

Scotland and Germany have become the first countries to use a new EU directive that allows them to completely ban genetically modified (GM or GMO) crops within their borders. Under the old rules the EU decided which GM crops would be formally authorised to be cultivated in the entire EU geographical area. This new directive, which came into force earlier this year, gives each Member State the right to restrict or ban the cultivation of genetically modified foods within their own territory.Scotland was the first region to take advantage of this rule. They were soon followed by Germany, [...]

Japan’s floating solar stations

By Michelle Robertson

As a result of Japan’s nuclear disaster, solar power is fast becoming the favourite form of sustainable energy in that country. Their aim is to double the amount of renewable energy output by 2030, and a large part of that plan rests on huge solar installations that are built on water. Two of these new floating stations are already functioning and they each generate enough electricity to power 900 households. Plans are being laid for a much bigger solar power station to be built on water just east of Tokyo. It will be the largest system of its kind on Earth, and this “mega-plant” could power a [...]

Fracking: Blessing or Curse

By Jerry Brownstein

There is a great debate going on about drilling for oil and gas using the technique called hydraulic fracturing – popularly known as “fracking”. Supporters of this technology point to how it has transformed the US energy market by dramatically increasing their domestic supply of oil and natural gas. This has led to much lower prices, while boosting the economy and creating many new jobs. On the other hand, opponents of fracking are concerned about the numerous environmental problems that arise from this type of exploitation. Opposition by the global green community has been unanimous, and [...]

A Spanish island with 100% renewable energy

By Jerry Brownstein

El Hierro, which is the smallest and most southerly of the Canary Islands, will soon become the first totally energy self-sufficient island in the world. Its population of around 12,000 people – who had previously always relied on diesel generators to produce their electricity – have now invested in new energy technology that is clean, sustainable and much less expensive.This new system is called ‘Gorona del Viento’, and it is an innovative combination of wind and hydroelectric power. Most of the time its five large windmills will provide more than enough power for all of the island’s [...]

Open-Source seeds to help poor farmers

By Jerry Brownstein

A new initiative will help farmers overcome the intellectual property laws that deprive them of quality seeds. Many farmers cannot afford the high prices charged for quality seeds by the giant multinational companies that control them. They end up using poor seeds that produce low yields and bad crops, and this contributes greatly to global poverty. The US-based Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI), is one of several organisations that believe genetic resources – in the form of seeds – should be a common resource that anyone can use as they see fit. Recently they have released free seeds for 36 [...]

California law bans disposable plastic bags

By Jerry Brownstein

On 1st July, 2015, California became the first state to ban the use of disposable plastic bags. Several US cities and counties already have such laws in place, but this will be the first time that an entire state will take this important ecological step. Disposable plastic bags are rarely recycled and the vast majority of them end up in landfills or polluting the waterways and oceans.As part of this new law, stores will be required to take back all old bags from customers so that they can be recycled. The government will provide money to bag manufacturers so that they can retool their [...]