China's 'sharing economy' is booming. But can it last?
Fancy shooting some hoops, but don't have a basketball? Caught in the rain with no umbrella? Smartphone run out of juice? China's rapidly expanding "sharing economy," which already provides car rides and bicycle hire on demand, can help. For just 2 yuan ($0.30) an hour, Nate Liu, a student at the Read More...
Economists conclude a strong carbon price is vital to meeting climate goals
Leading economists have concluded that in an effort to meet the world’s agreed-upon climate goals in the most cost-effective way possible while still fostering growth, countries must set a strong carbon price, with an aim to reach $40 to $80 per tonne of CO2 by 2020 and $50 to $100 per tonne by Read More...
Autonomous car testing costs could be cut 99 percent with new method
Autonomous car technology is the Holy Grail for auto manufacturers today. Elon Musk claims self-driving cars will be as common as self-service elevators in the very near future. But first, the systems used to allow cars to drive themselves need to be validated. Currently, that means collecting data Read More...
Why you're almost certainly wasting time rinsing your recycling
Once a fortnight we diligently wheel our recycling bin to the kerb, and then probably give ourselves a pat on the back while thinking of all the useful products we have helped to create, and the resources and energy we have saved. Yet it pays to think a bit more deeply about what is going into each Read More...
Squeezing every drop of fresh water from waste brine
RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Engineers at the University of California, Riverside have developed a new way to recover almost 100 percent of the water from highly concentrated salt solutions. The system will alleviate water shortages in arid regions and reduce concerns surrounding high salinity brine Read More...
Buy only fabulous fashion: A guide to the most sustainable fabrics
With the awareness about the microfiber pollution in oceans rising, better fabric choices for your clothes become important. This story presents a good overview of your options. Choose organic fabrics whenever possible. And: never buy anything that’s less than fabulous. Then you know you’ll Read More...
Abu Dhabi closes financing, world's largest solar plant operational in 2019
The largest solar power plant in the world will become operational in 2019 after Abu Dhabi's government-owned power utility has closed a $872 million financing package. We reported before that this 1,777 megawatt plant is also the cheapest solar energy facility on record with a 2.42 cents per Read More...
Chocolate is delicious, it also lowers the risks of irregular heartbeat
This is close to a perfect world: Eating what you love and taking care of your health at the same time. A new study shows that eating some chocolate at least once a week reduces the risk of irregular heartbeat, a common problem that affects one in four people at some time. The amount that needs to Read More...
The key to the future of energy may lie on a tiny island off Singapore
How to store clean, renewable energy? That’s a big question for the future of energy. Many initiatives, like Tesla’s powerwall, see the solution in batteries. But that’s not the cleanest and most sustainable option. The hydrogen fuel cell possibly presents a better alternative. That’s what Read More...
Take these wise words from Anaïs Nin with you this weekend
If only more of us would be able to integrate the wise words in this picture. Anaïs Nin was an essayist and memoirist born to Cuban parents in France, but she lived most of her life in the United States. She died in Read More...