Giant UK hospitality business to stop handing out wasteful receipts to its customers
Every year, British retailers hand out 11.2 billion receipts -- that’s 7300 tons of paper -- at a cost of nearly $40 million. Most of these receipts end up in the landfill because they cannot be recycled as a result of them being printed on shiny paper and containing other substances. In a bid Read More...
Kenya unveils Africa’s largest wind farm
With an eye on sustainable development, Kenya announced at the end of last year that it plans to move the country to 100 percent green energy by 2020. Now the nation has officially launched Africa’s largest wind power farm in a bid to boost electricity generating capacity and bring the country Read More...
Oregon passes law that will allow school kids to take mental health absence days
When Oregon students go back to school this year, they'll be able to take mental health days without risking an unexcused absence as the result of a new law that was proposed by a group of high schoolers. The students behind the measure say it’s meant to change the stigma around mental health Read More...
Creating the Apollo lunar module changed the way we work down on Earth
Something absolutely crazy about Apollo lunar module was that it couldn’t be flight-tested before use. The first time each lunar module got a shakedown flight was the moment it was being used in space. It also meant that the astronauts flying the lunar module could only ever learn to fly it using Read More...
With its “virtual” power plant, Oakland looks set to move away from fossil fuels
When the demand for electricity surges in Oakland, California, a power plant burning jet fuel switches on, pumping pollution into the western part of the city. But the plant will soon close—and will be replaced in part by a network of solar panels and batteries installed in affordable apartment Read More...
Fashion giant Zara to produce clothing only using sustainable fabrics by 2025
While it’s fantastic that many niche apparel brands are popping up that make clothes in an eco-friendly manner, the toxic environmental impact that comes with fast fashion won’t be solved if bigger clothing companies don’t agree to clean up their supply chain. That’s why it’s good to Read More...
Space week: Celebrating the 50 year anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing
If you really think about it, the fact that humans managed to step foot on the moon in 1969 is absolutely mind-boggling. It remains one of humanity’s greatest feats and continues to capture the hearts and minds of people all over the world. That’s why in honor of the Apollo missions' 50th year Read More...
How to keep your relationship healthy during times of stress
When we’re feeling a high level of stress, our brain’s prefrontal cortex goes offline, hijacking our capacity to think clearly and limiting our ability to solve problems. Especially in relationships, stress can bring the worst out of us and make us too focused on ourselves. This can leave both Read More...
How science fiction continues to shape real technology today
If you ever watch Star Trek, you’ll notice something very interesting: the wristwatch they used in the show has many remarkable similarities to today’s smartphones and smart watches. This isn’t the only instance where science fiction later became science fact. In 1945, long before the first Read More...
A tax on jet fuel might make your flights more pricey, but it’s worth the cost
Since World World War II, it became standard to not tax fuel on international flights in order to incentivize commercial aviation—in contrast with taxes on fuel used by trucks and cars. But at the time where we need to reduce the negative impact of the aviation industry, it no longer makes to Read More...