Electric garbage trucks could be everywhere “within five years”
Electrifying fuel guzzling heavy-duty trucks could cut costs and carbon emissions—in theory, at least. by Michael Reilly August 4, 2016 While we wait and see whether electric cars will take over the roads, there’s a new vehicle up for an electric makeover: the garbage truck. Read More...
Can spirituality really affect your health? A scientist explains
While fewer Americans believe in God and millennials are the least religious generation in the last few decades, nine out of ten Americans have relied on prayer in times of duress. So, what is it about spirituality that keeps drawing people back in, even as our culture seems to be shifting away Read More...
Electric vehicle charge points to outnumber petrol stations by 2020, say Nissan
Public electric vehicle (EV) charge points will outnumber petrol stations in the UK by the end of the decade, marking a potential tipping point in the adoption of zero emission vehicles. That is the conclusion of a new analysis by auto giant and EV manufacturer Nissan, which argues that based on Read More...
Those pigs in Westminster: inside London's most central urban farm
If you stand on a planter made from old potato boxes in London’s most central city farm, you can see the flag flying from the Houses of Parliament. As a military helicopter rumbles overhead, two lambs caper around the yard. A pregnant sow snores in the shade. The animals seem remarkably blase Read More...
Social enterprise is set to take off in Thailand
Social enterprise is not new to Thailand, but growing inequality in the Kingdom has stimulated national interest in social enterprise as a way of delivering both positive social impact and economic growth. Thailand’s modern social enterprise movement can be traced back to 1974 with the Read More...
Organic food fights back against 'non-gmo' rival
I did a little experiment the other day. I stood outside a Whole Foods Market in Washington, DC, with two cartons of large brown eggs. One carton had the words "Non-GMO Project Verified" on it, with a little orange butterfly. It also said cage-free. The other carton had a different label; a green Read More...
Mining town Coober Pedy shows the rest of Australia how to turn to renewables
Coober Pedy is the epitome of the Australian mining town. Located in the South Australian outback, it is as famous for its opals as it is for the extraordinary underground housing that has become a feature of its way of life. Now the township of 3,500 people may be about to make a name for itself Read More...
Coming soon to a doctor’s office near you: Prescriptions for vegetables
Eating well can help prevent chronic conditions including heart disease, diabetes and obesity. So why aren’t more doctors prescribing broccoli and flaxseed? Despite the wealth of research linking nutritious diets to disease prevention, the importance of food receives little attention in most Read More...
A 'bionic leaf' turns solar energy into chemicals and fuels
Photosynthesis – turning the sun’s energy into food for plants – is the biological system that feeds the world. But despite its awesome power, the process is extremely inefficient. We can’t really blame plants for this because photosynthesis evolved for ancient earth’s Read More...
Every U.S government agency must now document how their actions will affect the climate
The Obama administration has finalized a new six-year process of shaping how each of the government’s agencies will factor climate change into their decisions. In this latest climate change policy, the Council on Environmental Quality will ask agencies to not only include climate change in their Read More...