Elon Musk has his desk in the Tesla factory, plans to revolutionize car production
Tesla founder, Elon Musk, wants to completely rethink how cars are made, he said in a freewheeling talk before shareholders. Musk hopes to make “the machines that build the machine” 10 or even 100 times more efficient. That’s why he no longer uses an office at Tesla but spends all of his time Read More...
Algae can fuel planes, feed people and fight climate change
Algae will be a big part of any sustainable future. It absorbs carbon dioxide, like plants. It can survive in saltwater and wastewater, saving freshwater resources for human needs. It can be cultivated in shallow pools built and maintained in regions spare of farmable land. It grows quickly, needs Read More...
First commercial carbon-capture plant set to open in Switzerland
What is the best way to get rid of greenhouse gases? The Swiss company Climeworks thinks the answer is to feed them to a greenhouse. The company is now building what is expected to be the world’s first plant to do so commercially. The firm expects to be opening the plant near Zurich in September Read More...
Urban gardens improve food security
Growing food in community and home gardens can provide people with more access to fresh vegetables for a healthier food supply, according to a new study. University of California and Santa Clara University researchers surveyed people in San Jose who maintained a garden in their yard or a community Read More...
How General Mills and Kellogg are tackling greenhouse gas emissions
In the global effort to limit climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), the energy and transportation sectors are the most obvious targets, but perhaps not be the biggest. Consider the food business. Agriculture alone – not including the sizable food processing industry Read More...
6 questions to ask before you start a social enterprise
Treating diseases, addressing climate change, expanding access to healthy food or creating new methods of learning. These are just a few of the major social challenges that companies—yes, companies—are working to solve. Of course, the public and nonprofit sectors continue to play a Read More...
How to feed 9.7bn people? Startups take on the global food problem
The raw numbers make for daunting reading. One in 10 people out of the current global population of 7.4 billion already goes hungry. Crop yields that soared in the decades after the second world war are flatlining, and the UN predicts there will be 2.3 billion more mouths to feed by 2050. So how to Read More...
Paris store keepers launch initiative to support homeless
Small businesses in Paris have formed a network to support the homeless in the city. For homeless people, asking for a drink or food is demoralizing, since most individuals react negatively. The new network has introduced the Carillon stickers that let those in need know that they can ask for a Read More...
Eradicating poverty begins with good food in the first 1,000 days of your life
Fighting poverty is hard. Development initiatives focus on building infrastructure and creating the right circumstances for people to succeed. However, a new book presents a simple idea with a big promise for people and planet: Good nutrition. The first 1,000 days of life—from the moment a woman Read More...
Sharing economy shows U.S. the end of car addiction
American cities are built for cars, not for people. However, technology is beginning to wean the U.S. off its car addiction. The impact of ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft in the past five years is showing substantial changes in society. There’s a steady drop in drivers’ Read More...