7 houseplants to keep you good company during winter
If you’re looking for ways to fight seasonal depression, getting more houseplants may do the trick. From filtering the air and increasing oxygen levels to boosting healing and increasing focus, these green companions can also increase general happiness and well-being. Here are seven plants to Read More...
US utility pledges to provide 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2050
One of the biggest energy providers in the US has pledged to go entirely carbon-neutral by 2050. Serving electricity to 3.6 million customers across eight states, Xcel Energy is following up on the growing trend of renewables among politicians, cities, corporations, and ordinary Read More...
Luxembourg wants to become the first country to offer free public transport
Luxembourg wants to abolish all fares on public transport by 2020. The initiative aligns perfectly with the country’s progressive attitude towards transport. At the moment, those younger than 20 years old travel for free and college students can use free shuttles between their institution and Read More...
Norway to become first country to ban palm oil in the fight to save rainforests
Norway is set to become the first country to put an end to its palm oil consumption as soon as 2020. The parliamentary decision has been welcomed as a victory in the fight against the palm oil industry which is one of the major contributors to catastrophic deforestation and wipe-out of natural Read More...
Transforming failure into an asset for future success
Failure is surely set to bring you down but you can also turn its demoralizing effect into a factor for future success. Recent research has found that experiencing setbacks hurts your self-esteem but it may also be the thing you need to propel you forward to later triumphs. Learn how to properly Read More...
Researchers want scientific publications to be free
Scientific literature may soon become available for free as scholars have signed a petition to back an initiative to end journal subscriptions. More than 1,400 researchers have signed their names to support the plan and claim that by 2020, papers resulting from their funding should be immediately Read More...
Tobacco use reaches unprecedented lows among Americans
Public health claims a win in the US as more American adults are quitting tobacco. The statistics show that cigarette smoking has reached unprecedented lows, down to 14 percent from over 40 percent in the mid-1960s. This proves the effectiveness of tobacco control interventions, such as smoke-free Read More...
Iceland’s hot springs are helping farmers to grow vegetables all year round
Besides generating a quarter of the country’s electricity, Iceland’s geothermal energy allows farmers to practice agriculture all year round. The naturally hot water is piped in to heat the greenhouses and the hot springs are also a key power source for the artificial lights that help farmers Read More...
Building new renewable energy cheaper than running existing coal power plants
Coal-powered plants could soon retreat from the energy game as technological breakthroughs allow renewables to show the industry what they’ve got. A new report concluded that 42 percent of global coal capacity is currently unprofitable, and the US could save $78 billion by closing coal-fired Read More...
Home-cooking is the way to a healthier diet
Only 10 percent of Americans find pleasure in cooking, while around half of them hate doing it. This means that a considerable amount of people try to put as little effort as they can in preparing their own meals by consuming unhealthy pre-packaged and readily-available food. The most effective Read More...