Permeable architecture can open up our sealed lives
Traditional buildings are designed to provide protection against a savage world, with us safe on one side and our waste on the other. Architects have long relied on “hard” materials such as masonry, aluminum, and glass, specifically chosen to prevent the outside environment from getting Read More...
Why aren't school buses electric? These Coloradans are sick of diesel
Before her two kids returned to school at the end of last summer, Lorena Osorio stood before the Westminster, Colorado, school board and gave heartfelt testimony about raising her asthmatic son, now a student at the local high school. "My son was only three years old when he first suffered from Read More...
California gives final OK to require solar panels on new houses
Solar panels will be a required feature on new houses in California after the state's Building Standards Commission gave final approval to a housing rule that's the first of its kind in the United States. Set to take effect in 2020, the new standard includes an exemption for houses that are often Read More...
Major study shows electric bikes good for health
Electric bicycles are divisive in the cycling community. Some cyclists think that they are for lazy people and others think that they are Read More...
Water hyacinths: Turning a curse into a cure
A Kenyan teacher Richard Awra uses water hyacinths in a new biofuel to combat both problems of energy poverty and plant overgrowth. The Kenya Marine institute estimates has covered about 10,360 hectares of Lake Read More...
Sails make a comeback as shipping tries to go green
As the shipping industry faces pressure to cut climate-altering greenhouse gases, one answer is blowing in the wind. European and U.S. tech companies, including one backed by aeroplane maker Airbus, are pitching futuristic sails to help cargo ships harness the free and endless supply of wind Read More...
Grasslands more reliable carbon sink than trees
Forests have long served as a critical carbon sink, consuming about a quarter of the carbon dioxide pollution produced by humans worldwide. But decades of fire suppression, warming temperatures and drought have increased wildfire risks — turning California’s forests from carbon sinks to carbon Read More...
How 'Buddy Benches' are making playtime less lonely
The school playground can be a lonely place for a child if they haven't got anyone to play with. But a special type of bench is helping pupils make friends and get people talking about bigger issues Read More...
How much protein do you really need?
The marketing is enticing: Get stronger muscles and healthier bodies with minimal effort by adding protein powder to your morning shake or juice drink. Or grab a protein bar at lunch or for a quick Read More...
Chinese company says it will soon cross $100 battery threshold
Envision Energy will produce batteries for $100 per kilowatt hour by 2020, the Shanghai company’s founder and CEO said at Stanford University, predicting the price will drop to $50 only five years later and end the reign of the internal-combustion engine. Envision’s analysts realized they Read More...