Burger King is testing reusable containers for sandwiches and drinks
Amid growing awareness about the world’s plastic binge, fast-food chains have come under increasing pressure from the public to shrink their environmental footprint. Last month, for example, we saw McDonald’s partner with reusable packaging brand Loop to experiment with reusable cups. Now, Read More...
The planet's least loved vehicle, The Hummer, is back as an EV
The Hummer was once the poster boy of wasteful, resource-intensive transportation. With its clunky size and low gas mileage, the Hummer had a reputation of being one of the least environmentally-friendly vehicles on the market, which is part of the reason they went out of production a decade Read More...
This white paint reflects over 95% of sunlight to cool buildings
Have you ever noticed that it can feel hotter in a city than in a rural area? Part of this is because all the dark paved surfaces in cities absorb the sun’s rays more than trees and natural spaces, making it feel warmer. A team of researchers from Purdue University is hoping to cool down cities Read More...
Smart windows change colors when its hot outside to cool your home
Figuring out ways to slash our over-reliance on air conditioners can go a long way in reducing the energy costs and emissions that usually go hand in hand with using these cooling machines. One way to do this is to tap into the key role that windows play when it comes to saving energy. Recently, Read More...
Upcycled shipping containers provide housing for LA’s homeless
Los Angeles County has an estimated 66,000 homeless individuals, but a new initiative is helping some find housing from an unexpected source: old shipping containers. Recycled shipping containers can be transformed into livable spaces surprisingly quickly. Each container in the seven-unit Read More...
This sleek foldable bike helmet hardens itself in case of collision
Wearing a helmet while biking can significantly help you avoid severe injuries and even death in the case of an accident. But people often refuse to wear these gadgets because they find them too bulky, heavy, or just plain uncomfortable. These are all things that the Danish-made Newton-Rider helmet Read More...
IKEA and LEGO team up to save playtime and your living room floor
Parenting always comes with unique challenges, but one experience that is well-known to all parents of LEGO-loving children is the pain of stepping on one of those surprisingly sharp colorful blocks. Fortunately, treacherous LEGOs, and scattered playroom mess in general, could soon be a thing of Read More...
This smart bin turns your food scraps into compost in less than two days
Indoor bins for composting are definitely a good way to put your food scraps to good use, but that organic waste can take several weeks before it becomes compost. And while certain foods like meat and dairy are compostable, they can often create foul odors and attract pests. With that in mind, a Read More...
America’s first firefighting robot helped put out a blaze in downtown LA
Firefighting took a step into the future this week when the Los Angeles Fire Department became the first in the US to deploy a “robotic firefighting vehicle”. Weighing in at 3,500 pounds, LAFD’s Thermite RS3 is about the size of a Smart car but has the power to blast its way through a wall. Read More...
Crystallized insecticide is 12 times better at fighting malaria mosquitos
One of the main challenges to curbing the number of malaria-infected cases each year is the ability of the mosquitos that carry the disease to develop resistance to insecticides. Thankfully, researchers and public health officials are incessantly seeking alternatives with new modes of Read More...