Circularity
Understanding the value of a circular economy and identifying circular solutions are essential to changing our world for good. Circularity, or the zero-waste principle of keeping materials in a closed loop and away from landfills and incinerators, is the future. Find out about the latest innovations and solutions accelerating the transition towards a circular economy in the articles here from The Optimist Daily.
Prefab home design weaves sustainability and affordability together
In a quiet residential neighborhood in Brant County, Ontario, lies a home that outperforms neighboring houses not only in sustainable design, but also in affordability. Boasting Passive House standards — a highly energy-efficient building standard — the new house is an experiment for Habitat Read More...
Major automaker will incorporate parts previously rejected for cosmetic flaws
Global supply chain challenges are making for a stressful lead up to the holiday season, but for one company, it’s actually driving some greener choices. Toyota has announced that the company will now use scratched or blemished parts that would otherwise have been thrown away. The parts, which Read More...
Barcelona’s bus fleet will soon run on biofuel made from sewage sludge
In recent years, Barcelona has made headlines with a number of successful urban planning initiatives. One of the most famous ones is the superblock — a car-free zone that prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists by diverting traffic to major roads outside the city center. Greener Read More...
A secondhand gift-giving guide for a more sustainable holiday
Do you want to make the holiday season more sustainable this year by practicing less consumerism, but are unsure of how to navigate giving pre-loved gifts with grace? A survey by online secondhand marketplace Vinted revealed that one in six people are dedicated to giving repurposed presents this Read More...
Jelly ice cubes are a zero waste solution for cold storage
What if we could ship refrigerated goods without the use of ice or traditional ice packs? This is the vision of UC Davis researchers who recently developed a new type of ice cube which does not melt and is compostable and anti-microbial. The new cubes, called “jelly ice cubes” contain mostly Read More...
Ikea plans to stop using plastic packaging by 2028
As the environmental burden of our excessive use of plastic packaging is regularly making headlines these days, some companies are looking to set an example by transitioning towards more sustainable packaging materials. One of the frontrunners leading this shift away from plastic is Ikea, which Read More...
Bristol's Electric Avenue pop-up shop tackles e-waste and consumerism
A new shop in Bristol called Electric Avenue pop-up is restoring unwanted electronics before giving them away this holiday season. Bristol’s residents can bring all types of items such as lamps, keyboards, and kitchen appliances to be cleaned, repaired, safety checked, and most importantly, Read More...
Study brings us one step closer to sustainable pharmaceuticals
On average, the pharmaceutical industry creates 100kg of waste for every 1kg of small-molecule drug synthesized, which creates a lot of toxic waste. Furthermore, nitrogen-containing chemicals called primary amines, which are used in the majority of all pharmaceuticals, are sought after in the Read More...
How Beethoven-loving donkeys help keep this ancient city clean
Every day at dawn, a herd of hard-working donkeys emerges from their stables into the cobbled streets of the ancient Turkish city of Mardin to collect rubbish. Working alongside city workers, the cream-colored animals help carry bags of litter as they meander through the narrow alleyways of the Read More...
Apple to make self-repair parts, tools, and manuals available to customers
Following growing pressure from right-to-repair advocates, Apple has announced that it will begin selling spare parts and tools to allow the general public to repair their devices at home. Under the new program, customers can buy parts and access manuals to repair their own iPhones and Mac Read More...