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.
These bike garages in Denmark are made from recycled wind turbine blades
While wind turbines play an important role in our transition towards a post-carbon world, they do pose a few environmental concerns. For example, most of the wind turbines operating today have a lifespan of about 20 years, which means that a large number of these gigantic pieces of machinery will Read More...
This unique greenhouse is made from over 4,500 recycled jars
[caption id="attachment_1408340" align="alignleft" width="265"] Axton Burton and their greenhouse[/caption] Axton Burton is a tropical plant enthusiast, but in their rainy home state of Washington, keeping warm weather-loving plants alive is no easy feat. Seeking out a greenhouse for their leafy Read More...
This paper is partly made from grass to reduce its environmental footprint
Following an increasing number of people turning away from single-use plastic packaging, the market for paper packaging has seen a boom in recent years. More demand for paper, however, means more logging, some of which still happens in old-growth forests, which are major absorbers of CO2 and Read More...
French railway company is recycling abandoned trains into new ones
After 40 years of neglect, hundreds of abandoned trains in France are getting a new lease of life. That’s thanks to an initiative from railway company SNCF, which aims to recycle and reuse old trains to manufacture new ones. The company has already kicked off the project in Rouen, in northern Read More...
Tesco and Loop begin easy and convenient refillable shopping scheme
Taking on greener shopping practices is essential in the fight against climate change, however, it can be hard to break old habits and remember to grab refillable containers on our way out to the shops. Well, Tesco’s new zero-waste shopping scheme, developed in partnership with the Loop, removes Read More...
These biodegradable capsules could help solve the problem of microplastics
From the highest peaks to the ocean’s deepest points, microplastics are virtually everywhere. These pernicious plastics usually originate from unexpected sources such as laundry detergents, which are typically made with plastic microcapsules in order to retain fragrance for longer. Making those Read More...
Popular New York clothing store now offers a secondhand shopping area
Shoppers who visit the Madewell store in Brooklyn will find a surprise if they head up to the location’s second floor. Madewell has collaborated with popular online used clothing retailer thredUP to create the “Circular Store”—an assortment of pre-owned Madewell products as well as repaired Read More...
Spain to ban plastic wrapping on fruits and vegetables by 2023
After years of campaigning from green activists to stop grocers and large supermarkets alike from wrapping fresh produce in plastic packaging, the Spanish government is now finally devising legislation that will ban the use of this unnecessary waste by 2023. The move is part of a decree currently Read More...
This sleek pair of sunglasses is made from carbon sucked from the air
In recent years, the fashion industry has welcomed an increasing number of innovative brands whose goal is to weave sustainability into the clothes and accessories we wear. Not long ago, for example, we introduced you to Pangaia, an eco-friendly clothing brand creating fabrics that are responsibly Read More...
Sunlight and saltwater is all you need for this electricity-free cooling system
Researchers at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) are working on a cooling system that requires zero electricity, something that would be highly valuable in many parts of the world that lack infrastructure but get a lot of sunlight. The team’s strategy Read More...