Design
Got milk? These shirts made from spoiled dairy sure do
You know the saying there’s no use crying over spilled milk? Well for LA-based startup Mi Terro, spilled milk truly is a new opportunity. The company is using biotechnology to turn a portion of the 128 million tons of milk wasted every year into sustainable fibers for biodegradable Read More...
Could these reusable containers remove single-use plastics from delivery?
Food delivery has spiked in the wake of the pandemic, thus increasing the use of disposable plastic associated with takeaway packaging. Needless to say, this has only amplified the global plastic crisis. It's also highlighted the urgent need to redesign the food delivery sector, which is worth Read More...
Japan’s new bullet train will keep running even during a natural disaster
Japan has long been ahead of the game when it comes to trains. The country’s bullet trains not only hit speeds of over 200MPH with ease, but they’re also notoriously punctual. Its latest train model, however, is taking Japanese transportation to new heights. The new train is called the N700S, Read More...
Each purchase of these bags made from recycled plastic plants a tree
Here at The Optimist Daily, we love designers that integrate sustainability deep into the fabric of their products. Solo New York is the type of brand that does exactly that, quite literally. A leading, city-inspired designer of backpacks, the company recently announced the launch of its exciting Read More...
These glasses allow people with color blindness to experience more hues
At least 8 percent of men and 0.5 percent of women suffer from red-green color vision deficiency (CVD), totaling 13 million in the US and 350 million worldwide. While those with normal color vision see in excess of one million hues and shades, those with CVD see a vastly diminished range of colors. Read More...
This instant ramen packaging dissolves into spices and sauces
If you’ve ever made yourself instant ramen, you’ll know the process involves putting dry noodles in a bowl, dispersing the flavored contents of a plastic sachet into the bowl, and adding hot water. It’s simple, but the problem is the sachets aren’t recyclable and are one of the biggest Read More...
Evian introduces a label-free, 100% recycled plastic bottle
When a plastic bottle ends up in a recycling plant, the label attached to it usually isn’t recycled. This is because the labels are made from a different type of plastic than the PET used in bottles. And while they’re technically recyclable, most recycling facilities don’t have the adequate Read More...
Eau de Space: NASA-designed perfume smells like outer space
You’ll never get a whiff of it directly — but astronauts have long said that space leaves a distinctive residual smell on their suits. Though it varies with the teller, some say it evokes gunpowder, burned meat, and even raspberries. “At first I couldn’t quite place it,” former ISS Read More...
These water-filled windows can cool and heat buildings more sustainably
Given the thermal shortcomings of glass, windows can significantly undermine the sustainability of a building. Most conventional windows allow heat to escape during cold weather, increasing heating costs, while, during hot weather, they allow sunlight to stream in, thus driving up the use of Read More...
This energy-neutral Dutch school promotes sustainability by design
What better way to teach kids about sustainability than to have them study in a school building that has embraced the concept to the maximum? In the Dutch city of Utrecht, a recently completed primary school has done exactly that. Located in Utrecht, Dutch architecture firm EVA architecten has Read More...