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+21 +2
How one man turned olive oil waste into a popular household cleaner for Whole Foods
The amazing accidental discovery also led to the invention of products that exfoliate the skin.
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+8 +1
This pocket-sized contraption transforms old plastic bottles into tough plastic rope
A small wooden contraption designed by French environmentalists can transform plastic bottles into strong and sturdy rope.
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+23 +1
EPA Spends $295,507 to Track Energy and Water Use of Office Workers
The Environmental Protection Agency is spending nearly $300,000 to develop technology that will track the energy and water use of office buildings, with a colored light bulb system.
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+5 +1
Report Assesses Risks to World’s Shared River Basins
A major report on the status and future threats to the world’s 286 transboundary river basins has been released by a consortium of institutions led by the UNEP-DHI Center for Water and Environment and including the Earth Institute’s Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).
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+29 +1
Sustainable fish farming can replace hunting as demand rises
It is widely understood that hunting wild fish is not sustainable. Fish farming, or aquaculture, is being promoted by some as a sustainable replacement to catching wild fish. And a new generation of fish farming approaches promise to address many of its past controversies. The portion of global fish stocks that are classed as overfished has risen from about 10% in 1974 to over 30% today. Other estimates place the number of fish stocks overexploited at as high as 85%.
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+8 +1
The US Is Finally Getting Its First Offshore Wind Farm
Building in Rhode Island isn’t easy. Hurricanes and tropical storms barrel through its quaint coastline towns, interrupting perfect summer weekends. Freezing winters bring blizzards that can shut down the entire state. And every season features corrosive salty winds, biting at the coast as if sent by a Britain still seething at the first American colony to declare independence. But one company sees the state’s incessant wind as a utility. Deepwater Wind has partnered with General Electric Renewable Energy to build the first offshore wind farm in the United States, off the coast of Block Island.
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+15 +1
Like Beef, Insects Are a Good Source of Iron
As a greater number of people enter the middle class around the globe, many will turn away from plant-based diets in favor of meat-based diets. This could be a cause for concern, as meat production requires the input of substantially more resources, such as water and energy. The question of how to feed a growing world in a time when wealth is spreading and personal tastes are changing is the subject of some sustainability research.
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+31 +1
If You Drink Coffee From Pods, You May Want to Reconsider
K-Cups are accumulating in landfills at alarming rates.
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+10 +1
Slow Fashion – or the art of sustainable dressing – catching on fast in Maine
Encouraging the use of environmentally friendly textiles and local and regional fibers in the making of clothing, the Slow Fashion movement is growing, one stitch at a time. By Mary Pols.
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+41 +1
Apple Forces Recyclers to Shred All iPhones and MacBooks
Documents obtained by Motherboard: "No reuse. No parts harvesting. No resale." Apple released its Environmental Responsibility Report Wednesday, an annual grandstanding effort that the company uses to position itself as a progressive, environmentally friendly company. Behind the scenes, though, the company undermines attempts to prolong the lifespan of its products.
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+15 +1
Open-sourced blueprints for civilization
Using wikis and digital fabrication tools, TED Fellow Marcin Jakubowski is open-sourcing the blueprints for 50 farm machines, allowing anyone to build their own tractor or harvester from scratch. And that's only the first step in a project to write an instruction set for an entire self-sustaining village (starting cost: $10,000).
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+21 +1
Turning Plastic to Oil, U.K. Startup Sees Money in Saving Oceans
At a garbage dump about 80 miles west of London, Adrian Griffiths is testing an invention he’s confident will save the world’s oceans from choking in plastic waste. And earn him millions. His machine, about the size of a tennis court, churns all sorts of petroleum-based products -- cling wrap, polyester clothing, carpets, electronics -- back into oil. It takes less than a second and the resulting fuel, called Plaxx, can be used to make plastic again or power ship engines.
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0 +1
A recycling robot named Clarke could be the key to reducing waste
We all know that it's important to recycle, but that's sometimes easier said than done. Luckily, Clarke the robot is here to help. Admit it — you’re not entirely sure how to recycle. It’s understandable, really. With so many different materials now in play, how are you supposed to know what needs to be thrown into a landfill and what can be reused? Luckily, while humans might not be the best at practicing the Three R’s (reduce, reuse, and recycle, of course), another “R” is here to save us. It’s a robot, and it’s been affectionately named Clarke.
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+23 +1
A Tiny Self-Sufficient House Aims to Make Us Rethink Sustainability
In a small alcove at the rear of the Architecture Building at Carleton University in Ottawa, the future of zero-energy housing is taking shape. When I come to visit, on a searing-hot August day, it doesn't look like much—a wooden frame fitted with vertebrae-like slats up the sides. But when it's complete, in mid-September, this micro-house, measuring just over 200 square feet, will contain the latest technologies in sustainable living.
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+20 +1
Mountains of US recycling pile up as China restricts imports
Much of the world's recycling gets shipped to China for processing. But starting Jan. 1, China is enacting much tougher standards for the purity of recycling imports, standards most American, and European, recyclers simply can't meet. And that has recycling piling up throughout the United States.
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+27 +1
Electronics-recycling innovator faces prison for trying to extend computers' lives
Eric Lundgren is obsessed with recycling electronics. His Chatsworth company, IT Asset Partners, processes more than 41 million pounds of e-waste each year and counts IBM, Motorola and Sprint among its clients. But an idea he had to prolong the life of personal computers could land him in prison.
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+18 +1
Co-op to replace clear bottles with 'cloudy' versions made of 50% recycled plastic
A UK supermarket has said it will ditch clear plastic and switch all its water bottles to a “cloudier” part-recycled material, which could prevent 350 tonnes of waste a year. The Co-op has unveiled plans to sell all of its water in 50 per cent recycled plastic packaging which will appear slightly greyer - a “badge of honour” to eco-conscious consumers.
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+19 +1
A vaccine for edible plants? A new plant protection method on the horizon
Novel technologies are being sought to replace the traditional pesticides used to protect plants, particularly edible plants such as cereals. A new collaborative project between the University of Helsinki and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) is shedding light on the efficacy of environmentally friendly RNA-based vaccines that protect plants from diseases and pests. Plant diseases and pests cause considerable crop losses and threaten global food security.
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+16 +1
These festivals will only sell water in cans this year to reduce plastic use
Bestival, and it’s family-friendly sister festival Camp Bestival, have confirmed that water will only be available in cans at this year’s events. As members of the Association of Independent Festivals, the two events at Lulworth Castle are pledged to eliminate all single-use plastic by 2021. The ban stretches as far as glitter and cable ties, so it’s no surprise to see festivals start tackling plastic bottles this summer.
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+15 +1
Renewable energy jobs soar to over 10 million worldwide
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has compiled a report in which it claims that renewable energy jobs have grown to 10.3 million globally. According to IRENA’s latest figures, the number of renewables jobs jumped significantly with a 500,000 increase over 2017, a 5.3% increase on the previous year.
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