Design
Algae-based alternatives to plastic are becoming hard to ignore
Biobased materials, particularly in the thorny realm of bioplastics, are a polarizing subject. But for as many systemic kinks that their management lays bare, the slew of potential long-term benefits to swapping out petroleum-based products for plant-based alternatives is hard to ignore. While Read More...
These shoe companies are stepping up to support healthcare workers
Last week we talked about Project N95 which is connecting healthcare workers with critical personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shoe companies Crocs, Allbirds, and Clove are meeting the needs of medical workers by taking care of their footwear needs. They are donating free Read More...
The case for building things out of actual living materials
If we want to build a sustainable future, we may have to revisit what it is we’re actually building things out of. And though the science around the idea is just beginning to emerge, one prime candidate may be using actual living materials like fungus. Or concrete churned out by tiny microbial Read More...
Santa Monica’s new civil building will produce more energy than it uses
The City of Santa Monica will soon welcome a new civic building that will not only bring the various municipal departments scattered throughout the city under one roof but will also fulfill the Living Building Challenge — making it the largest civic building of its kind to meet the world’s Read More...
Boston University building the largest carbon-neutral construction in its city
Like many other major cities around the world, Boston aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. To give the city a sustainability boost, Boston University is erecting the city’s largest carbon-neutral, fossil-fuel-free building right on its campus. BU’s new Center for Computing and Data Read More...
China offers hope as stores and studios start reopening
Oh, oh, oh, how quickly the world changes. How odd it feels to be restricted to our homes due to the coronavirus. How easy it can be to slip into a negative state of mind as we enter a period of uncertainty. Yes, the coronavirus has cast a dim light on the future, but if we look to China, we see Read More...
Japanese scientists use nanocarbons to cleanse water of toxic metals
The presence of toxic metals in water stemming from industrial sources makes treatment a tall order, with these polluted liquids capable of contaminating groundwater supplies for years or even decades thereafter. Scientists at Japan's Nagoya University have come up with a new technology that may Read More...
This green-minded denim brand makes incredibly sustainable jeans
As the fashion industry is under hefty consumer pressure to rethink its polluting production practices, some retailers are showing some commendable progress towards infusing sustainability into their garments. Take ÉTICA, for example, a Los Angeles-based denim brand that takes pride in Read More...
3D printed valves are saving the lives of COVID-19 patients
It is clear that 3D printing will have a big impact on the medical world in the near future. For hospitals in Northern Italy facing rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, the technology is already saving lives. When doctors needed a replacement valve for a reanimation device and the supplier was out, Read More...
A designer is using polluting algae from Venice to make postage stamps
Being the hotspot that it is, the Venetian Lagoon has become a filthy body of water (though that’s not the case now). Algae regularly covers the water, which isn’t a good sign of health. In a classic case of opportunism, a Spanish-Italian designer has used the polluting algae to make paper Read More...