Sustainable Urban Development
With cities expected to host about 70 percent of the world's population, sustainable urban development is key to making communities worldwide more resilient against the growing threat of climate change. Find out about the latest urban practices from across the world aiming to make our cities more sustainable and inclusive in these good-news stories from The Optimist Daily.
The RobotFalcon, an innovative solution to bird and aircraft collisions
One of the unfortunate side effects of air travel is increasing collisions between birds and aircraft. These incidents, which are known as bird strikes, kill thousands of birds each year and can also cause damage to aircraft, cause flight delays, and even cancellations. This costs the Read More...
Climate justice is intrinsic to COP27’s success. Here’s how to address it
The Conference of the Parties (COP) in Egypt this year is crucial. In Glasgow last year, countries pledged increased climate financing and committed to raising their goals, but in the end, fell short of the 1.5 degree Celsius global warming limit. COP27 is an opportunity to fix that problem Read More...
Australian study reveals a low-cost strategy for recycling solar panels
A new study has proposed a low-cost method of recycling solar panels to help handle the growing volume of retired photovoltaic (PV) cells expected by the end of the decade. A team from the University of New South Wales published a paper last week outlining a process for collecting and extracting Read More...
European cities get funding to transform streets with art
A number of European communities will soon have the opportunity to give their roads a little creative flair. The Asphalt Art Initiative Nineteen European cities will each get a grant of $25,000 from the Asphalt Art Initiative, a project that aims to increase pedestrian safety by painting Read More...
For the first time ever, Greece meets energy demands with 100% renewables
The other week, Greece celebrated an exciting milestone! All of the country’s electricity needs were met by renewable energy for the first time, as stated by the country's independent power transmission operator IPTO. Greece’s transition to renewable energy Renewables accounted for 100 Read More...
Update: Legendary Glasgow club activates its revolutionary BODYHEAT system
Last year, we wrote about the legendary Glasgow club SWG3’s innovative plan to generate energy using dancers’ body heat to heat and cool the club. Well, we have an exciting update for you! According to Energy Live News, the renowned venue SWG3 officially activated the revolutionary system, Read More...
Wax worm spit: a promising weapon in the fight against plastic pollution
The saliva of wax worms, the beehive-infesting larvae of wax moths, has incredible power. Apparently, it contains enzymes that quickly degrade plastic bags— an item we all know plagues our planet. The enzymes—the first known to break down polyethylene in a matter of hours at room Read More...
The world’s whitest paint may soon make travel even cooler
The world's whitest paint, which has the ability to reflect about 98% of incoming sunlight, was created last year by Purdue University engineers using their knowledge of materials science. This paint has significant promise for improving building energy efficiency by reducing the need for air Read More...
Parking reform: a win for housing and climate in California
Assembly Bill 2097, signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday, eliminates parking mandates for residential and commercial developments located within half a mile of major transit stops. Minimum parking requirements raise housing costs, use up valuable land, and make Read More...
Canada’s largest airline purchases electric aircraft
Conventional fuel for transport (air travel, in particular) is one of the most significant contributors to CO2, making the electrification of travel high on the list of priorities in terms of fighting climate change. Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline, demonstrated its commitment to this goal Read More...