NYC’s High Line park to inspire similar urban renewal project in London
Recently, we shared a story about the expansion of New York’s High Line park, which has been a symbol of urban renewal after it successfully transformed an abandoned railway track into a lively green area — making it one of the city’s main tourist attractions. Now the High Line’s designer, Read More...
This bike wheel filters and purifies outdoor air while you cycle
Wouldn’t it be great if you could help improve the air quality in your city just by cycling on its streets? Soon you might actually be able to do that thanks to a brilliant invention called Rolloe. Created by Design Innovation in Plastics (DIP) 2020 award winner Kristen Tapping, Rolloe is an Read More...
London-based artist turns paper waste into decorative vases
At the Optimist Daily, we love sharing stories of people turning waste sources into beautiful art. In today’s edition of trash-turned-treasure, let us introduce you to Jacqueline de la Fuente, a London-based designer who is turning cardboard and paper waste into decorative vases. To do this, de Read More...
This powerful graphic novel was created entirely by homeless people
There is a story for every person that winds up living on the streets, but that story is seldom heard by the people passing by. To give people affected by homelessness the opportunity to tell their own stories on their own terms, London-based charity Accumulate has released a graphic novel telling Read More...
UK’s first vegan butcher opens in north London
Rudy’s, a new butcher in north London has all the trademarks of a traditional butcher. The only thing it doesn’t have? The meat. The vegan butcher features plant-based versions of all the classics such as “baycon,” “soysage,” and “turk’y.” The team behind the butcher, including Read More...
Twins born with a fused skull return home after successful surgery
The story of Safa and Marwa Bibi is one that speaks volumes to the power of compassion. It also shows us just how far medicine has come. Safa and Marwa are twin girls who were born joined at the head, meaning their skulls were fused together. The girls are what is known as craniopagus twins, the Read More...
Uber set to invest millions in EV charging points in London
Uber wants its drivers to switch to electric cars. To persuade drivers in London, the ride-sharing giant has pledged to invest more than £5 million ($6.5 million) in public electric vehicle charging infrastructure. “Drivers consistently tell us that having reliable, accessible charging near Read More...
London has seen significant drops in air pollution over the past four years
When Sadiq Kahn was elected mayor of London in 2016, more than 2 million people in the capital were living in areas with illegal levels of air pollution. Three years later, that number fell to 119,000, all thanks to a number of ambitious policies enacted by the mayor, aiming to improve air quality Read More...
Londoners are commuting safely to work on open air double-decker buses
With the coronavirus being shown to spread more rapidly in indoor spaces, a London-based company is offering commuters an alternative way to get to work: double-decker open-topped buses. London has 233 roof-less tourist buses, but with tourism at a standstill, on-demand bus company Snap wants to Read More...
Urban planners now know which tree is best for sound absorption in the city
Cities are notoriously noisy places, which is why urban planners are increasingly turning to trees as a buffer for noise. To identify which trees do the best job at muffling noise, researchers from University College London (UCL) recently evaluated 13 species of tree such as beech or willow trees Read More...