You can recycle aluminum foil. Here’s how to do it right
Aluminum is one of the most recycled materials used today—and can be recycled endlessly without loss of quality. But while aluminum cans are easy to throw in the curbside bin, aluminum foil can be a bit more challenging to recycle. With that said, what’s the best way to recycle aluminum foil? Read More...
Startup in Uganda upcycles plastic bottles into building materials and PPE
The city of Gulu, Uganda, is six hours from the nearest recycling plant – so most plastic bottles collected in the city end up trashed or burned. However, in a small pilot facility that’s now operating behind a restaurant in the city’s downtown, a startup called Takataka Plastics is testing a Read More...
Scientists created a rubber material that can be recycled over and over
Big news from the building industry. Scientists in Australia have created a new kind of rubber material that can be recycled in an almost endless loop, which could lead to a whole array of new sustainable building materials. The rubber polymer is made of sulfur and canola oil, and it has a unique Read More...
This phone case is made of recycled fishing nets and ropes
It’s estimated that more than 150 million tons of plastic waste have made their way into our oceans. Among the major contributors to this pollution problem is the abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear that ends up breaking down into microplastic or tormenting marine life. Enter Read More...
New excavations show that the Romans were avid recyclers
The ancient Romans are credited with many of our modern-day amenities including indoor heating, sewer systems, urban planning, and concrete. New evidence shows that they were even pioneers of recycling. A team of researchers at Pompeii discovered piles of trash outside the city walls. What Read More...
This portable charger is made from repurposed batteries and recycled plastic
Flexible plastics such as plastic bags, bubble wrap and pallet wrap are typically turned away from recycling facilities because of their supposedly low commercial value. Each year, the world produces 150 billion kilos of such non-recyclable plastic, all of which are most likely to end up in Read More...
These recycled plastic tracksuits are colored with botanical dyes
Here at The Optimist Daily, we love spreading the word about sustainability-driven clothing brands that are on a mission to drag the fashion industry away from its trajectory to harm the environment. That’s why we’re happy to present to you PANGAIA, an eco-friendly clothing company creating Read More...
New bacteria discovered in landfills feasts on hard-to-recycle plastic
Nowadays, green-minded scientists and innovators are fighting an ongoing battle against the global plastic pollution problem, looking for new ways to reduce the unsurmountable build-up of waste that ends up in landfills or destroying ecosystems. One of the most compelling recent discoveries Read More...
This sleek beehive is made from recycled milk jugs
We’ve seen recycled plastic shape-shift into a variety of useful products, from picnic tables and park benches to reusable cups and car headlights. Now, a studio design has decided to turn discarded milk containers into an apiary. In collaboration with Lake Superior Honey Company, design studio Read More...
Lithuania recycles 92% of its beverage containers thanks to deposit scheme
There are billions of drinks containers produced every year, but only a small fraction of that amount is recycled, while the rest ends up in landfills and the environment. In Lithuania, things are a little bit different. Thanks to a progressive plastic deposit scheme implemented in 2016, the Read More...