A new recycling venture aims to eliminate virgin plastic
The company acts as a broker for recycling companies that receive discarded plastic bottles from individuals in underprivileged communities, encouraging recycling and creating jobs A recent list of 100 of the world’s most compassionate business leaders was topped by the usual suspects: Paul Polman, Richard Branson, Muhammad Yunus and Elon Musk. And then there’s David […]
Can Tesla downshift from $130,000 SUVs to mass market electric cars?
After unveiling the luxury Model X, Elon Musk’s company has a big challenge ahead as it aims for a bigger audience with its Model 3, promised for 2017 On 21 September, Tesla’s chief executive and founder, Elon Musk, used all the tricks in his showman’s book to launch the company’s latest all-electric vehicle, the Model […]
Onshore windfarms cheapest form of UK electricity, report shows
Falling costs mean new windfarms are now £20 cheaper per megawatt hour than coal or gas-fired plants, according to new analysis New onshore windfarms are now the cheapest way for a power company to produce electricity in Britain, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Costs have dropped to $85 (£55) per megawatt hour (MWh) […]
Let's preserve the Natural History Museum wildlife garden
The one-acre wildlife garden at the Natural History Museum is an irreplaceable resource for children, argues Jan Miller-Klein There is a bit of a fuss about the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London’s plans to scrap its wildlife garden. You may not even have known there was a one-acre wildlife garden there, in the heart […]
Indonesian forest fires on track to emit more CO2 than UK
Greenpeace warns fires raging across forest and peatlands will match the worst year ever and exceed the total annual carbon output of the UK Fires raging across the forests and peatlands of Indonesia are on track to pump out more carbon emissions than the UK’s entire annual output, Greenpeace has warned. As well as fuelling […]
How do you survive a grizzly bear attack (or any other wild animal)?
Readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific concepts I’ve just read about a hunter who escaped the clutches of a grizzly bear by shoving his arm down its throat. Any more unlikely ways of surviving an attack by a wild animal? Geoff Young, Birmingham Continue reading… […]
South Carolina flood victims: No home, no power, no water but we have our lives
After the rains, several breached dams sent a new wave of locals to seek cover in one of 33 shelters. The sun is now out but residents face a long road to recovery Shakira Fair clutches her little doll Brianna tightly as she peers nervously into the high school gymnasium that will be her home […]
African countries turn to insurance to safeguard against climate change | Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Lars Thunell
An African Union agency designed to respond quickly and effectively to natural disasters is transferring the burden of climate risk from governments to markets When world leaders gather for critical climate negotiations in Paris later this year, they must not overlook the major injustice that means Africa – responsible for only a tiny proportion of […]
Solar Desalination Plant Could Solve Californian Water Paradox
During one of the most severe droughts on record in California, the water has been turned off in many houses and for many that’s been the case for months. Meanwhile, only a few miles away, the state’s farmers are still paying to dispose of 300 billion gallons of water every year. It’s a water paradox […]
Voodoo Manufacturing: Making 3D Printing Mainstream
The idea that 3D printing has a lot of potential has been around for a while, but a new company officially launched this week, Voodoo Manufacturing, could be a significant step towards turning the production method’s potential into something tangible at scale. Set up by four former Makerbot employees, Max Freiburg, Oliver Ortlieb, Patrick Deem […]