Sustainable Consumption Stories
Curbside recycling turns out to be a surprisingly good climate investment
A comprehensive review of municipal waste management systems found that recycling is on par with investing in electric vehicles and green power
When life hands you disposable diapers, make affordable housing
Researchers constructed a prototype dwelling to demonstrate the unlikely material’s promise as a concrete component.
Massive turbine blades make for massive waste streams. Chemists have found a way to break them down for reuse.
Whereas previous recycling techniques have focused on material redesign, this new technique works on today’s turbine blade materials
Stronger paper bags could be the answer to throwaway plastic
A simple technique to make paper bags stronger, even when wet, would make them more reusable—and they can still be used for biofuel at the end
The surprising appliance that could make solar panels easier to produce and recycle
Microwaves could process silicon solar cells using less time and energy than high-temperature furnaces, while also making panels easier to disassemble and recycle
Engineers print recyclable electronics using nothing but water
The printing technique, which uses no harsh chemicals and only mild temperatures, paves the way for sustainable electronics of the future
Is this chicken free-range? New genetic tool could verify sustainability and welfare claims
A new genetic decoding technique can pinpoint precisely where salmon, shrimp, chicken, and other animals come from—and under what conditions they were raised.
Which tool best coaxes climate-friendly habits: Information, money, or social signals?
A wide-ranging and comprehensive analysis of over 400 studies set out to find the most effective interventions. Spoiler: It isn’t information.
To reduce meat consumption, what message works best: animal welfare or climate change?
Researchers found that consumers were more likely to support a German meat tax focused on welfare than one promising to tackle farm emissions.
Chemists use bacteria to convert CO2 in the air into bioplastic
A new simple hybrid setup allows bacteria to capture CO2 and produce biodegradable plastic for days, boosting output by 100x previous efforts.
