Sustainable Consumption Stories
Can charging frequent flyers for their carbon solve aviation’s climate problem?
A bold plan goes up against global realities
Rising sales of plant-based meat is not matched by declines in actual meat consumption
A new study finds that a campaign to promote plant-based meat increased sales by 57% . . .but didn’t make a dent in meat consumption.
Engineered microbes can take a bite out of plastic waste
Pairing a genetically engineered-microbe with a chemical bath can turn plastic waste into valuable materials, scientists find.
We need a better way to recycle a notorious plastic. This chemical breakthrough could be it.
Chemists found a clever way to turn polyethylene—in milk jugs, shampoo bottles, and produce bags—into buildings blocks for high value products
This polyurethane foam degrades on land and in the ocean
Microorganisms break down and consume the foam, which is being used to make fully biodegradable shoes
Can we balance our carbon budget by using less stuff?
Or does “dematerialization” simply swap stubborn technological problems for even more intractable social ones?
A rare head-to-head comparison finds green products aren’t necessarily less toxic
Laundry detergents were among the most toxic tested
New biodegradable, recyclable battery is made of crab shells
Looking for a lithium alternative, researchers combined chitin and zinc to create a low-cost, long-lived battery with a smaller environmental footprint.
Making clothes from trees brings an unlikely win-win for food security and the environment
New breeds of poplar trees could produce enough fiber to replace a large share of cotton farming in Europe — freeing up that land for other uses.
Engineers devise a resin to recycle wind turbine blades into countertops, diapers, and even gummy bears
The world will produce over 40 million tonnes of turbine blade waste by 2050. A new resin makes it easier to turn them into valuable products.
