If harmful microbes such as toxic cyanobacteria are present in water bodies, then the sooner that health authorities know, the better. The prototype Pelican drone is designed with that in mind, as it can autonomously perform on-location water analyses. Being developed at the Netherlands’ Delft University of Technology, the Pelican is a waterproof quadcopter that can be driven to a […]

While bio-based polylactic acid (PLA) thermoplastic is relatively eco-friendly and easily recyclable, composites such as carbon fiber are much stronger. German scientists are now claiming to have combined the best features of both, with a new all-PLA composite. Unlike traditional petroleum-based plastics, PLA is made from renewable sources such as corn starch, tapioca and sugarcane. Not only is it fully […]

When it comes to fighting forest fires, authorities typically just wait for the fires to start, then work on putting them out. A newly-developed gel, however, could allow forestry workers to be more proactive, by keeping fires from occurring in the first place. Developed by scientists at California’s Stanford University, the carrier gel is made entirely out of cellulose-based nontoxic […]

We first encountered Eco Wave Power back in 2012 when the company began testing a novel wave energy harvesting system that turned the rise and fall of coastal waters into electricity. The system went from the lab to the real world in 2016, and a second grid-connected projectwas announced for Jaffa Port in Israel earlier this year. Now EWP is […]

Plastic pollution negatively impacts the health of our planet. Waste management has led to an irreversible environmental crisis that is felt by wildlife, especially in the oceans. One organization, called Banana Leaf Technology, is helping to address the stark reality by proposing banana leaves as a biodegradable alternative to single-use plastic. After the preservation process, the enhanced leaves have increased […]

The ability to recycle materials has been around for generations, and as an increasing number of residential and commercial facilities take on the metal, plastic and glass, it has become a common task to put your recycling at the curb on garbage pick-up day. But as mainstream as recycling is, the rules are ever-changing, so the Recycling Identifying Device (R.I.D.) […]

The San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW) has crowned SmithGroup the winner of its design competition for public toilet proposals. The winning entry, called AmeniTREES, would offer not only washroom functionality but also space for a commercial kiosk and environmentally friendly benefits. Topped with a green roof, the sculptural, metal-clad pavilions would be integrated with digital technologyfor advertising or […]

It may not be very pretty, but a new laser “scarecrow” is helping farmers to protect their sweetcorn crops from marauding birds. Developed by University of Rhode Island (URI) professor of plant sciences Rebecca Brown, the new system uses constantly moving beams of green laser light to scare off birds like starlings and red-winged blackbirds before they can tuck into […]

Snøhetta has already proven itself adept at green design with projects like the ZEB Pilot House, but this new building is arguably its most sustainable to date. Hailed by the firm as the world’s northernmost energy-positive building, Powerhouse Brattørkaia produces more than twice the electricity it requires per day. Powerhouse Brattørkaia is located in Trondheim, Norway, and measures 18,000 sq […]

A great way to fight climate change is by hitting the streets. Everything from showing up at proteststo participating in trash cleanups to voicing your concerns at town hall meetings can be extremely productive. That being said, those forms of activism are not accessible to people who don’t have free time, or the freedom to leave their house on a whim […]