Inside Charm Industrial’s big bet on corn stalks for carbon removal

Good News Notes: “In recent weeks, a crew of staffers from a company called Charm Industrial have been working on the edge of Kansas corn fields, moving rolled bales of stalks, leaves, husks, and tassels up to a white semi-trailer. Inside, a contraption called a pyrolyzer uses high temperatures in the absence of oxygen to…

Avon Lake lunch lady finds an ‘a-peeling’ way to spread kindness

Good News Notes: “There are a bunch of ways we can help spread kindness and spark smiles. One school employee in Avon Lake is using an a-peeling way to brighten the day of her students. Sitting on milk crates inside the kitchen at Troy Intermediate School, cook Tammie Johnson uses a black marker to write…

Stop Throwing Out Your Watermelon Rinds

Good News Notes: “As temperatures get higher, days get longer, and more and more grills appear in the suburban wild, the rate at which you can also see watermelons goes up exponentially. As sure as the sun rises in the east and sets only when the fireflies come out to play, colorful, triangle-tipped watermelon slices…

Wireless Heater Made From a Leaf Skeleton Is Fully Biodegradable

Good News Notes: “We’ve gotten very, very good at making things that are cheap and durable. Unfortunately, there are some deleterious side effects. Among them: Our society generates massive amounts of waste that is going to remain in landfills for a long time. What’s more, the process of making these goods is also bad for…

New restrictions could see L.A. go plastic-free

Good News Notes: “A new “zero waste” policy in Los Angeles could see the city go plastic-free in the near future. L.A. city officials say it’s time to lead by example and continue phasing out plastic items and products that are wasteful and detrimental to the environment. This includes utensils, polystyrene or styrofoam food containers,…

Virgin is helping Grove Collaborative go plastic-free by 2025

Good News Notes: “Sir Richard Branson opened his first record shop in London in 1971. Reminiscing at Fast Company‘s Most Innovative Companies Summit, he described it as a hippie’s dream: “Cushions on the floor, headphones, a joint or two in most people’s hands,” he said. “It was those days when you could pick up a Dark Side…

Bostock unveils new packaging solution

Good News Notes: “Bostock New Zealand has spent over 12 months developing what it believes to be the world’s first certified home compostable zip-lock pouch bag for apples. The bag is made from rice, potato and corn derivatives blended together. John Bostock, owner of Bostock New Zealand, said it took 12 months to develop a…

These 19 Companies Are Ditching Plastic Packaging – Food Tank

Good News Notes: “The world produces around 300 million tons of plastic waste every year, according to the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP). This plastic waste is detrimental to human and planetary health, releasing greenhouse gases, polluting soil and waters, and threatening marine wildlife. Plastic waste is now so abundant, the U.N. has declared it a planetary crisis. Food and…

Coles introduces own-brand home compostable coffee pods

Good News Notes: “Australian supermarket chain Coles has launched home compostable coffee capsules under its Coles Urban Coffee Culture brand. The compostable pods are made with bio-sourced cellulose and vegetable oils. Coles claims that the sustainable capsules take around as much time to decompose in home compost bins as orange peel does. The pods are certified by…

Plan to plant 100,000 hectares of new forest in Ireland

Good News Notes: “Semi-State forestry company Coillte, which manages Ireland’s State-owned woodlands, has launched a major new strategy to optimise the benefits from forestry. The company aims to massively expand carbon capture, forestry planting, biodiversity and recreational facilities between now and 2050. Coillte manages 440,000 hectares of forest in Ireland, amounting to 7% of the…