Good News Notes: “Target has rolled out one of the most visible displays of its efforts to become a greener company: Massive carports topped with solar panels that will power a big-box store in California. The panels, high above the parking lot, will produce enough renewable energy to power the entire store, from its refrigeration to…
Category: happy
BlocPower gets big infusion from Microsoft to convert old buildings to green energy
Good News Notes: “In a four-story apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, a very small company is implementing a very big idea: Electrify every building in the United States by leasing landlords the necessary equipment to make the transition. BlocPower is a Brooklyn-based start-up that has “greened” more than 1,200 buildings in New York City…
Using Tiny Nanodevices Made Out of DNA To Treat Cancer
Good News Notes: “The focus of these nanodevices is a particular type of cell known as tumor-associated macrophages, or TAMs. Macrophages are a type of immune cell that normally is supposed to recognize and remove microbes, cellular debris, and other foreign substances from cells; but if something goes wrong with them, they can become a…
The #1 Healthiest Food to Eat Every Day, Says Science
Good News Notes: “We often hear about unhealthy foods to avoid, like fast food, processed goods, and soft drinks. But what about some of the healthy foods to include in your diet on a daily basis? For example, some of the healthiest foods you can include in your diet are beans. They are a dietary staple in many…
Microscopic ocean predator with a taste for carbon capture
Good News Notes: “Scientists at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have discovered a new species that has the potential to sequester carbon naturally, even as oceans warm and become more acidic. The microbe, abundant around the world, photosynthesises and releases a carbon-rich exopolymer that attracts and immobilizes other microbes. It then eats some of…
Walmart’s InHome hunts for ways to ditch single-use plastics
Good News Notes: “When Walmart rolled out a new grocery delivery service, it tested a bold premise: customers letting a stranger walk into their homes to deliver milk, eggs and other products directly into the fridge. Now that expanding service, InHome, is testing whether the country’s largest grocer and its shoppers can phase out reliance on single-use plastic bags and…
Bill would require RI to get all electricity from renewables by 2030
Good News Notes: “Experts say that when it comes to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as required by a landmark climate change measure enacted into law last year, the conversion of Rhode Island’s electric system to a reliance on renewable sources is the logical first step. For one, it will be easier to green…
East St. Louis empty lot to become renewable energy source
Good News Notes: “Heavy industry has long polluted the air in East St. Louis, but by early next year for the first time in the city’s history, a clean energy facility will also be humming along. Ameren Illinois plans to build a $10.2 million solar field on 17 acres of land across from East St….
Amazon and U.S. Department of Energy team up to cut plastic waste
Good News Notes: “Imagine a new technology that breaks down existing plastic materials to create a new, innovative type of material. This new material could then be broken down more easily when recycled—and even biodegrade in natural environments. That scenario does not have to be imaginary. In fact, the mission of the BOTTLE consortium—a key research initiative…
Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Ehancement Reduces Opioid Misuse and Chronic Pain
Good News Notes: “Guidelines recommend treating individuals living with chronic pain who also have a history of opioid misuse with nonopioid therapies. Mindfulness-based interventions are an option, but the efficacy of these practices haven’t been determined for this population. Investigators decided to address this gap by evaluating the impact of mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement (MORE) for the reduction…