How to fight microplastic pollution with magnets

Good News Notes: “As a child, Fionn Ferreira spent hours exploring the coastline near his hometown of Ballydehob in south-west Ireland. But the more time he spent on the sheltered, shingle-strewn coves nearby, he grew increasingly shocked by the large amounts of plastic litter he found strewn across the beach and in the sea. “It…

EOOS NEXT presents ‘ZUV’ electric tricycle with a 3D printed chassis

Good News Notes: “created by EOOS NEXT in collaboration with the new raw, ‘ZUV’ is an electric tricycle with a 3D printed chassis made from 70 kg of recycled plastic. the zero emissions mobility concept has been developed as an alternative mode of transportation that can be produced economically and locally.  ZUV seats two passengers at the back while the…

Repour bar now open at Charlotte’s Innovation Barn

Good News Notes: “When you visit Repour for a pint, make sure you bring some recyclables with you. The bar is the first business to open at Innovation Barn, a partnership between Envision Charlotte and the City of Charlotte designed around the idea of a “circular economy” operating with minimal resources and waste. Repour opens Friday, August 6, and will…

Amazon plans to cut waste following backlash

Good News Notes: “Amazon has launched two programs as part of an effort to give products a second life when they get returned to businesses that sell items on its platform or fail to get sold in the first place. The so-called Fulfilment by Amazon programs, announced in a blog post on Wednesday, will help to build a circular…

Israeli start-up devises way to convert used nappies into green plastics

Good News Notes: “UBQ Materials is researching a way for turning common household waste into sustainable plastics. The Tel Aviv based start-up is set on developing a material out of the likes of paper, mixed plastics, food residue and dirty diapers that could serve as a substitute to conventional plastic, wood and concrete. This material…

Just Salad Poised to Take Zero-Waste Dining Nationwide

Good News Notes: “Just Salad — a US-based, fast-casual restaurant chain with a commitment to healthy, sustainable food and zero- waste practices — today announced an infusion of capital, courtesy of circular economy-focused investment firm Closed Loop Partners and returning investor Panda Restaurant Group, parent company of Panda Express®. Just Salad will use the capital to expand its geographic footprint and…

New discovery: Scientists turn plastic bottles into vanilla flavoring

Good News Notes: “While the world is slowly taking small steps to reduce plastic consumption, it becomes more and more evident how global plastic pollution has alarming effects on humans, wildlife, and the environment.  Plastics lose their material value after one use, which is why it is important to find more ways to upcycle them…

Nativa, Quantis Partner for Responsibly Sourced Wool Farming Initiative

Good News Notes: “Nativa, a Chargeurs Group brand, announced its partnership with Quantis, a sustainability consulting group, to launch its Regenerative Agriculture wool farming program centered on responsibly sourced Merino wool. Over the coming years, Nativa will tap Quantis’ carbon footprinting expertise within the wool sector to help identify and reduce CO2 emissions related to farming, the companies said. Nativa offers nature-focused sustainable solutions…

This NASA-inspired technology converts carbon dioxide into food.

Good News Notes: “NASA asked the same question in the 1960s. And the challenge of feeding a year-long space mission led to a remarkable discovery: when astronauts exhale, the carbon dioxide in their breath can be captured by a special class of microbes – and potentially turned into nutrients. Now an American company has taken…

Cement firm works with GE’s renewables unit on wind turbine recycling

Good News Notes: “General Electric’s renewables unit and LafargeHolcim, the world’s biggest cement manufacturer, have struck a deal to explore the recycling of wind turbine blades. A memorandum of understanding will see the companies focus on exploring “circular economy solutions.” Business practices connected to the notion of a circular economy have gained traction in recent years,…