Google updates Maps, Search, Shopping, Nest for sustainability

Good News Notes: “On Wednesday, Google launched a suite of changes to many of its core products to help consumers make sustainable choices more easily. “Today, climate change is more than a threat,” Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google and parent company Alphabet, said in a prerecorded video during a virtual press event Tuesday. “It is a…

Illinois becomes 1st Midwestern state to pass a law to phase out fossil fuels

Good News Notes: “At a time when the Midwest is being battered by more severe storms due to climate change, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a landmark law this month that will transition the state to 100 percent clean energy by 2045, with benchmarks along the way. While the effort has largely escaped national media attention, it…

Boston University to Divest from Fossil Fuel Industry

Good News Notes: “Boston University will divest from fossil fuels, starting immediately, President Robert A. Brown announced on Thursday, a decision reached amid increasing proof that burning fossil fuels is accelerating the harmful effects of climate change—and after nearly a decade of campus activism and protests. “This has been a long journey within the BU…

Novel Renewable Technologies That Could Power the Future

Good News Notes: “You’ve heard, of course, of solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectric power plants, but did you know there are some other lesser-known renewable technologies currently in the pipeline? From stretchable or paint-infused solutions that can generate electricity from the Sun to ways for you to power your own electronics, the future of energy generation…

Kenya Company Wants Buses, Utility Vehicles to Go Green by 2030

Good News Notes: “The United Nations Environment Program on Monday marked the official end of toxic leaded gasoline use in vehicles worldwide. A company in Nairobi, where the UNEP is headquartered, is working on the next step — converting all buses and utility vehicles to electric power by 2030. Lucy Mugala goes about checking on…

Major Offshore Wind Project Sets Stage For Clean Energy Shift

Good News Notes: “The U.S. Interior Departmentapproved the country’s first large-scale offshore wind project Tuesday, a final hurdle that reverses course from the Trump administration and sets the stage for a major shift in the energy landscape. This “is a significant milestone in our efforts to build a clean and more equitable energy future while addressing…

Big Oil And Big Tech Are Spending Billions On Renewable Energy

Good News Notes: “Given the option, most Americans would not only prefer to choose their own utility companies but also have more of the energy that powers their homes coming from clean energy sources. That’s according to a Consumer Report survey where 81% of respondents agreed that reducing pollution from power plants is a worthwhile goal. It’s…

Upcycling Plastic Waste For Supercapacitors

Good News Notes: “What if you could solve two of Earth’s biggest problems in one stroke? UC Riverside engineers have developed a way to recycle plastic waste, such as soda or water bottles, into a nanomaterial useful for energy storage. Mihri and Cengiz Ozkan and their students have been working for years on creating improved energy storage materials…