Target’s solar panel carports at California store may be a green model

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…

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…

California and Biden plot to vacuum away climate change

Good News Notes: “Solar panels, wind turbines and electric cars will go far in helping California and the Biden administration meet their aggressive climate goals — but not far enough. As time runs short, scientists and government officials say the moment to break out the giant vacuums has arrived. The art of industrial-scale carbon removal — sucking…

Going for Green—Sellers Can See Upside in Sustainable Home Features

Good News Notes: “For many luxury buyers, having a home that’s designed for sustainability has long seemed nice in theory, but also connoted austere, crunchy aesthetics, plus the added expense of installing green technology. Between the rapid rise of electric cars as a status symbol; a growing number of developers turning out high-design green buildings;…

Israeli 5-minute battery charge aims to fire up electric cars

Good News Notes: “From flat battery to full charge in just five minutes — an Israeli start-up has developed technology it says could eliminate the “range anxiety” associated with electric cars. Ultra-fast recharge specialists StoreDot have developed a first-generation lithium-ion battery that can rival the filling time of a standard car at the pump. “We…

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…

Tesla’s Newest Model S Can Go Farther Than Any Electric Car Before

Good News Notes: “It’s a big moment for electric cars. Tesla announced yesterday that it has cracked the 400-mile barrier, a first for a production electric vehicle sold to the public. The company says the EPA will officially rate the new Long Range Plus version of the Model S for a 402-mile range. Elon Musk had accused the EPA of…