Environment News

Finnish stamps shine a harsh light on climate change

Oct 19, 2020: The Finnish Post wanted to get the memo out about the climate crisis, but instead of using the internet, it went old school with snail mail. A series of new postage stamps designed by Finnish studio Berry Creative sends the message using a ubiquitous product coupled with basic science.

Can robot dolphins replace real ones in marine parks?

Oct 19, 2020: Proponents of swimming with dolphins cite the thrill of feeling a human-animal connection that verges on spiritual and even claim health benefits like reducing stress and boosting T cells. Animal rights supporters claim that promoting dolphin swims is cruel, unnatural, unsafe for people, and ruins dolphin family life. But what if you could swim with robot dolphins?

Win a National Park tour for 2 from Inhabitat!

Oct 19, 2020: We’re giving away park passes to Yosemite, Olympic and Zion National Parks plus $1,000 toward travel expenses. Enter for your chance to win!

Iconic Farnsworth House gets a conceptual, sustainable redesign

Oct 19, 2020: As a design exercise, California-based architecture firm Jeff Barrett Studio has reimagined Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Farnsworth House for the modern times with a sustainable redesign that includes onsite renewable energy and modular construction.

Architecture students design a LEED Platinum home with an ADU in Kansas

Oct 19, 2020: Every year as part of Studio 804, University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design graduate students design and build an energy-efficient home for the community — and this year’s home not only achieved LEED Platinum certification but also comes with an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to fight suburban sprawl.

100-year-old Buda Mill & Grain Co. has new life as a community gathering spot

Oct 16, 2020: Often, culture and community are so intertwined that one defines the other, as is the case with a rural town in Texas, where the residents embraced a dilapidated historic site, called the Buda Mill & Grain Co., and brought it back to life.

San Diego Zoo successfully clones an endangered Przewalskis horse

Oct 16, 2020: San Diego Zoo is now raising the world's first Przewalski’s horse clone.

New study finds eco-glitter just as damaging as ordinary glitter

Oct 16, 2020: Despite the promises and inflated price tag, biodegradable glitter ends up the same way as old-school glitter — wreaking havoc on aquatic ecosystems.

LEED Gold office in Austin offers wearables to promote employee wellness

Oct 16, 2020: The Texas Mutual Insurance Company's new headquarters in Austin, Texas's Mueller Development has earned both LEED Gold and Austin Energy Green Building 4-Star certifications in recognition of the building's energy-efficient design and focus on occupant wellness. Designed by Texan architecture firm Studio8 Architects, the four-story office building is notable for its adherence to the "Design for Active Occupants" LEED innovation strategy to prioritize a healthy and active workplace as opposed to the traditionally sedentary office environment.

Dream of an escape to the off-grid cabins in Kogelberg Nature Reserve

Oct 16, 2020: These off-grid cabins are elevated for minimal site impact.

Behind the Scenes of a Life Sciences Lab

Oct 16, 2020: Life science is basically the study of living things, including biochemistry, cell biology, anatomy, zoology, botany, and epidemiology. As you might suspect, a life science lab contains various equipment specific... The post Behind the Scenes of a Life Sciences Lab appeared first on About My Planet.

Artist creates mesmerizing paintings using coal pollution from local streams

Oct 15, 2020: A group of artists, engineers and dedicated community members are finding ways to clean up local pollution and turn it into something meaningful.

The Great Barrier Reef has lost 50% of its corals to climate change

Oct 15, 2020: A recent study has revealed that corals of the Great Barrier Reef have more than halved since 1995.

Apple aims to save the environment, one wall charger at a time

Oct 15, 2020: If your new, boxed iPhone 12 feels a little light, that might be because it doesn’t contain a wall charger or earbuds.

Green-roofed theater in Shenzhen raises the bar for civic architecture

Oct 15, 2020: When the Pingshan District government in Shenzhen, China tapped OPEN Architecture to design the district’s first theater, the architects knew immediately that they wanted to create something different from the norm.

New solar-powered townhome community opens in Sonoma County

Oct 15, 2020: Round Barn is a new townhome community composed of eco-friendly, solar-powered residences in Santa Rosa’s historic Fountaingrove neighborhood.

How 2 gadgets are going to change China and the world

Oct 14, 2020: Two devices are helping to clear the air about pollution.

Scientists search for cause of mass marine die-off in Russia

Oct 14, 2020: Massive deaths of marine life off of the Russian Pacific Coast have left many scientists baffled.

World's largest Arctic expedition returns with grim news

Oct 14, 2020: After 13 months of collecting data, history's largest Arctic research expedition returned with grim news. "We witnessed how the Arctic Ocean is dying," mission leader Markus Rex told Agence-France Presse.

SOM designs a low-carbon waterfront community for Chinas most livable city

Oct 14, 2020: SOM’s proposal targets a low-carbon scheme that makes use of the region’s abundant natural resources — the sea and the sun — to generate renewable energy and reduce the development’s environmental footprint.

LEED Platinum-seeking home in Cincinnati asks $3.25 million

Oct 14, 2020: Near the border of Ohio and Kentucky, a stunning sustainable home has hit the market for $3,249,000.

BC Sustainable Energy Association – 2020 BC General Election

Oct 13, 2020: Tom Hackney and William J. AndrewsTuesday, October 13, 2020Key energy policies for BC’s electric utilities The following are three recommendations for government policies to advance BC’s electric utilities’ (mainly BC Hydro, but including FortisBC) support for climate action and BC’s transition to a sustainable energy future. We invite our members to listen for commitments to these policies from candidates and parties in the current election campaign. Issue 1: Mandate BC Hydro to plan for and work to achieve the electrification goals of the CleanBC climate action plan CleanBC[1] lays out the government’s plans for achieving three-quarters of the GHG emission reductions required for BC’s legislated 2…

Vegan apple recipes for fall

Oct 13, 2020: Make the most of the season's harvest with these delicious vegan apple recipes.

Israel plans to enact a countrywide fur ban

Oct 13, 2020: Israel has announced plans to ban the use of animal fur and skin in the fashion industry.

Doc Antle is the latest Tiger King star to be indicted

Oct 13, 2020: In the latest "Tiger King" criminal news, Bhagavan “Doc” Antle has been indicted on charges of wildlife trafficking and animal cruelty.

An award-winning forest tops the worlds first publicly accessible art depot

Oct 13, 2020: The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen features a mirrored exterior topped with a forest and a rooftop restaurant.

ZHAs sculptural "urban oasis" in Hong Kong to be LEED Platinum

Oct 13, 2020: At the heart of Hong Kong's central business district, the 36-story Murray Road project designed by Zaha Hadid Architects has broken ground — and its energy-efficient design has already earned the building LEED Platinum and WELL Platinum pre-certification along with the highest 3-Star rating of China's Green Building Rating Program.

New York Citys street trees have unique stories to tell

Oct 12, 2020: In a new photographic series, Matthew Jensen hopes to show everyone a little "Tree Love."…

New WWF report says plant-based diets could help conserve and restore nature

Oct 12, 2020: A new WWF report shows how we can feed 8-10 billion people and conserve nature through plant-based diets.

UK plans to be powered entirely by offshore wind turbines by 2030

Oct 12, 2020: U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson has affirmed government plans to ensure that the entire country is powered by offshore wind energy by 2030.

West 8 and Studio 44 win Tuchkov Buyan Park competition in St. Petersburg

Oct 12, 2020: The park would be within walking distance to major landmarks such as the Peter and Paul Fortress and the Rostral Columns of Vasilievsky Island.

Simple, sustainable DIY Halloween decor

Oct 12, 2020: Fall has arrived, and the holiday season is right around the corner, making for the perfect time to get creative with Mission Fall Decor 2020. While you might find inspiration walking through the local home improvement or craft store, dedicating yourself to DIY decor saves you money, adds a personal sense of accomplishment and presents the opportunity to recycle or select materials that are sustainable and environmentally-friendly.

DPG Medias HQ to become one of the worlds largest wooden-hybrid offices

Oct 9, 2020: This headquarters will be primarily built from glulam timber and will boast an expansive green roof.

Exxon's leaked documents reveal devastating pollution plan

Oct 9, 2020: Earlier this year when ExxonMobil announced its intention to reduce its methane emissions and gas-burning, many welcomed and celebrated the news. Despite these initial claims, the company's internal documents paint a different picture.

California governor issues executive order to conserve 30% of state land by 2030

Oct 9, 2020: The governor said the move will help preserve biodiversity and prevent ecosystem destruction.

Mature trees shape a leafy, light-filled home in Mexico

Oct 9, 2020: South of Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, local architecture firm Estudio Radillo Alba has completed the Casa R.A., a family of five's countryside home that takes its site-specific massing from the existing trees on site.

Tiny mobile dwelling celebrates local Shinshu larch in Japan

Oct 9, 2020: In only three months, eco-conscious Japanese architect Tono Mirai crafted a charming tiny timber structure that can be moved by truck. Dubbed the Red Container, the compact building was primarily designed as an exercise to promote Shinshu larch, a beautiful local larch species in the Saku area of Japan's Nagano Prefecture that had long been overlooked because of its tendency to warp and twist.

5 buildings on this Missouri campus just achieved LEED Platinum

Oct 8, 2020: This is quite the accomplishment for Washington University in St. Louis' Danforth Campus. The new accolades bring the total number of buildings with LEED Platinum designation to seven on the Danforth Campus. According to the school, the university’s green building design part of an overall sustainability...

New Swedish grocery to price goods based on carbon footprint

Oct 8, 2020: Felix, a Swedish food brand, has opened a climate-conscious store that will guide buyers to make informed decisions when purchasing food items.

Tasmanian devils reunited with their motherland after 3,000 years

Oct 8, 2020: For the first time in 3,000 years, Tasmanian devils have reunited with mainland Australia.

The best vegan snacks at Trader Joe's this fall

Oct 8, 2020: Here are some of Trader Joe's vegan fall foods to enjoy in chillier days ahead.

Couple renovates 1975 Chevy van for minimalist living during pandemic

Oct 8, 2020: When Jenna Aldus and Colin Dierker found out that all of their classes were shifting online due to the pandemic, they decided to take full advantage of the newfound freedom. Both university students, the couple currently conducts their studies on the road in their new home-on-wheels, a renovated 1975 Chevy van named Nelly.

Disney World McDonald's to be first net-zero fast food restaurant

Oct 7, 2020: Chicago-based Ross Barney Architects has given the iconic McDonald's at Walt Disney World Resort a sustainable makeover. This revamp aims to make McDonald's Disney flagship the first net-zero energy quick-service restaurant.

Preparing COVID-19 vaccine could kill half a million sharks

Oct 7, 2020: Scientists are racing against time to create a COVID-19 vaccine, but the effects of this venture may cause irreversible harm for sharks. Conservationists estimate that preparing a coronavirus vaccine will require at least half a million sharks.