Sustainability in … Cotton Swabs?
We’ve all seen the heartbreaking image of the seahorse clinging to a Q-tip, taken by environmental activist and wildlife photographer Justin Hofman, underscoring the desperate need to reduce plastic waste from winding up in the ocean. But you’re not in charge of where your trash goes, right? What can one person do to ease the steady...
How Robotics Can Help Address the Global Food Crisis
By Dr. Cristian Dima, Lead of Advanced Algorithms, John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group Agriculture is one of the most important industries in the world. Farmers need to feed, fuel, and clothe the growing population, which is expected to increase by 2 billion people in the next 30 years, raising the global food demand by 50...
Why ‘Microbial Area Kleaners’ Can Help Save Our Seas
EMT CEO Randall Mount addresses the benefits of MAKs. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a third of the commercial fishing industry’s revenue vanished, subjecting the entire industry to vulnerabilities for which it simply couldn’t prepare. According to NOAA, restaurant closures heavily impacted the seafood industry, social...
Klarna Partners With Milkywire: The Tech Behind These Two Companies
Klarna has chosen Milkywire as their strategic sustainability partner to launch Klarna's “Give One” initiative to help the planet. Let’s look at the tech surrounding both of these companies. What is Klarna? Klarna, short for Klarna Bank AB, is a Swedish banking firm that works with retailers to allow customers to make...
Watching A Coral Reef Die: Climate Change Devastates Tropical Island
Sam Purkis, University of Miami The Chagos Archipelago is one of the most remote, seemingly idyllic places on Earth. Coconut-covered sandy beaches with incredible bird life rim tropical islands in the Indian Ocean, hundreds of miles from any continent. Just below the waves, coral reefs stretch for miles along an underwater mountain...
EARTH DAY: The US electric power sector is halfway to zero carbon emissions
Ryan Wiser, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Bentham Paulos, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Dev Millstein, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Joseph Rand, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory CC BY-ND Renewable energy’s rapid growth is accelerating a national shift to a carbon-free electric power...
Secrets of the Whales Premieres Today — Our Chat with Producer Brian Skerry
Brian Skerry couldn’t believe his eyes. And his are eyes that have spent 40 years shooting sea photography, and nearly a quarter-century filming and shooting for National Geographic. What developed in front of the Secrets of the Whales executive producer and photographer defied typical cross-species senses: an orca was offering him...
How Hemp Can Create a More Sustainable Future
By BEAU PETERS Although many global citizens are just now recognizing the wonders of hemp, humans have a rich history of co-existence with the hemp plant. Researchers at MIT, in fact, claim that “hemp was probably the earliest plant cultivated for textile fiber,” dating back to at least 8000 B.C. Across history, the hemp...
Top 5 Jobs Robots Could Have in the Next Decade…Will Yours Be Next?
While automation and the use of robotics has drastically increased the efficiency of manufacturing processes, logistics, and delivery, the casualty list for a slew of manual and service-based jobs on and off the production line is growing.
Zibi – Ottawa’s First Carbon-Neutral Community
Not often do communities truly give back to the planet, but Zibi in Ottawa, is doubling down. It’s going carbon-neutral. The town is a joint creation of Dream Unlimited, Dream Impact Trust, and Theia Partners. The community is a 34-acre master-planned area. It was designed to combine Canada’s history with the prospects of city...
A Green Tech Boom Could Solve the Ecological Crisis After COVID
During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people excitedly analyzed positive environmental changes caused by the lockdowns associated with it. For example, air and water quality improved due to decreases in car and boat traffic. Environmental conservationists wondered if the pandemic could signal a remarkable improvement in...
Post-Pandemic SUVs Head Two Different Directions
New Models Introduced This Week Offer Electric or High-Horsepower Gas Choices The automotive market is not always clear in the direction it’s taking at any given moment. This week was one of those weeks. Future SUV buyers are going to be able to choose from a very green path or one emphasizing horsepower and off-road proficiency.
Big Wheels Keep on Turning...Quietly
While headlines have showcased a dip in the light-duty car sector, big trucks, commercial vehicles, over-the-road, and short-haul semis have seen a surge in recent technology deployments.
When’s the last time a Ford Bronco got this much attention?
Engineered with smart off-road technology, the 4x4 Ford Bronco is back in the news with a family of rugged SUVs. The vehicle’s production is scheduled for take-off in early 2021 while delivery to dealerships is expected next spring.
How Mounting Regulations on Plastics Stifle Innovation
What if legislators placed heavy design restrictions on the automotive or aerospace industries? What if engineers at Tesla or Boeing saw their research capabilities reduced to a small palette of less-creative, material options?
Trees, Tech, and Climate Change
An inside look at the technologies protecting our nation’s forests From paper goods to lumber and wildlife habitat to recreation, our forests provide value in countless ways. However, forest management is a complex science. It requires advanced technology, collaboration, and an eye toward sustainability. Forest management has...
Can Facial Recognition Restrictions Enhance Tech Privacy? Probably Not
Facial recognition has always been a controversial technology, especially when it comes to the government using it. As tensions between the public and police have risen, some big names in the technology have taken a stand. Amazon, Microsoft and IBM have all stated that they'll stop selling facial recognition tech to the police. To be...
Self-Driving Cars Are Not a Safety Solution
There are two ways of looking at autonomous vehicles, and both of them are true. A thorough analysis by one of country’s leading automotive insurance research groups threw some hard data—some would say cold water—on self-driving car technology and the reactions were in predictably stark contrasts. Potential headlines on the news:
The Top 50 Most Innovative Products (Part One)
The Top 50 Most Innovated Products
New Injection Molding Technology Could Close COVID-19 Testing Gap
Following the White House’s declared state of emergency in March and subsequent Harvard study showing a need for up to 20 million COVID-19 tests per day by the end of summer, innovation from the manufacturing industry has responded with a scalable technology capable of closing the testing gap.
Why Facial Recognition Remains a Powerful Yet Controversial Technology
Facial recognition is expected to become one of the most important technological developments of the era. While the usage of such technology is extremely controversial, the power of facial recognition could prove to be revolutionary across a variety of major industries. It is surprising to learn just how long facial recognition has...
A Pandemic Shift; Company Moves to Increase Production of Solar-Powered Chargers for Healthcare Infrastructure
The current healthcare crisis has caused many companies to change plans. Some have shut down; others have ramped-up production of critical goods needed to combat the coronavirus. One small but growing company in San Diego, California, deemed an essential service during the crisis, realigned its production to focus on one product—the EV...
Global Emissions Have Dropped 17 Percent During Coronavirus Pandemic
According to a recent study, global emissions have dropped 17 percent over the coronavirus pandemic. However, emissions could bounce back as society opens back up.
The Burj Khalifa Isn’t Just the Tallest Building in the World – It’s Also One of the Greenest
The Burj Khalifa has been the tallest building on Earth since it was built in 2009, and now it is setting the standard when it comes to going green.
Wisdom and Hope from Jane Goodall on Earth Day
On this very unique and special Earth Day, Dr. Jane Goodall has some words of wisdom for us, on how to maintain hope and how we can make positive, lasting change.
National Geographic Photographer Brian Skerry Talks Earth Day, The Ocean, and Climate Change
We had the opportunity to sit down with Brian Skerry to discuss Born Wild, climate change, and the next generation of both humans and animals.
Celebrating Earth Day with National Geographic Explorers Beverly and Dereck Joubert
We're kicking off this week with an interview with Dereck and Beverly Joubert, two National Geographic explorers who will be participating in National Geographic's Earth Day event, Born Wild: The Next Generation.
4 Ocean-Centric Technologies Designed to Mitigate Climate Risks
Our team has been investigating some of the most intriguing ocean-based technologies being developed that intend to mitigate and prevent damage done by an overabundance of greenhouse gases. Here are a few of the standouts.
This Investment Group Says: "Do More to Fight Climate Change"
A group of 515 investors who manage assets totaling $35 trillion sent a stark message to organizations and governments worldwide: Do more to fight climate change by complying with the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Accord “with utmost urgency,” according to a statement.
What You Need to Know About Home Energy Monitors
Not only can a home energy monitor help you save money you are spending on your bills, it will make your home more sustainable.