The sunburnt country of Australia is the perfect location to harness the power of solar energy. Discovered in 1839 by Alexandre Edmond Becquere, solar power is the conversion of light into electricity via photovoltaics. However, according to Energy Matters, it wasn’t until 100 years later in 1941 that Russell Ohl invented the solar cell. Now, […]

With the passage of time, researchers have been able to identify aspects of our everyday life and items of regular use that contribute to the degradation of our planet. The 3Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle – are more than a string of three words and time has come that we go further than just […]

Going green is not limited to environmental conservation alone. Eco-friendly DIY furniture is one of the hottest trends in home furnishing. It seems fewer and fewer people want to put additional burden on the earth as most of us are now aware of the interconnectedness between the environment and ourselves. This situation today is in […]

As a person who spills something on absolutely everything she owns, I frequently struggle with resisting the desire to bleach my coffee/tea/chocolate (okay fine,  wine)-stained whites. According to nontoxic-living guru Sophie Gushée, however, chlorine bleach—the compound commonly used to get whites whiter—is not the answer to my clumsiness. Why? It can create more harm to […]

Finding a new batch of in-season produce at the farmer’s market is just one more thing to love about PSL-weather. But next time you’re hygge-ing it up with a knit blanket, Netflix, and a bowl full of clementines, don’t toss those aromatic peels into the compost pile: Turns out, there’s a simple way to upcycle […]

While the opportunities for evening barbecues on the deck, dips in the pool, and badminton in the backyard may be ending, it’s never too early to think about future backyard fun in the sun. If you’re looking for ideas on what outdoor projects to plan next, look no further than the “2018 Remodeling Impact Report: […]

Nearly 30 pounds of old crayons from all over the country land on Kim Martonosi’s doorstep every day. With the help of her kids, she sorts the worn and broken wax sticks by color, melts the bins of blue-greys and light greens and pinks down to a gooey swirl, and shapes the new creations into […]

What to recycle and what not to recycle ─ it’s just so confusing You’ve been living off the grid if you haven’t heard that many restaurants are not automatically giving customers plastic drinking straws. Those straws are the latest thing people want to keep out of landfills. And a landfill is where they would go, […]

Envision being able to throw an empty plastic water bottle into a household composting bin that breaks down the plastic and creates biogas to help power the home. Currently, scientists have taken the initial step toward this futuristic setup by demonstrating that some blends of bioplastics can decompose under varied conditions. They publish their results […]

In Kalady, where a video of plastic and debris being dumped back into the river from a bridge became viral on social media, the waste generated is overwhelming, says officials. The rains may have stopped, and the water levels are slowly receding from flood-hit areas of Kerala, but residents, and authorities have another uphill battle […]