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In a quiet corner of southern Nepal, a small women-run factory is driving a growing movement to replace conventional menstrual pads with biodegradable alternatives – part of grass roots efforts to protect women’s health and the environment while dismantling entrenched taboos around menstruation.

The Miteri Jaibik Pad Udhyog (Miteri eco-friendly pad factory) in Chitwan district’s Gunjanagar has been manufacturing single-use biodegradable pads and reusable cloth pads since 2017, dispelling perceptions that such products are either costly or unhygienic.

Called Miteri – or “chosen kinship” in Nepali – the pads offer women healthier choices while raising awareness about the high environmental footprint of disposable non-biodegradable pads and encouraging what some advocates call “green menstruation”.

[wachinyeya]

Went to the bog yesterday to visit the Pitcher Plants in bloom and the Round-leaved Sundew, and also saw two kinds of wild orchid (I believe the one on the bottom left is Rose Pogonia, and the right is Tuberous Grasspink). Damselflies and other insects were loving the heat, and the Song Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds singing and flying above definitely didn't mind the bug buffet. Such a cool place!!

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Zebra Pleco Hypancistrus zebra Source: Here

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"With “green corridors” that mimic the natural forest, the Colombian city is driving down temperatures — and could become five degrees cooler over the next few decades.

In the face of a rapidly heating planet, the City of Eternal Spring — nicknamed so thanks to its year-round temperate climate — has found a way to keep its cool.

Previously, Medellín had undergone years of rapid urban expansion, which led to a severe urban heat island effect — raising temperatures in the city to significantly higher than in the surrounding suburban and rural areas. Roads and other concrete infrastructure absorb and maintain the sun’s heat for much longer than green infrastructure.

“Medellín grew at the expense of green spaces and vegetation,” says Pilar Vargas, a forest engineer working for City Hall. “We built and built and built. There wasn’t a lot of thought about the impact on the climate. It became obvious that had to change.”

Efforts began in 2016 under Medellín’s then mayor, Federico Gutiérrez (who, after completing one term in 2019, was re-elected at the end of 2023). The city launched a new approach to its urban development — one that focused on people and plants.

The $16.3 million initiative led to the creation of 30 Green Corridors along the city’s roads and waterways, improving or producing more than 70 hectares of green space, which includes 20 kilometers of shaded routes with cycle lanes and pedestrian paths.

These plant and tree-filled spaces — which connect all sorts of green areas such as the curb strips, squares, parks, vertical gardens, sidewalks, and even some of the seven hills that surround the city — produce fresh, cooling air in the face of urban heat. The corridors are also designed to mimic a natural forest with levels of low, medium and high plants, including native and tropical plants, bamboo grasses and palm trees.

Heat-trapping infrastructure like metro stations and bridges has also been greened as part of the project and government buildings have been adorned with green roofs and vertical gardens to beat the heat. The first of those was installed at Medellín’s City Hall, where nearly 100,000 plants and 12 species span the 1,810 square meter surface.

“It’s like urban acupuncture,” says Paula Zapata, advisor for Medellín at C40 Cities, a global network of about 100 of the world’s leading mayors. “The city is making these small interventions that together act to make a big impact.”

At the launch of the project, 120,000 individual plants and 12,500 trees were added to roads and parks across the city. By 2021, the figure had reached 2.5 million plants and 880,000 trees. Each has been carefully chosen to maximize their impact.

“The technical team thought a lot about the species used. They selected endemic ones that have a functional use,” explains Zapata.

The 72 species of plants and trees selected provide food for wildlife, help biodiversity to spread and fight air pollution. A study, for example, identified Mangifera indica as the best among six plant species found in Medellín at absorbing PM2.5 pollution — particulate matter that can cause asthma, bronchitis and heart disease — and surviving in polluted areas due to its “biochemical and biological mechanisms.”

And the urban planting continues to this day.

The groundwork is carried out by 150 citizen-gardeners like Pineda, who come from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds, with the support of 15 specialized forest engineers. Pineda is now the leader of a team of seven other gardeners who attend to corridors all across the city, shifting depending on the current priorities...

“I’m completely in favor of the corridors,” says [Victoria Perez, another citizen-gardener], who grew up in a poor suburb in the city of 2.5 million people. “It really improves the quality of life here.”

Wilmar Jesus, a 48-year-old Afro-Colombian farmer on his first day of the job, is pleased about the project’s possibilities for his own future. “I want to learn more and become better,” he says. “This gives me the opportunity to advance myself.”

The project’s wider impacts are like a breath of fresh air. Medellín’s temperatures fell by 2°C in the first three years of the program, and officials expect a further decrease of 4 to 5C over the next few decades, even taking into account climate change. In turn, City Hall says this will minimize the need for energy-intensive air conditioning...

In addition, the project has had a significant impact on air pollution. Between 2016 and 2019, the level of PM2.5 fell significantly, and in turn the city’s morbidity rate from acute respiratory infections decreased from 159.8 to 95.3 per 1,000 people [Note: That means the city's rate of people getting sick with lung/throat/respiratory infections.]

There’s also been a 34.6 percent rise in cycling in the city, likely due to the new bike paths built for the project, and biodiversity studies show that wildlife is coming back — one sample of five Green Corridors identified 30 different species of butterfly.

Other cities are already taking note. Bogotá and Barranquilla have adopted similar plans, among other Colombian cities, and last year São Paulo, Brazil, the largest city in South America, began expanding its corridors after launching them in 2022.

“For sure, Green Corridors could work in many other places,” says Zapata."

-via Reasons to Be Cheerful, March 4, 2024

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"South African entrepreneur Phumla Makhoba is on a mission to solve the “global south housing crisis.” And she’s doing it by using clothing waste.

Her invention, Texiboard, is a material that combines fibers found in textile waste with lime cement to create a durable, affordable, and circular building material.

The result is a textured, white square, almost tile-like, that is created with recycled materials — not emission-generating wood or concrete.

“It can be used to make furniture, flooring, walls, or even your entire home,” Makhoba said in a video for social media account We Got Earth.

The first iterations of the Texiboard included colorful cotton threads that were compressed together, with multiple attempts to remove cracks and seams and perfect the ratios of size, shape, and material mass.

With her design firm, Studio People, Makhoba has been working since 2022 to perfect the TexiBoard. 

Makhoba has since created a solid panel, with shredded textile fiber and natural lime cement fully cured. Finally, it can be formed into a full sheet of building material.

Once realized, the Texiboard will confront the estimated 92 million tons of clothing waste generated around the globe each year. But it will also provide safe and stable housing that Makhoba says only 20% of South Africans can afford.

“Growing up, I saw two worlds: one with polished buildings, and one built from scrap,” she said in a video. “I always wondered, why do some people get homes that last and others get homes that leak?”

Now, the Texiboard design is available as an open-source resource, and Makhoba and her team host in-person workshops for locals living in shacks to learn how to build their own supportive and sustainable housing.

“Just having a roof isn’t enough,” Makhoba said. “A real home should protect you from the weather, work for your daily life, and not fall apart in five years.”

Her approach includes a full theory of change. Right now, Studio People is in the input process, building partnerships and funding to scale their operation. From there, they hope to develop a fully sustainable supply chain to manufacture and sell Texiboards and help build affordable housing for people in need.

Once that dream is realized, Makhoba outlines the tangible output of this work: Economically inclusive waste management, circular building materials, green jobs, and a sustainable housing and manufacturing market.

“Informal settlements can be transformed when we all work together,” she shares on the Studio People website. “Texiboard is the seed of innovation that will create updated trade jobs in the innovative building industry.”

Although the Texiboard is still being completely perfected, the goal is to provide a weather-proof, cost-effective, and circular way to house people by democratizing the act of building.

“Our goal is to create an egalitarian and sustainable urban environment, helping shack dwellers and youth out of poverty,” Studio People shared on LinkedIn.

“We empower the underdog, including people and businesses, to co-create solutions in our fight against the housing crisis, unsustainable building materials, and unemployment — one board at a time.”"

-via GoodGoodGood, May 28, 2025

[wachinyeya]

Gartered Trogon (Trogon caligatus), also known as the northern violaceous trogon: from Mexico throughout Central America and into northern South America, including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru & Venezuela. Takes a mix of fruits and a variety of insects.

[wachinyeya]

May I request the araripe manakin. I just attended a zoom call about them recently they are so pretty. thank you so much!

Your package has just arrived!!!

Araripe Manakin (Antilophia bokermanni), male, family Pipridae, order Passeriformes, endemic to Brazil

ENDANGERED.

photograph by Ivan Cesar

photograph by AQUASIS

photograph by Thiago T. Silva

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I hope you know that it’s always this

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June 16, 2025, Kaleigh Harrison

Verde and Ergon have signed a memorandum of understanding to scale the use of carbon-negative asphalt binders in U.S. infrastructure projects. The collaboration is designed to integrate Verde’s binder technology into Ergon’s existing national operations, making low-carbon asphalt available at commercial scale.

While efforts to cut operational emissions have advanced, the embedded emissions in materials such as asphalt remain a significant hurdle. By targeting these often-overlooked emissions, Verde and Ergon’s collaboration provides a practical, near-term solution that can be implemented within current roadbuilding practices.

Unlike many emerging carbon-reduction technologies, Verde’s binder is already compatible with existing asphalt standards and construction methods. This allows roadbuilders to adopt the material without the need for design changes, new equipment, or extensive retraining—critical factors for gaining market acceptance in the risk-averse construction sector.

Ergon brings established strengths to the partnership, including a nationwide network of asphalt refining and blending facilities and relationships with departments of transportation, contractors, and material suppliers. Leveraging this infrastructure provides a clear pathway to moving beyond pilot projects to full-scale market rollout.

Tackling Embodied Carbon in Road Construction

Pavement materials, including asphalt, contribute a significant share of the total carbon footprint of infrastructure projects.

Verde’s technology addresses this issue by capturing and converting CO₂ into a high-performance binder that replaces traditional petroleum-based materials. The resulting asphalt products are designed to meet or exceed current performance standards while delivering a lower carbon profile.

By combining Verde’s field-tested technology with Ergon’s operational scale, the companies aim to offer a practical solution for decarbonizing one of the infrastructure sector’s most carbon-intensive materials—without disrupting existing supply chains.

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June 11, 2025,Marybeth Collins

The Rhode Island Senate has officially passed legislation to enhance textile waste recycling and public education efforts, reinforcing the state's commitment to sustainable waste management. With landfill capacity dwindling and textiles accounting for a substantial portion of waste, this initiative aims to increase awareness, improve recycling infrastructure, and enforce reporting requirements among industry stakeholders.

Key Provisions

Expanding Public Education

Starting in 2026, the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation will launch a statewide public education program. This initiative will include:

An online directory for recycling guidance.

Assistance programs to help businesses and residents reduce textile waste.

Mandatory Textile Waste Reporting

Beginning January 1, 2028, all private entities engaged in textile collection must report annual tonnage figures to DEM. These reports will inform statewide recycling benchmarks, which may be updated annually.

Regulatory Enforcement & Goals

The DEM will develop statewide textile recycling regulations, publicly available by June 1, 2026. These rules will establish benchmark goals to minimize textile waste in landfills while ensuring compliance through possible fines or penalties.

Implications for Sustainability

With Rhode Island’s only landfill expected to reach full capacity by 2046, legislators are emphasizing textile waste reduction as a crucial environmental priority. The state joins a growing list of jurisdictions enhancing post-consumer textile recovery and corporate recycling responsibilities, aligning with national initiatives such as the STEWARD Act.

As businesses and municipalities adjust to the new requirements, textile recycling infrastructure is expected to expand, offering potential opportunities for innovation in upcycling and sustainable fabric repurposing.

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June 6, 2025, Kaleigh Harrison

A team from Northwestern University has developed a new graphene oxide-based coating poised to reshape the $60 billion food packaging industry. The material is designed as a direct alternative to plastic linings and PFAS-based barriers that have long raised environmental and health concerns. Unlike many existing PFAS-free options that either underperform or drive up costs, the graphene oxide coating shows competitive strength, barrier resistance, and affordability—key attributes that align with both regulatory and commercial demands.

The coating, now under patent, is the result of a collaboration between materials scientist SonBinh Nguyen and mechanical engineer Timothy Wei. Through GO-Eco, a Northwestern-affiliated startup, the technology has transitioned from lab development into industry testing. Wei, who also serves as chief scientist at Chang Robotics, emphasized the goal was to move beyond theory and into viable manufacturing solutions.

Tests conducted at Western Michigan University’s Paper Pilot Plant reported performance improvements ranging from 30 to 50 percent in barrier resistance and substrate strength when compared to current commercial coatings. These results were achieved with only small additions of graphene oxide, helping maintain price parity—critical for large-scale adoption across sectors like quick service restaurants, consumer packaging, and grocery retail.

Stronger, Safer, and More Sustainable

Unlike PFAS-based coatings, the graphene oxide formula can be applied to a variety of materials—such as molded fiber products, cardboard boxes, and disposable paperware—without affecting recyclability or compostability. This gives it a notable edge as businesses face increasing demand to meet sustainability targets without sacrificing product quality.

The single-atom-thick structure of graphene oxide delivers practical advantages: it’s non-toxic, lightweight, and adaptable to existing production workflows. Field tests have confirmed the coating’s applicability across packaging types, from cups and straws to clamshell containers and produce bags. For businesses focused on customer experience, the additional strength and leak-resistance also help reduce complaints over soggy or flimsy packaging.

GO-Eco has secured early-stage investment from a national tableware manufacturer and is actively collaborating with partners to finalize product development. Regulatory approvals for food contact safety are in process, alongside certifications for compostability and recyclability—two key considerations for packaging buyers navigating evolving compliance requirements.

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June 10, 2025

Illinois has enacted one of the most comprehensive state-level bans on products containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), targeting a wide range of consumer goods commonly found in households.

Under House Bill 2516, the sale, distribution, or offering for sale of PFAS-laden products will be prohibited in Illinois starting January 1, 2026. The ban includes:

Cookware

Cosmetics

Dental floss

Juvenile products

Menstrual products

Intimate apparel

Food packaging and food contact materials

The legislation passed with strong margins:

77-39 in the House (May 31, 2025)

45-9 in the Senate (May 29, 2025)

Initial House passage 71-39 (April 10, 2025)

These products are singled out due to their frequent contact with skin, food, or mucous membranes—making them likely vectors for human exposure.

What’s Changing and When

A second phase of the ban, effective January 1, 2032, narrows the focus to certain personal care and juvenile-use items, including:

Cosmetics

Dental floss

Menstrual products

Juvenile products

Intimate apparel

The phased approach gives manufacturers time to develop and deploy safer alternatives. However, it also sets firm deadlines to eliminate known PFAS sources from products that pose high risks of exposure.

Exceptions, Enforcement, and Reporting

The law carves out clear exemptions for:

Products governed by federal PFAS regulations

Secondhand or used goods

Internal electronics not in contact with skin or mouth

Certain EPA-approved refrigerants and foams (under SNAP guidelines)

Enforcement is led by the Illinois Attorney General or local State’s Attorneys. Civil penalties range from $5,000 for a first offense to $10,000 for repeated violations, with funds directed to the state’s Environmental Protection Trust Fund.

In addition, by August 1, 2027, the Illinois EPA is required to submit a report evaluating the risks and potential exemptions related to fluoropolymers, a complex PFAS subgroup used in industrial applications and some advanced consumer products.

A Leading Example for State-Led PFAS Action

While the federal government continues to assess and regulate PFAS through the EPA’s Strategic Roadmap, states like Illinois are pushing forward with proactive legislation.

Illinois’ expanded PFAS law not only sets a precedent for regulating consumer-facing products, it also forces industry accountability—particularly for items that have direct and sustained human contact. The move is expected to influence product reformulation across the supply chain as companies seek nationwide compliance strategies.

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One of Europe’s key players in automotive recycling is expanding its industrial capacity with a new dismantling center set to open later this year at the Flins Refactory site in France. The new facility will process 7,000 end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) annually, recovering more than 25 reusable components per vehicle and processing 14+ different materials for recycling.

This latest move strengthens the operator’s ability to serve the entire automotive circular economy value chain — from raw recycled material supply through to responsible dismantling and parts reuse. It responds directly to growing demand from insurance and repair sectors for sustainable alternatives to new parts and materials, while helping to address regulatory and environmental pressures on the industry.

The new dismantling line at Flins introduces industrial-scale vehicle processing with a focus on efficiency, compliance, and traceability. The facility incorporates a seven-station line running 24/7, supported by integrated vehicle storage and an advanced administrative management system. It is equipped to handle all vehicle types, including electric vehicles (EVs), using diagnostic tools from the site’s Battery Repair Expert Center.

In addition to dismantling, the center manages the full lifecycle of recovered parts — from sorting and protective packaging to online cataloging. Components are photographed and listed on the Opisto platform, which holds 50,000 references, enabling traceable, fast-moving reuse of parts across Europe’s automotive aftermarket.

The new center complements an integrated set of circular economy operations at the Flins site, forming what is being positioned as Europe’s most complete closed-loop ecosystem for damaged vehicles. The site already houses capabilities in used vehicle reconditioning, repair services, component remanufacturing, and battery recycling.

Recovered parts will flow directly into repair and reconditioning activities, while reclaimed materials feed back into European manufacturing supply chains. The growing volume of EVs processed also supports the site's evolving expertise in battery lifecycle management and recycling. Strengthening industrial processing capacity helps shorten supply chains for recycled components and aligns with sustainability goals set by OEMs and insurers alike.

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With the demand for high-quality, sustainable pet food rising, manufacturers are confronting a growing challenge: securing reliable protein sources. Traditional byproducts from livestock and seafood are under pressure—limited in availability and increasingly expensive. Consumer expectations, meanwhile, are shifting toward cleaner labels and environmentally conscious sourcing.

According to a new report by the World Wildlife Fund, invasive carp offer a practical alternative. With protein content and omega-3 levels that rival more expensive ingredients like wild-caught salmon, these fish meet nutritional standards for premium pet formulations. They’re also highly digestible and naturally low in contaminants, helping brands maintain product safety without over-relying on additives or synthetic nutrients.

What sets carp apart from other protein options is scalability. Their populations are well-established across major U.S. waterways, eliminating the need for the costly infrastructure and long lead times tied to livestock production. With harvesting operations already underway in regions like the Mississippi River Basin, a dependable, lower-cost supply chain is within reach for manufacturers ready to invest in alternative sourcing.

Ecological Impact Meets Market Differentiation

The business case for carp extends beyond nutritional and supply chain advantages. In the U.S., invasive carp species—such as silver and bighead carp—have overrun aquatic ecosystems, crowding out native fish and degrading water quality. Their unchecked growth in the Mississippi River Basin and risk of spread into the Great Lakes present a real ecological threat.

Creating commercial demand for these species not only supports long-term supply stability but also contributes to ecosystem restoration. Targeted harvesting reduces population pressure, allowing native species to rebound and water quality to improve. This environmental benefit is increasingly relevant as consumers—particularly Gen Z and millennials—seek products that align with their values around sustainability and social impact.

The economic ripple effect is also noteworthy. Building out a carp-based supply chain could revitalize Midwestern fishing communities and support domestic manufacturing. This angle enhances a brand’s U.S.-sourced credentials, which carry weight in a market where transparency and origin tracking matter more than ever.