Britain’s government just announced plans to increase the current number of public chargers tenfold by the end of the decade, ahead of the expected national and global transition away from combustion engines and towards electric cars.

The £500 million Department for Transport-led scheme specifically includes £450 million for public and on-street charging for those without driveways. This was previously announced as part of the £1.6bn Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, details of which are now public.

The plans will hopefully enable more Britons to adopt electrification, as nearly 25 percent of all households do not currently have access to off-street parking. This is a significant obstacle to the charging of personal electric vehicles, which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours. (Either way, significantly more time-consuming than filling a car up with gasoline.)

The UK is set to ban all sales of new fossil fuel-powered cars and vans by 2030, a deadline that has also been matched by many private automobile manufacturers around the world. According to the new plan, the government expects 300,000 public chargers to be available by the same year. Chargepoint operators will also be legally required to meet certain standards, such as enabling drivers to pay and find nearby chargers easily.

“No matter where you live—be that a city centre or rural village, the north, south, east or west of the country—we’re powering up the switch to electric and ensuring no one gets left behind in the process,” says Transport Secretary Grant Schapps.

The UK will need nearly 500,000 new EV chargers by 2035

Despite the government’s optimism, the plan has received criticism from various companies and motoring groups for still falling short of expected demand. Energy regulator Ofgem previously estimated that around 25,000 public charging stations would need to be installed every single year until 2035 in order to reach the 480,000 and two million power leads required.

Furthermore, despite Schapps’ statement to the contrary, there is also a growing regional divide in the availability of EV chargers. And, in the historically underserved north of England, this disparity is growing even faster. Currently, around a third of all chargers are in London.

While electric cars are undeniably an essential part of national and international plans to reach zero emissions and mitigate climate change, they are far from a silver bullet. The affordability of new EVs (and new vehicles in general) means that they are out of reach for the vast majority of road users, with 75 percent of UK drivers purchasing used automobiles.

It’s also worth noting that active travel (such as cycling, walking, or wheeling) is the most sustainable solution, with public transportation a close second. Replacing all traditional vehicles with electric ones is not an acceptable solution to transportation emissions, and unfortunately, Britain’s public transport systems are some of the most prohibitively expensive in the world.

Where governments are falling short, private companies are exploiting the absence of public chargers for their own benefit. Both Taco Bell and Starbucks are hoping that adding EV charge points at stores will encourage an uptick in business from in-need travelers.

The EU plans to introduce the world’s first carbon dioxide emissions tariff on imported and high-polluting goods to encourage sustainability at home and abroad.

A San Antonio architectural firm has just released plans for a binational park on the US-Mexico border, to be built along the Rio Grande river.

Meanwhile, Rwandan researchers have spotted an ultra-rare bat species with a particularly memorable face, and a team of US-UK scientists found a sweet solution to plastic.

Here’s this week’s good climate news.

Pigs express their complex feelings through grunts

The good news: A study published earlier this month in the journal Scientific Reports demonstrates how pigs vocalize their thoughts and feelings through the various noises they make. By using artificial intelligence, an international team of researchers developed a translator to interpret the grunts and oinks made by pigs. The algorithm was applied to over 7,000 noises made by 411 different animals from a variety of commercial and artificial settings.

The impact: This study represents a potentially significant step forward for animal welfare. The researchers’ translation algorithm could be turned into an app that would allow farmers direct insight into the welfare of their charges. Some might argue that this type of technology is not required to assess wellbeing based on contextual factors. (For example, it found that play and intimacy prompted positive emotions, while fights and physical pain caused negative ones.) But it still represents a unique study that further reveals the complexities of farm animals’ inner and outer lives.

Did you know? Pigs are sensitive, social, and intelligent animals who make nests for sleeping and huddle together to keep warm. Despite popular opinion, they are quite clean and have designated sleeping, wallowing, and toilet areas. In addition to cooling their skin, rolling in mud helps to clean off parasites. Pigs also dream, sing, and have excellent memories. (They are able to find their way home over long distances and if they find food in one location will remember to check there again in the future.)

How you can help: Learn more about pigs and the issues they face from Compassion in World Farming here. While there are some charities, farms, and shelters that cater specifically to pigs—such as the UK’s Pigs in the Wood or Pigs’ Peace in the US—there is likely a local or regional group rescuing a variety of farm animals near you. Also in the UK, there is the Dean Farm Trust and FRIEND Animal Sanctuary, while US sanctuaries include Animal Place, Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, and countless others. (Learn more about Dan McKernan, the founder of Michigan’s Barn Sanctuary here.)

The EU is set to introduce the world’s first CO2 tariff

The good news: The EU plans to introduce the world’s first carbon emissions tariff on high-impact imported goods by 2026. The importation tax will affect imports such as steel, cement, fertilizers, aluminum, and electricity—all potentially high-impact industries that must shift towards sustainability in order to mitigate climate change.

The impact: While the details are yet to be finalized, the tariff will hopefully encourage stronger environmental rules and more sustainable practices overall. The three-year transition phase will begin in 2023, and the details will likely be discussed and approved by the end of the year. French finance minister Bruno Le Maire says that a “sizeable majority” supported the decision.

Did you know? The EU hopes to cut its collective emissions by 55 percent from 1990 levels by the end of the decade, which will require further investments in green energy, technology, and sustainable infrastructure. But an import tax would help to create a “level playing field” to prevent the undercutting of EU companies by those operating elsewhere. Le Maire explains: “We’re making the effort to reduce carbon emissions in industry. […] We don’t want these efforts to be of no avail because we import products which contain more carbon.”

How you can help: Learn more about the potential impact of carbon tax from the Center For Climate and Energy Solutions here. Several websites offer a free personal carbon footprint calculator, such as Carbon Footprint, to give you some idea of what your own impact is. Avoiding carbon-intensive transportation, eating more plants (and less meat), and shopping ethically, locally, and minimally, all help to reduce your personal carbon footprint.

The US-Mexico border is getting a binational park

The good news: Overland Partners, a San Antonio-based architecture firm, just released its plans for a US-Mexico binational border park. The park will be built along the Rio Grande river (known south of the border as the Río Bravo del Norte), stretching across 6.3 miles of land along both sides of the water, as reported by Dezeen. It will also connect the cities of Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, just four miles away. (The transborder region is popularly known as “the Two Laredos.”)

The impact: The new project was conceived as a way to restore the area’s ecosystem, celebrate the joint culture of the Two Laredos, and to help revitalize the economy. While the two cities practically operate as one day-to-day—including an essential flow of workers in both directions—US authorities closed the border between March 2020 and November 2021 due to COVID-19, meaning that both cities’ economies took a significant hit.

Did you know? The Rio Grande is at the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert, one of the three most biodiverse places in the entire world. Covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern US, the desert is home to over 130 varieties of mammal, 110 freshwater fish, and well over 3,000 plant species, to name just a few of its inhabitants. Its also home to five million people, many of whom are directly reliant on the 172,000 square mile Rio Grande basin. (It provides freshwater to at least 16 million people from both sides of the border.)

The new project will combine ecological conservation with new infrastructure in order to best serve all of the inhabitants of the Two Laredos and the Rio Grande Basin. It will also specifically embrace the idea of two cities living as a single community. It notably runs contrary to the aura of nationalism surrounding the Trump administration which led to the controversial, harmful, and widely derided border wall. 

How you can help: Learn more about conservation in the Rio Grande from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) here and here, or read on to hear more about the catastrophic impact of the border wall on humans, wildlife, and biodiversity here and here. Support the Trust For Public Land and learn about its ongoing projects in the area here. 

Ultra-rare bat species spotted in Rwanda

The good news: Researchers just caught a Hill’s horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hillorum) in Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda. This is the first time that the nocturnal mammal has been seen since 1981. The region, located in southwest Rwanda, is extremely biodiverse and contains the largest remaining piece of woodland in the country. It’s what’s known as an old-growth “cloud forest,” meaning its characterized by canopy-level vapor clouds.

The impact: Now that researchers have confirmed the survival of this rare bat species, they can track its movements using non-invasive acoustic monitoring. It’s likely that the bats are concentrated in a core area. The researchers believe that focusing conservation efforts in the Nyungwe Forest National Park means that the remaining population could be protected.

Did you know? Rhinolophus bats are thought to be critically endangered, but because of their elusiveness, the scientific community knows surprisingly little about the species’ behaviors, habitats, and conservation status. They have a unique appearance, with prominent folds called “nose leaves” occupying the majority of their faces.

“When we caught it, we all just looked at it and said, ‘You look ridiculous. Look how big your nose leaf is,’” said Jon Flanders, the director of endangered species interventions at Bat Conservation International, as per Mongabay. “We feared the species may have already gone extinct.”

How you can help: Learn more about Nyungwe Forest National Park and its work here, and learn more about Rhinolophus bats from Bat Conservation International here. You can also donate to support the NGO’s valuable work directly.) You can also volunteer at or donate to the Bat Conservation Trust, the only UK charity that is solely dedicated to protecting bats. 

Sugar alcohols can be used to make sustainable plastic

The good news: A study produced by a UK-US research team and published in the scientific journal ACS reveals how to improve petrochemical-free sustainable plastics. Whereas many plastic alternatives can be brittle, with limited application, using sugar alcohols can give sustainable alternatives “properties comparable to commercial plastics.”

The impact: The team created two compounds from the sugar alcohol: isoidide and isomannide, which can then be used to create polymers, the basis of many man-made materials. While the two compounds have similar compositions, they can each be used to create a variety of useful and sustainable plastics. For example, the isoidide-based polymer is both stretchy and strong, while the isomannide-based variety behaves like rubber. Between them, they could be used in products ranging from milk cartons to fishing lines and tires to sneaker soles.

Did you know? The science behind this study could also be used to create polymers with completely different properties and characteristics, and potentially can be used in the creation of sustainable materials with “unprecedented mechanical properties.” Traditional plastic is a huge problem. (In fact, in the last Good Climate News we covered the new “Paris Agreement of plastic pollution.”) Around eight million pieces of plastic pollution enter the ocean daily, and in a single week each of us could be eating up to five grams of microplastics via food, water, and even air.

How you can help: Read on and learn about more scientific solutions to plastic pollution here. You can also cut back on your own plastic waste as much as possible by recycling, reusing, and shopping sustainably. (Litter-picking is always a good idea, too.) Learn more about how to Zero Waste your kitchen here, and read about how California’s Mango Materials is producing a sustainable plastic alternative by capturing and using methane here.

Looking for more good climate news? Read the previous installments here.

The Italian luxury car brand has announced the launch of an entirely electric range, called Maserati Folgore. By 2025, the company plans to offer electric versions of every model in its lineup.

Maserati’s first EV in the range will be its new GranTurismo. The car will feature 1,200 horsepower and is set to debut in 2023. Up next, the company will release an all-electric Grecale SUV and GranCabrio GT convertible, followed by electric versions of the MC20 “super sports car,” the Quattroporte sport sedan, and the Levante SUV. 

Moreover, the brand—which is owned by multinational automotive manufacturing corporation Stellantis—revealed that by 2030, all new cars developed by the company will be fully electric.

“Maserati stands for performance and luxury, and that will be protected for sure in the future,” said Maserati’s CEO Davide Grasso. “As we move toward electrification, you will see more dedicated architecture focused on delivering the best in range and performance.”

Maserati goes electric, but at what cost?

Maserati joins a number of other luxury carmakers in ditching fossil fuels, including Bentley, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz.

The move to go all-electric is a “defining moment” for the 107-year-old brand, noted Grasso. It’s also part of the company’s revamp, which was unveiled in September 2020 at its “MMXX: Time to be Audacious” event at the Modena Circuit race track in Italy. 

In addition to widespread electrification, Maserati’s relaunch, which has been in the works since 2018, includes an update of its iconic Trident logo, now ​​”more modern, balanced and elegant.” ​​“We’re proud to inaugurate our new Era,” explained Grasso. “For our Brand, this is a time to build: the time to be forward-looking and construct our future.”

While Maserati’s plans to electrify its entire range are a step forward in terms of mitigating the transportation sector’s leading role in climate change, it’s hard to ignore the brand’s high price tag. A 2022 GranTurismo coupe runs about $300,000. Tack on an extra $35,000 for the new GranCabrio. While information is limited about the release, the starting price for Maserati’s first electric car is also expected to be in the six figures. 

Prohibitive cost is one downside to electric vehicles. In recent years, the likes of Tesla have become status symbols for the elite, rather than clean-fuel solutions. On the low end, a 2022 Tesla Model 3 goes for about $45,000. And on the high end, a new Tesla Model X runs about $105,000. Other luxury electric vehicles are just as pricey. The MSRP for a new Porsche Taycan starts at $82,700; a BMW iX starts at $83,200. Even non-luxury electric vehicles like the Polestar 2, which starts at $45,900, typically feature high price tags. Put simply, they’re inaccessible to most consumers. In order to expand accessibility, the private sector and the government must increase incentives and tax discounts. Without that, electric vehicles will likely remain out-of-reach for the average person.

But, the fact that more countries are pledging to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050 has resulted in an uptick of car manufacturers like Volvo, Ford Europe, and Honda going all-electric. And as the electric vehicle market broadens and sales volumes surge, conversely, the production costs of electric cars will eventually go down. (For example, the 2022 Nissan Leaf starts at $28,425.)  

Automotive experts predict that electric vehicles prices will drop and reach price parity with their gas-powered counterparts—perhaps even as soon as 2025. “On an upfront basis, these things will start to get cheaper and people will start to adopt them more as price parity gets closer,” said Colin McKerracher, BloombergNEF’s Head of Advanced Transport. Overall, the shift towards electric vehicles is a good thing, so long as it remains equitable.

Fast fashion is hyper-focused on shrinking the gap between design, production, and sale, and then retailing as cheaply as possible. For the last few decades, young people have worshipped this conveyor belt of affordable, trendy clothing. Right now, many members of Gen Z are the same. Shein (the biggest retailer operating in the U.S.) is the most talked about brand on TikTok, the young generation’s social media of choice. But not all publicity is good publicity. At the time of writing, the “boycott Shein” hashtag has more than 4 million views. “Stop fast fashion” has more than 23 million.

A rising number of young people are rejecting fast fashion, and it’s a reflection of the times we live in. You can’t turn on Netflix without seeing a climate crisis documentary. You can’t look at a news website without seeing a frightening prediction for the future. Social media is also rife with infographics and Reels about the various industries that contribute to environmental problems and human rights violations. Fashion is a big one. After oil, it’s the second biggest polluter in the world. And it exploits the thousands of people who make its clothes. It isn’t surprising that for many members of Gen Z (75 percent of whom name climate as their biggest concern), fast fashion is losing its shine. And ultimately, they’re going to oversee the industry’s demise.

Fast fashion’s dirty secrets: pollution, waste, and exploitation

In 2018, the United Nations published a story called “Putting the Brakes on Fast Fashion.” It linked the industry with nearly 10 percent of annual global emissions and named it as the second-largest water polluter in the world. Similar reports reveal things like: 10,000 individual garments are sent to the UK landfill every 10 minutes. And in 2017, 13 million tonnes of textiles were thrown out in the U.S. The West also dumps clothing overseas. In 2018, Pakistan received around 780 million kilograms of used clothing, most of it from Europe and the U.S. The quantity is too much to cope with, and fast fashion’s choice of cheap, poor quality materials makes it difficult to mend or reuse the garments. So, again, most of this ends up in the landfill.

But dumping waste isn’t the only way that fast fashion exploits the global south. Most of the clothes are made there in the first place, in dangerous and exploitative working environments. In Bangladesh, the garment industry’s second largest manufacturing base, workers are paid just $75 a month. And recently, Swiss watchdog group Public Eye linked Shein to factories in violation of China’s labour laws. They reportedly had barred windows and a lack of emergency exits. Workers received just one day off a month.

Former fast fashion executive Melanie DiSalvo, who is now a sustainable fashion consultant and advocate, saw fast fashion’s abuses first hand. Further up the chain, she recalls assistants and buyers being treated poorly, with many subject to regular hours of unpaid overtime and workplace bullying. “I was in a hopeless situation,” she recalls. “My co-workers couldn’t even get it together enough to not be cruel to one another. So what chance did our factory workers have at getting a little compassion?”

DiSalvo’s account of fast fashion is backed up by depictions in the entertainment industry. Take 2019’s Greed, for example. The satirical film follows the journey of a “self-made” billionaire. It details the appalling treatment of his own team, as well as the harrowing exploitation of factory workers. While the film’s protagonist Sir Richard McCreadie is fictional, it’s widely reported he’s based on Arcadia and Topshop founder Sir Phillip Green.

But this uptick in negative stories has a silver lining. Conscious Gen Zers don’t take kindly to brands that mistreat people and the planet, and they’re more likely to avoid them. One Y Pulse survey notes that 80 percent will boycott brands linked with scandals. And it also affects who they decide to work for. Research from Deloitte notes that 77 percent of Gen Z prioritize companies that value ethics and social impact.

Resale, thrifting, and upcycling could be Gen Z’s future of fashion

Sustainable fashion brands are in abundance. But, ultimately, the cost of a more ethical supply chain demands a higher price point. Gen Z are still young with limited income. However, as their spending power grows, it’s going to be far easier for them to back up their views with their purchasing habits.

That said, young people are already doing a pretty good job of finding sustainable bargains. Just like the years before fast fashion, a lot of young consumers now trawl through vintage shops and websites. They thrift, and they devote hours to clothing resale apps, like Depop. In 2020, the popular resale company’s annual revenue hit $70 million. It credits a lot of that success to Gen Z.  

In a bid to understand its key consumers better, Depop recently put together a report called “Futureproofing: How Gen Z’s Empathy, Awareness, and Fluidity Are Transforming Business As Usual.” It found that 70 percent of Gen Zers on the platform prioritize fair wages and safety in fashion; around 60 percent prioritize a reduced carbon footprint; and around 90 percent have made changes to become more environmentally conscious. 

Gen Zers quest to be considerate of people and the planet has also seen them embrace the sewing needle in a way that young people haven’t for decades. Mending and upcycling are growing in popularity. In fact, a WGSN 2021 report on “Youth Culture” found that searches for sewing machines jumped by 400 percent in 2020 in the U.S. Again, a simple TikTok hashtag search finds more than 1.4 billion views for #sewingtiktok.

Fashion student Ellie Chalk, who boasts more than 100k TikTok followers, gave up her high street clothing addiction to start upcycling her late grandmother’s clothes. “When it came to clearing away my nan’s stuff, I couldn’t do it. So I decided to learn how to upcycle,” she recalls. “My clothing now means more to me than ever before. Fast fashion can’t compare to that.”

Chalk began posting videos of the process, and soon after, she started getting tagged in videos of others who she had inspired to start upcycling too. Now, she dedicates her TikTok to educating other young people about the realities of fast fashion. “I truly believe that if everyone knew the extent of how awful fast fashion is, it would not be a thriving industry,” Chalk says. “Brands are just so good at covering it all up and then selling you the dream on top of that.” 

Greenwashing can’t save fast fashion forever

To Chalk’s point, fast fashion brands are aware that their target market is becoming more conscious by the day. Often, brands turn to greenwashing to persuade consumers they’re more ethical than they really are. They debut “conscious” collections that feature recycled materials or a small percentage of organic cotton, for example. But really, these ranges do nothing to mitigate the impact of the thousands of garments fast fashion brands churn out every day. 

“We see growth every year in Gen Z consumers looking to understand the impacts of the brands they know and to shop more sustainably,” notes Sandra Capponi, the founder of sustainable fashion directory Good On You. “Ultra fast retailers know this and have also amped up the greenwashing to appeal to our values, even when their actions tell a more alarming story.” 

Boohoo, for example, has a “sustainable” section on its UK website. But it uploads more than 100 new garments a day, according to a Vice investigation. Many are made with polyester, a plastic-based fabric that can take up to two centuries to biodegrade.

But fashion’s greenwashing is on a time limit. In an unprecedented move, New York could be the first in the world to actually hold companies accountable through the law. If passed, the new bill will see those who don’t clean up their supply chains subjected to naming and shaming and fines. It’ll also prevent them from selling in one of the biggest fashion markets in the world. To comply with legislation, they will have to produce science-driven targets and concrete plans for improvement. 

“It’s no longer enough to just produce products from sustainable materials,” says Ana Kannan. As the Gen Z founder of sustainable fashion platform Toward, she is emblematic of the young conscious consumer of the future. (She even recently introduced customer spending caps in a bid to reduce overconsumption.) Kannan says she was “elated” by the New York bill. “Brands need to look deeper into the full lifecycle of their products,” she adds. “Ultimately, some of these measures might come from outside pressure.”

As Gen Z grows up, they will be the ones holding brands accountable for change. But it’s worth noting that the fashion industry as it stands may not last forever. For better or worse, our time spent in the digital world is consistently increasing. Gen Z already spends an average of 10 hours online every day. And that is going to change the way we consume everything; fashion is no exception.

A digital future could change fashion completely 

In universities, fashion students are learning more about how technology intersects with design. Some recent graduates have even set up their own virtual fashion brands, which specialize in non-fungible tokens (NFTs). These are essentially one-of-a-kind digital items, like pieces of virtual artwork. While copies can be made, the actual NFT only exists in one form. (Just like there is only one real Mona Lisa, but you can buy a reprint of the Leonardo da Vinci classic on a postcard or a tote bag.)

In the fashion world, Hermès has competition from digital artist Mason Rothschild, who sells NFT MetaBirkins. Nike has launched Nikeland, a virtual gaming world where players can buy digital versions of its products. To illustrate how rapidly this sector is evolving, the NFT market value is now worth $41 billion. (The centuries-old traditional art market is $50 billion.)

NFTs can’t replace your favorite pair of jogging bottoms or your underwear, of course. But they might change how we view status items loved for their aesthetics, like a designer bag or a beautiful dress. The more time we spend in the virtual world, the less important physical versions of these items become. 

“Fast fashion brands might want to look at what people are using clothing for. Is it for spending time online or social media?” says Patsy Perry, a researcher from Manchester Fashion Institute. “If it’s the latter, we don’t even need to produce a physical garment. Digital fashion is really interesting. If young people are spending more time online than in the real world, arguably, a digital garment would fit and look better than something you buy in real life.”

The future of NFTs is still unpredictable. It’s a way of consuming that we’re not really familiar with yet, so time will tell just how much a virtual economy will dictate our buying habits of the future. But digital society or no digital society, fast fashion’s coffin will see its final nail in the coming years. 

Fast fashion is built on exploitation as a means for quick, cheap, overconsumption. It’s not a foundation that can innovate to keep up with Gen Z’s ever-increasing desire for fair and sustainably-made garments. If major brands want to look past this model, emerging themselves in the resale, vintage, or digital markets, they may have a seat at Gen Z’s future table. But if they don’t, they’ll be left outside in the cold. Not even the warmest of polyester jackets will save them then. 

Engineers from San Diego State University—led by Chris Mi, distinguished professor and chair at the school’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering—may have a solution. They’re currently testing how to give the old batteries a second lease on life storing solar energy on California’s power grid.

“The batteries are no longer good because of degradational power and range,” Mi explains. “But they can still store energy. So we put them in a building and we put energy from the solar into the battery and then the energy can be used when the solar is not generating.”

Putting old EV batteries to good reuse

The lithium-ion batteries used in electric and hybrid vehicles typically have a lifespan of ten years before they must be replaced. An EV battery’s reduced capacity can affect a car’s range in between charges. But, at that point, the batteries still have about 60 to 80 percent of their original capacity.

“Some of them may have enough power and energy capacity to use for an energy storage project,” says Mi. “If you extend their life for another ten years, you can delay the whole life cycle of the battery.”

Once they reach their end of life, batteries are difficult to dispose of. And for an industry that’s making transportation more sustainable, that’s a problem. If the batteries wind up in landfills, they can release harmful toxins into the surrounding environment, including heavy metals. They can also cause fires when exposed to sunlight, similar to cell phone and laptop batteries.

A 2019 study published in the journal Nature found that of the more than one million electric cars sold around the world in 2017, about 250,000 tons of the battery packs went to waste. Thanks to government initiatives, electric vehicles are going to become more accessible—meaning more batteries must be produced.

The potential of second-life battery use

The electric car market is certainly burgeoning. According to the Edison Electric Institute, an association that represents electric companies, 18.7 million EVs will be on the roads by 2030. And that’s just in the US alone. Around the world, there will be about 300 million EVs on roads, accounting for more than 60 percent of all new car sales, according to the International Energy Agency.

Countries around the world have pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, including Canada, the UK, and Japan. For many, ambitious plans for achieving this also include banning the sale of gas-powered cars. As a result, car manufacturers like Volvo, Ford Europe, and Honda have all announced plans for going all-electric. 

While they’re still more sustainable than their gas-guzzling counterparts, electric cars aren’t without their downsides. Some charging points use electricity generated by fossil fuels, requiring a complete transition towards clean energy grids. Their manufacturing process is resource-intensive. In order to make the batteries, rare earth elements like lithium, cobalt, and nickel must be mined. 

But more and more, companies are developing battery reusing and recycling technology to counter the increase in lithium-ion battery production. In 2019, approximately 100,000 tons of lithium-ion batteries were recycled globally, according to Circular Energy Storage. Research out of the University of California, Davis finds that recycled materials could provide more than half of the nickel, cobalt, and lithium in new batteries by 2040.

Earlier this year, Redwood Materials Inc. revealed ​​it would be launching an EV battery-recycling program in California, partnering with Ford and Volvo to collect their old batteries. Massachusetts-based Ascend Elements, which works with Honda, has a similar program.

“From an environmental perspective, it would be a good idea to use a second-life battery because they’re not good for e-waste,” explains Mi. “They can be used for second-life applications and we can extend the recycling of those batteries for another ten years. Which is good for the Earth.”

Mi says the process of EV battery reuse for energy storage must still be made economically feasible, since using newly mined lithium-ion phosphate batteries is cheaper. But companies are still taking notice of second-life battery applications, including GM and Nissan.

These findings came from the Good Food Institute’s (GFI) latest report, which revealed a record $5 billion invested in alternative proteins overall in 2021, a 60 percent increase from last year. For years now, investors have been paying close attention to the companies that are making and developing products that can disrupt conventional animal products like meat, seafood, dairy, and eggs.

While motivations for investing may vary, sustainability is often part of the conversation. Industrial animal agriculture, otherwise known as factory farming, is driving climate change. And, as the most recent IPCC report on the impact of climate change pointed out, the food industry needs a hard pivot into something that the planet can actually sustain for generations to come. 

Alternatives are part of the answer, making the category an alluring portfolio addition to VC firms and angel investors who are looking to make money while keeping the planet’s best interests in mind. Plant-based foods, which includes products from companies like Impossible Foods and AI-powered startup NotCo, secured $1.9 billion in investments last year, a decrease from 2020’s $2.1 billion. This doesn’t mean that interest in the market is falling—it’s still going quite strong. But, the report reveals that new technologies are courting the VC world.

Fermentation and cultivated meat take the lead

Notably, fermentation companies dedicated to animal product analogs and cultivated meat and seafood both saw about three times as many investments, respectively. But, why? It’s not that plant-based food is suddenly falling out of favor. 

“Investors are naturally diversifying their portfolios by investing in fermentation and cultivated meat and seafood companies as these segments of the industry mature,” says Sharyn Murray, senior investor engagement specialist at GFI, adding that as the plant-based market begins to mature, several later-stage companies are undergoing liquidity events—like Oatly’s $1.4 billion IPO or Brazilian meat giant JBS’s acquisition of Dutch plant-based meat brand, Vivera. 

Fermentation and cultivated meat are both burgeoning industries that investors want a piece of while they’re still on the precipice of coming to the market. And, these industries are working on more than just products that consumers will be able to buy at a restaurant, or in a store. 

More investors are tuning into technologies that can be used to improve plant-based products. For example, Motif FoodWorks uses precision fermentation to make Hemami, a yeast-derived, iron-rich protein that makes meat taste meatier. (It’s also developed technology that helps dairy-free cheese stretch and melt.) Several cultivated meat companies are also in the ingredients game, like Mission Barns, which is developing fat made with animal cells that, when incorporated into a next-generation veggie burger, will arguably not melt into an oily mess. 

Though fermentation is thousands of years old, precision fermentation is showing huge promise in its early stages. “Researchers today are exploring how the extraordinary diversity of microorganisms and the target proteins and other molecules they can produce can reshape the future of food,” says Emma Ignaszewski, corporate engagement manager at GFI. 

The race to get to market

So far, there are a handful of products made using precision fermentation available to consumers. 

There’s the aforementioned Perfect Day protein, and Nature’s Fynd, which makes vegan meat and dairy-free cheese using microbes found in Yellowstone National Park. These products occupy a small market share, but investments will give these companies access to critical areas, like research and development, along with scaling up existing products to make them more affordable and accessible. These changes spurred by investments will arguably help the companies compete better with conventional animal products, and as a result, we can likely expect to see more products hit the market this year.

So far, only one country in the world has granted regulatory approval to the sale of cultivated meat: Singapore. In December 2020, the nation approved the sale of chicken made by GOOD Meat, the cultivated meat arm of Eat Just, the food tech company known for the Just Egg. 

But, the US may be getting closer to approval. Last year, the United States Department of Agriculture sought out public comments on what cultivated meat should be named. And, companies are taking technology out of the lab and to the public. GOOD Meat, which is currently working with regulators to obtain approval, says that it cannot comment on the specifics, but it is “pleased with how things are going.”

Wildtype, which makes sushi-grade cultivated salmon, opened a pilot plant in San Francisco last year that people can actually tour. So did Upside Foods, formerly known as Memphis Meats, which makes cultivated chicken. (The company recently announced that its Emeryville, California-based plant is now open for tours.) Israeli startup Future Meat Technologies opened up a pilot facility on its home turf, but is looking to bring its slaughter-free meat to American diners this year.

Cultivated meat producers still face several challenges, but consumer appeal is a big one. Both Upside Foods and Wildtype hope to demystify how cultivated meat is made by opening up their pilot facilities to the public.  “In order for cultivated meat to have a positive impact on the world, consumers need to understand it and embrace it,” says Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of UPSIDE Foods. 

Another strategy that cultivated meat companies appear to be taking looks very similar to how Impossible Foods introduced the public to the Impossible Burger back in 2016: start small, but impactful, and work your way up. When the Impossible Burger made its debut, it was only available at one venue: Chef David Chang’s Momofuku Nishi in NYC. But now, it’s everywhere. 

At the moment, GOOD Meat is the best example of the ways in which cultivated meat can hit the market: it began serving its cultivated chicken in high-end Singapore restaurants and then moved on to home delivery. Most recently, it was served at the historical Loo’s Hainanese Curry Rice hawker stall in Tiong Bahru, replacing conventional chicken in a dish that’s been served for 76 years. The company recently partnered with Michelin-starred chef and philanthropist José Andrés, who will serve GOOD Meat cultivated chicken at one of his US restaurants once regulatory approvals allow. Upside Foods has also tapped into the influential power of chefs: it is working with Michelin-starred chef Dominique Crenn, who has agreed to serve their cultivated chicken once regulatory approvals go through in the US. Now, it’s all a matter of waiting.

From recycled denim jeans to vegan face cleansers housed in recycled aluminum bottles, Amazon’s new brand features “consciously created” everyday essentials. The brand’s products are made from a wide range of materials, such as organic cotton and recycled polyester, as well as bio-based ingredients.

The products—which sport a “Climate Pledge Friendly” badge—feature third-party sustainability certifications that are part of the company’s Climate Pledge Friendly program. These include ClimatePartner’s climate-neutral certification and Global Recycled Standard, which indicates that products were made using 50 percent recycled materials. Amazon launched the program back in 2020 to make it easier for customers to find sustainable products on its website. 

In 2019, Amazon co-founded the Climate Pledge, a commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. It vowed to make 50 percent of all shipments net-zero carbon by 2030, transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2025 (according to the company, it’s the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world), and put 100,000 electric delivery vehicles on the road by 2030. Amazon has also pledged $2 billion to support the development of decarbonizing technologies and $100 million for reforestation projects.

Why Amazon is falling short of its sustainability goals

Amazon Aware is undoubtedly an attempt at convincing consumers that Amazon is making great strides with its sustainability initiatives. 

“Amazon Aware also allows us to test and learn, and we will continue to innovate and create products and programs that help us reach our climate goals,” an Amazon spokesperson told LIVEKINDLY. “We know we have more work to do and we’re energized to continue to move forward.”

Amazon has ensured that all products included in the new collection are carbon neutral. In order to achieve this, the company offsets carbon emissions through carbon credits—tradable permits that allow the holder to emit one ton of carbon dioxide per credit. For example, a company that emits less carbon than its specified target amount can sell surplus credits to a company that emits more, otherwise the latter company would face a fine.

According to the brand’s 2020 progress report, it has achieved 65 percent renewable energy so far. But the report also shows that the company’s carbon footprint actually increased by 15 percent compared to the previous year. 

In 2020, Amazon’s operations emitted the equivalent of 60.64 million metric tons of carbon dioxide—1.64 million tons more than the country of Belarus emitted that same year. This is up from Amazon’s 2019 emissions, which were 51.17 million metric tons. The company reported the increase in emissions was due to the surge in online shopping amid the pandemic. But herein lies the flaw of the company’s business model: it cannot co-exist with Amazon’s sustainability goals. The company’s aim is to increase profit and ship more (hello, Amazon Prime), and adding a collection of “climate-friendly” goods to its website will not mitigate this impact.

In 2021, a new study by Pacific Environment and Stand.earth found Amazon to be among the top ten polluters in overseas shipping, joining the likes of Walmart, Target, and Nike. The company is also contributing to the world’s e-waste crisis. The same year, an investigation by ITV News alleged that Amazon warehouses in the UK destroy millions of unsold and returned items each year, from books to hairdryers and even laptops.

Despite Amazon’s foray into eco-friendly goods, the company—as a whole—is still anything but sustainable. While it’s progress, a program of over 200,000 Climate Pledge Friendly products does not mitigate the impact of the billions of unsustainable items Amazon sells each year. Not to mention the exorbitant fossil fuels and the sheer amount of plastic packaging used in shipping. The company generated 500 million pounds of the latter in 2019 alone. Ocean conservation nonprofit Oceana found that more than 22 million pounds of that figure wound up in oceans and rivers.

According to Amazon, it has reduced the weight of outbound packaging with each shipment by 36 percent and made progress in terms of sustainable shipping. In 2008, the company introduced Frustration-Free Packaging to incentivize manufacturers to package their products in 100 percent recyclable packaging. And in 2019, it launched a fully recyclable paper padded mailer.

Despite this, in 2020, Amazon’s plastic packaging waste surged to 599 million pounds, a 29 percent increase from the previous year, according to Oceana.

Amazon workers demand more from the company

If Amazon wants to truly meet its commitments, it’s going to need to step it up on the sustainability front. Even its own workers are calling for change.

Unhappy with the company’s climate policies, Amazon workers launched the Amazon Employees for Climate Justice coalition. In April 2019, the group penned an open letter to Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos and the company’s board of directors urging them to make greater strides in the fight against the climate crisis. 

“We, the undersigned 8,701* Amazon employees, ask that you adopt the climate plan shareholder resolution and release a company-wide climate plan that incorporates the principles outlined in this letter,” they penned. The group’s proposal was rejected. In September 2019, Amazon employees walked out in support of the Global Climate Strike to protest the company’s inaction towards climate change.

Since Amazon is the leading e-commerce site, it has an incredible opportunity—and responsibility—to set the standard for environmental stewardship. Instead of creating a new brand of sustainable products, Amazon should be more stringent in ensuring its existing items are planet-friendly.

Members of Parliament are yet to make a formal decision, but it seems likely that the expected bans on foie gras and fur imports will be parked in order to allow the long-awaited “Animals Abroad Bill” to proceed unopposed by other cabinet members. (Much like how in the US, Biden’s Build Back Better bill was repeatedly weakened and now, rebranded, to appeal to its opposers.)

The measures were first announced in May 2021 with much fanfare from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). They were rightly hailed as huge progress for the UK, and particularly one led by a Conservative government. But now a vocal, but influential minority of the PM’s closest advisors, including Brexit opportunities minister Jacob Rees Mogg, now oppose the fur and foie gras bans.

The move is widely thought to be a tactical response to Johnson’s decreasing popularity. The government’s handling of both Brexit and the pandemic has been disastrous, and following several reports of the PM and the rest of his team breaking lockdown restrictions (currently under police investigation), Johnson’s rating is at an all-time low.

By scrapping some of the animal welfare policies that the party has used to court the center-left, such as the foie gras and fur bans, MPs loyal to Johnson hope to win back support for their floundering leader from the few hardline conservatives and ultra-wealthy backers still defending fur and foie gras despite their falling popularity.

Tories now set to scrap UK fur and foie gras bans

According to Humane Society International, 94 percent of the British population now avoids fur, the production of which involves toxic chemicals, increased risk of zoonotic diseases (including coronavirus), and shocking animal cruelty. Even the fashion industry is catching up, with countless mainstream brands vowing that they will ditch animal fur for good, motivated by sustainability and consumer demand. 

Fur farming has been banned in England and Wales since 2000. But its distribution has thrived, so far, thanks to lax importation restrictions, serving as a passive endorsement of the practice. (Providing it doesn’t take place here, of course…)

While the data on foie gras consumption and popularity is a little hazy, its controversial production has been banned in more than a dozen countries, including Finland, Italy, Poland, and Turkey for animal welfare reasons. The so-called delicacy involves a process known as “gavage,” force-feeding live ducks and geese a high-fat diet in order to cause excessive swelling to their livers. It causes the animals extraordinary pain, all for the sake of a gourmet dish consumed by a very small number of people.

It was thanks to this relatively niche appeal of fur and foie gras that these issues were chosen for the Animals Abroad Bill, which was designed for maximum support and minimum controversy. Since then, they have rightly been some of the most talked-about jewels in the crown of the Conservative animal welfare plan, alongside a pledge to end live exports that has been well over 30 years in the making.

But the recent reaction of Johnson’s cabinet—and the government’s subsequent decision to scrap the measures in response—shows the superficial depth of the PM’s dedication to animal welfare and the environment. It also reveals the deep-seated need for the Conservative leader to please hardliners and ultra-rich backers if he wants to actually remain in power.

“How does the Prime Minister think it looks when we’re in a cost of living crisis […] when the members of his cabinet are throwing their toys out of the pram because they want to eat foie gras and wear fur,” asked Labour MP Kerry McCarthy when speaking to the House of Commons last week. 

The UK needs to stop backpedaling on environmental issues

At the time of the Animals Abroad Bill’s initial announcement, the No 10 team promised the “highest standards of animal welfare” moving forward, and said that its pledge of progressive animal welfare policies would not simply be another “token gesture.” (This from the party that promised 200,000 starter homes and built zero.) But even its other, successful bills have glaring loopholes, seemingly designed to look effective but disrupt almost nothing.

Last November saw the recognition of octopuses, lobsters, and similar animals as sentient beings. But the government stopped well short of modernizing the seafood industry, and live boiling remains legal in kitchens nationwide, despite these creatures’ now officially recognized capacity to think and feel.

Following the momentously underwhelming COP26 summit, where countless experts spoke of the need for global unity in the face of the climate crisis, Johnson’s limp environmental policies are being cast out almost as soon as their initial announcements have served their greenwashing purpose. (Johnson himself was a vehement climate denier until relatively recently, and continues to hire warming skeptics.)

The scientific community is now urging the government not to u-turn on its climate goals in the midst of unfounded accusations that the UK’s cost-of-living crisis is linked to net-zero pledges. There’s even talk of a return for the deeply unpopular and destructive practice of fracking, as the pot-stirring anti-green Conservative Net Zero Scrutiny Group (NZSG) continues to campaign against sustainability targets—despite widespread criticism from activists and experts. (In fact, NZSG’s head of policy is yet another of the government’s most recent climate-skeptic hires.)

Even if fracking doesn’t return, MPs approved a brand new North Sea oilfield just a few weeks after climate experts told COP26 that no new fossil fuel developments or extractive projects could be compatible with current climate goals.

Meanwhile, the UK government tries to criminalize climate protests

The backpedaling on the Animals Broad Bill is, unfortunately, not the least of the UK’s issues when it comes to how it handles animals and the climate. Johnson’s administration is dead set on criminalizing environmental protests throughout the country. This has taken a variety of forms during the Conservative party’s 10-plus years in power, but perhaps none more ominous than the recently introduced and dystopian Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Bill (PCSC), conceived during Johnson’s tenure.

While initially defeated after weeks of national protests (which appropriately saw already heavy-handed police attacking demonstrators and journalists alike), the bill will likely still come to fruition. It includes nearly 20 pages of last-minute amendments specifically designed to stifle legal protest, but left intentionally vague enough to be deployed in almost any situation police officers see fit. (For example, it even criminalizes “serious annoyance.”)

The PCSC bill was partially inspired by the actions of the direct action group Insulate Britain, which campaigns for improved insulation in UK homes and engages in the kind of civil disobedience that the new legislation targets. For example, locking yourself onto something, a tried-and-tested tactic used the world over, could result in 51 weeks imprisonment.

According to recent data collated by the Liberal Democrats and reported on by the Independent, if the government had not scrapped its Zero Carbon Homes program in 2015, households could potentially have saved up to £400 per year thanks to the very cladding that Insulate Britain is now campaigning for. Savings that seem of particular significance right now in the face of simultaneous cost of living and energy crises.

In short, it appears that the government is more worried about cracking down on protesters rather than creating meaningful change itself. This isn’t just limited to the PCSC Bill. Back in November, hundreds of demonstrators were manhandled during COP26 by the UK’s police force, including many of the Indigenous activists not provided with appropriate recognition at the official event.

The examples of the government’s demonization of activists are many. More recently, the Marine Management Organization (MMO) attempted to prosecute Greenpeace activists for taking much-needed action against bottom trawling in a marine protected area, something that the government itself (and the MMO specifically) should be working to solve. (A recent report by the Marine Conservation Society recently revealed that bottom trawling has now actually tripled in key protected areas, and takes place in 98 percent of these aquatic reserves overall.)

Despite its huge potential for good, the Animals Abroad Bill itself has always been extremely revealing in its targeting of some harmful pastimes, but not others. While it boasts an immediate crackdown on illegal hare coursing (a traditionally working class bloodsport), illegal hunting from horseback (a similar pursuit but reserved for the wealthy) is left to continue, no doubt due to its popularity amongst Tory voters and peers alike.

If the modern Conservative party wishes to be taken seriously as a force for the environment and for animals, it needs to be ready to stand up to the old guard who are keeping it rooted in its exclusionary, self-interested past. Pledges must be realistic, free from vagaries, and then adhered to. It seems that someone like Johnson is simply not the man for that job.

The views expressed in opinion pieces are those of the author(s) and do not represent the policy or position of LIVEKINDLY.

Meanwhile, Australia’s mighty humpback whales are officially no longer on the nation’s endangered species list. And Yellowstone, one of the most famous national parks in the world, just turned 150.

In the UK, a new survey indicates that urban-dwelling hedgehogs are increasing in numbers, thanks to concerted conservation efforts and the prickly mammal’s enduring popularity. Finally, repurposing wind turbine waste could be the next big trend in sustainable construction.

Here’s this week’s good climate news.

Leaders work to address the blight of plastic pollution 

The good news: World leaders met in Nairobi, Kenya, last week at the UN Environment Assembly and agreed to begin work on a legally binding treaty to tackle plastics once and for all. Representatives from 173 different nations have agreed on the resolution, which will cover the “full lifecycle” of plastics, including production, design, and disposal. It has been compared by many to the Paris Climate Agreement, due to both its importance and public frustration on inaction so far. The resolution will also mark the first time that low-paid waste pickers are officially recognized by such legislation, a significant and meaningful development.

The impact: As plastic production continues to increase, and as recycling measures fall short, pollution has become one of the most important environmental issues of the moment. The new treaty is urgently needed, and as with fossil fuels and the climate crisis, humanity must adjust its excessive and unsustainable dependence on plastic. The agreement will be negotiated over the next two years, but United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) director Inger Andersen has warned that participants must keep working on the problem of plastic pollution in the meantime.

Did you know? Around 8 million pieces of plastic pollution reach the ocean per day. It’s in wildlife, the earth, the air, our food, and even in us. But around the world, people are finding ways to prevent plastic waste from becoming pollution. Some companies are turning trash into hard-wearing building blocks, while others are using recycled ocean waste to make litter pickers, both synchronous and effective solutions. Some scientists have even found a way to turn plastic into vanilla flavoring by breaking it down with enzymes.

How you can help: Cutting back on your own plastic waste by purchasing recycled or reusable products can make a huge difference. But plastic is everywhere, from clothing to makeup, and transitioning to zero waste and low-impact products where possible will help minimize your overall footprint. While litter picking may feel like a drop (of plastic) in the ocean, it’s easy to do whether you’ve got five minutes or an afternoon. Organizations like the National Trust and Surfers Against Sewage regularly organize beach cleans, but you can easily organize your own with some friends, trash bags, and thick work gloves. (Be safe.)

Australian humpbacks are no longer endangered

The good news: Australia just removed humpback whales from its endangered species list approximately 60 years after whaling came to an end. Today, the population is estimated to be around 40,000 individuals, up from just 1,500 at the height of the industry. The decision is a welcome success for Australia, where the ecosystem is rapidly reaching a breaking point. (Just last month, the koala was officially declared endangered due to falling numbers.)

The impact: Whales are incredibly important for entire ecosystems, the oceans, and the world itself. They are a keystone species, which means they play an irreplaceable role in their natural environment and prop up countless other species by the very existence. (The health of whales can even be used as a barometer for overall marine health.)

Did you know? Along with other marine animals, like sharks, whales help to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere throughout their lives. So humpbacks, which are one of the huge “great whale” species, sequester an average of 33 tons of CO2 during their lengthy lifespans. They can grow to more than 50 feet in length and weigh in excess of 40 tons, while males create and sing songs that can be heard up to 20 miles away. Whale songs, in general, are widely thought to be one of the most sophisticated forms of all animal communication.

How you can help: The best way for people to help whales is to help reduce their environmental footprint, as global issues like climate change and plastic pollution mean that humpbacks and other marine animals will face growing obstacles in the coming years. Cutting back on seafood will also help reduce your impact on these deep-sea giants, as will being ocean conscious during all trips and travels. Support whale conservation through organizations such as the WDC, the WWF, the Ocean Alliance, and ORCA.

Yellowstone National Park celebrates 150 years

The good news: The US’s iconic Yellowstone National Park turns 150 years old this year, and its inhabitants are thriving. Established as a park in 1882, Yellowstone is located primarily in Wyoming but also reaches into Idaho and Montana. It’s home to nearly 300 bird species, 16 fish, six reptile, five amphibian, and 67 mammal, including bison—a previously endangered, herbivorous ungulate that has inhabited the region since prehistoric times.

The impact: Yellowstone has been home to some of the most notable conservation and rewilding successes, from bison to grey wolves. (At least 95 of the latter currently live in the park itself, with around 528 in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.) As noted by National Park Service director Chuck Sams, Yellowstone’s sesquicentennial is also an opportunity to celebrate the birth of the entire national parks system, both in the US and around the world.

Did you know? While Yellowstone’s many successes are worth celebrating, it’s also important to note that Indigenous peoples have lived on and cared for the region for thousands of years until they were pushed out of the park entirely. There are 27 current Tribes with historic connections to the land now contained within Yellowstone. Many experts, advocates, and activists suggest that returning national parks, conservation areas, and other stolen areas to Native stewardship would represent a combination of environmental and land justice.

How you can help: You can learn more about the rewilding of wolves in Yellowstone here, and check out the NPS’s guide to supporting the network here. Volunteering at, donating to, and sharing your love of national parks all help to make a difference. If visiting Yellowstone, remember to treat the flora, fauna, and trails with care and respect. (You could be walking on tracks through the ecosystem that have existed for thousands of years of human history.)

The UK’s beloved urban hedgehog population is back

The good news: While smaller in size than humpbacks or bison, hedgehogs are a popular visitor in UK gardens. The new State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2022 report describes a stable urban population that shows signs of recovery, thanks in part to everyday conservation efforts like hedgehog highways to link gardens, hedgehog homes, and feeding stations.

The impact: Hedgehogs are currently listed on the UK’s red list for mammals as vulnerable to extinction, and their overall population has decreased by a third since the year 2000. According to the new report, rural populations are continuing to fall. This is primarily due to Britain’s shocking habitat destruction and lack of biodiversity, which is affecting hedgehogs’ homes and food. Fortunately, urban efforts to save the animal offer a glimmer of hope.

Did you know? Hedgehogs have been present in the UK for at least half a million years, and the nocturnal critters were voted the nation’s favorite mammal back in 2016. They are nocturnal, which makes accurate population estimates tricky. They’re also called hedgehogs for a reason, thanks to their predilection for undergrowth nests and the pig-like grunting noises they make when foraging.

How you can help: The national “Hedgehog Street” conservation initiative (established over a decade ago by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species) has helped to popularize hedgehog awareness. Many of the same rules for encouraging bugs, pollinators, and other essential wildlife applies to hedgehogs, namely to make your garden as diverse and untidy as possible! The charity has a whole page here dedicated to helping hedgehogs, or you can donate to support their work.

Engineers are upcycling wind turbines into bridges

The good news: There are now two bridges in the world made out of disused wind turbine blades. One was built last year over the Szprotawa River in Poland, and opened at the start of 2022, while another has just been installed in County Cork, Ireland. Reusing the blades as bridges is a promising idea as it keeps the existing materials out of landfills and reduces the impact of new construction projects.

The impact: Wind is an important way of generating renewable energy, but people are still figuring out what to do with the enormous blades once they reach their end of life. (The US is currently removing around 8000 old blades per year, and Europe is taking down nearly 4000.) While other components can be recycled, the blades themselves are made with fiberglass, and the vast majority go to landfills.

Fiberglass is useful due to its strength and durability, but it is not currently recyclable and, when broken up or damaged, its particles can be harmful to human health. However, innovative solutions like the above that repurpose the blades into new materials (or up-and-coming technologies that promise easier recycling) could change this.

Did you know? Wind power is one of the most sustainable and efficient ways to generate renewable energy, and it has become one of the most popular sources of power in the US. In addition to energy generation, the industry also helps to create jobs and supports economic growth in the surrounding areas. Wind power is likely to increase in popularity in the coming years, along with hydro and solar power, both similarly clean sources of energy.

How you can help: Keep up to date with the companies and organizations working on reusing wind turbine blades, such as Re-Wind and ANMET, and advocate for recycling and reuse wherever you can in your life. A circular economy is by far the most sustainable, and as the world changes in response to global warming and other environmental factors, we will have to focus on repairing and valuing what we already have. Building materials, and even wind turbine blades, are no exception.

Looking for more good climate news? Read the previous installments here.

Vegan women celebrities are a growing group in Hollywood, and that’s great news for animals, the planet, and the women who’ve opted to ditch meat. 

In fact, interest in veganism on the whole is on the rise, and that’s likely at least partially due to the fact that famous women like Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry are experimenting with vegan diets.

The Google Search team recently confirmed to LIVEKINDLY that search interest in veganism reached an all-time high in the U.S. in November 2019, shortly after Kardashian first announced she was enjoying a plant-based diet. Even though search data fluctuates from year-to-year and even month-to-month, it’s clear that people are interested in veganism.

Keep reading for women celebrities who are living their best lives on a plant-based diet and showing that it’s not just a trend. For them, it’s a lifestyle.