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Sustainability

All articles tagged with #sustainability

Seaweed-based additive makes earthen 3D-printed buildings stronger and faster
innovation16 days ago

Seaweed-based additive makes earthen 3D-printed buildings stronger and faster

Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and Columbia University found that adding a tiny amount (0.12%) of the seaweed-derived biopolymer sodium alginate to local clay and sand dramatically improves 3D printability and strength of earthen structures, enabling 33% faster printing and 25% higher load resistance. The approach allows onsite soil recycling, reduces reliance on concrete, and could spur discovery of other natural polymers to boost durability of 3D-printed earthen walls.

via Interesting Engineering|
#3d-printing#biopolymer#clay
Food Waste-Derived Beads Crack the Code on Low-Energy CO2 Capture
technology25 days ago

Food Waste-Derived Beads Crack the Code on Low-Energy CO2 Capture

ETH Zurich researchers turned dairy and tofu waste into amyloid fibril–based beads that, when combined with potassium hydroxide, form porous spheres capable of absorbing CO2 from ambient air. In tests, 97 milligrams of CO2 were captured per gram of material; a kilogram could capture about 100 grams in a single cycle. CO2 is released by a simple spray of mild acid and base at room temperature, enabling reuse with little energy input. The beads are designed for a circular economy—they’re non-toxic, food-grade, and could be repurposed or biodegraded after use. A life-cycle analysis suggests lower environmental pollution than existing DAC methods. Scaling up remains to be proven, and cost per ton of CO2 removed is yet to be determined, but researchers are optimistic about industrial applicability.

via SciTechDaily|
#carbon-capture#climate-change#direct-air-capture
Taste test reveals insect protein bars outpace cereal bars in curiosity and preference
science25 days ago

Taste test reveals insect protein bars outpace cereal bars in curiosity and preference

A small Portuguese study measured brain activity and heart rate of 38 adults tasting an insect protein bar and a cereal bar, finding higher curiosity and attentiveness during the insect-bar tasting, and a majority preferred the insect bar—suggesting exposure may reduce disgust toward insect-based foods and boost openness to sustainable protein sources; results are preliminary and based on a limited sample.

via Fox News|
#consumer-perception#insect-based-foods#pilot-study
Repurposed Pixel Phones Power a Budget-Friendly, High-Efficiency Data Center
technology26 days ago

Repurposed Pixel Phones Power a Budget-Friendly, High-Efficiency Data Center

UCSD researchers, with Google, are turning retired Pixel phones into standalone compute nodes by stripping hardware and running Linux with orchestration (Kubernetes); in SPEC benchmarks, single cores on older Pixels outperform some server configurations, and 25–50 phones can match a dual-socket server’s output, with a 20-phone cluster already supporting classes for more than 75 students. The project envisions scaling to about 2,000 phones for hundreds of classes, offering a cheaper, lower-carbon alternative to cloud infrastructure—though not suited to hyperscale workloads due to hardware heterogeneity and management complexity.

via TechSpot|
#data-center#distributed-computing#e-waste
Lavazza Bets on Tabli Espresso Tablets to Disrupt U.S. Single-Serve Coffee
business1 month ago

Lavazza Bets on Tabli Espresso Tablets to Disrupt U.S. Single-Serve Coffee

Lavazza is launching Tablì in the U.S.—a system that uses 100% coffee tablets (no gelatin, coating or binders) compatible only with Lavazza machines, offering five varieties; the rollout signals Lavazza's growth push in the U.S., which has seen rising North American revenue, and underscores a sustainability strategy amid competition from Keurig and Nespresso. A $99.99 bundle (machine, 60-tab pack and milk frother) is available for pre-order ahead of an August launch.

via CNBC|
#business#espresso-tablets#lavazza
Repair Cafes Push Fix-First Culture Over Throwaway Norms
world1 month ago

Repair Cafes Push Fix-First Culture Over Throwaway Norms

Repair Cafes and the broader right-to-repair movement are gaining momentum as communities opt to fix rather than replace broken goods. Volunteers in New Paltz, like Paula Weinstein and Bob Morton, illustrate repair’s social and educational value by reviving items such as a 1930s Hammond clock, while lawmakers push for laws and tool libraries to require manufacturers to share repair tools and instructions, promoting longer product lifespans and cheaper, DIY-enabled fixes.

via AP News|
#community-volunteers#repair-cafes#right-to-repair
Google rolls out a water-conscious data-center framework
technology1 month ago

Google rolls out a water-conscious data-center framework

Google unveils a formal water-management framework for its data centers, pledging to return more water to local watersheds than it uses by 2030, cut water-intensive cooling in stressed regions, fund local water upgrades, pursue alternatives like reclaimed wastewater, and disclose annual usage; the move packages long-standing practices as a standard and aims to push industry adoption. In 2024 Google used 7.2 billion gallons of freshwater and replenished about 4.5 billion (64%), with two-thirds of centers using evaporative cooling and the rest relying on air cooling or recycled water, illustrating the trade-off between preserving water supplies and electricity use.

via Axios|
#cooling#data-centers#google
Data Centers Rework Cooling to Conserve Water Amid Drought
technology1 month ago

Data Centers Rework Cooling to Conserve Water Amid Drought

Tech giants are rethinking data-center cooling as water scarcity and local regulations threaten expansion. Evaporative cooling, which uses大量 fresh water, boosts a facility’s water footprint even as it can cut energy use; some companies (Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle) are moving away from it, while others (like Google) pledge water replenishment, reclaimed water, and site-specific, data-driven cooling designs. SpaceX even highlighted water conditions as a potential constraint on data-center development. Analysts warn that regional water risk, seasonal demand, and the water–power trade-off will shape future designs and could invite greater public and regulatory scrutiny.

via WIRED|
#data-centers#evaporative-cooling#sustainability
Everlane’s Sale to Shein Sparks Sustainability Debate
business1 month ago

Everlane’s Sale to Shein Sparks Sustainability Debate

The Cut reports that Shein reportedly bought Everlane for $100 million, with Everlane’s parent LCatterton and CEO Alfred Chang seeking to clear about $90 million in debt; the move raises questions about Everlane’s radical-transparency, sustainability ethos in the face of a fast-fashion buyer, especially given its public goals to cut emissions and reach net-zero.

via The Cut|
#alfred-chang#business#everlane