This week’s ten biggest climate innovation stories — 9 November
In the future, will we be eating edible goo grown in our kitchens? What’s a ‘plantscraper’ and how can it help the global food crisis? And, what can we learn from spider webs and succulents about water collection?
This, and more, in the week’s ten biggest climate innovation stories.
1.
Colorful People’s Pavilion in Eindhoven is made from 100 per cent borrowed materials
Bureau SLA and Overtreders W built the People’s Pavilion—a centerpiece of the Dutch Design Week (DDW) taking place in Eindhoven—using materials from suppliers and Eindhoven residents. The only exception is the faceted upper façade, which is made of plastic household waste materials collected by Eindhoven residents.
The People’s Pavilion took centre stage at Dutch Design Week, made from 100% borrowed materialshttps://t.co/SPfJktGtJV pic.twitter.com/oMG19BSLg1
— Archello (@Archello) November 7, 2017
2.
In the future, you could eat this edible goo you grow in your kitchen
Along with other researchers at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, researcher Lauri Reuter is developing a prototype of a countertop vessel that could eventually grow edible plant cells in someone’s kitchen. To Reuter, it’s an example of the type of system that’s important to develop as traditional agriculture is increasingly strained by climate change.
In the future, you could eat this edible goo you grow in your kitchen. https://t.co/BXODzLm6R2 pic.twitter.com/Ys8HDthh8H
— Fast Company (@FastCompany) November 3, 2017
3.
Plantagon’s crowdfunded ‘plantscraper’ aims to produce 500 metric tonnes of food a year
Swedish company Plantagon believes that ‘plantscrapers’ are the way of the future—and part of the solution to the global food crisis. Part urban farm, part skyscraper, these vertical greenhouses could provide large-scale organic food production in cities, with a much smaller energy and carbon footprint than industrial agriculture.
Plantagon invites everyone to join them in fighting world food crisis https://t.co/yynvjn1S4k
— Plantagon (@Plantagon) November 5, 2017
4.
Michael Bloomberg’s ‘war on coal’ goes global with €43m fund
Billionaire’s campaign has seen half of US coal plants close in six years. Now he is targeting Europe and beyond to fight climate change and air pollution.
Moving #BeyondCoal has helped the US lead in reducing carbon emissions – and can speed similar progress globally. https://t.co/jlgn3TUlZk
— Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) November 9, 2017
5.
EU plans credits, fines to boost low-emission car production
The European Union proposed tougher car emissions targets on Wednesday including a credit system for carmakers to encourage the rollout of electric vehicles and fines for exceeding carbon dioxide limits.
EU car firms should cut CO2 emissions by 30% from 2030 https://t.co/efIDcLgHtJ
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) November 8, 2017
6.
Spider webs and succulents inspire this water-collection startup
AquaWeb mimics the way that natural systems capture, store and distribute water—not just rainwater, but ambient moisture such as fog. The invention’s parent company, NexLoop, believes that the approach initially will be useful in helping container farms or indoor vertical farms to become more self-sufficient.
AquaWeb water management system wins 2017 @BiomimicryInst prize to bring sustainable solutions to market #biomimicry https://t.co/x1SGmakBBU pic.twitter.com/YAxSLli9xp
— ACS Green Chemistry Institute (@ACSGCI) October 31, 2017
7.
Artist turns recyclable cardboard into strikingly lifelike human sculptures
UK sculptor, James Lake, has been working with cardboard for 20 years, manipulating the medium into human sculptures and other objects full of expression and detail. “I wanted a medium that can be used to sculpt beyond traditional material and without the need of an arts studio, says Lake. “The end result was the fine crafting of an inexpensive common place and recyclable material.”
Artist turns recyclable cardboard into strikingly lifelike human sculptureshttps://t.co/z0GrI12V9O pic.twitter.com/JECfPdl64r
— Inhabitat (@inhabitat) November 8, 2017
8.
Market for digitalisation in energy sector to grow to €55bn by 2025
New energy innovations will be centered on digital technologies and the strategic use of data, according to new research published today. A shift is coming in the energy industry from a focus on hardware to the increased importance of software in order to make systems more efficient, resilient, and digital.
Read more on Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
Energy digitalization report by @BloombergNEF "Home energy management technologies will see the most significant change in digital revenues, rising from $1 billion in 2017 to $11 billion in 2025" https://t.co/CWiJV75Cyh
— LANCEY (@LanceyStorage) November 8, 2017
9.
The electric Vespa scooter of your dreams is coming in 2018
Vespa’s first electric scooter will hit the market next year, and it will have a range of about 62 miles. The good news was announced at the Milan Motorcycle Show by parent company Piaggio.
#VespaElettrica @official_eicma I am the power. @guidomeda pic.twitter.com/zoS7mGNPnj
— Vespa (@Vespa_Official) November 7, 2017
10.
Bio-solar wallpaper made with cyanobacteria can be printed with an inkjet
When printed in a precise pattern onto carbon nanotubes on paper, these photosynthetic bacteria can produce electricity from sunlight, which could power biodegradable environmental and medical sensors.
https://twitter.com/sustainable_web/status/928360617362288640