The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $135 million in 49 projects to improve rural water infrastructure across the US, announced Chad Rupe, Rural Utilities Service Administrator. USDA is making the investments through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. Rural cities and towns, water districts and other eligible entities can use the funds...Read More

It calls itself the “invisible backbone” of the global supply chain. Invisible is right — you’ve probably never heard of CHEP, the shipping and logistics arm of Australian giant Brambles. But depending how eagle-eyed you are, you might have spotted its distinctive blue pallets lurking outside a supermarket or stacked in a distribution center. CHEP’s...Read More

German residents may soon find themselves paying more for steaks, pork chops and sausages. Across party lines, the country’s politicians have proposed raising the VAT, or value added tax, on meat to a standard rate of 19 percent. Presently, meat in Germany is taxed at a rate of 7 percent.   Germany’s lawmakers have suggested...Read More

This week, a new report from the World Resources Institute (WRI) concluded that one in four people globally are living in regions affected by extreme water stress. The problem is particularly pronounced in places such as sub-Saharan Africa and India, which are already feeling the effects of climate change and which have not made large investments into...Read More

Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles and disposable cups queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya—where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets. The nation is the world’s second-biggest marine polluter behind China and has pledged to reduce plastic waste in its waters some 70 percent by...Read More

Last year, the ‘Reducing Household Contributions to Marine Plastic Pollution’ report revealed that up to 32,000 tonnes of microplastic pollution enter British waterways each year. Clothing is a key cause of this problem, with 2,300-5,900 tonnes of plastic fibres from washing machines and garment factories finding their way into nature annually in the UK. With shows such...Read More

Also on the topic of electrified transport, French start-up Transition-One has recently applied for permission from national and EU-wide regulators to sell retrofitting “kits” that enable motorists to convert their old diesel cars into electrified models. The kits contain the equipment and instructions necessary to add an electric engine, battery pack and connected dashboard to...Read More

Following on from the launch of Toyota’s futuristic Prius Prime with ultra-thin solar panels on its roof, bonnet and tailgate and Lightyear’s solar car with a 450-mile range, Hyundai has this week made its first foray into the solar car market. The Korean auto giant has released a version of its Sonata hybrid that has rooftop solar panels – an...Read More

The past few months have seen Nestle launch a number of recyclable and biodegradable packaging formats, including a paper-based alternative to flexible plastic wrapping for its YES! snack bars and a recyclable paper pouch for its new chocolate milk drink, Nesquik All-Natural powder. Now, in a further move to reduce its plastic output, the multinational’s UK & Ireland arm...Read More

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) landmark report on land use this week served to hammer home the importance of combatting deforestation to averting the worst impacts of global warming. It was published shortly after Global Forest Watch (GFW) estimated that 3.6 million hectares of tropical forest were cleared in 2018 – equivalent to the size of...Read More