IKEA rehabilitates Borneo rainforest by planting 3 million trees
In an attempt to rehabilitate a rainforest destroyed by logging and forest fires at Luasong in east coast Sabah, Borneo, Swedish furniture giant IKEA planted 3 million trees in the area and gave it a new lease of life. In the initial phase, IKEA customers contributed generously with start-up funding for the project. Since then, the IKEA Group took full responsibility for finishing the project and ensuring...
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This British supermarket to go glitter-free soon
Colorful glitter catches the attention of all and sundry with its attractive appearance, but it doesn’t alter the fact that it is in fact just another form of microplastic. And God knows we could do without any more microplastics polluting our water bodies! Taking a step in the right direction, British supermarket chain Waitrose has announced to ban glitter from all its own products by Christmas 2020. The...
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Since its installation a year ago, Tesla’s mega battery in Australia has saved over $40 million AUD
A year ago, Tesla installed the world’s largest lithium ion battery in Jamestown, South Australia, in order to help the area which had been facing some serious electricity problems. Till today, the 100-megawatt Hornsdale Power Reserve, has saved over $40 million AUD in annual maintenance costs to the electrical grid, also known as frequency controlled ancillary services (FCAS). The battery was built in...
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Leopards kept coming to this village in search of water, so the farmers actually built water tanks for them in the forest
The Ranmala village of Pune district, India, had been facing a serious problem – leopards from the nearby forest kept venturing into their village and attacked their cattle, pets and even humans. However, the villagers knew that these wild animals would not enter their territory unless they were desperate. Now one of the main reasons that brought the leopards into the village was water. So, the locals hit...
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This Indian NGO creates colorful, anti-slip tiles from plastic waste
The south Indian city of Bengaluru has been grappling with the problem of plastic waste since quite some time now. Even though the state government imposed a blanket ban on the manufacturing, storing and distribution of single-use plastics back in 2016, the city’s municipal council (BBMP) says plastic comprises about 20% of the total municipal solid waste of 4,000 tonnes a day. Fortunately, non-profit...
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Chanel is the latest luxury fashion brand to go cruelty-free
Joining prominent luxury fashion labels like Gucci, Versace, Armani, Calvin Klein, Burberry etc., Chanel recently announced that it will also ban the use of animal furs and skins in its future collections. The announcement was welcomed by PETA and other animal conservation groups. A spokeswoman from the brand said that it was impossible for the company to source animal products ethically – “At...
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80% reduction in plastic bag use in Australia over last three months
In good news for our oceans, last three months saw a drastic 80% reduction in plastic bag use in Australia. Three months ago, two of Australia’s largest supermarket chains – Woolworths and Coles – banned single-use grocery bags. Initially, some customers felt “bag rage” about having to fork over 15 Australian cents (11 cents) to buy a reusable one. Woolworths execs blamed slumping...
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This UK restaurant is offering free food to kids if their parents don’t use phones at the table
A UK-based restaurant chain is making sure that parents give adequate attention to their little ones and not their mobile screens while enjoying a meal. It is already well known that kids hate their parents using cellphones at the table instead of engaging in some quality family time. From November 29 till December 7, Frankie and Benny’s will be asking families to leave their phones in a “no phone...
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Sri Lanka’s Mangrove Master : The man who spent 16 years of his life planting 2 million trees
Mangrove trees are of utmost importance, especially in coastal areas, where they are the best defense against tidal waves and tsunamis. Many poor fisher families in western Sri Lanka also rely heavily on mangroves for sustenance, with generation after generation deriving protein sources from the rich waters or sustainably harvesting the forests’ many by-products. However, deforestation has put the trees in a...
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Meet the man who saved 12 endangered animal species from extinction
It is extremely unfortunate how we human beings are literally ruining the only planet that we have to call home – right from our carbon emissions to climate change to plastic pollution to human-driven mass extinction of animal and bird species. According to WWF, as of now, one in eight bird species are threatened with complete extinction. Under such grim circumstances, there are a few stories that give us...
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