How a ‘circular economy’ will turn Australia’s trash into treasure

The need for reliable renewable energy is growing fast, as countries around the world—including Switzerland—step up their efforts to fight climate change, find alternatives to fossil fuels and reach the energy-transition targets set by their governments. But renewable energy can’t be incorporated into power grids efficiently until there is a way to store it on a large scale. “Most forms of renewable energy are dependent on weather conditions, which results in large fluctuations in the power they supply,” says Danick Reynard, a Ph.D. student at EPFL’s Laboratory of Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry (LEPA). “But power grids aren’t designed to manage these kinds of fluctuations.” Hydrogen, because it can supply energy consistently regardless of the weather, is now attracting growing attention.

Honda Motocompo reviewed into a more modern café racer avatar is what urban motorbike enthusiasts would drool over thanks to the Motocompo XL bike concept. Remember the cult favorite Honda Motocompo scooter from the early 1980s? The two-wheeler that could fit in the boot of a car? The box-shaped rectangular plastic body with handlebars, seat and foot-pegs folded perfectly into the frame for a clean look. After selling fifty-three thousand-odd units, Honda discontinued the compact scooter in 1983, but couldn’t wash away its memory with concept vehicles like the 2001 e-Dax, e-NSR and the 2011 Motor Compo electric scooter.

The cherry trees on the Tidal Basin need care and tending year round.  For more than a century, the cherry trees on the National Mall have been a beloved cultural symbol and popular tourist destination that draws visitors from around the world to our nation’s capital. Living symbols of friendship and diplomacy, the trees have adorned the National Mall waterfront since 1912, when the Mayor of Tokyo gifted cherry trees to the United States.  The iconic trees on the Tidal Basin, a beautiful but fragile wetland ecosystem, require year-round care and tending to bloom. The changing climate and rising sea-level of the Tidal Basin, coupled with damage from weather and ever-increasing foot traffic pose a growing threat to health of the trees. The Trust for the National Mall is proud to partner with the National Park Service and friends like you to steward the trees.  The cost to maintain the Cherry Trees exceeds the federal funds available to provide for their care.  But with your help, the Trust for the National Mall and the National Park Service can provide care for the trees and ensure they will endure and flourish for years to come.  The Trust for the National Mall has partnered with the National Cherry Blossom Festival to launch our Adopt a Cherry Tree Campaign with a goal to raise over $3.7 million to care for the 3,700 cherry trees and create a maintenance fund to care for the trees all year long.  We seek ambassadors like you who share our commitment to environmental sustainability and are willing to join our mission to preserve this cultural landscape and living symbol of friendship and diplomacy.  The future of this annual spring tradition is becoming increasingly uncertain as the trees face damage foot traffic from the millions of visitors, the growing impacts of the changing climate and daily flooding caused by the rising sea level that damages their root systems. Now more than ever, the Cherry Trees need support to ensure they will continue to bloom and thrive for generations to come.

Education Scotland is delighted to announce the winners of the Learning for Sustainability Awards.  The awards – held in partnership with the Daily Record – recognise the amazing achievements of Scotland’s people and the settings, schools and communities that have demonstrated passion and commitment to building a socially-just, sustainable and equitable world.  The COP26 Summit beginning next week provides a unique opportunity to recognise and celebrate innovation in the Scottish education system and our commitment to Learning for Sustainability (LfS). Within Scotland’s curriculum, LfS is recognised as an entitlement for all learners and a recent international PISA study showed that our learners are world-leading global citizens.