Woolworths farewells single use plastic bags

The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc. (CASIS), manager of the ISS National Lab, today announced a sustainability challenge in partnership with leading global prestige beauty brand Estée Lauder. The ISS National Lab Sustainability Challenge: Beyond Plastics aims to utilize the orbiting laboratory to advance sustainability research that addresses the plastics dilemma. The Sustainability Challenge is an open solicitation for U.S. entities to propose flight projects that leverage the space station to tackle plastics waste and enable scientific or technological advancements that improve Earth’s environment. Building on the brand’s long-term sustainability goals, Estée Lauder intends to provide funding to support one or more flight projects awarded through this Sustainability Challenge.

Each year since 2012, the U.S. Department of Education has honored schools and districts across the country for commitment to sustainability by reducing environmental impacts, improving health and wellness, and offering environmental education. For the first time, Bellingham Public Schools received the Green Ribbon award.  The district was selected due to its part in Puget Sound Energy’s Commercial Strategic Energy Management program, its compliance with “solar-ready” standards for all buildings and its use of rain barrels and other equipment to reclaim water.

Research from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has found that for highly glazed buildings, like the shimmering skyscrapers of big cities, photovoltaic (PV) windows make a sizable difference in the building’s carbon footprint, reducing energy use and CO2 emissions by as much as 40%.  The study, published in the journal One Earth, outlines how PV windows can be an important component for designing highly glazed buildings that reach net-zero targets. According to the study, about one-third of global energy consumption comes from buildings, showing the need to reduce energy demand and related emissions. But despite the known downsides of highly glazed buildings, like poor energy performance and thermal efficiency, they are still a popular choice in the industry.

ExxonMobil Chemical Company sustainability…