BIZARRE: 11 | Mind Blowing Facts

In 2021, Alabama students began placing discarded Christmas trees along Gulf Coast dunes to trap sand; each year about 200 students now add roughly 3,000 native plants around them

Alabama's fragile sand dunes are being restored with discarded holiday trees, as students and volunteers team up to plant native vegetation along the coast. This innovative project marries sand trapping techniques with the introduction of native plants to stabilize the dunes. This effort not only protects essential infrastructure but also…

The Times of India · Aug 23

In 2015, a California design student launched a plantable coffee cup after raising $21,077 on Kickstarter. 11 years later, the idea still hasn’t reached shelves, but compostable coatings may finally solve its biggest problem

Plantable compostable coffee cup: A design student's plantable coffee cup concept from 2015 has not yet reached markets. The main obstacle involves creating a material that protects hot drinks and decomposes later. This innovative cup aimed to reduce significant coffee cup waste generated daily. While seed paper is simple, a…

The Economic Times · Aug 23

In the early 1970s, Virginia Beach compacted 640,000 tons of garbage into a 60-foot hill; the dump became America’s first landfill park and now spans 165 acres

Mount Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach serves as a unique example of transformation, evolving from a large landfill into a vibrant 165-acre recreational area. Opening its gates in 1973, this park now boasts serene lakes, extensive trails, and playgrounds, showcasing innovative landfill reclamation practices. Its picturesque setting attracts visitors who…

The Times of India · Aug 23

An English town installed a six-metre swing bridge whose deck contains the equivalent of 140 recycled plastic bottles per square metre and can be manually opened for passing boats

A vibrant addition to an English town's landscape, a six-meter swing bridge constructed from recycled plastic bottles has just been unveiled. This bridge, which opens manually for river traffic, is integral to a multi-million-pound project aimed at restoring the Wilts & Berks Canal and establishing a public 600-meter stretch of…

The Times of India · Aug 21

In 2016, Denmark opened a plant using dry separation to recycle artificial turf. 5 years later, it had processed 662 fields and recovered up to 95% of their materials

Denmark's Re-Match facility recycles artificial turf, recovering up to ninety-five percent of materials. This process separates plastic fibers, sand, and crumb rubber for reuse. The company aims for a circular system, upcycling plastic into new turf resin. The United States lacks comparable recycling infrastructure for its many fields.

The Economic Times · Aug 20

In 2020, a Brazilian mother and daughter began collecting discarded bottles; years later, more than 8,000 glass bottles had become the walls of their seven-bedroom home that glows during sunrise

A visionary mother and daughter duo transformed sustainability into an art form, building a seven-room home out of more than 8,000 recycled glass bottles. Incorporating elements like reclaimed wood and toothpaste tubes, this remarkable endeavor addresses the dual challenges of beach pollution and housing shortages in Brazil. Named the Salt…

The Times of India · Aug 20

Oxfam ‘can’t guarantee future’ of charity shops as it also reviews warehouse business

Dwindling donations and stiff competition from secondhand sellers online prompt review but ‘no plans for closures yet’

The Guardian - UK · Aug 20

Meet Delaney Peterson, the Florida student who spent three years turning recycled glass into artificial reefs designed to give oysters a new home

Delaney Peterson, a student at Belleview High School in Ocala, Florida, spent three years developing a science project around a deceptively simple question: could discarded glass be transformed into a material suitable for rebuilding oyster habitat? Her project, titled Revolutionising Artificial Reefs: Recycled Foamed Glass Aggregates as a Sustainable Solution…

The Times of India · Aug 20

Swimmers warned of toxic algae at newly designated Thames bathing site

People told to keep themselves and their pets out of river at Ham amid anger over Thames Water’s plans to pump treated sewage

The Guardian - UK · Aug 19

In the 1970s, one New Mexico architect began building homes from discarded tyres and cans; his Earthship idea is now being adapted for extreme weather

Michael Reynolds pioneered the Earthship concept, creating innovative homes constructed from repurposed materials that encourage self-sufficiency. These structures harness recycled resources and natural systems for energy and water usage. Earthships serve as a robust solution against infrastructure breakdowns and natural calamities. This approach is now shaping a wider trend in…

The Times of India · Aug 19