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HP is turning trash into printer cartridges
All those printer cartridges from HP that usually cost an arm and leg will start helping to do some good in the world beyond your prints of kitten photos. During an event at its headquarters, HP announced that it is using recycled plastic from Haiti to manufacture select cartridges.
Apple issues billion-dollar ‘green’ bond to support clean projects
Just because Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris climate agreement doesn't mean the American people are going to go along with him. Cities, states and private companies from around the nation have already pledged to abide by the rules set forth in that accord, even if the federal government won't. And, on Tuesday, Apple put its money where its resistance is by issuing a billion dollar bond for financing clean energy and other green projects.
Researchers made a battery out of trash
Pursuing more efficient sources of renewable energy has led to many iterations of the battery. But researchers just brought a really interesting new version to the table, one made from potassium ions and trash.
Portland plans to convert poop into fuel
The city of Portland has come up with an unusual way to replace diesel fuel. It's going to convert waste methane from sewage into renewable natural gas. That's right -- trucks in the future could run on poop.
Tokyo's Olympic medals will be crafted from old gadgets
Tokyo's olympic planning committee has a novel idea for crafting new medals: old technology. Instead of relying on mining companies for new gold, silver and bronze, it's turning to the public and its swathes of unwanted, forgotten gadgets. You might not realize it, but your smartphone and household appliances contain small amounts of these precious materials. Starting in April, public offices and more than 2,400 NTT Docomo stores will offer collection boxes in Japan. The initial target is eight tons of metal, which will be whittled down to two tons and then, hopefully, used to produce 5,000 Olympic and Paralympic medals.
Diamonds convert nuclear waste into clean batteries
Nuclear waste is normally a major environmental headache, but it could soon be a source of clean energy. Scientists have developed a method of turning that waste into batteries using diamond. If you encapsulate short-range radioactive material in a human-made diamond, you can generate a small electrical charge even as you completely block harmful radiation. While the team used a nickel isotope for its tests, it ultimately expects to do this using the carbon isotope you find in graphite blocks from nuclear power plants.
Smart trash can helps educate reluctant recyclers
France and recycling go together like hammers and fromage frais, which is why the country has some of the worst recycling rates in Europe. Local startup Uzer is hoping to encourage better habits with Eugene, a smart trash can that'll tell users what they can recycle and track what they're consuming. Essentially, it's a pedal bin with a barcode scanner bolted onto the top, but if that's what it takes to get folks separating their cardboard and plastic, it might just be worth it.
