One of the biggest inconveniences of owning an electric or hybrid vehicle is how long it takes to recharge the batteries. Depending on the size of the battery and the speed of the recharging station, powering up a sustainable vehicle can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours. Researchers have developed a flow battery that would allow electric cars to be recharged instantly at stations like conventional cars are. This energy breakthrough would speed the switch to electric vehicles by making them more convenient to drive. http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/instantly-rechargeable-battery-for-electric-cars-2017/
A 2023 start-up aiming to make recycling convenient and accessible to all is about to go national. The aim is to provide people with a home pick-up option for some of the "trickier" items the normal recycling bins can't handle - including soft plastics. https://wastemanagementreview.com.au/recyclesmart-goes-national/
A Kyushu University study (2021) estimated there were 24.4 trillion pieces of microplastics in the world's upper oceans or roughly 30 billion 500-ml plastic water bottles. Microplastics are tiny, toxic and very hard to remove from the environment. But researchers in the US have discovered that some Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) can attract and bind microplastics, making it easier to remove them from the environment. And the N in NADES is key - natural - in this instance, think extracts from plants. https://www.research.uky.edu/news/researchers-develop-eco-friendly-magnet-battle-microplastics
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