This new 10-car luxury train is designed to take just 34 passengers at a time between Tokyo and the northern island of Hokkaido. It comes with massive windows, sleeping quarters, a traditional wooden bath, piano room, fireplace and an observation car, where you can sip champagne and take in the view of the countryside and coast. Michelin star chefs are also on board to prepare your meals. The Shiki-shima took its maiden journey on May 1 and seats have already been booked up until April 2018 https://www.jreast.co.jp/shiki-shima/en/
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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