This month Sweden unveiled the world's first publicly-accessible electrified road, capable of charging electric vehicles while they drive on it. It works with a rail embedded in the road. Electric vehicles have a connector that goes down in two tracks in this rail to pick up the electricity. The system is able to calculate the vehicle's energy consumption, which enables electricity costs to be debited per vehicle and user. The pilot project stretches two kilometres along a public road just outside of Stockholm, near Arlanda Airport. The Swedish government has outlined plans for a national grid of electrified roads across the country. http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-full-episode-1.4621483/electric-avenue-sweden-builds-a-road-that-charges-your-vehicle-while-you-drive-1.4621485
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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Jonathan Chrimes