Before New York City native Anna Sacks turned her attention to cleaning up the five boroughs and beyond, the 33-year-old — who goes by “the Trash Walker” on social media — was on a decidedly different path. “My career journey has been guided in part by trying to find something that has felt inherently meaningful,” […]
For a long time, dogs have played an important role in the aftermath of disasters, using their agility and strong sense of smell to aid in search-and-rescue missions. But there’s another, smaller animal that may soon be giving these trusted canines some extra help: rats — African giant pouched rats, to be specific. Apopo, a
If You Give a Rat a Backpack, He’ll Become a Search-and-Rescue Hero Continue Reading »
Early next year, Mount Everest will undergo a spring cleaning of sorts as heavy lifter drones begin clearing garbage off its snowy slopes, reducing the danger involved when humans undertake the task. At over 29,000 feet high, Everest is the tallest mountain in the world above sea level, and according to a recent study, erosion
In this age of fast fashion, many people don’t give a second thought to tossing a torn shirt or ditching a pair of pants with a broken zipper. But go back in time a few decades, and simply mending what needed repairing would be far more commonplace. With her posse of street sewers who gather
Through Pop-Up Sewing Lessons, UK Street Stitching Movement Tackles Fast Fashion Continue Reading »
Heavy rains can leave gardens looking like the aquatic levels in a video game, unhappily turning terrestrial foliage into floating plants. And the runoff from these events can also do damage to the local water supply. There’s an easy, aesthetically pleasing way to harness that extra water, though, and it can benefit your backyard and
How a Simple DIY Rain Garden Can Benefit Your Backyard and the Environment Continue Reading »
Nestled in the lush landscape of Japan’s Shikoku island, the small town of Kamikatsu is in the process of achieving a tremendous feat: becoming the nation’s first zero-waste municipality. “Our goal is to develop a town with abundant natural beauty and make it a place where everyone feels happy and can fulfill their respective dreams,”
How Kamikatsu, Japan, Is on Pace to Become the Country’s First Zero-Waste Town Continue Reading »
The overall winner of the international Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest was announced yesterday, with the title going to Ryan Imperio for his sci-fi-esque shot, “Distorted Shadows of the Moon’s Surface Created by an Annular Eclipse.” Taken in Odessa, Texas, during the 2023 annular eclipse, the image (above) captures Baily’s beads, which are formed
See All the Winning Images in the 2024 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contest Continue Reading »
On picturesque Mackinac Island in Michigan, nobody worries about parking tickets — not for their cars, at least. Automobiles have been banned since the turn of the 19th century, so the small locale’s roughly 500 year-round residents rely on bikes, boats, and horse-drawn carriages to get around. The ban was implemented as the auto industry began
This Picturesque American Island Is Full of Charm — And Free of Cars Continue Reading »
Food banks play a crucial role in keeping communities fed across the globe. Another vital but lesser-known benefit? They’re helping to fight climate change, with a recent impact report outlining the link between food banks and a reduction in carbon emissions.
From the fruits and vegetables in our fridges to the T-shirts in our closets and medicine in our cabinets, we rely on farmers to keep us fed, clothed, and healthy. And as the global population continues to expand — expected to increase by 2.2 billion by 2050 — so will our demands from growers: They’ll
Farmer Training Programs Are Helping America’s Oldest Workforce Pass the Torch Continue Reading »
