It’s easy to feel a bit hopeless when you read stories about the environment. Plastic pollution. Climate change. Deforestation. The headlines don’t have much good to say, or do they? Here’s our 2022 roundup of positive eco-news stories.
Your smartphone could soon be powered by a sea salt battery
Yes, you read that right. Researchers in Sydney have built a new battery that is not only cheap, but it’s better for the environment. Instead of potentially toxic lithium, the battery is made from sodium sulphur, a molten salt you can extract from seawater.
Happy 190th birthday to Jonathan the Tortoise
We see so many sad stories about wildlife, we thought we’d share a happy tale in our eco-news roundup. A giant tortoise in Seychelles named Jonathan has celebrated his 190th birthday. His longevity makes him the oldest living land animal. It’s fascinating when you think about what he’s lived through, from the US civil war to the reign of Queen Victoria, and two world wars.
France bans short-haul domestic flights
The French government has banned short-haul domestic flights as part of the country’s 2021 Climate Law. Flights between cities you can travel to in less than 2.5 hours on environmentally cleaner trains are no more.
A growing number of UK universities say no to oil, gas, and mining recruiters
‘Not on our campus.’ That’s the message that a growing number of UK universities have for gas, oil, and mining companies looking to recruit on their campuses. The University of Bedfordshire, University of the Arts London, and Wrexham Glyndwr University have said they’ll ‘end recruiting relationships’ with gas, oil, and mining firms.
McDonald’s trials reusable packaging in Europe
It’s always great to see big businesses creating some positive eco-news. McDonald’s is trialling reusable packaging across Europe. A Twitter user in France shared photos of reusable Happy Meal boxes and cartons. The move comes as the European Commission is urging businesses to ditch single-use packaging.
Renewables Produce More Energy than Coal for the First Time in the US
According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), more than a fifth of all electricity by the end of 2022 will come from renewable sources like hydropower, wind, and solar. This puts renewables ahead of coal and nuclear energy at 20% and 19% respectively.
More Than 25 COP27 Countries Pledge to End Deforestation
25 countries including the UK, Pakistan, and Japan have pledged to end deforestation by 2030. The countries formed a group that will keep each other accountable and contribute extra funding to make it happen.
India Moves Towards Renewables
India is the world’s third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide. However, by 2030, it aims to get half of its energy from solar and wind. In fact, India now has a fully solar-powered village, Modhera in Gujarat state.
China is Building the World’s Largest Wind Farm
Not to be outdone, China is building the world’s largest wind farm. Estimates say it could power 13 million homes. The city of Chaozhou is naturally windy, so turbines will be able to run up to 49% of the time.
Could Your Next Burger be Wrapped in Seaweed packaging?
Rounding up our eco-news stories from 2022 is a story about sustainable packaging. Researchers in Australia have partnered with a German biomaterials company to create an alternative to plastic wrapping. The new material is a seaweed-based polymer that’s as recyclable as paper and capable of housing greasy burgers and more.
Hopefully, after reading these positive 2022 eco-news stories, your eco-anxiety is gone and you have hope for a far brighter future for the planet. For more interesting articles on sustainability, check out the rest of our blog.
