This startup says it's made the first biodegradable sneaker — and that others are fake
A startup says it's made the world's first fully biodegradable sneaker in an industry rife with greenwashing. We put seven shoe brands to the test.
5G internet was supposed to change the world. Here's why it fell flat.
The rollout of 5G faced high costs and technical challenges, leading to unmet promises and limited consumer benefits, as US coverage gaps persist.
5G disappointed consumers and phone carriers. Who's cashing in?
After astronomic levels of hype, the fifth generation of mobile networks has been a letdown. What happened? And will 6G be any better?
Online misinformation about Ozempic runs rampant — here's what the science says
Online conversations about Ozempic and similar medications are full of misinformation — and echo decades of flawed teachings on weight management.
Where ocean plastic actually comes from — and how to stop it
Plastic pollution is getting worse, despite massive investment in recycling and years of pledges to stop polluting. Is a real solution on the horizon?
The sibling trio turning Bali's river trash into sandals and furniture
We meet the sibling trio behind Sungai Watch, a nonprofit on the tropical island of Bali that is removing plastic from Indonesia's rivers.
Can bamboo replace paper and plastic? And should it?
We got a behind-the-scenes look at how bamboo becomes cups, lunchboxes, toilet paper, and cutlery — and found out how these products compare to paper and plastic ones.
How bad is the wind turbine trash problem? And can we solve it?
Conventional recycling techniques don't work on wind turbine blades. Now, an Ohio startup is turning them into park benches and planters.
The true cost of the global resource race to make electric car batteries
Your average EV has six times more mineral content than a petrol- or diesel-powered vehicle. But what's the cost of mining all these metals?
How turning flower waste into natural dyes can reduce pollution
Worshippers in India give millions of tons of floral offerings yearly. One business is turning the leftover flowers into natural dye for clothing.
Cardboard is one of the most recycled materials, but it still takes piles of trees to produce it every year
Cardboard has a high recycling rate in the US. But it can't be reused forever, so making it also consumes millions of trees each year.
Rare metals found on seabeds could be key to green technology, but mining them could wreak ecological havoc on the ocean floor
Deep-sea mining allows access to necessary materials for green technology, but it could pose a threat to marine life on the ocean floor.
Recycling wind turbine blades is nearly impossible. Veolia North America thinks it can keep them out of landfills.
Wind turbine blades are hard to recycle because they're huge and sturdy. Veolia North America, a waste management company, is turning them into fuel.
Recyclers reject most plastic. This company turns it into furniture.
Packaging for lotion, toothpaste, and makeup is a recycling disaster. But a UK business is turning it into plywood-like boards to make furniture.
Most of the ocean's plastic started in rivers. Can giant trash barriers help?
The Ocean Cleanup set out to collect ocean plastic a decade ago. But most of that plastic comes from rivers, so it built solar-powered river cleaners.
Can pineapple skins replace soap?
A company turns pineapple waste into natural detergent and cleaning solution. Fermented fruit enzymes can fight germs and potentially clean waterways.
How to make bricks from plastic trash
A company is turning plastic trash into cheap, easy-to-assemble building materials. It's helping build schools in Ivory Coast.
Rocks vacuumed off the seafloor can power electric cars. But is mining the ocean worth it?
A mining startup says seafloor rocks can help power the switch away from fossil fuels. But critics say it's not worth the ecological destruction.
How the last artificial flower factory in New York City survived a century
M&S Schmalberg is the last factory handcrafting custom fabric flowers in New York City. But competition from overseas has made it hard to stay afloat.
How seaweed could replace plastic bags and packaging
A startup makes compostable thin-film plastic out of seaweed. It gets the seaweed from farms, which can create jobs and provide natural habitats.