environment | The Red Ferret Journal

Eco Friendly April 5, 2021 posted by Nigel

Hempearth – world’s first plane made from hemp aims to fly high

Hempearth, a Canadian cannabis company, has announced plans to build an airplane using hemp as a key component. There’s little argument that hemp is the wonder plant of the ages. Despite being associated with its naughty cousin, marijuana, hemp has been put to thousands of vital uses over the ages. Not only has it been used for rope, but also fabric, medicine and a super food. But this latest incarnation is taking things to a whole new level.

Eco Friendly March 22, 2021 posted by Nigel

Evanesto – from plastic pots to compost lots

There’s just too much plastic in the world. We’re drowning in it. But an enterprising French company hopes to change all that with the invention of a compound called Evanesto. The enzyme based material is added to conventional PLA plastic at the manufacturing stage, which then turns it into something which can be composted in less than 200 days. Proper compost. The company, called Carbiolice, claim that the enzymes can be used for all forms of plastic packaging, tableware or…

Eco Friendly March 8, 2021 posted by Nigel

ZedPods – modular pre built homes designed to be installed above car parks

Zedpods are a clever new take on modular, ready made housing. The blocks are prefabricated in a huge factory warehouse in central England, then shipped on-site for assembly. What makes them extra interesting is the fact that one version is designed to sit on top of car parks, using a stilt type system. This leaves the car par open for use by the public, while offering affordable eco housing above. Very neat. The first installation has already gone up in…

Eco Friendly February 25, 2021 posted by Nigel

Kill The ECT – before it kills the planet

If you haven’t heard of the Energy Charter Treaty, that should be no surprise. It’s a semi-secret international treaty which grants corporations in the energy sector enormous power to sue states at international investment tribunals for billions of dollars, for example, if a government decides to stop new oil or gas pipelines or to phase out coal. And boy are they using it. It was set up in the mid 90s and in the last decade alone there have been…

Eco Friendly October 16, 2020 posted by Nigel

TreeCard – this free debit card plants trees when you shop

OK so we’re not huge fans of clever marketing disguised as environmental action, but the pedigree of this new initiative seems sound. The Ecosia people – who plant trees when you use their search tools – have just released a new free debit card called TreeCard. The idea is that for every $60 you spend, they will plant a tree in your forest. It’s cute, and while some may consider it a gimmick, the fact is that Ecosia has already…

Eco Friendly October 1, 2020 posted by Nigel

Beagle Button – helping us shop better through our browser

It’s hard to be a responsible citizen nowadays. No matter how hard we try, there’s always a chance that we’ll buy the wrong product by selecting something which can harm the environment. Here’s where the Beagle Button comes in. Rather like those coupon finding browser extensions that litter the landscape, the Beagle tool is there to help us make better buying decisions. Only it’s not about saving money, but saving the planet. It sits in the browser and pops up…

Eco Friendly September 24, 2020 posted by Nigel

Oceanbird – wind powered cargo vessel is a revolution in the making

The old tea clippers of the 19th century may have been slow, but they had one big advantage over modern freighters. They ran on wind. Now an enterprising Swedish company is attempting to combine modern technology with good old renewable wind energy to turn the environmental cost of shipping goods around the world on its head. The Oceanbird is a huge cargo ship which can carry up to 7000 cars (electric we hope), and will be able to cross the…

Eco Friendly July 27, 2020 posted by Nigel

Revolution Container – recycled shipping container offers COVID friendly eco washing on the forecourt

Photo-Me, the mega passport photo booth people, have just announced a new edition to their portable launderette products for the high street. The Revolution Container is a recycled shipping container which holds four washing machines and two dryers capable of offering launderette services from supermarket, gas station and other forecourts. The 5.5 tonne box – which fits into 2 car parking spaces – is designed to be functional rather than beautiful, but the owners hope that it will provide a…

Eco Friendly April 25, 2019 posted by Donyae Coles

Save Your Local Park – green spaces do a lot of good for people and the environment

Your local park is important and as the climate warms up, you should fight to keep it. Green spaces are crucial, especially in urban environments, in the fight against climate change. They have a ton of social and health benefits for people but they also have some pretty good benefits for the planet.

Eco Friendly April 17, 2019 posted by Donyae Coles

Plastic is Everywhere – microplastics are found even in remote areas

Plastic is everywhere. Really. Thanks to microplastics, smaller fibers and such, plastic is being carried by all sorts of weather patterns to the furthest reaches of the Earth and this isn’t great news but it does illustrate how pervasive the problem has really become.

Eco Friendly March 1, 2019 posted by Vamien Mckalin

Eco ATM will give you cash for recycling old mobile phones

Do you have an old cellphone lying around with no intention of being used again? Well, you might be able to make a few dollars from that device with this latest recycling method for mobile phones known as Eco ATMs.

Bizarre February 28, 2019 posted by Vamien Mckalin

Multi-colored toxic snow is causing concern in Russia

When we think of snow, what usually comes to mind is that lovely fluffy stuff that is white and chilly. But what if suddenly there were multiple different colors involved in the snow thing? The Russian city of Pervouralsk is currently covered in snow, but in some parts of the city, citizens are witnessing the fall of “green snow.” Yep, we’re not making this up.

Eco Friendly February 25, 2019 posted by Vamien Mckalin

How to have a conversation about Climate Change

Understanding climate change and the effect it has on our planet is not easy, especially for those who refuse to accept it. We all have our own belief and understanding of what is happening to the world. So changing people’s minds requires patience and the ability to walk away if all doors are shut. So the big question right now is, how can we have a conversation with non-believers about climate change with the hopes they’ll change their mind? Well,…

Eco Friendly February 22, 2019 posted by Vamien Mckalin

How much is comfort worth? Super soft toilet tissues are causing massive deforestation

Toilet paper is very important for obvious reasons, so it makes perfect sense for consumers to gravitate towards the best there is. Usually the best toilet paper is the soft stuff. But unfortunately, that comfort comes at a cost. This soft toilet paper might not be great for the environment. Here’s the thing, most soft toilet paper requires the use of virgin timber, and this comes from wood pulp via ancient trees in Canada and other parts of the world….

Eco Friendly February 22, 2019 posted by Vamien Mckalin

Resin Bee – the world’s biggest bee – is back in action after being missing for 38-years

We’re not experts when it comes down to bees and most animal species, and that’s why we knew nothing of the Resin Bee, also known as Wallace’s Giant Bee. Yes, folks, it’s the largest bee on the planet, and for decades, scientists thought it went extinct. Such is no longer the case because the bee was recently found on a group of Indonesian island known as the North Moluccas. What’s interesting about the Resin Bee, is its 6 cm wingspan, and…

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