Impact

The big ideas that are changing the world

This little British city wants to prove that going car-free isn’t just for big downtowns

York, England, population 150,000, plans to eliminate cars from its city center by 2023, while shifting to electric buses, launching an on-demand shuttle service, and adding new bike lanes.

This little British city wants to prove that going car-free isn’t just for big downtowns

How have Puerto Rico’s new microgrids performed during its massive power outage?

After Hurricane Maria, battery companies like Tesla and Sonnen helped set up alternate power systems across the island. Now that the island is without power again, they are showing a way forward instead of counting on the Puerto Rico’s beleaguered utility.

How have Puerto Rico’s new microgrids performed during its massive power outage?

Solar geoengineering could have big benefits (and also big risks)

A new study found the effects on inequality from lowering global temperature via limiting the sun that reaches the Earth could be massive. But can we get those same effects simply by reducing carbon emissions in a less risky way?

Solar geoengineering could have big benefits (and also big risks)

This massive new rooftop farm helps keep Bangkok from flooding

The 236,000-square-foot roof can store as much as 3 million gallons of water. It’s the largest rooftop farm in Asia.

This massive new rooftop farm helps keep Bangkok from flooding

10 ways purposeful business will evolve in 2020

As more companies commit to long-term positive societal impact, how will the landscape change in the coming year?

10 ways purposeful business will evolve in 2020

What self-driving cars will really do to cities

Without careful planning, the damage they do could be extreme.

What self-driving cars will really do to cities

What if we just made sure the air was clean in schools?

A new study finds that installing a $700 air filter in a classroom can create huge bumps in test scores.

What if we just made sure the air was clean in schools?

These bamboo houses are designed to stay standing during earthquakes

The flexible and lightweight material can perform better during earthquakes than concrete.

These bamboo houses are designed to stay standing during earthquakes

How to determine if corporate climate commitments are legitimate

It’s time to stop being carbon illiterate and hold companies to account when they claim they’re changing.

How to determine if corporate climate commitments are legitimate

Climate activists say fossil fuel-emitting companies should fund Australia fire recovery

A tax of $1 per ton of embodied emissions would raise $1.5 billion per year to help fund recovery, prevention, and fighting future fires.

Climate activists say fossil fuel-emitting companies should fund Australia fire recovery

Feeling stressed out at the office? Calmly find a friendly plant, and look at it

We know being in nature relaxes people, but just a little plant life might also calm you down at work.

Feeling stressed out at the office? Calmly find a friendly plant, and look at it

Taco Bell says it will make all its packaging recyclable, compostable, or reusable by 2025

Your Cravings Box won’t clog up a landfill anymore.

Taco Bell says it will make all its packaging recyclable, compostable, or reusable by 2025

Zero bikers or pedestrians were killed by cars in Oslo last year: What can the U.S. learn from its success?

As U.S. cities embrace Vision Zero, biker and pedestrian deaths are actually going up. But in Norway, they’re gone entirely—and for reasons that would be easy to emulate.

Zero bikers or pedestrians were killed by cars in Oslo last year: What can the U.S. learn from its success?

The collapse of U.S. coal plants is saving tens of thousands of lives

And an added benefit: clearer skies are improving agriculture, so farms are growing more food.

The collapse of U.S. coal plants is saving tens of thousands of lives

How Ikea plans to be climate positive by 2030

A company known for its disposable furniture seems like it would have a hard time quickly getting to a place where it reduces more greenhouse gas emissions than its entire value chain creates. But the company has a plan: radically rethinking how it designs its products.

How Ikea plans to be climate positive by 2030

Raising the minimum wage just $1 would cause suicide rates to drop

Suicide rates have been rising across the country. A simple policy change could have a big impact.

Raising the minimum wage just $1 would cause suicide rates to drop

This new kind of battery could keep a phone powered for five days

A new breakthrough means that lithium-sulfur might be ready to replace our current lithium-ion batteries, and offer major performance improvements.

This new kind of battery could keep a phone powered for five days

2020’s biggest story? The (real) economy, stupid

Pull back the curtain on the Trump economy and you’ll find a nation where income inequality is rising to become the new normal.

2020’s biggest story? The (real) economy, stupid

These vintage-style travel posters show favorite tourist destinations post-climate change

Come to sunny California, to see the fires.

These vintage-style travel posters show favorite tourist destinations post-climate change

Meatless ‘Impossible Sausage’ is coming to breakfast sandwiches at Burger King

Impossible Foods is launching plant-based pork and sausage, starting at the fast food giant.

Meatless ‘Impossible Sausage’ is coming to breakfast sandwiches at Burger King

Impact

Lyft and LeBron James are giving thousands of young people free bikeshare memberships

These are the most sustainable corporations in the world

These salad vending machines are going to be a lot easier to find in New York

Creativity

Netflix’s YouTube envy puts it on an unsustainable path

Volvo’s short film about saving an endangered kestrel will make you feel hopeful about climate change

Radiohead creates a digital public library so you can stream their deep cuts

Co.Design

The most common way to demolish a building is also the most wasteful

In Arizona, a case study in how architecture can adapt to climate change

This home improvement brand now sells high fashion. It’s surprisingly good

Work Life

Ditching the whiteboard and adopting two brainstorming practices helped my company thrive. Here’s how.

Why honesty might not always be the best policy at work

6 ways to handle biased feedback at work