Interesting Ideas

Phenomenon, often seen around Britain’s coast at this time of year, is caused by a combination of algae and weather

At this time of year a sinister-looking substance can often be sighted around Britain’s coast: a frothy foam piled up along the shoreline or appearing in long ribbons offshore. People sometimes assume this foam is the result of pollution or sewage dumping. In fact it is a common natural phenomenon produced by a combination of algae and weather.

Sea algae start to grow in April as conditions warm. The most common sort, phaeocystis, is not toxic and forms part of the marine food chain. When the algal bloom dies it leaves a brown scum of organic material with surfactant properties, which, like soap, lowers the surface tension of the water.

Cabless, driverless, autonomous electric trucks from the Swedish EV firm Einride will be rolling down I-70 between Ohio and Indiana this summer.

The post Who’s Afraid Of Electric Trucks? Not Ohio, Indiana, California, Michigan… appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Geely is that giant Chinese automaker that owns so many brands it’s easy to forget some of them. The company still sells a mixture of gas-powered vehicles and electric ones, which makes tracking its progress a bit wonky. Nonetheless, we have some numbers from Geely for April and the company’s ... [continued]

The post Geely EV Sales Down In April, But Zeekr Poppin’ appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Willington, County Durham: On a fine May morning, there’s no better time to look at the stunning array of ways that bees and flowers have co-evolved to interact

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a wild flower in possession of a fortune in nectar and pollen, must be in want of a pollinator,” Jane Austen might have written, had she been a botanist. All along this former railway line, on a sunny May morning, there are thousands of newly opened flowers laden with such inducements, vying for the attention of foraging bumblebees. And none delivers its pollen with such deception and violence as broom(Cytisus scoparius).

A large bumblebee arrives, settles briefly, finds no nectar and departs, leaving a deranged tangle of stamens protruding from the petals. What happened? Poking my finger into an intact flower, to mimic the visitor, there’s an explosion of pollen as 10 stamens and a coiled stigma, confined in the boat-shaped keel petal, break free. Simultaneously, they deliver and collect pollen, with a gut-punch to the insect’s furry abdomen. Bumblebees don’t seem to mind; the trap has been tripped in almost every flower on this bush.

Figures show domestic flower growers are expanding their market share, as the government gives sector official recognition

British flower farmers have long resembled David faced with their own particular Goliath – the imported flower industry. More than 80% of cut flowers bought by UK consumers are shipped or flown in. However, recent figures show domestic growers are expanding their market share.

Chloë Dunnett, the founder of Sitopia Farm, a London-based organic farm growing food and flowers, says: “Our flower sales are up 65% for the year and turnover is increasing year on year as the public and florists look for flowers that are seasonal, environmentally friendly and hyperlocal – consumer power can be very effective.”

D3 Energy has signed a master lease with Florida DOT that allows it to install floating solar on all the agencies storm water ponds.

The post Floating Solar Comes To DeSantistan appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Authorities are cracking down on rights activists fighting for Indigenous people threatened by authoritarianism, extractivism and climate breakdown

The operation began at 9am Moscow time, but took place across all of Russia’s 11 time zones. Almost simultaneously, agents of the federal security service (FSB) raided the homes and workplaces of 17 Indigenous rights activists.

Officers carried out searches, confiscated laptops and phones, and arrested and interrogated activists about participation in international forums. Most were let go; many have since left the country. Others remain in Russia, but will no longer speak up.

‘Living archive’ will mark loss of Northumberland landmark with storytelling, sound and sculpture using saved wood

A new artwork will transform preserved wood from the felled Sycamore Gap tree into a “living archive” after a public vote.

The community arts charity Helix Arts and George King Architects were named winners of the vote on Saturday, after being shortlisted for a National Trust commission in March.

Much of the news about electric vehicles tends to be about the vehicles themselves, but there’s very little about the people who make them. However, a couple of days ago, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker shared many details and comments about investing in innovation and jobs, with specific information about Rivian. ... [continued]

The post Buying Electric Vehicles Supports Good Jobs appeared first on CleanTechnica.

This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world

How many news articles do you go to now that are behind a paywall? This is the era of media we’re in — news sites need subscribers. There are sites, like The Guardian, that want to make sure content is accessible and important news and discussions get out there to ... [continued]

The post Have You Seen A Paywall Recently? Support Cleantech Media Here appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Cars have the worst privacy record of any consumer products according to Mozilla Foundation and the problem is about to get worse.

The post Mozilla Foundation Condemns Data Collection By Cars appeared first on CleanTechnica.

NIO has published its first quarter financials. There’s good news and less good news. The company was able to achieve an adjusted operational profit (non-GAAP) for the second quarter in a row, as well as an adjusted net profit (non-GAAP). However, the company didn’t achieve a GAAP operational profit or ... [continued]

The post NIO Financials Up Huge Year Over Year! But Market Not Happy. appeared first on CleanTechnica.

The US, Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia – some of the highest oil-producing nations and major greenhouse gas emitters – opposed the measure

The UN has voted 141-8 to adopt a resolution backing a world court opinion that countries have a legal obligation to address climate change, with the US – which is the world’s biggest historical emitter – among the small group opposing it.

The UN secretary general, António Guterres, said Wednesday’s general assembly vote, in which 28 countries abstained, underscored that governments are responsible for protecting citizens from the “escalating climate crisis”.

We’ve got a disaster underway in the Middle East following the US and Israel bombing Iran. The Straight of Hormuz remains blocked, and the global oil industry is approaching true crisis. However, things could get much worse — much, much worse. Reporting indicates a drone struck a nuclear power plant ... [continued]

The post Drone Strikes Nuclear Power Plant in UAE — This Could Get Bad appeared first on CleanTechnica.

What does a surge in ocean temperatures, compounded with El Niño, bode for the summer?

An enormous marine heatwave off the US west coast is ringing alarm bells among ocean and atmospheric scientists as new data shows its ecological and environmental effects are intensifying.

The unusual area of warm water has persisted since peaking in size during September 2025 and still stretches thousands of miles from the California coastline – more than halfway across the Pacific – affecting a vast triangle-shaped region of oceanic habitats from Hawaii to British Columbia and southward to Mexico.

Tilting at windmills is an English language idiom that means “attacking imaginary enemies.” It’s a famous line from the book Don Quixote. I recently caught up with Tom Sjolund of Volvo EX30 fame. You can read about his EV adventures here. He has more travelling adventures planned for his Volvo, ... [continued]

The post Tilting at Windmills appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Increasing coastal erosion has hit communities’ livelihoods and put lifestyles under threat

The remains of the road linking two towns in south Devon lie crumbled on the foreshore in a mess of tarmac, steel and concrete.

The dramatic coastal road, known as the Slapton Line, has an environmentally protected freshwater lake on one side and the sea on the other, and links the towns of Kingsbridge and Dartmouth. But this year, winter storms demolished a section of the A road between Torcross and Slapton, which is at the frontline of rising sea levels and coastal erosion, fulfilling a destiny that was predicted more than 30 years ago, but that has not been prepared for.

In the country’s north, mining has ravaged Indigenous lands and lives for decades. Is history repeating itself as renewable energy schemes arrive on their doorstep?

In the heart of the dry tropical forest, Maria Elena Aguilar Uriana walks past towering cacti, her ancestors’ graves, and patterned clothes blowing in the wind. Her brow is furrowed, her hands fixed on her hips. She points to a former watering hole, now nothing but dust.

“Our children are malnourished and dying,” she says. “It’s all because of the mining. It has destroyed our landscape, our homes, our lives.”

Coalition raises concerns as development proceeds without protections for workers or residents GONZALES, LA — Representatives from the Good Neighbors Louisiana coalition dropped in on Hyundai’s offices in Gonzales to present the company with a list of demands regarding its proposed $5.8 billion steel mill in Donaldsonville, as well as comments filed with ... [continued]

The post Hyundai Issued with Demands on Louisiana Steel Mill by Delegation of Labor, Civil Rights, Environmental Health Leaders appeared first on CleanTechnica.