Interesting Ideas

As the climate crisis intensifies the storms lashing south Florida, it is imperative to design spaces that soak up the water. The 19.4-acre Bayshore Park is an example of how to design spaces that protect from and connect residents to nature

The foodservice industry is notoriously difficult to decarbonize, especially when it comes to water heating. From quick-service chains to grocery stores and fine dining, each subsector has its own challenges, from volatile draw profiles (how much water a site uses each day and when) to a lack of airflow or ... [continued]

The post H.O.T.T.O.G.O. — 3 Key Factors Influencing Heat Pump Water Heater Performance in Food Service appeared first on CleanTechnica.

The EPA says it will lower gas prices by raising the percentage of ethanol in gasoline to 15% and waiving clean air regulations.

The post High Gas Prices? No Worries, Just Use More Ethanol appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Exclusive: documents chronicle years-long campaign to make it easier to build intensive livestock units

Ministers are rewriting planning rules to make it easier to build intensive livestock farms despite concerns about water pollution, air quality and local opposition.

Documents obtained by the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act show that proposed changes to the national planning policy framework (NPPF) were discussed by ministers and officials in response to concerns of the country’s leading chicken producers, who have been lobbying on the issue for at least two years.

In the holiday hotspots of the Costa del Sol, the risks are rarely mentioned. But in neighbouring Cádiz, the country’s first tsunami-ready town is leading by example

Even on a wet, wintry day in Málaga, the Mediterranean looks benign. But only 25 miles (40km) south-west of its port, where half a million tourists disembark from cruise ships into the Costa del Sol each year, lies a system of tectonic plates and faults that fracture the seabed between Spain and north Africa.

Earthquakes are routine here. They are mostly too small to notice but sometimes strong enough to rattle glasses in cafes on the seafront. In December, a tremor with a magnitude of 4.9 off the coast of Fuengirola triggered more than 40 calls to Andalucía’s 112 emergency line.

The more than 100 bat species living in the Mozambican reserve’s labyrinth of caves play a key role in maintaining a fragile ecosysytem that benefits wildlife and people

• Words and photographs by Kang-Chun Cheng

After wriggling gingerly into a damp, cool cave, Raúl da Silva Armando Chomela waits for his eyes to adjust. Donning latex gloves, a helmet fitted with a headlamp, and a mask to protect his lungs from fine particles and bacteria, the molecular biologist from the Mozambican port city of Beira gazes into the shadowy recesses for signs of bats.

He has spent two years in these claustrophobic spaces studying the winged mammals and their excrement. “Guano is far more than just bat droppings,” he says. “If I had to describe it in one word, I’d say ‘ecosystem’.”

From balloon arches at parties to mass balloon releases at funerals, these bits of floating rubber and plastic can have disastrous effects on wildlife. As some retailers are refusing to sell them, here are some alternatives

I remember, as a child, hanging on to one specific party balloon for what seemed like years. I don’t remember how or where I acquired it, but it had initially floated high, bobbing against the ceiling, and, over time, lost its buoyancy, coming to rest on the carpet. Yet, when a family friend asked if they should pop the now sad-looking balloon, I assumed they were joking – like when an adult asks, teasingly, if they should eat your last slice of birthday cake – and was distraught when they followed through. I didn’t care that it had become grubby and partly deflated – I’d had that balloon for what felt like for ever.

This, it turns out, is the problem with many balloons. Not that clingy young children might become over-attached to them, but that they are often a single-use plastic – and even biodegradable alternatives such as latex balloons do not decompose quickly, meaning they can pose a significant risk to wildlife and the environment. In 2019, scientists found that balloons eaten by seabirds are more likely to kill them than other kinds of plastic – yet they do not seem to have been earmarked in the same way as, for example, plastic straws. If anything, balloon-based decor has become more popular in recent years, with balloon arches or tunnels deployed not just at birthdays but at events ranging from baby showers to shop openings. Balloon drops are used at New Year’s Eve celebrations and graduation parties, and balloon releases have also endured – particularly at funerals, where the unleashing of helium-filled balloons signifies the letting-go of a loved one.

Nettlecombe, Dorset: Logging is typically a job for a machine, but French Comtois are highly manoeuvrable and have just the right amount of horsepower

A heave and a grunt and a sudden rush as the felled tree trunk starts to move, dragged on a chain behind Etty’s stocky chestnut hindquarters.

Etty is a 12-year-old mare who works with Toby Hoad of Dorset Horse Logging. Their partnership requires mutual understanding and constant communication, as he explains: “You’ve really got to build up a relationship; you’ve got to build up trust. I can drop the reins, and she will pull out the log for me if it’s in a tight spot.”

Lawsuit claims Trump’s use of ‘Extinction Committee’ violates law in numerous ways. Washington D.C. — Gulf and environmental groups sued the Trump Administration today over its decision to strip Endangered Species Act protection from imperiled species threatened by oil-and-gas offshore drilling activities in the Gulf of Mexico. The unprecedented blanket-exemption would leave numerous Gulf species and ... [continued]

The post Advocacy Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Decision to Exempt All Oil & Gas Activities in Gulf from Endangered Species Act appeared first on CleanTechnica.

IONIQ 6 N named 2026 World Performance Car, marking the second time in three years that Hyundai’s N brand has secured the award after IONIQ 5 N in 2024 This marks the fifth consecutive year Hyundai Motor has been honored at the World Car Awards Hyundai Motor Company has achieved ... [continued]

The post Hyundai IONIQ 6 N Crowned 2026 World Performance Car appeared first on CleanTechnica.

ASCENSION PARISH, LA — A coalition of labor unions, community and climate groups have written to the Hyundai CEO asking the company to ensure its proposed $5.8 billion steel mill in Donaldsonville meets strong health and environmental standards, while providing quality jobs. The letter follows a meeting in the Lemann ... [continued]

The post Labor Unions, Community, and Climate Groups Demand Hyundai Answers on Louisiana Steel Mill appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Waste of 700 Boomtown festival attendees used to produce 540 litres of fertiliser for native tree project

Scientists are aiming to grow 4,500 trees at a national park with the help of fertiliser made from festivalgoers’ urine.

The fertiliser was created by the Bristol-based startup NPK Recovery, which connected its unit to a block of toilets used by 700 revellers at Boomtown festival in Hampshire in July last year.

Rivian ended up delivering 10,365 vehicles to customers in the first quarter of 2026. That was around 700 units above Wall Street estimates (9,678 according to Visible Alpha). Still, naturally, 10,365 vehicle sales in one quarter is very niche. For comparison, in a very down month for Tesla, one of ... [continued]

The post Rivian Beats Wall Street Sales Expectations, But Still Niche appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Exclusive: Guardian investigation into reliability of methane certification issued by MiQ reveals weakness of voluntary model

A rapidly expanding certification scheme run by a UK nonprofit and used by major gas companies may be understating the actual methane emissions it purports to certify, a Guardian investigation has found.

BP, ExxonMobil and EQT are among the producers that have turned to London-based MiQ to demonstrate that their US-produced natural gas complies with the European Union Methane Regulation, or EUMR, which aims to curb energy-related emissions.

Jess Staufenberg contributed additional reporting to this piece. The investigation was supported by Journalismfund Europe and Gas Outlook.

Oil crisis triggered by blockade of strait of Hormuz prompts emergency measures to protect supply and halt rising prices

Shrinking fuel stocks and soaring prices are leading countries around the world to burn coal, ration fuel, shorten work weeks and tell citizens to stay at home.

Fossil fuel supplies have reduced since the war against Iran led to the closure of the strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for oil and seaborne gas. The shortfall has prompted emergency measures as government’s attempt to halt rising costs that have thrown economies into chaos.

Kia America is confident that its forthcoming compact 2027 Kia EV3 crossover will revive flagging EV sales, regardless of the loss of the federal tax credit.

The post Kia Determined To Juice EV Sales In The US With New EV3, Trump Or No Trump appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Yet again, BYD didn’t have a great month last month when it comes to passenger vehicle sales. Perhaps that’s because consumers were waiting for the latest and greatest BYD products and thus held off on buying new vehicles for another month or so. Or perhaps it’s just not a good ... [continued]

The post BYD Electric Buses Rose 71% in March appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Britain’s swift population fell by two-thirds between 1995 and 2023. Make their lives a little easier with a bit more food and more places to nest

Swifts are wheeling, screaming endurance athletes. They don’t touch the earth for nine months of the year and fly about 14,000 miles annually – travelling from sub-Saharan Africa to nest in the UK, then back again. In Britain, they’re the sign that summer is coming or taking its leave. In between, they provide a heart-soaring display of beauty. No wonder they’re beloved.

“Swifts spark joy,” says Hannah Bourne-Taylor, a passionate swift advocate and author of Nature Needs You: The Fight to Save Our Swifts.

If the US federal government had leaders with a vision of an achievable, healthy net-zero future, $200 billion would never be dedicated for the Iran War efforts. Yet the idiocy of the Iran War makes our minds wander and envision a robust US energy and climate package in its place. ... [continued]

The post What If The US Redirected The Money From The Iran War To Clean Energy? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Continuing its 2026 trend, BYD had another down month in terms of year-over-year vehicle sales. Only one segment of its vehicle sales saw growth (and it was significant growth). To start with, let’s jump into the passenger vehicle sales. Note that for each chart or graph, I’m including a static ... [continued]

The post BYD Sales Down 20.4% in March appeared first on CleanTechnica.