Posts on Solutions

It's time for some good news! Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) is a new way for electric cars to not just charge from the grid, but also send electricity back when it’s needed. It’s like using your car’s battery as a giant shared battery that helps keep power flowing in your town. Electricity goes both ways — into the car and back out …

By Holly Shaftel, contributing writer When I became a vegan, I started searching for an ingredient that would give my morning protein shakes the essential amino acids (vital building blocks for your body) I needed to live. The typical pea protein powders out there were highly processed and, in my mind, gross. Then I discovered hemp. I knew it could …

You know me: I’m always trying to understand the latest “big climate solutions” people are talking about. And lately, I keep hearing about carbon capture — a super-fancy idea that sounds like a giant vacuum cleaning up the sky. ExxonMobil loves to tout it as a "real solution" to address climate change. But does it really work? And can it …

What if we could keep all the things we love about plastic — strength, flexibility, convenience — without the pollution? Scientists in China just created a new kind of bioplastic made from bamboo that’s strong, safe, and breaks down naturally in less than two months. That’s right. No more waiting forever for plastic bottles and bags to disappear (they never really …

Imagine you’re walking through a field close to home. Except, here’s the twist: above parts of the crops are solar panels. These solar panels are quietly making clean electricity while lettuce, beans, or even sheep thrive underneath. That’s agrovoltaics — combining farming and solar power on the same land. And guess what? It’s not just theory — there are real …

Taking care of the planet really matters to me, so I’ve been trying to make small changes in my life over time. I first drove hybrid cars, like the Honda Insight and later the Prius Prime, which worked great for everyday driving. A few years ago, I made the jump to a fully electric car—and honestly, I love it! At …

Part One I've been lucky enough to travel to the Peruvian Amazon. Many families there live without electricity, refrigerators, and wash their clothes in nearby rivers. Something as simple as flipping on a light switch or keeping food is a daily struggle. For many Indigenous communities in the Amazon, this is just everyday life. But even with all these challenges, …

A team of researchers at Southwest University in China created a special kind of smart concrete that can make and store electricity. They mixed regular cement with a material called PVA hydrogel, making a new type of concrete that stays strong like regular concrete. Bonus: your walls could power themselves while building a greener future! How Smart Concrete Works Inside …

Part One When I retired from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in early 2024 and moved to California’s Central Coast in 2022, I had big plans for my next chapter—spending more time with my grandkids, and finally taking those classes I’d been dreaming about: geology, astronomy, maybe even jewelry making and flower arranging. But those plans took a turn when I …

Scientists at MIT have recently come up with a cool way to brew clean energy fuel using ingredients like seawater, caffeine, and even aluminum from empty soda cans. This fuel doesn’t release carbon dioxide, which makes it much better for our planet. Here's How It Works: Image: AI generated cup of coffee in a ceramic mug with a soda can …

When I worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California, I thought a lot about water—how precious it is here on Earth. Living in drier area, I wanted to save water at home. My front lawn took a lot of it, so I replaced the grass with fake grass, or "artificial turf". Doing your homework is really important. …

A company in Finland called Polar Night Energy has turned on the world’s largest sand battery in the town of Pornainen. What is a Sand Battery? Imagine a giant thermos filled with about 2,000 tons of crushed soapstone (a type of rock)! The soapstone was basically trash — thrown away from a Finnish fireplace maker. Inside, the sand is heated up to …

The world’s major farming regions—places like the California and the Midwest in the U.S. and parts of Asia and Africa—are heating up. These areas grow the foods we depend on most, like wheat, corn, and rice. But climate change is making it harder for these crops to survive. In fact, scientists say we’re already seeing smaller harvests in some places. …

Can we build better battery storage? In January 2025, a large fire broke out at the Moss Landing battery storage site in California—one of the biggest in the world. Even though the site started running in 2020, it was built before today’s stronger safety rules for large battery systems were in place. What Happened at Moss Landing? The fire started …

Holly Shaftel, contributing author I Said Yes — to Love and the Planet My partner of 10 years recently popped the question, and of course I said “Hell yeah!” Because I care a lot about the environment, he knew I’d want engagement and wedding bands that were made in a way that’s kind to people and the planet. So, he …

I live on the Central Coast of California and am up to my eyeballs in offshore wind. I moved here about three years ago after retiring from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 2024. I thought I was done working—but surprise! I’m busier now than I was when I had a full-time job! Why? We have three offshore wind lease areas …

Electric ferries are here! A new article from CleanTechnica shows a big change in how ferries are being made. Around 70% of new ferries being built around the world now run on electricity instead of gas. This is happening to cut down on pollution and help fight climate change. Why Electric Ferries Are a Big Win Most ferries today use …

Summer’s almost here! If you’re getting ready to pack your bags and head out on vacation, you're probably super excited. But have you ever thought about how your travel choices can affect the planet and the people who live in the places you visit? The good news is, you can still have an awesome trip and be kind to the …

Hope is on the horizon! Amid the challenges, there's good news: people everywhere are stepping up to protect our planet. From coral reef restoration and reforestation projects to massive clean energy expansions and some wildlife making a comeback, change is happening. Some endangered sea turtles are recovering. Countries are phasing out coal. Kids are leading climate marches. Nature is resilient—and …

A New Deal to Clean Up the Seas Have you ever wondered how stuff from across the world ends up at your local store? Giant ships carry nearly everything we buy—clothes, toys, electronics, even food. But there’s a big problem: big ship pollution. Those gigantic ships burn dirty fuel, and that pollutes our air and warms our planet. Now, there’s …