Eco-Vlog

Many people have bought at least an item or two from Amazon, and some Prime members have regular deliveries from this online retailer. But the carbon emissions from all of those deliveries really add up, and it has become a big problem for the planet. As part of its sustainability pledges, Amazon has unveiled an all-electric delivery vehicle to reduce carbon emissions. The company’s plan is to have 10,000 of these electric delivery vans on the road by 2022. By 2030, Amazon plans to expand its fleet to 100,000 electric delivery vehicles. The company has committed to the Climate Pledge to reach net-zero carbon by 2040. This first electric vehicle is a start. “We wanted drivers to love using it and customers to feel excited when they saw it driving through their neighborhood and pulling up to their home,” said Ross Rachey, director of Amazon Global Fleet and Products. Related: Critics question Amazon’s sustainability amidst Bezos’ Earth Fund launch The custom vehicle has many featu...

A new study, published in the journal Lighting Research & Technology , has revealed that much of light pollution, which negatively impacts human health and animal migrations and wastes energy, is not coming from streetlights. Researchers conducted an experiment in Tucson, Arizona, where all 14,000 streetlights in the city were dimmed at 1:30 a.m. for 10 days. Satellite images recorded during this period revealed that even with the lights dimmed, there was still sufficient light polluting the natural look of the sky. “We used a satellite to measure what fraction of the total light emissions are due to the streetlights,” said Christopher Kyba, physicist at the German Research Centre for Geoscience in Postdam. “And late at night, when people are sleeping — that is exactly when we can save a lot of energy.” Related: Switching to outdoor LEDs has made light pollution worse — without saving energy The study indicates that much of the light and energy used at night to illuminate stree...

Environmentalists usually promote reuse . But sometimes reusing does more harm than good. Such is the case with many of the used vehicles exported to poorer countries, according to a new report released by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). According to the report, between 2015 and 2018, 14 million secondhand light-duty vehicles were exported around the world. Light duty vehicles include sedans, SUVs and minibuses. Many of these came from the U.S., Japan and Europe, and 80% wound up in low- and middle-income countries. Africa received the majority of these used vehicles. Related: No new gas-powered cars by 2035, California governor says Unfortunately, many of these cars are poorly made or in bad shape. As they spew emissions from Addis Ababa to Dhaka, they make it even harder for economically stressed countries to mitigate climate change effects. The answer? More regulations about exactly which cars are worthy of staying on the road, and which should drive (or be...

Air pollution has become a major problem in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, that was ranked the seventh capital city with the highest average annual PM 2.5 concentration by the 2019 World Air Report. In a bid to improve air quality while encouraging healthier lifestyles, local architecture firm ODDO Architects has embarked on an ambitious project to transform the tail end of the city’s Banana Island into a 26-hectare subtropical alluvial forest with recreational activities. Dubbed the Green Lungs of Hanoi, the proposed design is based on a 15-year plan for developing a lush canopy with mature trees measuring 8 to 15 meters tall. Located close to the city center, Banana Island is a 7-kilometer-long island that is largely undeveloped and unoccupied. According to the architects’ site study, the island suffers from inefficient land use, lack of management and illegal land usage that’s tied to poor living conditions for families who live there without access to clean water or electri...

Think of yourself as a cup. Each day, you wake up full. But as you go about your day—getting tasks done and interacting with people—the amount in your cup gradually gets lower. And as such, you get less and less effective at whatever it is you’re supposed to be doing. You’re running out of steam. The solution is obvious: if you don’t have anything left to pour out, then you need to find a way to fill yourself up again. In work terms, that means you should take a break—an essential form of revitalizing your motivation and focus. Taking a break may get a bad rap in hustle culture, but it’s an essential, science-based way to ensure you have the capacity to live your life the way you want to live it. In the 1980s, when scientists began researching burnout, they described this inner capacity as “resources.” We all need to replenish our resources to cope with stress, work effectively, and avoid burnout.((PC Magazine: How to Take Better Breaks to Boost Your Productivity )) When the goal is to...

October brings falling leaves, pumpkin spice and that devilish holiday that inspires all of us to turn our cozy abode into a haunted house. In addition to creepy treats, ghostly images and spooky decor, living plants are the perfect Halloween accent to celebrate both the holiday and the planet. Our friends at  Plants.com  conjured up some witchy good examples of indoor plants that will live long after the season has passed, all with no plastic, no waste, and a literal breath of fresh air.  Devil’s Ivy Any good Halloween event includes a touch of evil, making Devil’s Ivy the perfect match for the holiday. This plant earned its King of Hell status for its ability to live through any type of treatment, including lack of light and inconsistent watering . Even in less than ideal growing conditions, Devil’s Ivy stays green year-round, with the leaves forming a zigzag spine that will be the talk of the party. Related: Simple, sustainable DIY Halloween decor Polly (Alocasi...

I love my sleep. I always make sure to get at least eight hours each night. I'll even leave parties early so I can get to bed at my usual time Yet, there are still mornings when I wake up feeling exhausted, even after a great night's sleep. Whenever that happens, I run through a mental checklist, grasping at straws to explain to myself why I feel so groggy: why do I feel exhausted? Did I drink too much last night? Did I stay up past my usual bedtime? Did I hit snooze on my alarm twelve times? Eight hours of sleep a night shouldn't result in chronic exhaustion, right? Regardless of how much quality sleep you're getting, you can still feel mentally exhausted, burnt out, run-down, worn through—whatever you want to call it. Most of the time, you're so exhausted you don't even have the time or the sense to see it clearly. The answer is right in front of your face, but you haven't had a chance to step back and analyze your situation. Maybe you hate your job, or yo...

There are numerous ways to build your mindset, but none are as profound as reading philosophy books. Through these books, some of the greatest minds around ask questions and delve deep into thought. While there isn’t always a clear and distinct answer to the many questions of philosophy, the entire field is a gateway to a higher sense of self. It gets you to think about all manner of things. Below, we cover some of the essential philosophy books that are best for those who are just starting or looking to expand their mind. How To Choose a Good Philosophy Book Before getting to this list, we’ve researched ideal philosophy books to help you expand your mind. We’ve found that the best philosophy books excel in the following criteria: Complexity - Philosophy isn’t a subject that you can’t dive into immediately and understand everything. The books that we selected are great for people making the first leap. Viewpoint - With philosophy, in particular, the author's views are more imp...

TRIGGER WARNING: This post mentions sexual abuse and may be triggering to some people. “Along the way I stopped into a coffee shop. All around me normal, everyday city types were going about their normal, everyday affairs…In spite of which—or, rather, all the more because— here I was, sitting in this coffee shop, drinking my coffee, feeling a desperate loneliness. I alone was the outsider. I had no place here… Here I had no ties to anyone. Fact is, I’d come to reclaim myself .” ~ Haruki Murakami “You don’t have any goals.” “I wondered why someone your age and with your qualifications hasn’t done more.” Easy statements to make for those who have not led my life. Twelve years of childhood sexual abuse, being silenced, struggling to stop it, people I trusted denying it had happened. Thirty-three long years of battling depression, failing, and constantly taking the easy way out by giving up on myself, my dreams, and my life. And yet I kept on moving on, pushing through the bouts of d...

U.K.-based Briiv has claimed to have created the world’s most sustainable air purifier . The design features a natural, compostable air filter made from the micro-structures of renewable materials , giving it the purifying power of 3,043 medium-sized houseplants. The air purifier requires almost no maintenance, so busy or traveling owners don’t have to worry about watering or trimming like regular houseplants. Everyday, tiny particles and harmful gases are released into our homes through things like cooking, lighting fireplaces, using cleaning products and playing with pets. These pollutants are linked to increased risk of respiratory conditions, poor cognitive function and sleep disruption. Briiv uses the power of plants to filter harmful pollutants out naturally without the use of plastic filters. Related: Sead Pod offers grassroots solution to air pollution and global warming The innovative, four-layered filter is made using a combination of sustainably sourced dried moss, na...

Based on the final presidential debate and the conversations that have been going in the media, this year’s presidential elections will be largely influenced by climate change . While the presidential candidates alone may not give you a clear picture of where the nation stands on clean energy and climate change, keeping your eyes on local ballot measures will. From Alaska’s oil tax to Denver’s climate tax, these measures will show us what the American people think about climate change. Unfortunately, the measures representing climate issues have fallen short this year, owing to the strain caused by the pandemic. For example, in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo pulled a $3 billion emissions bond off the ballot, saying that it is not the right time. “The financial situation is unstable. I don’t think it would be financially prudent to do it at this time.” Cuomo told reporters. Related: Biden vs Trump on environmental issues and climate change Even though some critical measures have b...

During the pandemic, it seems like Amazon has come to dominate our world, especially during lockdowns when few vehicles save Amazon delivery vans traveled the roads. Many people have been relying on the website throughout the pandemic. But now, the e-commerce giant is trying to save the Earth by promoting eco-friendly shopping on its new platform. The new platform made its U.S. debut in September. This week, shoppers in the U.K., Germany, France, Spain and Italy will be able to browse more than 40,000 items certified by the Carbon Trust, Fairtrade International and other environmental certifying organizations. From bamboo toothbrushes to plant-based garbage bags, Amazon will display these products in a dedicated section of its website. Many small businesses across Europe are participating, including U.K. brands Kite Clothing, which sews sustainable kids’ clothes, and Faith in Nature, makers of shampoo bars. Related: The pros and cons of online versus in-store shopping According to ...

A “zero garbage” approach, recycled wood construction and low-impact energy systems combine at the Huemules Reserva de Montaña , a three-star geodesic dome hotel nestled inside a Patagonian nature reserve in Esquel, Argentina. Created with sustainability in mind, the eco-resort was built on a remote, 6,000-hectare site owned by the Estancia Huemules group. After converting the land into a mountain reserve, the family-owned company oversaw the development of low-impact geodesic dome suites constructed by local craftspeople with natural materials. Previously used as cattle pasture for over 100 years, the 6,000-hectare mountain reserve that is now home to Huemules Reserva de Montaña is celebrated for its magnificent canyons, valleys and prairies. In redeveloping the land for hospitality, the Estancia Huemules group chose geodesic domes for lodging due to the structures’ durability and resistance to the climatic extremes in Patagonia. The geodesic domes were also selected for their low...