Good news, fashionistas: Europe just decided that throwing away perfectly good, unsold clothes is so last season. Literally. The European Union has dropped a new rule that's essentially a fashion intervention: no more incinerating or landfilling those racks of last year's trends. Now, companies have to find a way to reuse or recycle them.
Because apparently, we've collectively decided that tossing 4 to 9 percent of all unsold textiles straight into the trash heap each year (in the EU alone, mind you) is, well, a bit much. Globally, we're talking about 92 million metric tons of textiles ending up in landfills. So, while some brands are already busy making fully compostable couture (because that's where we are now), everyone else just got a swift kick into rethinking their entire supply chain. About time, too.
Unexpected Ways to Stay Cool
Speaking of rethinking things, as the planet continues its quest to become a giant sauna, people are getting creative with staying cool. The New York Times recently dropped a rather counter-intuitive scientific gem: dark robes, it turns out, can actually be quite cooling. Take that, conventional wisdom.
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Start Your News DetoxOther methods include vetiver grass screens, which sound like something out of a particularly chic eco-resort, but are actually just incredibly effective. Who knew?
More Things to Make You Smile (and Think)
- Philly's Free Rides: Philadelphia's Zero Fare Transit Program got extended, and now everyone's pushing for even more. Because who doesn't love a free ride?
- Battery Power-Up: Four smarty-pants from Simon Fraser University are figuring out how old EV batteries could totally rewire the electricity market. Waste not, want not, right?
- Solar Tracks: Switzerland's solar railway is chugging along successfully, making us wonder if every train track should double as a power plant.
- Fishy Business: Dam removals in Maine have led to a frankly astonishing comeback of alewives. It seems giving nature a little space goes a long way.
The Sound of Healing
And finally, because the universe is full of surprises, it turns out sound waves might just be the next big thing in medicine. MIT researchers discovered that 40 Hz sound waves can clear out 50 percent of the brain plaque linked to Alzheimer's disease. So, maybe just listening to some specific frequencies could literally help heal your brain. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying. Pass the headphones.
