To get serious on the circular economy, upend how global business worksProducing a laptop computer that weighs a few kilograms takes around one tonne of raw metal, plastic and silicon. Between 2000 and 2015, global clothing production doubled, but the number of times the average garment was worn before being discarded… Dec 07 22December 07, 2022Article at Nature
How fast fashion can cut its staggering environmental impactClothes were once used until they fell apart — repaired and patched to be re-used, ending their lives as dishcloths and oil rags. Not today. In high-income countries in particular, clothing, footwear and upholstered furniture are increasingly… Sep 16 22September 16, 2022Article at Nature
Employers can make remote working a success by listening to researchVirtual working is here to stay. Research can guide employers to enhance creativity online. Early in 2020, workers around the world were plunged into a new reality of remote working. In doing so, they also participated in a series of unexpected… Apr 27 22April 27, 2022Article at Nature
Chemistry education must change to help the planet: here’s howThe subject has a history in heavy industry and fossil fuels, but teachers should focus on sustainability and climate science. Generations of chemists have taken what nature has to offer and converted it into hugely beneficial products — from drugs… Apr 27 22April 27, 2022Article at Nature
Landmark treaty on plastic pollution must put scientific evidence front and centreUnited Nations resolution on greening plastics is a positive step. As negotiations begin, they must be evidence-based. On 2 March, world leaders and environment ministers agreed to start negotiations on the world’s first legally binding international… Mar 08 22March 08, 2022Article at Nature
Gender balance at Nature Conferences: an updateNature has made progress in improving the representation and participation of women at scientific conferences — but there is still much more to do. At the end of 2019, Nature pledged to work harder to help to address the entrenched gender inequity at… Dec 14 21December 14, 2021Article at Nature
Glass is the hidden gem in a carbon-neutral futureRecycling glass does not degrade it, and manufacturing it can be carbon-free. So why are many countries still burying glass in the ground? Glass can be recycled infinitely without losing any of its properties. Why, then, are most countries — with the… Nov 03 21November 03, 2021Article at Nature
Concrete needs to lose its colossal carbon footprintWet concrete has been poured into buildings, roads, bridges and more for centuries. Structures using concrete have survived wars and natural disasters, outlasting many of the civilizations that built them1. Alongside its strength and resilience,… Sep 28 21September 28, 2021Article at Nature
It’s time to expand the definition of ‘women’s health’ - excerpt about sport written by me More than one-eighth of the world’s population has a condition that can cause pain, heavy bleeding and reduced fertility, all potential consequences of benign tumours called uterine leiomyomas, or fibroids. Fibroids can be debilitating, and are a… Aug 04 21August 04, 2021Article at Nature
Lithium-ion batteries need to be greener and more ethicalA low-carbon future rests on an essential, yet also problematic, technology. Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries — already widely used in laptops and smartphones — will be the beating heart of electric vehicles and much else. They are also needed to… Jun 29 21June 29, 2021Article at Nature
Net-zero carbon pledges must be meaningful to avert climate disasterThe administration of US President Joe Biden has pledged 2050 as its deadline for net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions. Earlier, China declared 2060 for its own net-zero date. A debate is under way in India, too, as in much of the rest of the world. In… Mar 31 21March 31, 2021Article at Nature
Chemistry can help make plastics sustainable — but it isn’t the whole solutionSince Bakelite was revealed in 1907 as the first synthetic plastic — it was used as an electrical insulator — this lightweight, strong and mouldable class of materials has helped to make the modern world. Plastics are a staple ingredient in product… Feb 17 21February 17, 2021Article at Nature
