🌳 Chainsaw amnesty protects rainforest in Borneo by exchanging chainsaws for healthcare
279 loggers have turned in their chainsaws since 2017. The program has reduced deforestation by 70 percent over 10 years. The initiative combines environmental protection with improved access to healthcare for local communities.
🚢 Plastic in the Pacific Ocean can be cleaned up in ten years, according to Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup foundation has shown that all plastic in the Pacific Ocean can be removed within 10 years for $7.5 billion. The organization has already removed over 450 metric tons of trash from the central parts of the Pacific Ocean over the past three years.
👩🚀 New record: 19 people orbited Earth simultaneously
Three people were launched towards the International Space Station on September 11. This raised the number of people in Earth's orbit to a record-high 19. The previous record was 17 people, set last year.
🐢 Sea turtles in Brazil become healthier as water quality improves
Sea turtles in Guanabara Bay show better health after cleaning efforts. A tumor disease in turtles has decreased since 2023. Investments of over 300 million dollars have been made to clean the water in the area.
👩🚀 First private spacewalk conducted by SpaceX
SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission performed the first ever commercial spacewalk. The crew reached an altitude of nearly 1400 km, higher than any other manned spaceflight since the Apollo program. The mission tested new SpaceX equipment and conducted 36 scientific experiments.
🚀 New company aims for groundbreaking asteroid mining
AstroForge has secured $40 million in funding for asteroid mining. The company plans two missions: Odin to pass by an asteroid and Vestri to land on one. AstroForge aims to be the first to commercially explore metal-rich asteroids.
🔋 Solar energy and battery storage set to double in the US this year
The US is expected to install twice as much solar energy and battery storage as last year. Growth for solar energy and battery storage is accelerating despite increased adoption. A total of 38 GW new solar energy capacity and 14.7 GW battery storage capacity is expected to be added during 2024.
🦾 AI avatars protect journalists in Venezuela
AI-created news anchors are used to protect journalists in Venezuela. The initiative involves approximately 20 Venezuelan news media and 100 journalists. The digital presenters report on government actions against opposition and media.
⛅ Solar energy cost reduction continues despite temporary obstacles
The cost of solar panels has decreased by about 12 percent per year for several decades. Despite short-term cost increases, the long-term trend points towards continued cost reduction. A potential 8-fold reduction in the total cost of solar energy.