BY: JESSICA BEUKER For more than a century the Gowanus Canal in New York City has been the victim of extreme pollution. It’s notorious for being one of the most polluted waterways in all of the U.S., thanks to sewage…
Innovation
This all-in-one sleeping bag and tent hybrid is about to revolutionize camping forever
BY: TYLER FYFE Whether you are backpacking against the relentless winds of the High Sierras or just heading to a campsite a few hours north for a couples getaway in an overloaded midsize sedan, setting up a tent is the…
How to stop taking bullshit from your period
BY: STEFANIE PHILLIPS I’m sick and tired of being told to have a “happy period” by a company whose marketing director has obviously never had a period before. I’m fed up with forgetting to pack tampons on the first day…
Two university students from BC invented a robot that can plant trees
BY: KAROUN CHAHINIAN Natural fires and urbanization have put our beautiful forests in danger. Re-planting trees can literally be backbreaking work, but two University of Victoria students may have found a futuristic solution. Meet the “TreeRover”, a prototype robot that…
The first driverless public transit to hit open roads is coming to the Netherlands this November
BY: ROB HOFFMAN The Netherlands just introduced the first publicly accessible driverless shuttles to hit the open roads this November. Holding up to six passengers per trip, the WEpod follows in the footsteps of Citymobil2, the Finnish cousin of the…
These giant wood megaphones magnify the subtlety of nature in surround sound
BY: JOHNATHAN MOSS With every footprint I sink deep within the soil, my troubles fade and I feel my senses come back in order. A walk in the woods can be a soothing experience – there is something about the sound…
New telescoping road-trip mobile expands to 3x its size with the push of a button
BY: ROB HOFFMAN French company, Beauer, just came out with a caravan that will solve the age-old travellers’ conundrum of comfort versus mobility. A van is compact and ultra portable, yet it lacks the living space and amenities of something…
America’s new bullet train is about to make LA to Las Vegas an 80-minute commute
BY: ROB HOFFMAN Two of America’s most notorious cities are about to join hands with a new bullet train that could change the face of south-western travel, tourism and economy. XpressWest, a private railroad company, is collaborating with China Railway…
A Dutch architect designed a forest-city with houses that mimic trees for low income families
BY: TYLER FYFE Dutch architect Raimond de Hullu is currently searching for a location to build his latest concept—one that borrows the environmental accountability and forest serenity of Thoreau while forgoing the isolation. Dutch architect Raimond de Hullu has designed…
The Aquaman Crystal may allow us to ditch oxygen tanks and breathe freely underwater
BY: JOHNATHAN MOSS The ability to breath underwater without being weighed down by clumsy oxygen tanks and burdensome equipment has long captured the imaginations of humankind. The idea of roaming carelessly 50 feet below the ocean’s surface, exploring submerged caves and…
With this 3-D printer you can build 10 tiny houses in under 24 hrs for less than $5,000 each
BY: EDITORS A new technology is hoping to give a facelift to the dilapidated living conditions of rural villages in China. See, China has a problem—income in urban areas is three times higher than in rural areas and as time…
These environmentally friendly foldable dome homes are for the all-season camper
BY: SWIKAR OLI Cabins are cozy and tents are fun, but neither can really keep pace with anything in the modern convenience-minded era. I for one don’t need a lack of water or heat to give me the full backcountry…
This school built an urban garden paradise on their roof to inspire a more sustainable future
BY: STEFANIE PHILLIPS Vietnam was once known for its vast agricultural landscape of large rice fields and rich coffee crops, but like many countries, a change in the economy has lit fire to rapid urbanization. As a result they are…
Schools in Bangladesh are being built on boats to keep education active during floods
BY: KASSANDRA DZIKEWICZ As climate change escalates, places like Bangladesh are in serious trouble. With 1,174 people per square kilometre – Bangladesh’s population density is the highest on a global scale. The rising sea levels are causing floods, destroying communities,…
Volkswagen just re-released everyone’s favourite hippy-van…but now it’s electric.
BY: ROB HOFFMAN Rumours have begun to circulate about the re-emergence of the iconic VW hippy-van, a beloved road-trip staple and unparalleled adventure machine. Board member, Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neusser spilled the beans at the recent New York Auto Show that…
The most sustainable homeless shelter in America teaches self-reliance with urban gardening
BY: KASSANDRA DZIKEWICS A homeless shelter in Atlanta holds a large garden on its roof, which is completely grown and maintained by its residents.The concept began in 2009 with the first harvest producing 55 pounds of produce. The garden has…
These amazing tents can collect water, fold up and harvest energy from the sun
BY: CONNOR BRIAN Extreme challenges await for environmental migrants as a direct result of climate change. The United Nations estimates that by 2050 the earth will have to come face to face with 200 million environmental refugees. Families will lose…
This company is capturing greenhouse gas emissions and turning them into building materials
BY: SWIKAR OLI By the time “limestone and other ingredients [are heated] to 2,640 degrees F (1,450 degrees C) by burning fossil fuels” to create one ton of cement, concrete’s main component, another ton of carbon dioxide is released, sometimes more.…
The world’s largest smog sucking vacuum has the potential to rid cities of pollution
BY: STEFANIE PHILLIPS If you’re a city dweller, waking up to smog around the tops of buildings is a normal occurrence, and socially we accept this sight. We might even take it for granted. Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde and his…
This scientist created a device so that you can absorb information with absolutely zero effort
BY: M. TOMOSKI It is one of the most frequently asked childhood questions: “why is the sky blue?” And it sends parents everywhere into a mad scramble to remember their sixth grade science class before finally settling on a Google…