Splash into summer with easy, sustainable tips and tricks

When summer comes around, all bets are off, especially with kids. Routines are constantly changing with camps, vacations and spontaneous beach days. This often means inefficient, sometimes wasteful moments take their place. Here are a few ways you can create a more sustainable summer.

Clothes

A new season means new clothes, especially for your growing kids, but even adults often want a new summer look. Because we buy 60% more clothes on average today than we did 15 years ago, the fast fashion industry is allowed to boom. This summer, why not fill your closet with slow fashion?

Related: Swim the summer away with sustainable MOMMA swimwear

BuyNothing is an app that connects neighbors and encourages residents to get rid of the stuff they do not need or want and give it to a new home. This means perfectly good toys or a summer dress with a small stain can avoid the landfill and be welcomed into a new home. This a great way to look for new-to-you clothes, especially for kids who outgrow wardrobes every season.

Thrifting is another option when avoiding fast fashion. Whether it is Goodwill, Crossroads Trading or vintage fashion, you can often find a staple piece of clothing that will change how you feel about your wardrobe without breaking the bank.

Sometimes, we do not want to buy used clothes, especially when it comes to swimsuits. With a larger budget, you can buy swimsuits from sustainable brands that use recycled materials, will repair any damage, and are Fair Trade Certified. If these are too expensive, use tips such as rinsing your swimsuit in cool, fresh water immediately after removal and always air dry to make your swimsuit last longer.

Entertainment

Screens can take over without school, and plastic cups reign with guests and outdoor eating, but there are so many activities that get the whole family outdoors without waste and some even without spending any money.

Getting outdoors can be the biggest draw of the summer. Whether you are camping, going on an urban hike, going to the beach or heading to the park, remember to leave it better than you found it. Do not leave your trash behind and pick up the trash others left. You can even host a trash pickup day in your neighborhood. Even if you are just sitting in your backyard or planting a small garden, getting outside reminds us why we need to save the planet.

When it comes to vacations, transportation can seem like it has destroyed all hope of sustainability before you even leave your house, but there are ways to offset your travel and still enjoy your vacation. When planning your trip, research sustainable hotels, nearby hikes and ways to avoid using your car once you reach your destination. If you are renting a car, try a hybrid. If you are staying closer to home, use the freeways when you can because cars are far more fuel efficient at consistent speeds. Choose to camp and hike. Choose to bike, walk or use public transportation around the city you are visiting. And, finally, you probably do not need that t-shirt, but seek a local market to find jams, wines and soaps to support the local economy and take home a souvenir you will actually use.

Furthermore, visit your local farmer’s market to get fresh fruits and vegetables. This keeps your family moving while everyone participates in the grocery shopping. Pick up some lemons and go home to have a lemonade-making party (add a little booze for the adults). Encourage your kids to use old boxes and scrap paper to make a lemonade stand, even if they are just “selling” it to you.

Try a meatless or less meat barbeque and encourage your friends and family to try impossible meat, veggie burgers and mushroom sliders. We may not buy these options for ourselves unless we try them, and offering them to people we love is a great way to introduce new foods. And do not forget, a gas grill produces about a third of the carbon footprint as its charcoal counterpart.

If the weather does not let you go outside as much as you want, find an indoor activity that repurposes your recycling and trash. Make a lemonade stand for the next lemonade day. Dye old clothes with avocado pits, beets, onion peels and more. Summer is the best time for a little cleaning, so if you have something you want to get rid of, why not let the kids (or you) paint it for a fun project?

Sunscreen and bug repellents

Sometimes when you are in the backcountry, you feel like you really do need some DEET, but in your own backyard, there are a few options that do not hurt the flora and fauna.

Planting a mosquito-repelling garden or even just a few planters around your doors and patio furniture can help deter the pesky bugs. Basil, lemongrass, mint, marigolds, citronella, eucalyptus, bay, lavender and chrysanthemum are all known to keep bugs away. As for natural topical solutions, some work and some do not, but most are better than having nothing on at all. Murphy’s Naturals has several products from candles to balms that are highly rated, and Aunt Fannie’s has insect repellents, including mosquito wipes and ant sprays, for all your summer pests.

Sunscreen is yet another product that we must worry about running into our oceans and lakes, yet it is crucial to our protection. In 2021, Hawaii banned non-reef-safe sunscreens, which in effect banned oxybenzone and octinoxate, chemicals known to harm coral reefs and other marine life. These are the top ingredients to avoid when looking for more sustainable sunscreen, but kid-friendly, allergy sensitive and non-greasy are also factors when purchasing sunscreen. This list of sunscreens will help you decide which brands are right for you. If all else fails, check your local refill store and even the aisles at Target for All Good and Raw Elements sunscreen.

Most summers are filled with exciting new adventures, a few good drinks and some well-deserved relaxation. Those experiences do not have to mean taking a break from your eco-friendly lifestyle, and you may even teach your friends and family a few new tricks to make their lives more sustainable too.

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3D-printed recycled waste can be turned into insulated walls

Digital Building Technologies (DBT) is a team at ETH Zürich that researches additive manufacturing and computational design within the architectural realm. Through the use of various digital fabrication tools, they aim to challenge traditional methods of construction and instead adopt more efficient and sustainable strategies. Their newest innovation is the use of 3D-printed foam from recycled waste for lightweight insulated walls.

The new project is called Airlements and seeks to create customized building components without the use of molds through large-scale additive manufacturing technology. In doing so, it cuts down the costs, labor and material resources that are typically required for these bespoke parts. In fact, the corrugated textures created by the 3D printer increases the strength of the building components once they are dry.

Related: How using 3D-printed foam can cut down concrete waste

The project uses one material that is controlled to adopt various properties. This is a cement-free mineral foam by FenX. It has a lower carbon footprint than typical concrete or plastic foams. Additionally, the material can be manipulated to increase density and porosity. This increases insulation and structural strength where required, without additional resources such as energy for heating or multiple materials. Furthermore, since only one material is used, the 3D-printed components can later be reused or recycled down the line.

Airlements consists of a two-meters high assembly of four 3D-printed foam components. Each of the parts weighs roughly 25 kilograms, allowing the wall to be assembled by one person.

Each of the four building components took less than an hour to print and was left to harden in the fabrication lab for one week. The environment was controlled so that temperatures ranged between 68 to 82.4 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 28 degrees Celsius). Meanwhile, the relative humidity was between 20% to 70% at any given time. Using this method, no energy-intensive processing was required. This is a new development compared to previous experimentation with cement-free mineral foams.

If need be, the hollow core can be filled with mineral foam to create a monolithic system. This would allow for the addition of reinforcing materials or infrastructural installations to increase the possible applications of the structure. For future iterations, the team at DBT aims to focus on increasing Airlements’ load-bearing capacity and improving the fabrication precision of their additive manufacturing technology.

+ Digital Building Technologies, ETH Zürich

Images via Patrick Bedarf and Hyuk Sung Kwon

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Mushrooms are being used in all sorts of weird ways

Mushrooms can be eaten in a variety of ways for a variety of reasons, but that is not all they are good for. Mushrooms can be used as fertilizer, building material and even to help break down plastic. They are often a more sustainable option for problems because it does not take much effort to grow fungi.

From start to finish, mushrooms also do not produce much waste. Fungi can and do grow successfully in compost. Farmers can grow millions of mushrooms on a few acres of land, meaning they produce a high yield with minimal land and by using only composted waste. A pound of mushrooms only requires 1.8 gallons of water to grow and uses one kilowatt hour of energy, a fraction of what other produce requires. Once harvested, the soil they grow in can be recycled into other products, including potting soil completing a low-waste and long-term sustainable cycle.

Related: Check out the hot trends in sustainability for 2023

No good thing is perfect, but here are five cool uses for mushrooms

1. Mushroom fertilizer and decomposer

As fungi, mushrooms feed on organic matter. In other words, it is in their nature to decompose organic materials, making them an interesting solution to the world’s plastic problem. In 2011, Yale students discovered that some mushrooms can grow on some plastics without oxygen or light and break the plastic down in a few months. Because of their decomposing properties, mushrooms are also natural fertilizers, and some scientists have used this to their advantage. Instead of manufacturing synthetic fertilizers that help plants grow but kill helpful fungi and bacteria, they are using mushrooms as the fertilizer to promote continued growth as food production demands increase.

2. Mushroom coffee and protein

Coffee and protein powder are edible, but they are not typical foods that you would think (or hope, if you are not fungi’s biggest fan) include mushrooms. However, mushroom coffee and protein are taking over the health food scene. Mushroom coffee faces off against climate change, where coffee is one of the more threatened crops, but it also provides a low-caffeine alternative to a morning drink. These low or non-caffeinated coffee alternatives combat caffeine addictions while touting reduced stress and inflammation. These same benefits exist in superfood protein powders and impossible meat-style mushroom alternatives, including mycelium-based bacon.

3. Mushroom packing and building materials

With a growing population and online shopping, both buildings and packing materials will always be needed, but they do not have to be bad for the planet. In the Netherlands, hemp and mycelium roots have replaced CO2-sucking concrete in a building, called the Growing Pavilion, which cleans the air as the mushrooms grow. It also happens to be fire retardant and insulating.

The Growing Pavilion uses this biotechnology to show the world that these steps towards environmentally-friendly practices are possible. Shipping products around the world in our global economy also requires the kind of rigid materials a building does, and that is why some companies are using mushroom-based packaging. As a Styrofoam alternative, this new packing material will not take hundreds of years to decompose, but it protects goods in their rough and tumble shipping journey.

4. Mushroom skincare

Many of the reasons you eat mushrooms are the same ones explaining why more and more skincare products include fungi as an ingredient: anti-inflammatory, reduced stress and hormone balancing. Research and studies have been designed over the years to discover which of the thousands of mushrooms in the world are good for our skin and how to formulate skincare with mushrooms for the best-desired results. Depending on the type of mushroom used, products include face masks, cleansing bars, sunscreen and moisturizers.

5. Mushroom leather

Turns out mycelium has a lot of uses, and aesthetic fashion is one of them. The environmental impact of cows is large and the ethics of animal leather has been under scrutiny for decades, but it looks like the fashion world can have its cake and eat it too. Mushroom leather joined a booming industry of synthetic leather goods expected to continue growing without any animal products or plastic.

MycoWorks patented much of the technology that introduced mushroom leather to the world, but other companies are competing in the industry too. Designers such as Stella McCartney and brands like Adidas are using this technology to reduce the environmental impact of fashion.

Whether you are just happy that farmer’s market season is back so you can make mushroom risotto or you want to try something new, mushrooms can be the quiet solution to a few of our problems on this changing planet.

Images via Pexels

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Google STEM lab creates opportunities for underprivileged youth

Located in the heart of Oakland, California, Code Next is an after-school STEM lab for teens. Designed by architect Danish Kurani, the space features the adaptive reuse of an abandoned retail storefront. The project was formed in partnership with Google and seeks to empower underprivileged high school students to explore and innovate within the STEM realm. This is achieved by offering after-school and summer classes while serving as a hub where teens can relax, grab a snack and hang out with friends.

The first Code Next lab in Oakland served over 2500 between the years 2016 to 2022. In fact, demand at the first facility was so high, that Google and Kurani partnered to create a new, more expansive facility in the same complex. This new space accommodates for the program’s increased growth in the last few years.

Related: A preschool that boosts learning through play in nature

The project’s location also opens up opportunities for Hispanic, Black and Native American students. The lab is situated next to the Oakland Public Library and is a one-minute walk from the closest BART metro station. Additionally, the space serves as a model for supporting underprivileged teens to thrive in STEM fields. The lab provides students with the resources and freedom to explore their interests. This consequently encourages the students and ignites in them a passion for STEM, which in turn empowers them for their futures.

The Facility

The STEM lab features a coding room, design studio and makerspace. Within these spaces, students have access to various tools, such as 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines and robots, giving them the opportunity to be creative and explore fields that capture their interest. 

Code Next’s spatial design is also curated to engage students and spark curiosity. It creates a relaxed environment that does not feel intimidating or overwhelming. Additionally, the space features nooks and hangout spaces which encourage downtime and harness a sense of community. 

The interior design captures an industrial aesthetic. This is especially because of the open display of tools and unpretentious design finishes, like exposed ceilings. This is reminiscent of a workshop space to further encourage hands-on work and collaboration. 

Sustainable Design

Besides using the adaptive reuse strategy for the overall STEM space, Kurani meticulously designed Code Next to have minimal environmental impact. This is done through select fixtures and furnishings.

For example, the use of tiling and surface finishes. Code Next’s ceiling tiles are plant-based and made from recycled material. Similarly, though the floors resemble concrete, they are actually made from plant-based sources. These include flaxseed oil and pine tree gum, which make them long-lasting and easy to clean. Meanwhile, countertops are made from recycled cardboard boxes and aluminum scraps, lessening the energy and resources used to manufacture new products. Another fascinating feature is the carpets made from recycled fishing nets. These are also produced using energy from renewable resources. To spark conversations about the sustainability of the furniture and finishings used, the products feature graphic etchings which highlight their eco-friendly production strategies.

As a part of sustainability, the lab’s spatial design also considers wellness. Since asthma is a key cause of student absenteeism across the U.S., the lab incorporates a MERV 15 filter to capture 90% of airborne particles, thus boosting overall health and well-being. Additionally, light fixtures have been carefully selected to boost focus and learning.

Moreover, to limit costs and save emissions and resources related to furniture production, many of the chairs in the Code Next lab are being reused from other spaces. Though many of them had been in use for several years, they are still in good condition and are being repurposed for the lab.

Impact

Overall, this new Code Next lab in Oakland has made a significant impact on POC youth. Up to 88% of Code Next graduates major in STEM subjects at university, compared to the U.S.’s current average of 19% for Latinx and Black students. This is because the students are provided with support and are confident in their abilities. Many Code Next students have also earned scholarships to attend highly-ranked universities, worked with exceptional companies and even launched five-figure businesses in high school.

Besides the hard data, student feedback has also been positive. This is because the space is designed to be conducive for learning, creativity and collaboration. In fact, the majority of students feel more creative, confident and innovative at Code Next compared to their high school. The space excites them about STEM and even makes them feel like inventors.

The Code Next lab in Oakland is a model for supporting underprivileged youth with the skills and resources to tap into the world of STEM. By creating a comfortable, supportive environment for students to learn and explore science and technology, they are empowered to pursue STEM-related careers than others in similar demographics. This in turn can boost their skills, confidence and even their socioeconomic status in the long run. 

+ Kurani

Images via Danish Kurani and Jim Stephenson

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Travel across national parks in the US with sustainable ease

Xanterra Travel Collection is a hospitality company that operates various resorts, lodges and attractions in national parks, state parks and other iconic destinations in the U.S. 

In part, this collection includes concessions and lodgings at The Oasis at Death Valley, Glacier National Park Lodges, Cedar Creek Lodge, Grand Canyon National Park Lodges, Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, The Grand Hotel at The Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone National Park Lodges and Zion National Park Lodge. It also owns and operates upscale biking (VBT Bicycling Vacations), walking (Country Walkers), a railway (Grand Canyon Railway), touring (Holiday Vacations) and cruising (Windstar Cruises) companies with itineraries on six continents.

Related: Service center in national park honors history of the area

Sustainability is a significant focus for Xanterra. The company has implemented several initiatives to reduce its environmental impact and promote responsible tourism. Regardless of which park you’re headed to, it’s likely you’ll experience the results of these sustainability efforts, even if you don’t notice them at first. 

For example, in Yellowstone National Park, Xanterra operates the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, both of which are partially powered by solar panels. The company has also implemented energy-efficient practices in its facilities, including LED lighting, motion sensors and efficient heating and cooling systems.

Xanterra has recycling programs in place at its Yellowstone properties, focusing on recycling paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, aluminum and composting organic waste.

It sources local (within 500 miles) and organic products whenever possible (around 70% of all food and drink across its 56 restaurants), including bison and trout from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Similarly, at the Grand Canyon National Park, The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, owned and operated by Xanterra, has achieved LEED certification for its sustainable building practices and energy-efficient design. Xanterra has implemented water-saving measures, such as low-flow fixtures, water-efficient laundry practices and landscaping with native, drought-tolerant plants. Recycling programs are available at various locations within the park, allowing guests and employees to recycle paper, plastic, glass and aluminum.

Furthermore, the company operates the Grand Canyon Railway that connects guests from Williams, Arizona to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, keeping up to 70,000 individual cars from entering the park each year. Even better, the #4960 steam engine turns 100 this year and has been upgraded to run on recycled waste vegetable oil collected from the Grand Canyon’s own restaurants.

“Instead of using coal or diesel fuel, each locomotive uses about 1,200 gallons of vegetable oil per round-trip journey, significantly reducing the C02 emissions compared to using ultra-low sulfur diesel,” the company reported.

The mules that transport goods in and out of the canyon are even thoughtfully powered. Since 2013, 148 hard-working mules are fed a diet that includes apples and food scraps from the Grand Canyon National Park Lodges restaurants. These mules act as a natural recycling system, consuming food waste and gifting manure back to the land. 

In Utah’s Zion National Park Xanterra introduced a fleet of electric shuttle buses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution. Xanterra’s Zion Lodge has implemented energy-saving initiatives, such as LED lighting, occupancy sensors and high-efficiency appliances. The lodge collaborates with local farmers and suppliers to incorporate fresh and sustainable ingredients into its food offerings.

Crater Lake National Park also participates in recycling and composting programs to reduce waste. Xanterra encourages carpooling and provides shuttle services to minimize vehicle congestion and emissions within the park. Educational programs and guided hikes promote understanding and appreciation of the park’s natural and cultural resources.

Mount Rushmore is another shining example of Xanterra’s sustainability efforts. Solar-power generates nearly half the electricity used by the restaurant and gift shop, and another 54% comes from a nearby wind farm. The company offsets any remaining carbon footprint, making Mount Rushmore a carbon neutral operation.

Facilities in Death Valley National Park, the site of only two inches of annual rainfall, have been equipped with water and energy efficient systems. Xanterra has implemented LED lighting upgrades and HVAC system improvements, to reduce energy consumption. The company actively promotes water conservation measures and educates guests about the importance of water in the desert environment.

Across its many operations, Xanterra operates recycling programs and actively encourages guests to participate in responsible waste management practices. It’s committed to minimizing its ecological footprint and preserving natural resources in some of the majestic landscape across the country. 

The company installed solar panels at several properties, generating clean energy to power its facilities. This helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

Xanterra prioritizes sustainable food sourcing and promotes local and organic products whenever possible. The company supports regional farmers and suppliers who practice sustainable agriculture, which helps reduce the environmental impact of food production and supports local communities.

Xanterra incorporates sustainable design and construction principles in its building projects. This includes using environmentally-friendly materials, implementing energy-efficient systems, and adhering to green building standards. 

Xanterra actively collaborates with various stakeholders, including government agencies, non-profit organizations and local communities, to develop and implement sustainability initiatives. It engages in partnerships and initiatives focused on conservation, preservation and community development.

Xanterra Travel Collection’s sustainability efforts have earned recognition and certifications from organizations such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Green Seal and the Sustainable Travel International (STI). The company continues to innovate and improve its sustainability practices to contribute to the long-term conservation and enjoyment of the destinations it serves.

+ Xanterra Travel Collection

Images via Xanterra

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Recyclable 3D-printed home is unveiled to the public

Researchers have 3D-printed made entirely from natural materials that can be recycled at the end of the home’s lifecycle. This project was designed to innovate a “factory of the future” for producing recyclable sustainable homes built with 3D printing technology.

University of Maine researchers created this 600-square-feet home from wood fibers and bio resins from sawmill waste. It’s a challenging idea: create a home with a new construction method using new materials that have yet to be tested for their longevity. In addition, make the entire thing not only fully recyclable, but also sourcing materials from waste. Pretty impressive, really, the thought that went into this new home model.

Related: 3D-printed tiny homes are made from recycled plastic

Current 3D home building technology relies on high-emissions materials such as concrete for 3D printing walls. This new model doesn’t rely on concrete, replacing it with wood components except for the foundation. Maine governor Janet Mills said homes like these could help provide a climate-friendly solution to the state’s housing shortage of 20,000 units.

Can you 3D print your own home?

The short answer is not yet, because the technology is still expensive. It’s more cost effective to work with a company that can scale their use of machinery to build thousands of homes. The BioHome3D, as it’s called, is a one-bedroom, one-bath bungalow with curved ceilings inside. The home was printed in four modules and assembled on site in half a day. It took an electrician just two hours to wire the home.

The University of Maine researchers who built the BioHome3D hope to bring 3D printing time down to two days to create a quick solution to housing shortages. In the meantime, they’re monitoring how the materials used to build the home hold up in various weather conditions.

Would you want a 3D printed house?

According to the United Nations Environment Program, construction and materials account for 11% of global carbon emissions. Concrete is a big chunk of that number. Cement production generates about 2.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 8% of the global total. Cement also consumes nearly a tenth of the world’s industrial water supplies and a good amount of the world’s sand.

The BioHome3D sits on a concrete foundation, but most of it is printed from something called wood flour, or sawdust left over from sawmill operations.

“There’s 1.2 million tons of wood residuals in our sawmills right now in the region that could go to print housing,” Habib Dagher, executive director of the university’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, told the crowd gathered for the unveiling.

As the global construction industry goes green, we expect to see more innovative uses of waste products that are renewable sources of building materials. Many companies are just in the phase of testing materials and concepts for a few years to make sure their products are reliable over time before scaling up to address the housing crisis.

+ The University of Maine

Images via BioHome

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Climate Neutral Certified Ibex activewear is adventure ready

Ibex offers responsibly-produced apparel that’s made to last. Its efforts have earned it Climate Neutral Certification from the top to the bottom of the supply chain. 

The activewear starts with ethically-sourced merino wool in an effort to provide the best performance for the consumer and the most eco-conscious material for the environment. Merino wool naturally promotes temperature regulation and breathability. Plus, it remains odor free, a nice benefit when on the trail or living out of a duffel bag. Additionally, Ibex turns the wool into gloves, hats, gaiters, shirts, bottoms, base layers and more. 

Related: Kora yak wool clothing supports Himalayan herders

Since Merino wool is a natural material, Ibex clothing will also break down in a backyard composter rather than adding to pollution and waste like the mounds of clothing made from synthetic fibers. 

The company said, “We believe in actions, not just activewear. That’s why we’re committed to leading the charge for ethical apparel and amplifying the message to buy less but better. Ibex has close relationships with all suppliers and knows exactly where our garments are being made, taking responsibility for the whole ecosystem.”

For its efforts, Ibex holds a list of accreditations, including Woolmark Certified, Oekotex100, RWS, ISO9001, ISO14001, ACO (Australian Certified Organic), GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Natruetexx, Bluesign, Naturtextil and single-use plastics free. 

The company also ensures a fair and safe working environment and promotes transparency that allows customers to follow the production from source to delivery. For example, the company relies on an onsite five-stage water treatment plant and third party recycled water programs to recycle up to 85% of water from the manufacturing process. It’s also investing in solar projects to partially power the plant with renewable energy. 

In reference to its own footprint, the company said, “We’re striving to make ours as soft as our sheep. The apparel industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions and remains the second largest industrial polluter, second to oil. Even though we only contribute a small fraction to that number we know that everyone has a choice and we’re taking action. That means we’ll be measuring our carbon footprint, partnering with our supply chain to reduce where we can and offsetting the rest. Now and forever.”

+ Ibex

Images via Ibex

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