As the co-creator, host, and executive producer of the Travel Channelâs Bizarre Foods, Andrew Zimmern has tried it allâfermented shark meat, tarantulas⊠even cane toads. So the celebrity chefâs latest job role may come as a surprise. Zimmern has signed on as Next Gen Foodsâ business and culinary advisor for its flagship vegan chicken brand…
The UK could be home to more EV charge points by 2030 than traditional fuel pumps. Britainâs government just announced plans to increase the current number of public chargers tenfold by the end of the decade, ahead of the expected national and global transition away from combustion engines and towards electric cars. The ÂŁ500 million Department for…
Even in the 21st century, thereâs an ancient agricultural practice detailed in both the Old Testament and the Koran that could hold the keys to feeding hungry people and saving the planet at the same time. Gleaning, the simple process of gathering surplus produce from farm fields and even residential backyards, puts food on plates and keeps it out…
A new vegan sports bar is opening in Boston, Massachusetts, this spring. PlantPub will open its second location right across from Fenway Park baseball stadium, the 110-year-old home of the Red Sox. The restaurant is a collaboration between the companyâs co-founders, serial entrepreneur Pat McAuley, vegan investor Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni, and…
The world of celebrity investments is becoming more and more commonplace. And headlines about a famous person backing a new Silicon Valley startup seem to make the rounds every week. From professional athletes and actors to models and musicians, A-listers are putting their substantial wealth to good use. A growing number of celebs are using their…
Somewhere between the history of enslaved Africans, Indigenous peoples, and agriculture in America lies the intersection of protecting both the planet and the people on it. Despite systemic racism, the ancestors were supernatural, armed with the skills to transform bits of nothing into a way of life. Generations of indigenous and enslaved people turned…
A new bill aims to prohibit the keeping of wild animals in captivity in Canada. Senator Marty Klyne reintroduced Bill S-241, also known as the Jane Goodall Act, in the Senate on March 22. If passed, the bill would ban new captivity of a number of wild animalsâincluding bears, wolves, and big cats. This would effectively end the use of exotic animals…
My introduction to green burials came from a very personal place. My dad died unexpectedly when I was 19. During his funeral, he lay in his powder blue casket, looking very doll-like in his embalmed and makeup-adorned state. In my warped, grief-stricken brain, the makeup and casket all seemed a bit comical, and unsettlingly wrong. Over a decade later…
Kate Mara is set to executive produce a new documentary about Elsie Herring, a North Carolina environmental activist who fought against the regionâs multibillion-dollar hog farming industry. Mara, a Primetime Emmy-nominated actor known for her roles in House of Cards (2013â2016) and American Horror Story (2011), is joined by The Green Knight (2021)…
Iâve always loved a more-is-more aestheticâso much so, that I became dismayed over the past five years as I watched a flood of minimalist, beige living rooms take over my Pinterest home decor feed. Moaning that these living rooms lacked color, personality, and anything remotely resembling a pulse, I longed for vivid rooms that bucked the trend of…
Dishwashers, filtered coffee, car heaters, fire escapes, home security, windshield wipers; all of these things make our lives easier, more comfortable, safer. And all of them were invented by women. While the history books may be dominated by men and their creations, women have also consistently innovated to help propel society forward. Today is no…
An 1829 book titled The American Frugal Housewife, written by Lydia Maria Child, provides hundreds of pieces of advice for cooking, cleaning, preserving food, and making the most out of what a family would already have. In the introduction, Child advises her readers: âNothing should be thrown away so long as it is possible to make use of it.â How…
A Norwegian startup is building carbon-negative roads. Carbon Crusher combines recycled asphalt with plant-based glue to repair the blacktop instead of using traditional bitumenâa viscous form of petroleum that has a significant environmental impact and even continues to emit air pollution once in place on the road. According to the company, the over…
Between Gordon Ramsayâs nerve-wracking, high-pressure Hellâs Kitchen, the scrappiness and innovation of Chopped, and the absolute wholesomeness of The Great British Bake Off, television cooking competitions have a lot of variety. But, despite their differences, they have one thing in common: they all use animal products. Thatâs about to change…
For nearly two centuries, Cadbury has been churning out some of the UKâs favorite candy bars. Now, as more Brits embrace plant-based food, the confectionery giant is moving with the times and opening its first vegan chocolate shop.The new pop-up store is opening in Soho, London, and every customer that walks through the doors will be given one of…
A team of researchers has developed first-of-its-kind technology to understand how pigs communicate, and their grunts, oinks, and snuffling all express different emotions. The EU plans to introduce the worldâs first carbon dioxide emissions tariff on imported and high-polluting goods to encourage sustainability at home and abroad. A San Antonio architectural…
Maserati is bidding adieu to gas-guzzling engines and rolling towards an all-electric future. The Italian luxury car brand has announced the launch of an entirely electric range, called Maserati Folgore. By 2025, the company plans to offer electric versions of every model in its lineup. Maseratiâs first EV in the range will be its new GranTurismo…
Our oceans are in crisis. Every single day, roughly 8 million pieces of plastic threaten underwater ecosystems. Retailers are, undeniably, a huge contributor to all of this waste. But Target is trying to make changes. The department store chain has revealed a new initiative called Target Zero. The idea is simple: every refillable, reusable, compostable…
Jeff Bezos and Microsoftâs recent round of investments are helping to retrofit old buildings across the US with clean energy. BlocPower, a Brooklyn-based clean-tech startup, received a $5.5 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund in December. Bezos launched the initiative in February 2020, pledging $10 billion in grants to companies and organizations…
Recycling takes time, space, and effort. But even when it feels like your actions are a drop in the metaphorical (and literal) ocean, recycling makes a big difference to the planet. Hereâs why. The history of recycling Modern recycling programs were founded out of concern for the environment. They first began appearing in the US in the 1960s and 1970s…
In a new documentary released this week called Milked, MÄori activist Chris Huriwai follows the environmental and cultural crises caused by New Zealandâs dairy industryâand specifically, by multi-billion-dollar dairy producer Fonterra. Fonterra is New Zealandâs largest company, producing approximately 30 percent of the worldâs dairy exports…
Former President Barack Obama leads a five-part nature docuseries set to debut on Netflix next month. The 44th president of the US and best-selling author is the narrator and star of Our Great National Parks, an intercontinental trip to conservation areas across the world, from Monterey Bay, California to Tsavo, Kenya. The educational series will…
General Motors is set to begin production on customer models of its first-ever electric Cadillac. The Cadillac Lyriq was first unveiled in August of 2020 and, following production, could be in customersâ hands as soon as May 2022. It is one of General Motorsâ next-generation sustainable vehicles, featuring the companyâs flagship âUltium EV architecture.â…
From the outside looking in, Dan McKernan had it all. Founder of Barn Sanctuary, a Michigan-based, farm animal rescue, he was at the pinnacle of his career. His non-profit was thriving, and his work gave him the rewarding opportunity to help abused and abandoned farm animals in need. His work gained national attention: He amassed a large following on…
Amazon Fresh is cashing in on the growing appetite for plant-based products.The subsidiary of e-commerce giant Amazon has launched a new âbudget-friendlyâ range of meatless and dairy-free products, including meatballs, patties, nuggets, and almond milk. The line, called Fresh Plant-Based, is available online and in-store at its growing empire of…
If thereâs anything to be said about society as a whole, itâs that all of the water in the worldâs oceans wouldnât be enough to quench our collective thirst for hot gossâitâs simply insatiable. Case in point: The Kardashians. Should they have graced television screens for 20 seasons? No. Did I watch every episode with an eager ear, an unwavering…
The beauty world is full of labels. From âgreenâ to âclean,â every product we put on our faces is marketed to us with words that should help us identify what is in it, or how it has been made. But itâs not that simple.Despite its size, the beauty industryâwhich is worth more than $630 billion globallyâisnât regulated. The US, in particular…
Shell has failed to prepare for the global net-zero goals needed to mitigate climate change, so ClientEarth is opening a lawsuit against the companyâs directors. In a first-of-its-kind case, the environmental law charity will argue that the boardâs inadequate preparation for net-zero will ultimately harm Shellâs future and the prosperity of its…
A new startup is getting closer to bringing realistic plant-based meat to market, thanks to a recent $12 million investment. The round was led by climate-focused venture capital firm Lowercarbon Capital, plus actor Natalie Portman and others. Boston-based Tender Foods launched in 2020 with a drive to create plant-based meat with a whole-cut texture…
Sustainable cooking may soon be possible in developing countries, thanks to two Nigerian engineers who have created a concept design for a solar-powered oven. The new concept was published in a recent study in Frontiers in Energy Research. Clement A. Komolafe and Clinton E. Okonkwoâsenior and assistant lecturers, respectively, at Landmark University…
Sustainable cooking may soon be possible in developing countries, thanks to two Nigerian engineers who have created a concept design for a solar-powered oven. The new concept was published in a recent study in Frontiers in Energy Research. Clement A. Komolafe and Clinton E. Okonkwoâsenior and assistant lecturers, respectively, at Landmark University…
Mayim Bialik is a modern-day Renaissance personality. You may know her through her TV roles, whether as a Jeopardy! host, the irrepressibly spirited Blossom from the eponymous hit 90s TV show, as nerdy, lovable neurobiologist Amy from The Big Bang Theory, or through her recent star turn as a joyfully single woman on Call Me Kat. Or, you may know her…
Guinness fans could soon be supporting sustainability with every pint of the âblack stuffâ poured. Parent company Diageo just announced the start of a three-year pilot program to cut carbon emissions emitted during the production of Guinness by changing the way its primary ingredient, barley, is farmed. The project aims to partner with at least…
In case you missed it⊠The UNâs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has published its latest report, which focuses on the devastating impacts of global warming, as well as potential solutions to the climate crisis. In food news⊠Tamearra Dyson, the owner of Souley Vegan, is the first contestant to win on the Food Networkâs Beat Bobby Flay…
Impossible Foods has sued food technology company Motif FoodWorks, claiming that the start-upâs new heme ingredient is too similar to its own. When the Impossible Burger debuted in 2016, headlines were quick to hone in on one detail: it looked, cooked, and tasted like meat. This was all thanks to Impossibleâs star ingredient, heme, an iron-rich…
Googleâs latest sustainability pledge takes aim at a growing global issue: food waste. The multinational tech company says it will halve its food waste by 2025 and send zero food waste to landfills by the same date. Google currently employs upwards of 150,000 full-time workers worldwide. Thatâs more people than live in Gainesville, Florida; Berkeley…
If you think hot pot is a big project, youâre not wrongâbut thatâs what makes it worth trying. The coolest thing about hot pot, though, is that you can use up all the leftovers from your fridgeâwhether veggies or vegan meats, almost everything simmers to deliciousness in the forgiving broth. The broth in hot pot is so tasty, it flavors everything…
IKEA just introduced two different types of vegan chicken to its restaurant menus. In the US, the Swedish furniture giant has launched plant-based chicken nuggets as part of a Kids Meal, served with broccoli. In the UK, IKEA updated its menu with plant-based chicken strips, available as part of the Chickenless Strip Meal with fries and a drink. While…
Burger King just announced the launch of another 100 percent vegetarian restaurant, with a month-long pilot takeover of its flagship Leicester Square restaurant in London, UK. Alongside existing options such as the Vegan Royale, Plant-based Whopper, and the recently launched vegan katsu range, Burger King is also introducing more than 15 new meat-free…
Fast fashion made its grand entrance in the second part of the 20th century, helmed by companies like H&M and Zara. True to form, the industry moved through the early 21st century at a rate of knots. Now, e-commerce giants like Boohoo, ASOS, and Shein join the OGs in a $36 billion market. But also raised in the noughties? Gen Z. Fast fashionâs biggest…
Beginning in 2035, all new cars and trucks sold in California must be zero-emission, thanks to a 2020 executive order issued by Governor Newsom. The move was a step forward for the state in reducing climate change-causing fossil fuels. But itâs led scientists scrambling to figure out what to do with all of those old electric vehicle batteries. Engineers…
Investments in alternative protein continue to be more popular than ever before. But, the venture capital world is turning its attention to two areas in particular: fermentation, and cultivated meat and seafood. These findings came from the Good Food Instituteâs (GFI) latest report, which revealed a record $5 billion invested in alternative proteins…
Letâs be realâfew of us are endeavoring to whip up Michelin-worthy weeknight dinners. Instead, weâre trying to get something on the table thatâs replicable, delicious, and makes use of whatâs already in our fridge. Thatâs why weâre super open to the simple, zero-waste beauty of meatballs, which absorb leftover herbs and veggies like the…
Amazon is the latest company trying to cash in on the growing sustainability market. The e-commerce giant, which raked in $469.8 billion in net sales in 2021âa 22 percent increase from the previous year, has launched its own line of sustainable products, called Amazon Aware. From recycled denim jeans to vegan face cleansers housed in recycled aluminum…
Even when weâre so busy that we can only muster 30 minutes on a weeknight to make dinner, weâre rarely ever willing to sacrifice on flavor. Thankfully, time spent on a recipe and how good it tastes arenât mutually exclusive and these three plant-based recipes are proof. The banana blossom âfishâ tacos with corn salsa are deceptively complex…
Late last week, supermarket chain Kroger announced its new partnership with plant-based food brand Impossible Foods and Custom Made Meals, LLC, which makes fresh entrees and appetizers for retail. For now, neither company has revealed the specific details about what type of products are in the works. But, what we do know so far (based on what was said…
The UK is set to u-turn on some of its key new animal welfare and environmental policies, including its proposed ban on foie gras and fur imports. These two industries are controversially cruel, destructive, and an unnecessary luxury. But, âflip-floppingâ on divisive issues is something that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is notorious for. Members…
Representatives from nearly 200 countries have agreed to develop a legally binding treaty on plastics comparable to 2015âs Paris Climate Agreement. Meanwhile, Australiaâs mighty humpback whales are officially no longer on the nationâs endangered species list. And Yellowstone, one of the most famous national parks in the world, just turned 150…
Lululemon is working hard to get in on the ever-expandingâand ever-marketableâsustainable fashion game. But theyâre playing it all wrong. In the fall of 2020, a consortium of four fashion powerhousesâLululemon, Adidas, Kering, and Stella McCartneyârevealed theyâd been granted exclusive access to biotechnology company Bolt Threadâs innovative…
Chilean plant-based food tech company NotCo and food giant Kraft Heinz are joining forces. Their joint venture announced this month will foster the development of co-branded products, but neither company is ready to reveal what that first product will be. (Weâll be holding our breath for vegan Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Itâs not fair that only Australia…