On Its Journey To Make Clothing That Leaves No Trace, The North Face Taps the BOTTLE Consortium To Scale Biodegradable Polyester Alternative

When worn, washed, and dried, clothing sheds—dispersing tiny fibers throughout homes, soils, and waterways that can take centuries to degrade.

These fibers, often made of polyester and often too small to see, are a major—if invisible—source of microplastic pollution. By some estimates, fibers from polyester clothing account for nearly half of all microplastics in the natural environment, exacerbating a growing environmental and public health hazard.

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From Instant Grits to Polymers: Scientist Kat Knauer Is Laser Focused on Plastics Pollution

Kat Knauer enjoyed science classes as a young girl but her understanding that science could be used as an instrument for good was solidified when a beloved family member grew ill.

Her childhood dog, Penny, was having a severe reaction to the pesticides her mother applied to fire ant mounds dotting the landscape around their south Florida home. Knauer became concerned for Penny’s health and turned to the scientific method for potential solutions

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Could a New Renewable Energy App Help Inspire Future Climate Crusaders?

Eva Wolfe could not see the flames, but she knew they were out there.

It was early September 2020, a hot end to a hot summer, and Wolfe and her husband were living in Oregon's backwoods. The state was experiencing its worst drought in 10 years. Trees went thirsty and died. Scrub brush crinkled into kindling. And pandemic lockdowns drove Oregonions into one of their few escapes: the woods.

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A jet engine powered by switchgrass? UGA project is looking at the biofuel possibilities

An ongoing study dedicated to identifying and accessing renewable energy source options suggested switchgrass could be a contender.

“Switchgrass is a grass that is native to the United States,” said Katrien Devos, research professor of crop and soil sciences at the University of Georgia. “It's a component of the tall grass prairies. Since the 1950s, it’s been grown as a forage for animal feed. Around the 1990s, the (U.S.) Department of Energy looked into potential grasses for bioenergy production.”

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