In the latest Squirrel News update, we’re kicking off Monday with a mammoth sand battery set to reduce a Finnish town’s carbon emissions by nearly 70%, the historic debut of bald eagles nesting in Toronto, and the urban food forest project bringing healthy food to public parks.
Finnish town’s emissions to plummet, thanks to world’s largest sand battery
The industrial-scale storage facility, located in Pornainen in southern Finland, has the capacity to store 100 MWh of thermal energy derived from solar and wind sources. This solution will help residents remove oil from their district heating network, resulting in a reduction of nearly 70% in emissions.
Bald eagles seen nesting in Toronto for first time in city’s recorded history
The presence of these birds proof of improving health of city’s green spaces, as they are highly sensitive to environmental disturbances. Their presence underscores the dramatic return of a bird nearly pushed to extinction and of the improving health of Toronto’s sprawling green spaces and waterways.
Rapid coral reef regeneration possible in just four years, reveals trial
In a ray of hope for marine ecosystems, a recent trial suggests that coral ‘transplants’ may expedite the recovery of vibrant and healthy reefs, surpassing earlier expectations with a remarkable four-year regeneration timeline.
Green corridors take centre stage in French forests
Green corridors, also known as ecological corridors or wildlife corridors, are strips of habitat that connect fragmented landscapes or natural areas. These corridors are designed to facilitate the movement of plants, animals, and other species between isolated or fragmented habitats.
Material exchange centres redefine waste management in Denmark
Aarhus is leading the way in sustainable practices with innovative material exchange centres that rescue items ranging from dishware to electronic devices, minimising waste and promoting reuse.
Cities implement strategies to reduce SUV presence on urban streets
From imposing substantial parking fees in Paris to introducing registration fees in Washington D.C., cities are adopting stringent measures to discourage the use of bulky vehicles within their limits.
The integration of artificial intelligence into cardiovascular medicine holds promise in potentially averting countless heart attacks annually – but realising this potential hinges on overcoming the challenges that accompany this innovative tech, such as mandatory secondary opinions and lack of human empathy from AI bots.
Addressing the overlooked mental health needs of teenage girls
In the midst of a mental health crisis amongst teenage girls, Working on Womanhood steps in to provide crucial assistance in the place where they spend most of their daily lives: school.
In an effort to combat the growing loneliness epidemic in Japan, the renowned homeware brand, Muji, has joined forces with a developer to shake up business and attract a younger demographic to the country’s aging housing complexes.
An urban Eden in New Zealand: growing a public park food forest
Roimata Harvest Haven seeks to unite the community by transforming a public park into a vibrant urban garden. Since its inception in 2017, the food forest systems of the park now contain over 100 fruit and nut trees, many of them heritage trees, as well as over 1000 native plants, herbs, berries, vegetables, flowers, and perennial plants.
