Sustainability Weekly
Fridays are for…
Sustainable Housing, Solar Farms, Plant-Based Alternatives, and more!
by Alli DiGiacomo
Happy Friday! At a time when the news cycle continues to cause distress and uncertainty, we're going to focus on some good climate news to reinforce that our community is still hard at work creating a healthier planet and that we are still making progress. Have a great weekend!
Keep reading for sustainability news…
T H I S W E E K ’ S T O P S T O R I E S
LA CONVERTED SHIPPING CONTAINERS INTO SUSTAINABLE HOUSING
The Hilda L. Solis Care First Village in downtown Los Angeles is an example of sustainable urban housing, transforming a former parking lot into a shelter for homeless residents. Designed by NAC Architecture, the project repurposes steel shipping containers, reducing construction waste and the demand for new materials, which lowering its environmental impact. This type of modular design allowed for rapid assembly, completing the 64,000-square-foot facility in just six months. It also reduced the energy use and emissions compared to traditional construction. Each of the 232 living units is fully insulated for energy efficiency and comes equipped with basic amenities, including a bed, microwave, mini-fridge, television, and private bathroom. The facility also has communal spaces, a commercial kitchen, landscaped courtyards, and a dog park. The village reached full occupancy within a month of opening in 2021 and has since housed nearly 800 individuals. By converting underutilized urban land into a sustainable housing solution, the project is a good example of adaptive reuse and innovative and low-impact housing.
NY’S LARGEST SOLAR FAR GETS FUNDING AND IS SET TO COME ONLINE NEXT YEAR
Greenbacker Renewable Energy has secured $950 million to develop New York State’s largest solar farm, the 500 MW Cider project. Acquired from Hecate Energy, construction began in late 2024 on 2,500 acres in Genesee County, east of Buffalo, with completion expected in 2026. Once operational, the project will generate enough clean energy to power approximately 120,000 households, contributing to NY’s goal of sourcing 70% of its electricity from renewables by 2030. The Cider project is one of 23 large-scale clean energy initiatives supported by the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA). New York currently ranks 8th in the U.S. for solar capacity and is projected to rise to 5th place within five years.
PLANT-BASED SUBSTITUTE FOUND FOR POLYURETHANE FOAM
A research team led by Washington State University has developed an environmentally friendly plant-based substitute for fossil fuel-derived chemicals in polyurethane foams. By extracting high-quality lignin from pine using a mild, sustainable solvent, they successfully replaced 20% of petroleum-based components in traditional polyurethane foam without compromising strength or flexibility. Lignin, a highly abundant renewable carbon source, is typically difficult to extract and is often used for low-value uses or burned for fuel. However, the team’s new extraction method preserves lignin’s natural structure, making it a comparable alternative for high-performance plastic foams. It can be used in products such as kitchen sponges, cushions, coatings, adhesives, packaging, and insulation. Current petroleum-based plastics have low recycling rates and long degradation times. The research has drawn interest from industrial partners that plan to optimize and scale up production for commercial use.
MORE IN SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
NYC’s congestion pricing shows ‘undeniably positive results’, preventing 1 million vehicles from entering lower Manhattan, significantly reduced congestion and commuting times, and made bus services more efficient. Weekday ridership on some bus routes has increased by nearly 15%, and subway ridership has grown by 7.3%.
This new carbon negative material made using processed grass is meant to replace traditional OSB boards.
Michael Bloomberg Will Help Fund UN Climate Body After Trump Withdraws From Paris Climate Agreement.
A Danish city paid residents to return their to-go coffee cups — and collected 735,000 in a single year.
More than 60% of the U.S. offshore wind manufacturing and supply-chain investments made or announced are in Republican congressional districts. Jobs in these districts are at risk due to a recent executive order that paused the approval of leases, permits and loans for both offshore and onshore wind energy.
A rare butterfly species was revived 50 years after it became extinct.
Scientists Develop Biodegradable E-Textiles.
Trump’s executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization will hinder efforts to combat climate-fueled disease spread. Without global coordination, combating environment-related illnesses will be more difficult, experts say.
The Department of Transportation this week moved to carry out some of Trump’s executive orders to eliminate all policies that “reference or relate in any way” to climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental justice. Duffy’s order also canceled a 2023 DOT policy that required all agencies to consider climate change adaptation and resilience in planning.
A new study found that extreme heat could kill 50% more people in Europe by the end of the century, resulting in an additional 2.3 million deaths. The net death toll is projected to rise the most in the Mediterranean, where summer temperatures have soared to record highs in recent years.