In 2020, a New Orleans project began crushing bottles into sand; six years later, it has diverted 12 million pounds of glass to help rebuild shrinking coastal wetlands

In 2020, a New Orleans project began crushing bottles into sand; six years later, it has diverted 12 million pounds of glass to help rebuild shrinking coastal wetlands

Representative Image (AI-generated) A bottle tossed away in New Orleans does not necessarily have to end its life in a landfill. A project launched in 2020 is giving discarded glass a second purpose; crushing bottles into sand that can be used in coastal restoration. Glass Half Full, founded by Tulane University students Franziska Trautmann and … Read more

Netherlands built a 9-km storm barrier to protect against floods; decades later, “sand hunger” began shrinking tidal flats

Netherlands built a 9-km storm barrier to protect against floods; decades later, “sand hunger” began shrinking tidal flats

The Netherlands built one of the world’s most ambitious flood defences after the devastating North Sea flood of 1953. Completed in 1986, the 9-kilometre Eastern Scheldt Barrier was designed to protect hundreds of thousands of people while keeping the estuary open to tides and saltwater. But the engineering solution created an unexpected environmental consequence. By … Read more

In 1989, teacher Gary Greff returned to his shrinking North Dakota hometown and learned to weld; his plan to lure travelers became a 32-mile highway of giant sculptures, including a Guinness world record

In 1989, teacher Gary Greff returned to his shrinking North Dakota hometown and learned to weld; his plan to lure travelers became a 32-mile highway of giant sculptures, including a Guinness world record

There are now eight sculpture scenes along the highway, including giant grasshoppers, a massive fisherman-themed creation and the Tin Family. On a stretch of North Dakota highway where golden fields meet an endless prairie sky, a giant metal knight stands guard over a castle, protecting it from a fire-breathing dragon. It sounds like something out … Read more