a subgenre of solarpunk with a focus on the seas and water cycles. Lots of sea-related eco-content is warnings and doom (and rightfully so), so this blog is dedicated to optimism! search this blog for #masterpost to see an overview of the 2018 content. (the blog photos are ones I've taken. The avatar is of the Ancient Temple to Poseidon in Sounio, Greece)
Protecting ocean habitats by eating sustainable seafood can help coral reefs 🪸—and all the life that depends on them!
Our warming ocean and human impact are putting entire reefs at risk. When corals disappear, countless ocean animals lose the homes they depend on to survive. These animals range from clownfish to sea turtles to sharks. 🌊
Take the Great Barrier Reef for example: it’s home to over 9,000 animal species, according to National Geographic–including animal species that millions of people rely on for food.
While many fishing methods are perfectly safe for the seafloor, certain methods like bottom trawling can also cause severe damage to reefs. Bottom trawling drags heavy nets and chains along the seafloor to scoop up bottom-dwelling fish, which can also dismantle coral beds in the process. Limiting when and where trawling occurs can lessen impacts to sensitive ocean habitats.
The good news is: our choices matter. Seafood Watch green ratings ensure our seafood is caught using methods that protect our ocean ecosystems. By choosing sustainable seafood, we protect the ocean and people who depend on it!
hey it's been a really hard day and I'm worried about how little snow we've been getting in Colorado and how that's going to affect available clean water over the course of the year. do you have any good news about clean water right now?
Hi Anon,
I'm so sorry that you were having a hard day when you sent this. There have been a lot of hard days recently, and I am right there with you in worrying about this dry winter.
When I was younger, winter meant being prepared for the weather to be at best inconvenient and at worse severely disruptive or dangerous—icy roads, scraping the car every morning, power outages, getting snowed in for days sometimes. It’s eerie now, how the lack of inconvenience is nice in some ways while also feeling so wrong.
That being said, there is some potential good news on the horizon. A 2024 study found that the Colorado River basin is likely in a dry part of its precipitation cycle, and that conditions will probably start to improve starting around 2026. Of course this is a model, so their timing predictions and other findings are not necessarily going to be perfectly exact. But looking at historic data and the most updated climate models, the researchers predicted a 70% chance the Colorado River basin would have an upswing in precipitation in the near future compared to the past couple of decades.
New climate research offers a dose of optimism for the overstressed Colorado River: Wetter conditions may be on the horizon.
Past stu
A lot of places that rely on the Colorado River are also getting smarter about how they use their water. There is a lot of room for improved efficiency in our water systems--from recycling waste water to cutting off unnecessary water use (looking at you lush green lawns) to using greywater for uses that don't require fresh water.
There are a lot of other people worried about this and a lot of other people working on solutions.
With the American Southwest facing a drier future, cities from L.A. to Las Vegas are getting creative about wise water use.
Below are some other good stories about clean water from around the world:
Researchers invented an eco-friendly way to capture—and destroy—toxic forever chemicals in water (PFAS) 1,000x better than current methods.
This new installation beats out previous flagship desalination plants in Saudi Arabia and California in terms of cost-effectiveness.
No batteries means much lower costs and shipping weight, making it ideal for rural communities in arid parts of the Global South
It will boost one of the area's largest economic outputs and relieve farmers of irrigation pressures whenever the next dry period comes arou
Currently open to 1,000 bathers daily in three different cordoned swimming locations for free, Parisians are flocking to enjoy their river.
"Lotus stem connects our food to the land … now that it’s back, we’re preparing dishes the way our grandmothers did: slow, simple,
Today the government spends €191 on water purification per citizen, compared to just €98 in the UK, for example.
This ongoing series explores how we can use water more sustainably in farming, fishing and food systems in an era of climate change.
I hope that you're having a better day today, Anon. And I hope that you know you're not alone, both in the way you're feeling and in dealing with whatever challenges this dry summer may bring. <3
Housing corporations are adopting rainwater storage in garden fences, reducing pressure during downpours and preserving water for times of d
From the article:
Good fences make good neighbours – but rain fences could make even better ones.
That is the hope of housing corporations in the Netherlands, which are adopting rainwater storage in their garden fences.
In a tidy neighbourhood in Veldhoven, where the social housing provider, Woonstichting ’thuis, is installing its first such rain fence, one couple, Theo and Willy Bolder, are already seeing an increase in their popularity. “People are all coming round to ask what it costs,” said Willy Bolder.
Outside, between rattan fence panels, a series of plastic blocks have been linked to the drainage from their roof. Together, they will store up to 2,160 litres of water – reducing pressure on the drains during downpours and preserving rainwater for the garden in times of drought.
🐟 The Aquarium is more than a place you visit, it’s a place you belong. Spotlighting inclusivity matters because the ocean belongs to everyone, and so does the work to protect it. When people see themselves reflected in our spaces, stories, and leadership, it opens the door to curiosity, confidence, and connection.
🌊 We share these stories to make one thing clear: you don’t need a specific background, degree, or path to be part of the Aquarium. There are many ways to engage, contribute, and care for the ocean, and all of them are valid. Creating a welcoming, inclusive Aquarium is essential to building a future where conservation is shaped by many voices, perspectives, and communities.
You belong here. Learn more about black voices in ocean science.
Notpla is aiming to expand in Europe and displace 1 billion units of single-use plastic by 2030.
Notpla, the company which makes seaweed-based packaging to replace single-use plastics, started with its two French and Spanish founders, Pierre Paslier and Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, experimenting in their student kitchen while at Imperial College London.
Now, Notpla has replaced more than 21 million items of single-use plastic across Europe, and is aiming to displace 1 billion units by 2030. In partnership with Just Eat, Notpla’s packaging was used at the UEFA Women’s Final at Wembley Stadium, London in 2022. From seven types of folded carton board boxes that year, it has grown into a catalogue of over 50 different designs.
And the company is launching a new deli range, featuring plastic-free windows so people can see their sandwiches before buying. Honsinger hopes this will help Notpla branch out into office catering and museums, where that sneak peek is important.
A lot of these "plastic alternative made from plants" products actually use at least a small amount of plastic mixed with the plant fibers. However, that does not appear to be the case here--they are truly making plastic-free packaging and cardboard coating even if that means their products do not have all of the same desirable characteristics as plastics.
A quote from the article:
“We're not going for the easiest win,” she says. “We're not going to mix our product with a bit of plastic to make a semi-natural product because that's a bit easier. We're going to go for it even if it's the hardest thing, to make sure it's truly natural.”
i was tidepooling today and overheard someone say 'chatgpt it so we can figure out what it is' about some sort of creature. loser behavior. you're not in it for the love of the game. i have to do everything around here. let me see the creature. i'll tell you the real answer about what it is and i won't kill the environment. AND i'm literally nice.
it's funny because 5 minutes before that i was IDing something by using the search string "SEA SLUG GREEN STRIPED SMALL SEATTLE" which took me to a very badly designed, hauntingly non mobile optimized website that immediately gave me way more information about my creature than i needed or thought was possible. get good. bitch
🌊🪸🤝 A key ocean protection treaty is set to become international law! The High Seas Treaty, which aims to place 30% of the world’s national and international waters into marine protected areas by 2030, has just received its 60th ratification – officially initiating its entry into force! Environmentalists and UN representatives have celebrated the agreement as an achievement for ocean conservation and a major milestone in helping marine life and biodiversity recover.
Sixty states have ratified a global treaty to protect the oceans - it will become law in January.
Recyclable solar cells developed by Swedish researchers use only water instead of toxic chemicals, potentially solving a major waste problem
by Elena Kryvoshei, Mon 30 Jun 2025
Scientists have developed recyclable solar cells that use only water, eliminating the need for toxic chemicals and potentially addressing a major environmental challenge in the solar industry.
Swedish researchers have developed a method for fully recycling advanced solar cells using only water, potentially addressing a significant environmental challenge as the solar industry continues its rapid expansion.
The new technique could help address concerns about waste from perovskite solar panels, which are more efficient than traditional panels but difficult to recycle.
Solar energy has experienced significant growth in recent years, with the global market expanding at a rate of around 24% annually over the past decade. This growth is expected to continue, with industry estimates suggesting the market will triple in size by 2028.
Part of this expansion will come from newer perovskite solar cells, which can convert up to 25% of solar energy into electricity. Traditional silicon-based cells typically achieve an efficiency of only 15-20%.
However, these high-performing perovskite cells have presented a significant recycling challenge. Until now, breaking them down required toxic chemicals that could harm the environment.
Researchers from Linköping University in Sweden have published findings in the journal Nature that could change this situation. They’ve developed a water-based method that completely breaks down perovskite solar cells without using harmful chemicals.
“We can recycle everything—covering glasses, electrodes, perovskite layers, and also the charge transport layer,” said Xun Xiao, a postdoctoral student and co-author of the research.
Professor Feng Gao, another paper co-author, emphasized the importance of considering recycling from the start: “If we don’t know how to recycle them, maybe we shouldn’t put them on the market at all.”
Instead of toxic chemicals, the researchers created a water-based solution containing three additives: sodium acetate, sodium iodide, and hypophosphorous acid.
Each ingredient serves a specific purpose in the recycling process. Sodium acetate helps separate the cell’s materials, while sodium iodide helps reform the perovskite crystals so they can be reused in new solar cells. Hypophosphorous acid keeps the solution stable.
The process involves heating water to 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes before submerging the solar cell. After the cell breaks down, the team separates the recycled perovskite crystals using a centrifuge spinning at 5,000 rotations per minute for three minutes.
The most impressive aspect of this breakthrough is that solar cells made from these recycled materials maintain the same efficiency as the original cells. This means manufacturers could potentially reuse the same materials multiple times without losing performance.
This development addresses a key sustainability concern in the solar manufacturing industry. While solar power itself produces clean energy, the production of solar panels requires the mining of critical minerals from around the world. These materials are often difficult to source and have their own environmental impact.
The ability to recycle these materials multiple times could reduce the need for new mining operations and lower the overall environmental footprint of solar energy.
The creation of fully recyclable solar cells could also help bring down solar energy prices in the long term. By reusing expensive materials instead of constantly mining new ones, manufacturers might reduce production costs, making solar power even more competitive with fossil fuels.
Currently, the solar industry faces significant recycling challenges. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, only about 10% of solar panels worldwide are recycled properly. The vast majority end up in landfills where their valuable and sometimes toxic materials can’t be recovered.
By 2050, experts predict that solar panel waste could reach 78 million tons globally. This makes the development of recyclable solar cells increasingly urgent from both environmental and economic perspectives.
The cost difference between traditional recycling methods and this new water-based approach is substantial. While conventional recycling of perovskite solar cells requires expensive chemical solvents and specialized disposal processes that can cost up to $25-30 per panel, early estimates suggest the water-based method could reduce these costs by 60-70%.
Solar panel prices have already dropped significantly in recent years, helping drive the industry’s growth despite political opposition from some quarters. The Trump administration had voiced opposition to solar development, but the industry continued to expand regardless.
Perovskite solar cells represent the next generation of solar technology due to their higher efficiency. They can convert a quarter of the sun’s energy that hits them into usable electricity, significantly better than most panels currently on rooftops around the world.
Their main drawback has been the end-of-life disposal issues. Unlike many other products, solar panels contain specialized materials that need proper handling when they’re no longer useful.
The water-based recycling method developed by the Swedish researchers represents a potential solution to this problem. By making the entire recycling process less toxic and more efficient, they’ve addressed one of the few remaining environmental concerns about solar energy.
The regulatory landscape for solar panel recycling varies widely across the globe. The European Union leads with its Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, which requires manufacturers to take back and recycle solar panels at the end of their life.
In the United States, most states lack specific regulations for solar panel disposal; however, California has classified them as universal waste, requiring special handling. China, the world’s largest solar producer, has recently begun developing national standards for recyclable solar cells and the disposal of solar panels.
If scaled up successfully, this technology could help ensure that the growing solar industry remains truly sustainable throughout the entire lifecycle of its products.
The findings come at a critical time for renewable energy. As more countries and companies commit to reducing carbon emissions, the demand for solar power continues to increase. Ensuring this growth occurs in an environmentally responsible manner is crucial for effectively addressing climate change.
By developing methods to recycle the most advanced solar cells fully, researchers are helping ensure that clean energy solutions don’t create new environmental problems along the way.
Impluvium, Valle de Calamuchita, Córdoba, Argentina,
An old water tank located on what was once a productive property created in the 1930s in the Calamuchita Valley and now in disuse was transformed into a production spaces that accommodate different types of crops: vegetables, hydroponics, cacti, orchids, tropical plants, etc.; while also providing workspaces for germination, storage, and basic services.
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