Prineville built a 120-acre wetland instead of a new wastewater plant; the Oregon system cost $7.7 million and saved the city $54 million versus conventional treatmentPrineville, Oregon, built a wetland wastewater system after population growth strained its capacity. This innovative approach cost $7.7 mil...
04 Sep, 2026, 02.40 PM IST
In 2011, CEQ, EPA and GSA launched a national electronics plan. 15 years later, 2.4 billion EPEAT products generated $24.6 billion in savings for buyers nationwide2011 strategy emerged at a time when computers, monitors, printers, mobile devices and other electronics were becoming increasingly importa...
03 Sep, 2026, 08.02 PM IST
Switzerland is putting sheep’s wool on a melting glacier to fight climate change — here’s why scientists think it could work as results start coming inSwiss researchers are testing sheep's wool to protect shrinking Alpine glaciers. This natural fiber offers an eco-friendly alternative to s...
03 Sep, 2026, 05.02 PM IST
Los Angeles swapped 140,000 of its 210,000 streetlights for LEDs over four years; energy use fell 63%, well past the 40% promised, saving $7 million a year on a $57 million programmeLos Angeles's streetlight upgrade significantly surpassed energy saving projections, achieving 63% reduction. This massive project replaced...
03 Sep, 2026, 01.20 PM IST
In 2009, the Empire State Building rebuilt 6,500 windows on site rather than replacing them, cutting energy use by 38% and paying for itself in three yearsThe Empire State Building underwent a significant renovation focusing on its windows. This project involved rebuilding existing windows ins...
03 Sep, 2026, 01.10 PM IST
In 1996, Florida researchers whitened 7 shops in a Cocoa strip mall; roof surfaces fell by as much as 70°F, cooling energy dropped 25.3%, and peak demand dropped 40.3%In an innovative Florida trial, it was found that white roofs significantly decreased heat levels and energy usage. Traditionally, unpainte...
03 Sep, 2026, 01.00 PM IST
US judge bars EPA effort to send California vehicle emissions rules to CongressA judge blocked the Environmental Protection Agency from sending California's vehicle emissions rules to Congress. The agency had sought to...
03 Sep, 2026, 07.28 AM IST
In 2011, Lovell FHCC joined a green federal challenge with 3 focus areas. 3 years later, LED retrofits cut electricity 15%, saving $500,000 and 7.4 million pounds of CO2Lovell FHCC lighting project remains a useful example of how sustainability goals can produce measurable results when they are connected to...
03 Sep, 2026, 04.13 AM IST
In 2009, the U.S. Air Force put 525,000 computers under ENERGY STAR power controls, replacing wasteful always-on use with sleep settings and targeting $15 million in annual savingsAir Force's approach focused on putting computers into lower-power states when they were not being actively used. Under the settings being ...
03 Sep, 2026, 03.45 AM IST
In 2011, Illinois' Algonquin secured $1 million for a Woods Creek watershed plan. 10 years later, 27 projects costing $4.8 million had reduced pollution and improved the watershed for residentsThe Woods Creek watershed in Illinois became the focus of a long-term restoration effort after the Village of Algonquin received more than ...
02 Sep, 2026, 11.25 PM IST
In 2011, GSA’s Chicago Federal Center joined the green challenge with 6,700 workers. 1 year later, an HVAC overhaul cut natural gas use 25% and saved $140,000 that yearThe Chicago Federal Center found a practical way to reduce energy use. GSA upgraded its HVAC system across the large federal complex. The c...
02 Sep, 2026, 07.04 PM IST
In 2007, Capannori rejected a new incinerator and embraced zero waste. 19 years later, its door-to-door system helped push recycling above 80% and inspire Italy’s movementCapannori, a town near Lucca in Tuscany, developed a Zero Waste approach after residents opposed a proposed incinerator. Rossano Ercolini a...
01 Sep, 2026, 11.21 PM IST
In 2012, Chicago’s Railroad Retirement Board found new life for 3,200 pounds of electronics through reuse and recycling; the effort lifted waste diversion nearly 10%The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board successfully recycled over 3,200 pounds of electronic waste. This achievement was driven by federal prog...
01 Sep, 2026, 10.30 PM IST
In 2021, Berkeley Lab made a roof coating that switches at 67°C. Today, it beats existing coatings in 12 of 15 US climate zones, cutting household electricity use 10%Installing TARC could help the average U.S. household reduce electricity consumption by up to 10 percent annually. Another advantage of TAR...
01 Sep, 2026, 08.31 PM IST
In 1995, Florida researchers coated a Cocoa Beach school roof white; over the following year, chiller energy use fell 10%, saving 13,000 kWh, while peak demand fell 35%A study conducted in Florida revealed that white roofs can drastically lower cooling costs, marking a significant achievement in the realm ...
01 Sep, 2026, 07.30 PM IST
In 2006, Portland converted 45,000 streetlights to LEDs. 20 years later, its streetlights and signals use 66% less energy and save the city $1.5 million every yearTwo decades after 2006, Portland’s lighting story offers a useful lesson for cities considering their own energy transitions. The important...
01 Sep, 2026, 03.32 AM IST
In Maine, engineers turn about 1 million scrap tires a year into lightweight highway fill; the shredded rubber stabilizes embankments built on weak marine clayInnovatively transforming shredded tyres into construction materials for highway embankments, Maine tackled substantial waste tyre pileup w...
31 Aug, 2026, 02.25 PM IST