Here’s a roundup of some of the stories that have captured Life & Soul Magazine’s attention this week:

1. New York Bans Single-Use Toiletry Bottles In Hotels – In a bid to combat plastic pollution, the State of New York has officially banned the distribution of mini, single-use plastic toiletry bottles in hotels! Commencing in January 2024, hotels will begin using sustainable alternatives, like refillable dispensers, Flora & Fauna writes.

2. Sweden delivers world’s first fossil-fuel free steel – Swedish green steel venture HYBRIT announced that it had made the world’s first customer delivery of steel produced without using coal as it looks to revolutionize an industry that accounts for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Reuters reports.

3. Airtomo is a wearable air purifier designed for use on public transport – Industrial designer Kevin Chiam has created a 3D-printed wearable air purifier that is designed to remove air pollution from around the user using water vapour, Dezeen reports.

4. The Future of Sustainable Packaging – Sustainable Packaging is a leading issue in the beauty industry—Beauty Packaging speaks to key players to help put things into perspective.

5. Mushrooms: 4 uses that benefit the environment -Mycelium, the silky thread that binds fungus, is being adapted to create everything from shoes to coffins to packaging and robust building materials. Best of all, it literally feeds on trash and agricultural byproducts, detoxifing them along the way, DW News reports.

6. Walk a mile in these climate-neutral sneakers made from used coffee grounds – Rens Original, a Finnish startup, just launched a Kickstarter campaign to create what the brand calls “the world’s first crowdfunded climate neutral sneaker”—made largely from used coffee grounds, Yahoo! Life writes.

7. How to make a bee hotel to help protect natural habitats – Bee hotels are amazing, simple ways to help protect biodiversity. Stylist provides an expert tutorial on how to make your own, safely.

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She writes about lifestyle including sustainable and green living.