Microcosm of the Macrocosm: 7 Planet-Focused Stories from Around the World

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

1. Your house could become a rechargeable cement battery. Here’s how – A rechargeable cement battery that’s becoming a realistic possibility could change the way you store energy, turning the walls of your house into a giant battery, World Economic Forum reports.

2. Old Irish Goats deployed to protect Dublin hills from wildfires – An ancient breed of Irish goat has been deployed to protect the hills around one of Dublin’s most affluent suburbs from gorse wildfires, Reuters reports.

3. Schoolchildren demand ‘compulsory’ climate education – Secondary school children in the UK are among those demanding new mandatory teaching – complete with exams – on climate science, The Independent writes.

4. Full battery in 15 minutes: The world’s fastest electric car charger – The world’s fastest electric car charger has been launched by Swiss tech giant, ABB, and will be available in Europe by the end of 2021. The new Terra 360 modular charger can charge up to four vehicles at once, according to Euronews.

5. Nightclub in Scotland Will Capture Energy From Dancers to Power the Venue – One Glasgow nightclub is working to sustainably harness the energy released from its partiers on the dance floor. The pioneering system at SWG3 could save the popular nightspot up to 70 tons of CO2 per year, according to Good News Network.

6. This realistic mushroom ‘leather’ is ready for commercial production – By the end of next year, for the first time, Mylo – a leather-like material made out of mycelium – will be produced at a commercial scale, in a facility that can make as much as a million square feet a year, Fast Company writes.

7. An infamously dirty river is coming back to life thanks to community activism – Due to sustained community pressure and Earthjustice litigation, D.C.’s Anacostia River is finally recovering from decades of pollution.