Tigers Go Green

Keeping the Holidays Green

With the holiday season quickly approaching, many people are starting to make their wish lists and buying presents. However, it can be hard to be sustainable, especially with the emphasis on online shopping this year, so I have compiled my favorite tips to help keep gift-giving green.

Christmas, New Year'S Eve, Postcard — Image Credit: Daria-Yakovleva via pixabay.com

Step 1: Make a List of People You Care About

This time of year puts a lot of pressure on people to spend money to show that they care. As a result, we can end up spending too much money buying gifts simply for the sake of getting them. My biggest reminder is that you don’t have to buy someone a present to show that you love them. However, if you would like to give gifts, start by writing down who you want to give something to. This helps you keep track of any purchases and curb impulse spending.

Step 2: Picking Gifts

Here are some tips to figure out how to give something while staying eco-friendly! First, try and look for experience gifts rather than material gifts. You don’t want to buy something that someone is going to end up throwing away eventually, so try to buy gifts that can be experienced or used for a long time. This is how we can keep a sustainability mindset when we shop, which is thinking about what happens to presents after they have been gifted (Be sure to check out our Black Friday IG post to learn more about keeping a sustainability mindset). Here are some great experiential gift ideas:

Gift cards!
Subscriptions to music services or a workout program
A donation in their name
Virtual classes (cooking, dancing, music lessons, etc.)
National park passes
A custom playlist
Tickets to a (virtual for now) concert or adventure
Your favorite recipe and the ingredients (so you can make it together)

Making your own gifts is also a great idea. Whether it’s food, something sentimental, or a piece of artwork you know they would like, a homemade gift can be thoughtful and uses less packaging.

If you do decide that you want to buy something material, here are some ideas to keep in mind:

Find gifts that can be used frequently and for a long time! I try to avoid things that have a niche use or are of low quality.
Shop locally, BIPOC owned! This will reduce your footprint as well as show support for your community. Also, buying secondhand will make sure that no new items are being manufactured.
Find ethically made items. Look for things that are Fairtrade, organic, recycled, zero-waste, or carbon neutral. This might take a little bit of research. Also, be careful of packaging that says it’s “eco-friendly” or “green,” because products can say this without actually making sustainable decisions (aka as a marketing ploy also known as “greenwashing”).
Items with a charity aspect can be a good alternative to those without. For instance, if your purchase also donates money to planting trees or a non-profit. Be careful with these products though! You could technically donate to that charity or to plant trees without shipping a product, so make sure that it is something they will use.
Buy reusable replacements to typical single-use products! A lot of household products are designed to be used once and thrown away (think plastic wrap, plastic utensils, napkins, paper towels, Ziploc bags, makeup wipes), so this type of gift can actually save them money in the long run! Finding items that are refillable is also a good idea. Some services now allow you to order items and then send back the containers when you are done.

Step 3: Wrapping your Gifts

Every year, America alone goes through millions of pounds of wrapping paper, more than enough to cover nearly 6,000 NFL football fields! Luckily, swapping out your wrapping paper is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste this season. Considering that the paper is designed to be ripped off and discarded, you’re also going to be saving a ton of money on new rolls each year. However, remember to use up what you already have! This goes for gifts too. If you receive reusable or eco-friendly versions of items, finish up the rest of what you’ve got before opening new products. Throwing them away now defeats the purpose of having reusables!

First, try using paper other than wrapping paper, such as newspapers or the brown paper that comes with packaging. Bonus points for the vintage look (and the recyclability)!

Continue that aesthetic by opting for string, twine, or ribbon instead of tape. Tape is just plastic with glue on it, so trying to limit how much you use is a good idea because it is not recyclable.

Christmas, Gift, New Year, Holidays, Present, Red — Image Credit: monicore via pixabay.com

In the same vein, make sure that you take off any tape you do use from wrapping paper that is recyclable. Remember that not all wrapping paper is recyclable! If it has glitter on it or doesn’t crumple, throw that in the trash! If you use other sources like packing paper or newspaper, try to remove any tape before you put that in the recycling bin.

However, the best way to present your presents is to not use paper at all! I love wrapping gifts in things like clothes, blankets, or scarves. Not only does this look cute, but no waste is produced! You can also use boxes that you already have, such as shoe boxes, online shopping boxes, or clean food containers (and reuse again and again)!

I hope you found some new tips that you love, and remember that any steps you take will help. Happy holidays, Tigers!

Good News Friday 12/11/20

Author: Camellia Moors ‘22

Welcome to our post-Dean’s Date Good News Friday! If finals are making things seem a little bleak, here’s some positive news to get you through the week:

*Image Credit: Princeton University Facilities Organization via* *sustain.princeton.edu*

1. Princeton University Expands Solar Power: In April 2019, Princeton released a Sustainability Action Plan with the goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2046. This week, the university came one step closer to that goal by announcing it would install eight new solar array projects. These panels are in addition to the solar field near campus that has been in operation for nearly a decade. The new projects are expected to triple the generating capacity of Princeton University’s solar farms from 5.5% to 19% of campus electricity use.

*Image Credit: Jeremy Bishop via* *Pexels.com*

2. Scientists Regrow Coral Reefs: Members of the organization Raising Coral Costa Rica are using coral samples to reconstruct damaged reefs. By breaking off coral samples, growing them in a nursery, and then reintroducing them into their natural environment, the scientists can study how corals can be more resistant to climate change while simultaneously reconstructing depleted reefs.

*Image Credit: JDS Architects via* *UN-Habitat*

3. Building Homes From Recycled Plastic: United Nations-Habitat has partnered with the startup company Othalo to build houses from recycled plastic waste in Kenya. The project aims to quickly and sustainably help solve Kenya’s permanent housing deficit. The first factory to produce building materials for the homes is expected to open next year.

That’s all for this week! Join us next time for another roundup of good news. Until then, take a look at our previous Good News Friday editions and contact us if you have any good news you would like to share!

EcoReps Sustainable Meals Recipe Book

Author: Camellia Moors ‘22

With the semester quickly coming to an end and the holidays nearly upon us, now is the perfect time to flex your cooking skills and try out some new recipes. If you were looking for culinary inspiration, search no further! The EcoReps have compiled some of their personal favorite sustainable recipes into a “book” below. Please give them a try, and don’t forget to check out our weekly Sustainable Meals for Busy Students posts with Greening Dining!

Breakfast

Cider Pumpkin Waffles: Sure, pumpkin spice might be a bit of an autumn cliché. (But note that it got that way because it is delicious). Spice up your breakfast and make the most of the end of the pumpkin season by making waffles! Find the recipe here.

(Recipe contributed by: Lisa Nicolaison, OOS Staff)

Pumpkin Muffins: Continuing with the pumpkin spice theme, also try your hand at pumpkin muffins! Adam Wickham notes that this recipe can be adapted to a vegan version by substituting ¼ cup of applesauce for each egg and swapping regular milk with plant-based options. Find the recipe here.

(Recipe contributed by: Adam Wickham ‘22)

Spreads and Toppings

Apple Butter: To make a quick, festive, and delicious seasonal condiment, try apple butter. This recipe is very customizable, so get creative with your spices and flavors! Find the recipe here.

(Recipe contributed by: Lisa Nicolaison, OOS Staff)

*Image Credit: Tieghan Gerard via* *halfbakedharvest.com*

Spiced Pumpkin Butter: Not a huge fan of apples, but still looking for something more interesting than peanut butter to put on toast? Try out pumpkin butter instead! Find the recipe here.

(Recipe contributed by: Lisa Nicolaison, OOS Staff)

Soups and Dips

Vegan 3-Bean Chili: For a quick, easy, and one-pot recipe that makes for great leftovers, try one of our EcoReps’ own recipes for vegan chili! Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients
- ~2 cups (10 oz) of frozen or fresh chopped bell peppers and onions
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 15 oz cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 15 oz cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 15 oz can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 15 oz can navy or great northern beans (rinsed and drained)
- ~2 cups (10 oz) frozen corn
- 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
- 1 ⅓ Tbsp mild chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- Some salt and pepper
- Optional:
  - 24 oz can diced green chiles
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, cook the veggies and garlic for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a tablespoon or so of water at a time as needed to keep the veggies from sticking.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Increase heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until veggies are tender (about 10 minutes).
- Enjoy!

(Recipe contributed by: Julia Harisay ‘21)

Ful Medames: Not in the mood for soup, but still looking for an easy one-pot recipe? Try ful medames, a Middle Eastern bean dip/porridge often served with pita bread. Beans are an excellent source of protein with a far smaller carbon footprint than meat. Find the recipe here.

(Recipe contributed by: Camellia Moors ‘22)

Image Credit: Suzy Karadsheh via *themediterraneandish.com*

Side Dishes

Baked Tofu: Tofu can be eaten on its own or as part of a larger dish, and it makes for an excellent sustainable meat substitute due to its smaller carbon footprint. Whether you already frequently eat tofu or are just starting to try it, here is one of our EcoReps’ personal recipes to try out!:

Ingredients
- 1 lb. firm tofu
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic (or to taste)
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- Black pepper
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Wrap tofu in a dish towel for 10-15 minutes to remove excess water, then slice the tofu into 6-8 pieces lengthwise.
- Combine all other ingredients except sesame seeds in a square baking dish.
  - Tip: You can double the marinade if you want more sauce.
- Add tofu to the marinade; turn to coat before sprinkling the top of tofu with sesame seeds.
- Bake the tofu on the top shelf of the oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
- Enjoy! Some serving suggestions include:
  - Serve the tofu over rice, quinoa, or noodles.
  - Serve the tofu on a sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and onion.

(Recipe contributed by: Naomi Frim-Abrams ‘23)

Tofu Stir Fry: Sticking with the tofu theme, try your hand at making some tofu stir fry! It’s easy to customize what vegetables you add in; to be environmentally conscious, tailor your recipe to the vegetables that are in season. Maddy Chong says: “I usually add shredded/chopped carrots, spinach, egg, and edamame, but this would be really good with most veggies.” Find the recipe here.

(Recipe contributed by: Maddy Chong ‘23)

*Image Credit: Erin Clarke via* *wellplated.com*

Main Meals

Sweet Potato, Kale, and Quinoa Bowl: Grain bowls have grown in popularity in recent years as they have gained recognition for being healthy, customizable, and easy to take on-the-go. To make your own healthy and sustainable grain bowl, try Julia Harisay’s recipe:

Ingredients
- For the sweet potatoes:
  - 1-2 sweet potatoes
  - 2 tsp olive oil
  - 2 tsp maple syrup
  - 1 tsp salt
  - Pinch of cayenne pepper
  - Several cracks of pepper
- Rest of bowl:
  - 1 small bunch curly kale
  - Cooking spray
  - ¼ tsp sea salt
  - ¼ tsp garlic powder
  - Juice of ¼ wedge of lemon
  - Cooked rice or quinoa, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scrub sweet potatoes and slice them in half lengthwise, then slice each potato widthwise into ½ in pieces.
- Put the potatoes in an even layer on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle them with oil, syrup, salt, cayenne, and a few cracks of pepper. Rub potatoes well to coat.
- Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Tear the kale into bite-sized pieces and discard stems. Rinse the kale (do not dry it).
- Spray a pan with cooking spray and put it on the stove on medium heat.
- Put wet kale in the pan and sprinkle it with sea salt and garlic powder. Stir the kale and cover the pan.
- Cook the kale for 3 minutes or until bright green and tender. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Combine sweet potatoes, kale, and quinoa or rice in a bowl and enjoy!

(Recipe contributed by: Julia Harisay ‘21)

Peanut Noodles: For a filling and easy meal that takes under 15 minutes, try peanut noodles! Combine with the tofu stir fry recipe above for a particularly delicious dish. Find the recipe here.

(Recipe contributed by: Maddy Chong ‘23)

We hope you enjoy these recipes, and happy cooking!

Studying Sustainably – Paper Tips Edition

Graphics and text by Lazarena Lazarova ’21 – originally appeared on @Tigersgogreen Instagram

Check Your Print Settings

One way to use less paper is to use more of it, or rather use it more efficiently! We know that sometimes you just have to print something out, so check your settings before you hit “Print.”

Be sure you’re printing double-sided
Make your margins as small as possible to minimize white space on a page
Use PDF editors, like printfriendly.com, to cut out junk from your printouts
Consider printing 2 or more pages per piece of paper
Be selective and print only the pages you need
Use misprinted paper for scratch work

Make Paper Crafts

If you have a misprint or used paper from past semesters you don’t know what to do with, give yourself a fun study break and make paper crafts using these materials.

Here are some ideas of cool creations you can make! For one, you can practice your origami skills, or you can create paper snowflakes to decorate your window if winter is approaching. Color the paper or use it as is, there are so many possibilities – get creative!

Recycle and Compost

You know about the importance of recycling your paper by having proper recycling bins and following your recycler’s guidelines, but that’s not the only way you can give your paper a second life. If you have access to a composting system, or can start up a compost bin for yourself, you can compost your paper as well!

Some compost systems can only handle shredded paper, so check what yours can work with and cut up the paper with a shredder or using a pair of scissors. Likewise, not all paper can be composted, like colored and glossy paper, which might contain some toxic heavy metals, but newsprint and other paper is safe to use as mulch or in compost. In fact, one study revealed that paper had less toxic material than straw or grass!

Pay it Forward

In the U.S., an estimated 640,000 tons of books are sent to the landfill annually. At an assumed average weight of 4 pounds each, that’s approximately 320 million books discarded each year!

If guidelines allow it, donate your books to libraries, resell them online, pass them on to students planning on taking the same class, or organize socially-distanced book swaps with your friends! Conversely, see if you can buy your textbooks second-hand, rent them, or get digital versions!

Studying Sustainably – Limiting Waste Edition

Graphics and text by Lazarena Lazarova ’21 – originally appeared on @Tigersgogreen Instagram

Use Digital Tools

On average, a college student is assigned about 400 pages of reading per week. In place of printing out those papers, consider using digital tools to read, annotate, and organize them instead! At the simplest level, you can highlight and comment on PDF files with programs such as Mac’s Pages, Google Docs, and Adobe Acrobat. You can also use digital platforms, like Quizlet or Brainscape, to make personalized online flashcards!

Reusable Scratch Paper

How often do you grab a fresh sheet of paper to use for scratch work only to toss it later that day? To cut down on your paper waste, swap scratch paper for a whiteboard instead! You can use a spare whiteboard lying around your house, a notebook with whiteboard-surface pages, a peel-and-stick sheet of whiteboard surface you can place on a wall or on your desk, or even a laminated white sheet!

Use What You Already Have!

The best way to be sustainable is to make use of what you already have! If you prefer working on paper, be sure to fill up pages as much as possible before getting a clean sheet. Reduce the size of your handwriting, use the backside of a one-sided print out for quick notes, and write with a pencil or an erasable pen to get more than one use of a piece of paper.

Replace Parts, Not the Whole

Not only can you use what you have, but sometimes you can reuse it too! With some objects, you can often replace only the parts you need! For example, if your favorite pen runs out of ink, see if you can replace only its ink cartridge instead of the entire pen unit itself. Not only is this more sustainable, but it can also be less expensive too.

Limit Your E-Waste

Electronic waste (e-waste) describes discarded electrical or electronic devices – smartphones, fridges, you name it – and as of 2019, is one of the fastest growing waste streams on Earth. Not only does e-waste contain harmful chemicals that can end up in our soil, water, and air when improperly disposed, but it can also be illegally exported to countries that don’t have laws on handling/disposing of it. Since remote studying relies heavily on technology, be mindful of your e-waste: consider if you really need to get the most recent laptop or phone model if yours already functions well, or see if you can repair parts of your device instead of purchasing a brand new one. If you do decide to discard a device, look into legitimate channels to go through – for example, big manufacturers like Apple and Best Buy accept e-waste!

Studying Sustainably – Energy Tips Edition

Graphics and text by Lazarena Lazarova ’21 – originally appeared on @Tigersgogreen Instagram

Study During the Day

Take advantage of the daylight – study near a window instead of under a lamp at night!
Not only are you getting in some vitamin D, but you are also reducing your energy use.

Use LED Bulbs

LED lights are up to 80% more efficient than traditional lighting – not only do they reduce the amount of energy lost as heat, but they also draw much less power than traditional lighting!
If compatible, change your bulbs to LEDs. By using less energy, you can help decrease greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the demand from the grid.

Layer Up

A Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) in 2011 revealed that heating and cooling accounts for about 50% of the energy use in a building.
Instead of turning on the heat in your house, try bundling up with a sweater, grabbing a blanket, drinking something hot, or taking small active breaks!

Unplug your electronics

The vampire effect refers not to spooky vampires with fangs but the even scarier reality of electricity consumption by electronics that aren’t in use but are plugged into outlets, consuming unnecessary energy, like the power that maintains your TV settings or the charger plugged into your wall but not your phone.
Try to unplug your appliances from the outlet when not in use!

Good News Friday 12/4/20

Author: Grace Liu ‘23

Welcome to our first Good News Friday of December! As we head into reading period and finals, let’s take some time to appreciate all the positive environmental developments that have been happening recently. Here are three hopeful bits of good news to kick off the holiday (and exam) season:

Image credit: photoshopper24 via pixabay.com

Environmental Activists Recognized: The Goldman Environmental Prize (aka the “Green Nobel Prize”) honors six grassroots environmental activists, one from each (populated) continental region of the world. This year’s winners include: an Indigenous Karen activist from Myanmar who worked to establish the world’s first peace park in an active conflict zone, an Indigenous Mayan beekeeper who spearheaded a coalition to ban Monsanto soy beans in seven Mexican states, a French climate activist who pressured France’s three largest banks to stop supporting coal development, a youth activism leader who brought about a ban on single-use plastics in the Bahamas, an Indigenous Waorani woman who enacted legal action to stop oil extraction in a huge plot of the Amazon rainforest, and an activist who changed the trajectory of Ghana’s energy future. Read more about their inspiring stories here.

Unlimited Geothermal Energy Startup: Eavor, a promising geothermal energy startup, has developed an innovative yet simple system, dubbed the Eavor-Loop, which harvests heat from deep in the earth to be used for commercial heating applications or to generate electricity. While conventional geothermal plants drill straight down into the earth, the Eavor-Loop consists of a pressurised self-contained loop where cold water is constantly heated underground and the heat is extracted at the surface. The system is essentially self-powered due to convection, and Eavor predicts it will be able to provide gigawatts of dispatchable energy anywhere in the world for less than $50/MWh by the end of the decade, making its technology cost-competitive with natural gas and coal.

Lab-Grown Chicken Nuggets for Sale: For the first time ever, cultured meat grown in a bioreactor has been approved for sale. The “chicken bites,” produced by the U.S. company Eat Just, recently passed the safety review of the Singapore Food Agency. As of now, the lab-grown alternative is much more expensive than conventional meat, but Eat Just predicts that it will eventually be cheaper when production is scaled up. According to some scientists, cutting meat and dairy consumption is the single biggest action a person can take to reduce their impact on the environment, so this new development is a huge win for sustainable food production.

That’s it for this week! Tune in next time for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!

Sustainable Meals for Busy Students: Vegan Wawa Gobbler Hoagie

Author: Annika Hsi ‘23

This recipe is a quick and easy way to repurpose Thanksgiving leftovers and reduce food waste. Food waste can be a big problem, especially during the holiday season, with over 450 million pounds of Thanksgiving food being wasted each year.

For this homemade version of Wawa’s Gobbler hoagie, my leftovers happened to be plant-based, but since this recipe is super customizable, you can always experiment with whatever Thanksgiving dishes you have in the fridge!

Ingredients:

Bread (i.e. hoagie roll, sourdough, etc.)
Thanksgiving leftovers, such as:
- ½ cup of stuffing or mashed potatoes
- 3-4 slices of vegan turkey or chicken
- ¼ cup of roasted vegetables
- Gravy or cranberry sauce

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut and toast the bread.

Step 2: Layer on the ingredients. I usually put stuffing or mashed potatoes on the bottom, then vegan turkey/chicken or roasted vegetables on top. If you don’t have your own leftovers or if you want to experiment with some plant-based foods, here are some ideas for sandwich fillings:

Stuffing: I replaced the butter with Earth Balance and the eggs with 2 tbsp of ground flaxseed mixed with 5 tbsp of water.

Roasted Vegetables: I coated Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Then I baked them at 415°F for 30-45 min.

Plant-Based Chicken: For meat, I used Lightlife Smart Tenders. Lightlife is a carbon-neutral company that produces a variety of different soy-based meat replacements.

Step 3: Enjoy!

Recipe inspired by Wawa

This series is brought to you by student group, Greening Dining

Composting at Home

Author: Claire Wayner ’22

Stuck at home and tired of your garbage can getting stinky? A full 22% of your trash (or more) is likely food, and food waste doesn’t smell too great after a couple of days. There’s an easy and environmentally friendly solution to the odor – start composting!

By breaking down the food in combination with leaves and water, the process yields a rich, nutrient-filled soil additive called compost that can be used in your home garden beds or gifted to your neighbors (here is an article on the benefits of compost for your garden). Composting at home is really easy to start up and doesn’t require a ton of resources. My family has been composting since I was in middle school, and since then, we’ve learned a lot of helpful tips which I’ll share with you below.

During the day, we collect our food scraps indoors in an old yogurt container in the fridge to prevent it from smelling up our kitchen counter. We then empty the scraps into our outdoor composter whenever the indoor container is full. Our outdoor composter is a tumbling, elevated version which we keep in our backyard. It’s definitely worth the investment to buy a model like the one we have because it keeps food scraps contained and elevated (to prevent us from attracting unwanted pests like rats, as we live in a city) and also makes it easier to regularly turn the compost (moving the scraps around is important to promote breakdown and aeration). You don’t need a shiny new container to start composting, however. In a pinch, you can build your own out of anything from milk crates to recycled lumber.

Home compost collected in an old yogurt cup
Photo Credits: Claire Wayner

Keep in mind that you can’t compost all of your food scraps at home – things like dairy, meat, prepared foods/dishes, and disposables marked as “compostable” should stay out of your home compost, as they won’t break down unless put in a more industrialized composting environment like Princeton’s S.C.R.A.P. Lab. Stick to things like fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, or clippings from your yard (raked leaves in the fall are great!). Try to get your ratio of “greens” (e.g., grass clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps) to “browns” (e.g., leaves, eggshells) right.

There are plenty of tutorials online on how to get started (check out this one from NPR). If you live in a dense city and can’t easily set up a compost bin, there are always countertop composters for apartments, or you could check to see if your municipality offers curbside composting pickup (ShareWaste has a great directory of where to drop off your compost if you can’t use it in your home).

*Elevated, tumbling outdoor composter*
*Photo Credits: Claire Wayner*

By starting to compost, you can make a big difference. Most greenhouse gas emissions from landfills come from the breakdown of food. Composting can reduce these greenhouse gas emissions and give us a usable product at the end of it.

Good News Friday 11/27/20

Author: Camellia Moors ‘22

Welcome again to our Good News Friday series! I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving (maybe even including some of our Sustainable Meals for Busy Students recipes!). In the same positive holiday spirit, here are our top three uplifting pieces of environmental news for this week:

Global growth in renewable energy: A recent report published by the International Energy Agency predicts a 4% increase in installed renewable energy capacity this year, with renewables accounting for approximately 90% of 2020’s total power capacity growth. This comes at the same time that many investors have started redirecting funds into sustainable energy and away from fossil fuels, which could spur further growth in the renewable energy sector.

Image Credit: Chad Russell via Pexels.com

2. Germany supports electric vehicles: Earlier this month, Germany’s Economy Ministry agreed to provide €2 billion ($2.33 billion) in aid funds to its auto industry to support “a switch to greener engines and automated driving.” This is especially important in light of the country’s hopes to cut emissions by approximately 50% compared to 1990 levels by 2030.

*Image Credit:* United States Geological Survey

3. Legal win for the Alaskan tundra: The debate over a controversial, proposed copper and gold mine in Alaska, which would have been one of the world’s largest mines for such materials, appears to have finally been settled after the Army Corps of Engineers denied the project a critical permit. Declared “contrary to the public interest,” the Pebble Mine would have threatened salmon breeding grounds. It has long been opposed by Alaskan Native Americans, environmentalists, and the fishing industry. The NRDC, for example, praised the decision, with its senior attorney Joel Reynolds stating, “Amen to certainty for this cherished area, the tribes and community of Bristol Bay, and its wildlife and waters… this move recognizes there was never any way to mitigate the harm Pebble Mine would do.”

There’s always positive environmental news somewhere if you dig a little. Join us next week for another Good News Friday, and until then, check out our past editions and contact us if you have any good news you would like to share!