Good News: Issue 9
Indigenous-owned solar farm, "fungi tiles" inspired by elephants, fog harvesting in Chile, Hawaii's new "green fee" and SuperAdobe homes in California
Hello friends,
I had a hard time choosing which stories to feature this week! My inbox was flooded with press releases about corporate sustainability efforts, green energy projects, conservation areas being developed, and innovative climate solutions being engineered. One thing’s for certain: there is a lot to be optimistic about.
I also wanted to let you know that I’ve started my own Medium publication for the Greener Good. The first story is about Canada’s largest off-grid solar farm (linked to below). In the coming weeks, I will be linking more and more to my own original content. I hope you’ll check it out!
Now, enjoy this week’s Top 5 good news stories!
Indigenous-Owned Solar Project Is Underway in Anahim Lake, B.C.
The Anahim Lake Solar Project in British Columbia is set to become Canada’s largest off-grid solar farm, providing clean energy to the Ulkatcho First Nation and significantly reducing their reliance on diesel power. Indigenous-owned and supported by BC Hydro's first-ever Community Electricity Purchase Agreement, this initiative marks a major step forward in sustainable energy and environmental stewardship on Traditional Territory.
With construction underway and completion planned for October 2025, the project includes advanced microgrid upgrades and battery storage for reliable power distribution.
Researchers Have Developed Fungi Tiles Inspired by Elephant Skin
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have engineered “fungi tiles” that help cool buildings. The tiles are made using mycelium (from oyster mushrooms) mixed with oats, water, and bamboo shavings collected from a furniture shop. The mixture is molded into hexagons with a textured surface inspired by elephant skin.
Elephants evolved wrinkled skin to regulate their temperature — the wrinkles trap water, cooling them down as it evaporates. The wrinkled tiles work the same way, cooling 25 % faster than flat versions and heating up 2 % slower. When sprayed with water, cooling increased another 70%.
These fungi tiles are a sustainable, low-energy alternative to synthetic insulation, offering passive cooling without electricity and reducing reliance on refrigerants and air conditioning. The team is now working to improve durability, test different fungal strains, and scale up production, aiming to deploy them on real building facades.
Fog Harvesting in Chile Could Provide Clean Water to a Desert Community
Researchers from Universidad Mayor are mapping out locations for fog harvesting in Alto Hospicio, a desert city that receives less than 0.2 inches of rainfall per year. Fog harvesting would provide a clean, sustainable water source for thousands of people who currently rely on water delivery trucks.
The practice of fog harvesting dates to ancient civilizations, when people in Peru and Chile used grass and leaves to collect moisture from the atmosphere. Now, fog is harvested by capturing water droplets from the air with specialized mesh panels suspended between poles. As fog passes through the mesh, microscopic water droplets form; these coalesce into larger drops, which are channeled into storage containers.
Researchers are using sophisticated algorithms and satellite imagery to predict optimal mesh placement, as well as analyzing wind patterns, humidity levels, and topographical characteristics. Preliminary research is promising. Scientists calculated that 17,000 square meters of mesh could produce 300,000 liters of water — the amount currently delivered by water trucks.
Hawaiʻi Is Introducing a Tourism “Green Fee” To Fund Climate Action
Hawaii has become the first U.S. state to introduce a tourism “Green Fee,” aimed at funding environmental stewardship and climate resilience. Starting January 1, 2026, the transient accommodations tax (TAT) will increase by 0.75%, raising the tax to 11%. Although the impact per person is minimal (roughly $3 per night for a $400 room), the fee is projected to generate around $100 million annually. The revenue will be directed toward environmental stewardship efforts like beach replenishment, wildfire mitigation (especially post‑Maui 2023), invasive species control, and coastal resilience infrastructure.
“SuperAdobe” Homes Promise a Safe, Low Carbon Housing Solution
In the wake of devastating California wildfires, builders are turning their attention to “SuperAdobe” homes. Resembling traditional adobe dwellings, SuperAdobe homes are constructed by filling sandbags with earth, coiling them into layers, reinforcing them with barbed wire, and plastering them for waterproofing. The result is a beautiful, resilient home that is safe from fire, hurricanes, and earthquakes. SuperAdobe homes have survived fires, earthquakes and other disasters, including Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2015.
With increasing natural disasters caused by climate change, SuperAdobe offers a solution for climate adaptation — and it is a low-carbon building method. Without the need for heavy machinery, steel, and timber, SuperAdobe produces lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional building techniques. Plus it’s affordable and accessible — just about anyone can learn how to build one.
Yours for the Greener Good,
Brett