Sustainability and Future

Most young ladies sunning by the pool aren't thinking about a hippopotamus, but its perspiration reveals nature's superior engineering. This post explores why 3.8 billion years of natural R&D matters for human innovation.

The ongoing threats to the Great Lakes from water diversions, climate change, and emerging genetic technologies.

The threat of Asian carp invasion through the Chicago Canal and the billion-dollar efforts to prevent it.

The devastating impact of zebra and quagga mussels on the Great Lakes food web, exacerbated by agricultural runoff.

The introduction of Pacific salmon to control alewives, replacing native species and creating a sport fishing boom with unforeseen consequences.

Exploring the history of the St. Lawrence Seaway and its role in unleashing invasive species that devastated the Great Lakes ecosystem, from sea lampreys to Asian carp.

The construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway promised economic prosperity but unleashed ecological disaster through invasive species like sea lampreys and alewives.

Explore cutting-edge innovations in carbon capture and utilization, natural growth processes for materials, and advanced chemical recycling technologies reshaping the future of sustainable design.

Navigate the sustainability of wood, engineered materials, paper, and ceramics—understanding carbon sequestration, responsible forestry, and end-of-life challenges.

Understand the distinct sustainability challenges of textiles (recycling complexity) and metals (high emissions), and discover innovations in chemical recycling and material blending.