Why the Tesla, Inc. Powerwall Is Changing the Way We Think About Home Energy

For years, solar panels have been seen as the poster child of greener living.

But there has always been one obvious problem: what happens when the sun goes down?

That's where the Tesla, Inc. Powerwall steps in.

It's not a futuristic gadget for tech enthusiasts with too much disposable income. It's a practical home battery designed to store electricity generated by solar panels, or even cheaper off-peak electricity from the grid,. so you can use it later when you actually need it.

In simple terms, it helps your home become smarter, greener and a lot less dependent on the grid.

Tesla describes Powerwall as a compact home battery that stores energy generated by solar or from the grid, allowing homeowners to use that power day and night, including during outages. It also offers customisable power modes for backup protection and electricity bill savings.

That matters more than ever in the UK, where energy prices remain unpredictable and more households are looking for ways to cut long-term costs rather than simply complain about the latest bill over a cup of tea.

Powerwall can also provide backup during power cuts. Unlike noisy generators that sound like someone has started a lawnmower indoors, it switches automatically to stored energy when the grid goes down. 

Tesla says severe weather preparation features can even automatically charge the battery when outages are forecast.

The current system offers 13.5 kWh of energy capacity, enough to make a meaningful difference for many households, especially when paired with solar panels.

Of course, it's not cheap. Installation costs can be significant, and it works best when properly matched to your home’s energy use. It is not a magic money-printing box attached to your wall.

But for households serious about reducing carbon emissions, improving energy resilience and making better use of renewable power, it is a strong option worth exploring.

The real appeal of Powerwall is not just the sleek design or the famous badge on the front. It is the idea of energy independence.

Use less. Waste less. Panic less when the lights flicker.

That feels very green indeed.

Because the future of sustainability is not just generating clean power, it's being smart enough to keep it for when you need it.

https://www.tesla.com/en_gb/powerwall

SocialBox.Biz Champions “Reuse Before IT Disposal” for Earth Day 2026

In celebration of Earth Day 2026, SocialBox.Biz has announced a strategic call to London businesses to rethink their computer hardware life-cycle strategies.

This is the core message of the "Call SocialBox.Biz First" initiative. 

By contacting SocialBox.Biz first, companies ensure their functional IT equipment goes towards more high-impact reuse with SocialBoxBiz.

The initiative highlights a shift from traditional computer recycling to a "reuse-first" model with SocialBoxBiz, emphasising the dual benefits of environmental sustainability and social equity such as older adults supported by Age UKs in London.

A recently published case study by Age UK Islington (view here: https://shorturl.at/iAKxI) showcases the tangible impact of this collaboration.

 By diverting functional IT hardware from recycling scrap heaps, SocialBox.Biz provides repurposed laptops and tablets to disadvantaged individuals, including older adults who rely on computer access for essential services and social connection.

"With the growing concern over the environmental impact of decommissioned technology, this partnership serves as a timely call to action," a spokesperson for SocialBox.Biz told That's Green.

"By choosing to donate and reuse before they recycle, London companies can significantly reduce their carbon footprint while helping provide computer access to those who can not afford computer hardware or software in our local communities."

Key highlights of the Earth Day 2026 campaign include:

Environmental Protection: Promoting reuse as a superior alternative to recycling, saving an average of 316kg of CO2 per laptop.

Social Empowerment: Providing technology to disadvantaged groups and older adults.

Corporate Responsibility: Helping London firms meet impact targets through secure, data-wiped hardware reuse and donations.

As Earth Day 2026 approaches, SocialBox.Biz are calling on business leaders to pledge their old, functional IT equipment to this cause.To learn more about the IT reuse program or to arrange a collection, please visit https://www.socialbox.biz/.

That's Business: Why Industrial Heat Pumps Are Becoming Big Business

That's Business: Why Industrial Heat Pumps Are Becoming Big Business: For years, industrial heating has been one of the biggest hidden contributors to carbon emissions.  Behind factories, paper mills, chemical ...

Scientists Forecast ‘Godzilla’ El Niño Threat in 2026

Forest Fires in Indonesia Risk Triggering Global Impacts on Climate and Biodiversity.

Forests across Indonesia face increased fire risk this year as climate scientists forecast a strong El Niño event in 2026, with some discussions referring to it as a “Super” or “Godzilla” El Niño.

This phenomenon is expected to be intensified by a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), potentially leading to a longer and drier dry season and significantly reduced rainfall across many parts of Indonesia. 

These two phenomena are projected to occur simultaneously starting in April 2026, raising serious concerns about increasing risks of forest and land fires with impacts that could extend beyond local landscapes to global climate systems.

The combination of these climate patterns causes rain clouds to concentrate over the Pacific Ocean while Indonesia experiences significant drought conditions. This situation is expected to persist throughout the 2026 dry season, from April to October.

In Ketapang, West Kalimantan, the conditions have been unseasonally dry since February 2026. Forest fires have already occurred, including fires that reached the YIARI restoration area within the Pematang Gadung Village Forest. This landscape has been undergoing restoration efforts to recover after severe fires in 2015 and 2017. 

While El Niño is naturally occurring, the extreme dry conditions are exacerbated by climate change, forest loss and land use changes. The current situation serves as a serious warning that the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat, but something already being experienced directly on the ground.

Dr. Karmele Llano Sanchez, CEO of YIARI, partner of International Animal Rescue, explained that for tropical forest landscapes in Kalimantan, the combination of El Niño, land-use change, forest degradation, and the broader climate crisis creates an extremely dangerous situation. 

She told That's Green: “Forests that have been cleared, converted, or affected by extractive activities become far more vulnerable to fire. The risk multiplies in areas that have lost natural forest cover and in peatland landscapes that are drying out. When fire emerges in such areas, the impact goes beyond the loss of vegetation—it accelerates global warming and has the potential to create even more extreme crises.”

“This is exactly what occurred during February and March in the Pematang Gadung Village Forest. As surrounding areas became dry and fuel loads increased, some land was burned for agricultural and plantation purposes. 

These fires then spread rapidly and expanded. We are seeing warning signs long before the peak of the dry season arrives, and this is deeply concerning. Conditions are already far drier than usual, even though the dry season has not yet reached its peak. When rain stops for longer periods, vegetation dries out, water sources shrink, and degraded landscapes become highly flammable,” she added.

Thanks to quick action on the ground, the fires have been prevented from spreading further. A joint firefighting team consisting of local communities, government authorities, and YIARI staff, worked continuously under extreme heat and weather conditions. 

With approximately 45 hectares affected, these efforts successfully prevented the fire from spreading into larger forest areas with high conservation value.

Local communities served as the frontline in early detection and initial firefighting, while government support through coordination and resources, combined with YIARI’s field readiness, strengthened the overall response. Without this multi-stakeholder collaboration, the fires could have spread exponentially, threatening more habitats, increasing carbon emissions, and amplifying risks to public health and safety.

According to Karmele, the threat of forest and land fires is not only about the loss of trees or damaged landscapes. The impacts extend widely across biodiversity, climate systems, and human health. “When forests burn, we lose habitats and push wildlife closer to extinction. 

Orangutans, sun bears, clouded leopards, and many other species that depend on tropical forests lose their living space, food sources, and protection. At the same time, smoke from fires threatens public health, particularly for children, the elderly, and vulnerable communities who must breathe hazardous air for days or even weeks.”

International Animal Rescue’s CEO, Gavin Bruce, said: “We have experienced these extreme El Niño events in the past and witnessed the devastation to nature and the wellbeing of the local people. We know what could be coming and we must act fast to do all we can to mitigate the threat. With the right equipment and training, and by empowering the forest-edge communities, we can scale up the prevention efforts and do all we can to limit the destruction.

Past experience shows how severe the risks can become if such threats are not addressed early. The 2015–2016 El Niño event, one of the strongest on record, triggered massive forest fires across several regions of the world, including Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, fires during that period caused a severe haze crisis, becoming both an environmental disaster and a major public health emergency. In 2015 alone, YIARI rescued no fewer than 44 orangutans affected by the large-scale forest and land fires.

Karmele emphasized that prevention remains the most critical line of defence. “In extreme conditions, not every fire can be completely prevented. However, with proper preparation, early monitoring, strong community involvement, adequate equipment, and rapid response in high-risk areas, we can slow the spread of fires, protect high-conservation-value forests, and reduce broader damage. Time is a crucial factor. Every day without preparedness increases the risk.”

YIARI is currently strengthening a range of mitigation measures on the ground, including increased fire preparedness, patrols, monitoring of high-risk hotspots, and close collaboration with communities as the first line of defence across forest landscapes. 

Community-based initiatives such as The Power of Mama also play an important role in protecting nature, highlighting how women at the grassroots level have a vital role in safeguarding their territories from fire and environmental destruction. This approach is not only essential for protecting wildlife, but also for safeguarding public health, livelihoods, and the safety of communities living alongside fire-prone landscapes.

Experts agree that we can no longer treat these annual forest fires in Indonesia as routine seasonal disasters. Every hectare of forest burned represents a loss of biodiversity, an increase in carbon emissions, worsening air quality, and growing pressure on both people and wildlife.

The warning is now here. Prepare now or risk losing millions of hectares to fire this 2026 El Niño.

You can find out more and help us prepare and prevent a catastrophic fire situation here: https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/appeal/fire-crisis-fund

Leading Shipowners embrace partnership model for sustainable vessel recycling

Wreckdock is witnessing a fundamental shift in how the maritime industry approaches vessel decommissioning, as prominent shipowners join the platform as long-term partners rather than seeking one-off recycling contracts. 

This partnership model centers on shared governance, transparency, and strategic alignment at board level, marking a departure from purely transactional approaches.

The development reflects a broader industry recognition that responsible end-of-life solutions require sustained commitment beyond immediate commercial considerations.

A governance-based approach to ship recycling

Unlike conventional recycling arrangements, Wreckdock's partnership structure integrates shipowners into decision-making processes that shape industry standards. 

This model creates accountability mechanisms that extend throughout the vessel's final journey, helping ensure practices align with environmental and social responsibility commitments made at the corporate governance level. 

The approach responds to growing pressure from investors, regulators and civil society for demonstrable sustainability outcomes in maritime operations.

The partnerships reflect increasing awareness that conventional ship breaking practices carry reputational and regulatory risks that companies can no longer afford to overlook. 

By embedding environmental justice principles into decommissioning frameworks, participating shipowners acknowledge that operational responsibility extends to a vessel's entire lifecycle.

Industry maturation beyond optimisation

"We're observing a maturation in how serious shipowners think about their environmental footprint," Erwin Jager, spokesperson and CEO of Wreckdock told That's Green. 

"These partnerships show that companies increasingly understand responsible recycling as a strategic imperative, not merely a compliance exercise. The shift from transactional thinking to collaborative governance represents the kind of systemic change our industry needs."

This evolution comes as international regulations tighten around ship recycling practices, with frameworks like the Hong Kong Convention establishing clearer standards for safe and environmentally sound breaking. 

Shipowners joining Wreckdock position themselves ahead of regulatory developments while contributing to improved industry-wide practices.

Alternatives to harmful practices

The partnership model offers shipowners credible alternatives to facilities that continue operating under conditions harmful to workers and communities in developing regions. By choosing platforms committed to clean and safe recycling, companies can reduce the likelihood that their vessels contribute to the environmental and social damage associated with beaching practices still prevalent in parts of South Asia.

FACTFILE:

Wreckdock operates a secure ship recycling facility that ensures clean, safe and equitable practices while providing workers with decent employment conditions. The platform's commitment to sustainable decommissioning is based on respect for human rights, workers' rights and principles of global environmental justice. Wreckdock aims to act as a catalyst for transforming global ship recycling through effective advocacy and operational excellence.

https://www.wreckdock.com

Landscape of globally rare habitat restored near Loch Ness in one of first and largest projects of its kind in Scotland

Image courtesy James Shooter Rewilding Europe

In one of the first and biggest projects of its kind in Scotland, a landscape of over1,000 hectares of a globally rare and threatened habitat is being restored near Loch Ness, as part of Britain’s largest rewilding initiative.

A partnership of charities, landowners and businesses has joined together to save and repair a connected area of blanket bog, among the world’s rarest habitats,across three neighbouring and diverse landholdings.

It has been facilitated by charity Rewilding Affric Highlands, which coordinates a growing partnership of landowners forming the Affric Highlands landscape. Peatland restoration consultancy Caledonian Climate is providing expert advice and support.

The 1,024 hectare-project is being carried out across rewilding charity Trees for Life’s Dundreggan estate, privately owned land at Guisachan, and Corrimony Farm.

“This is about restoring a whole ecosystem at landscape scale, with a shared commitment to tackling the nature and climate emergencies and benefitting local communities,” Stephanie Kiel, Rewilding Affric Highlands executive director told That's Green.

Healthy peatlands are one of the planet’s most efficient carbon sinks. They also reduce flood and wildfire risk by regulating water movement, filter and clean water, and support a unique range of wildlife and plants.

Scotland contains 13% of the world’s blanket bog, a type of peatland found in only a few parts of the world with cool, wet or oceanic climates. 

But 80% of the country’s peatlands are degraded, for reasons including drainage, extraction for fuel, overgrazing, and wildfires.

Overgrazing and trampling by high numbers of deer, for example, damages the thin layer of vegetation and prevents natural regeneration of bog plants. The exposed peat then dries out and erodes, worsening climate change by releasing rather than absorbing carbon dioxide.

The Affric Highlands peatland project includes 464 hectares at Trees for Life’s Dundreggan estate in Glenmoriston, 315 hectares at Corrimony Farm, and 245 hectares at Guisachan.

This ecologically important landscape encompasses Lochs ma Stac, na Beinne Baine, and Liath. It is home to moorland and wetland birds including dunlin, golden plover, and black-throated divers, as well as otters, water voles, lizards, and invertebrates.

With backing and funding from a British Dragonfly Society project, supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot, breeding pools are being restored for dragonflies across all the landholdings. It's hoped this will benefit rare, threatened bog species, the white-faced darter, azure hawker, and northern emerald.

The project will also benefit peatland plants including dwarf birch, sundews, alpine bearberry, cloudberry, and sphagnum mosses.

David Girvan of Corrimony Farm, an upland working farm with about 150 suckler cows and 180 breeding ewes, told us: “We’re showing that farming can work well with peatland restoration, which makes a real difference for keeping carbon locked up. It’s good to see such a big area across different estates being restored together.”

Advanced techniques are being used across the landholdings to halt erosion, raise the water table, and revegetate bare peat areas. Reprofiling peat hags – ridges of eroded dry soil on which vegetation can’t re-establish, and gullies prevents erosion. Drain blocking and dam constructions can rewet the bog and aid regeneration of sphagnum moss.

Sphagnum moss reintroduction through transplants is another key strategy. This species can hold up to 20 times its weight in water, and promotes the waterlogged, acidic conditions needed for revegetation and peat formation.

“This cross-boundary project should be beneficial to a wide range of species. Several years of careful planning and organisation should create long-term biodiversity benefit,” said Alex Grigg, at Guisachan.

Peat is a black spongy soil, formed from accumulated layers of sphagnum and other vegetation in waterlogged conditions. A single metre of peat can take 1,000 years to form.

“Peatlands are amazing, wild places that are being lost worldwide. With our neighbours, we want this initiative to be a beacon of hope and inspiration for restoring blanket bog across Scotland,” said Gwen Raes, Trees for Life’s Dundreggan estate manager.

Funders include Peatland ACTION, Wilderway, and Alex Grigg. In a further example of innovation, The Peatland Restoration Foundation (PRF), a new initiative led by a group of five individual food and drink companies – PEAT’D, Suntory Global Spirits, Bruichladdich, Isle of Raasay and Inchdairnie – are co-funding the restoration at Corrimony Farm.

The PRF brings together organisations using peat commercially to provide an accessible pathway to ensure that any food or drink company can restore more peat than they use.

Caledonian Climate and Wilderway will carry undertake monitoring for the IUCN’s Peatland Code, to ensure the project delivers lasting biodiversity and climate benefits. Independent verification will ensure transparency of results.

Affric Highlands, Britain’s largest rewilding landscape, and a member of Rewilding Europe’s family of major European-wide flagship rewilding landscapes, brings together a coalition of landowners, local people, charities, businesses and others to boost biodiversity, tackle climate change, and create social and economic opportunities.

It aims to restore nature across in excess of 200,000 hectares of the central Highlands, through a linked network of landholdings from Loch Ness to Kintail. See affrichighlands.org.

From Plantation Waste to Wardrobe: How Banana Farming Is Inspiring Sustainable Materials

Every year, millions of tonnes of bananas are harvested around the world. Yet few people realise that the fruit we eat represents only a tiny portion of the banana plant. 

Once a bunch of bananas is harvested, the rest of the plant, including the thick trunk-like pseudostem, leaves, and fibres, is often discarded. 

Traditionally, this agricultural waste has been left to rot in fields or burned, contributing little value and sometimes adding to environmental problems.

Today, however, a growing number of innovators, designers, and agricultural researchers are transforming this waste into something remarkable: sustainable materials that can be used for clothing, textiles, packaging, and even construction.

Turning Banana Waste into Fibre

Banana plants are rich in strong natural fibres. These fibres can be extracted from the plant’s pseudostem, the thick stalk that supports the fruit, after harvesting. 

Instead of being discarded, the stalk can be processed using mechanical decorticators that separate the fibres from the plant pulp.

The resulting banana fibre is surprisingly versatile. It is naturally biodegradable, strong, and breathable, making it suitable for a wide range of textile applications. 

In some regions, particularly in parts of Asia, banana fibre has been used traditionally for centuries to produce fabrics, ropes, and mats.

Modern technology is now taking this age-old material to a new level. Innovative start-ups are refining the fibre to create soft yarns that can be blended with cotton, hemp, or recycled textiles. 

The result is a durable and environmentally friendly fabric that requires far fewer resources than many conventional materials.

Fashion Meets Sustainability

Several sustainable fashion brands have begun experimenting with banana-based textiles. Designers are using banana fibre to produce clothing such as jackets, shirts, and accessories that combine durability with a low environmental footprint.

Unlike synthetic fabrics derived from petroleum, banana fibre is entirely plant-based and biodegradable. Using agricultural by-products rather than newly grown crops also reduces pressure on land and water resources.

Some textile innovators are even developing leather-like materials made from banana plant waste. These alternatives to animal leather are gaining attention from environmentally conscious designers who want cruelty-free, low-impact materials.

Benefits for Farmers and the Environment

Beyond sustainability, banana fibre production offers an important economic opportunity for farmers. Instead of throwing away plant residues, growers can sell banana stems to fibre processors or operate small-scale fibre extraction units themselves.

This additional income stream can help support rural farming communities while reducing agricultural waste.

From an environmental perspective, utilising banana plant waste helps reduce methane emissions that can occur when organic material decomposes in large quantities. It also cuts down on the need for synthetic fibres, which often release microplastics into waterways.

A Circular Future for Agriculture

The banana industry is beginning to embrace a circular economy approach, one where nothing is wasted and every part of the crop has value. Fruit feeds the world, while stems and fibres can clothe it.

As consumers become more aware of the environmental impact of fast fashion and wasteful production systems, innovative materials like banana fibre offer a glimpse of a more sustainable future.

In the years ahead, the humble banana plant may not just be known for the fruit in your lunchbox — but also for the shirt on your back.