World’s largest urban rooftop farm to open in Paris in 2020
French company Agripolis is opening a 150,000-square-foot urban farm in Paris, where it will grow more than 2,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables every day during high season.
Europe
11 million new trees to be planted in England by water companies
The firms will be planting trees on around 15,000 acres of land across England, as well as supporting work to restore original woodland and improving habitats that store carbon.
Europe coal generation collapsed by 19% in first six months of 2019
“2019 may mark the beginning of the end for coal power in Europe,” said Dave Jones, an Electricity Analyst at Sandbag.
Luxembourg to be first European country to legalize cannabis
Luxembourg has called on its EU neighbors to relax their drug laws as its health minister confirmed plans to become the first European country to legalize cannabis production and consumption.
Barclays cuts finance ties with private prisons
Barclays Plc will stop providing future financing to companies that manage private prisons and immigration holding facilities, joining other major lenders in shunning the industry.
Plastic bag sales in England halved in past year
Asda, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, the Co-op, Tesco and Waitrose sold 549 million single-use plastic bags in 2018-19, down from one billion in the previous year.
Virgin Media commits to 100% renewable energy goal
The telephone and internet service provider has signed up to The Climate Group’s RE100 initiative, joining a group of leading businesses committed to increasing the consumption of renewable energy worldwide.
Holiday Inn dropping personal shampoo bottles to cut waste
Instead of using mini shampoo bottles, all of its more than 840,000 guest rooms will use bulk-size bathroom amenities.
Inditex clothing to be made from 100% sustainable fabrics by 2025
Inditex, the company that owns high street fashion brand Zara, announced that all clothing will be made from 100% sustainable materials by 2025.
Alan Turing – prosecuted for gay acts in 1952 – to be the new face of the U.K.’s £50 banknote
Despite his tremendous contributions to society, Turing was ultimately convicted for being gay and chemically castrated in 1952.