Sustainability Weekly
Mondays are for…
Firefly comebacks, Electric Hydrofoil Ferries, AI in Recycling Trucks and more!
by Alli DiGiacomo
Happy Monday! If you didn’t hear, NYC’s fireflies have made an unexpected comeback thanks to our gloomy spring that brought more rain than usual the past few months. The firefly population has been declining in recent years, so get out and see them while you can! July also happens to be National Picnic Month, according to the US Forest Service. So it’s a perfect time to grab your favorite picnic blanket, pack some snacks and drinks, perhaps a good book (grab one from our library in the kitchen!), and spend some time outdoors! This article shows the 9 best picnic spots in NYC, but feel free to share your favorite!
A few other things happening this summer are the Jazz in July at Brooklyn Botanical Garden on Thursday nights, tours of the North Meadow Butterfly Garden in Central Park (July 21, 24, 26th), and the Met Rooftop Garden’s last exhibition until 2030. Also, NYC Summer Streets returns this summer for 5 consecutive Saturdays (starting July 26 through August 23—from 7 AM to 3 PM—rain or shine). See the schedule and street closure map here.
Keep reading for sustainability news…
T H I S W E E K ’ S T O P S T O R I E S
ELECTRIC HYDROFOIL FERRIES COULD CHANGE THE WAY WE COMMUTE
Electric hydrofoil ferries like the P-12, developed by Swedish startup Candela, could be a game changer for commuting. The ferries would be a faster, cleaner, and more energy-efficient way to get around by water. Unlike traditional diesel ferries, the P-12 "flies" above the water on wing-like hydrofoils, reducing drag and cutting emissions by 95% and energy use by 80%. In Stockholm, the P-12 has already cut commute times in half on an 11-mile route. These battery-powered boats don’t cause seasickness or disruptive waves, and they’re easier to charge thanks to smaller battery needs. Candela sees a huge market globally, especially in Asia and Europe, and cities like Mumbai are already placing orders. Even places like San Francisco and Lake Tahoe are eyeing this tech, though U.S. laws like the Jones Act require them to be built locally. Other companies like Artemis in Northern Ireland are jumping in too, aiming to prove that investing in hydrofoil ferries now can save millions in fuel costs over time. With urban congestion and climate concerns on the rise, these sleek, quiet ferries might just be the future of city transport.
SOLAR POWER WAS THE EU’S LARGEST SOURCE OF ELECTRICITY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN JUNE
In June 2025, solar power became the EU’s top source of electricity for the first time ever, surpassing nuclear, wind, and coal. This positive progress is thanks to a combination of record sunshine and new solar installations. Solar made up 22.1% of the EU’s electricity, nuclear produced 21.8%, wind contributed 15.8%, and coal dropped to 6.1%. At least 13 countries, including Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands, hit record-high solar output. Even though both solar and wind had strong performances in June, fossil fuel use actually went up 13% in the first half of 2025, mostly due to a spike in gas use earlier in the year to make up for weak wind and hydro. Overall electricity demand is rising too, and the next big step for Europe’s grid will be figuring out how to store all that renewable energy more efficiently, as well as increasing the flexibility of the grid to rely less on fossil fuels during non-solar hours.
HOW CITIES ARE USING AI TO IMPROVE RECYCLING COLLECTION EFFICIENCY
Trash and recycling trucks are getting a high-tech upgrade with AI-powered cameras that help spot contamination, such as plastic bags or food, inside resident’s recycling bins as they’re dumped into the truck. These systems, now being adopted in places like Centerville, OH, and East Lansing, MI, snap pictures of the contents and send them directly to residents with personalized feedback to help them recycle better. In Centerville, residents whose items don’t meet the guidelines will be notified via a personalized postcard that tells them which items are not accepted and provides tips on proper recycling.
The goal is to cut down on contamination, which can raise costs, damage equipment, and even injure workers at sorting facilities. Cities like the tech because it’s cheaper and safer than having people manually check bins and provides detailed, real-time data. Cities using it have already seen contamination drop by up to 25%. Companies like AMCS and Prairie Robotics provide the AI technology, which is also being used for things like tracking recycling participation and missed pickups. Unfortunately the system can’t stop contaminated items from being collected, but it’s a big step toward cleaner recycling and smarter waste management. Although NYC isn’t there yet, this AI tech is expected to spread fast especially as more states roll out stricter recycling rules that require detailed reporting.
MORE IN SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
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The “green” corporations funding anti-climate groups.
Nuclear comeback? The Japanese government wants to turn its nuclear power stations back on – but some local residents and Indigenous Ainu people don’t want nuclear waste stored near them.
China is constructing nearly three-quarters of all solar and wind power projects being built globally, according to a new report by the Global Energy Monitor.
The Seine River opened for swimming last weekend for the first time since 1923, following an extensive effort to upgrade the city’s sewer systems and water treatment facilities.
Climate change could be driving more frequent and explosive volcanic eruptions, according to a new study looking at ice caps and glaciers in Chile. Researchers found that ice melt reduces pressure on underground magma chambers, which can cause volcanoes to erupt more frequently, as well as alters the composition of those eruptions, making them more viscous and explosive.
Women are leading a construction boom in Somalia, as its capital city rebuilds after decades of war.
In a “breakthrough” for the technology, Norway launched a flagship large-scale carbon capture and storage project that will prevent 400,000 tons of carbon from being released annually.
Inside Climate News reports that Chicago’s plan to replace the lead service lines in its water system won’t be finished until 2076, 30 years past the federal deadline.
More than half of all the soybean oil produced in the United States next year will be used to make biofuel, according to a new outlook by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.