Sustainability Weekly
Fridays are for…
Open House NY Weekend, Volunteers at National Parks, Superwood, and more!
by Alli DiGiacomo
Happy Friday! This weekend is Open House NY Weekend (OHNY), and if you are in town its a perfect opportunity to tour places that are not normally open to the public! The NYC Parks Green Roof Tour we are going to on Tuesday is available as part of OHNY, so if you can’t make it next week you still have the opportunity to check it out. Also other places CTA has been to are available, such as the Materials for the Arts Warehouse, the East Side Coastal Resiliency Park, Harlem River Houses, and the Brooklyn Naval Cemetery Landscape.
Keep reading for sustainability news…
T H I S W E E K ’ S T O P S T O R I E S
20+ STATES SUE THE PRESIDENT OVER CUTTING THE SOLAR FOR ALL PROGRAM
Several Democratic-led states have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for canceling the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) $7 billion Solar for All program, which was designed to expand solar energy access for low-income communities. The lawsuits challenge EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s August decision to end the program, which came right after Trump’s signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July, cutting off its funding. Two lawsuits are being filed, one in the Court of Federal Claims seeking monetary damages for lost grants, and another in federal court in Washington state seeking reinstatement of the program.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said the cancellation would raise electricity costs for about 900,000 low-income households in America. Arizona alone lost $156 million, which would have helped 11,000 low-income households avoid a 20% increase in energy bills. This includes the Hopi tribe losing a $25 million award that would have brought solar power and battery storage to hundreds of homes for the first time. California will lose roughly $250 million in already allocated federal funds. The states that are suing accused the Trump administration of “holding America in the past” and prioritizing fossil fuel interests. In addition to California and Arizona, states participating in the lawsuits include Maryland, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, and the city of Washington DC. These lawsuits are in addition to the solar companies and labor unions that also filed a lawsuit to reinstate the program.
NATIONAL PARKS ARE RELYING ON VOLUNTEERS AMIDST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
During the ongoing government shutdown that started October 1, national parks across the U.S. are struggling to operate with most staff furloughed, limited services, and no federal maintenance or oversight. Visitor centers, campgrounds, and ranger-led programs are closed, and the few parks that remain open are seeing increased vandalism, safety hazards, and strain on resources. Experts warn that this shutdown could cause long-term harm to natural and cultural sites, especially after previous staff cuts by the Trump administration earlier this year.
Thankfully, volunteers and local organizations are stepping up to fill gaps left by the absent park workforce. For example, in Oklahoma City, volunteers have replaced park rangers to lead tours at the Oklahoma City National Memorial. People are saying the tours feel especially personal when led by locals with direct ties to the memorial. At Grand Canyon National Park, the Flagstaff Family Food Center has expanded a small food pantry for furloughed park employees and volunteers, operated out of a former jailhouse in Grand Canyon Village. The pantry has essentials such as diapers, hygiene products, and fresh produce. In Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park, volunteers from the YMCA of the Rockies are organizing group hikes to pick up trash and replace garbage bags along popular trails. They are keeping the park clean and safe while offering residents and visitors a way to give back during the shutdown.
These grassroots efforts are reminding us of the importance and deep public affection for America’s national parks, and the role of community support when federal systems fail. Thank you to all of our volunteers!
SCIENTISTS CREATE A “SUPERWOOD” THAT IS SUPPOSEDLY STRONGER THAN STEEL
A U.S. startup, InventWood, has developed a material called “Superwood” that’s up to 10x stronger than steel for its weight and 6x lighter. Created by materials scientist Liangbing Hu, now a Yale professor, Superwood is made by chemically treating and compressing natural wood to collapse its cellular structure, significantly enhancing its density and strength. After years of refinement and over 140 patents, Superwood has started commercial production at InventWood’s facility in Frederick, Maryland.
According to InventWood CEO Alex Lau, the product behaves and looks like regular wood but performs far better, it’s up to 20x stronger than untreated wood, 10x more dent-resistant, fire-resistant, and immune to insects and fungi. The company says any wood species, and even bamboo, can be used to make it. At first, they will market Superwood for outdoor uses like decking and cladding, with plans to expand into interior applications such as wall panels, flooring, and furniture.
Superwood is currently more expensive to produce than traditional lumber, but it emits about 90% less carbon than steel manufacturing. The goal is not to undercut wood prices but to compete directly with steel on strength and sustainability. This invention aligns with the global movement toward mass timber construction. Among other environmental benefits (compared to steel and concrete), wood is a “long-term carbon storage system,” and innovations like Superwood could make timber-based buildings larger, stronger, and more mainstream.
MORE IN SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
From composting to solar panels, NFL stadiums are working to be more sustainable.
How electric vehicles can fix the grid and lower your electric bill.
For the subscribers from Ohio, the state just passed a new law to fast-track construction of energy projects at former coal mines and brownfields. This will help renewable energy grow faster with increasing demand while utilizing wasted industrial land.
The green turtle has been downgraded from Endangered to Least Concern after decades of global conservation work pulled the species back from the brink of extinction.
Bellevue Gold, an off-grid gold mine in Australia, is proving these kinds of facilities can run on 100% wind and solar power. It regularly operates on more than 90% renewables over 24-hour periods, and on some days, the diesel and gas plants have been completely turned off, with wind and solar (backed by batteries) covering 100% of demand.
A new report by scientists in Israel details the emerging environmental crisis in Palestine.
The U.S. Energy Department released a nuclear fusion roadmap that includes challenges and strategies for companies and the government to achieve commercialization.
Ten Democratic Congress members urge New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to reject a revived proposal for a natural gas pipeline, a project some worry she could support as part of a deal with the Trump administration that allowed work to restart on Empire Wind.
The first liquid air energy storage facility is set to power up in 2026 in hopes of competing with grid-scale lithium batteries and hydro to store clean power, and reduce the need to fall back on fossil fuels.
NYC could start experiencing significant power shortages as soon as next summer due to rising demand, aging transmission, and retiring power plants, according to a new report from grid operator NYISO.