Pushing out plastic in consumer-goods packaging

Cellulose fibres are emerging as a sustainable option for wrapping everything from foods to electronics. By  Helen Massy-Beresford Attention supermarket shoppers in Belgium, France and Luxembourg: a test to cut waste from plastic packaging of foods is coming to nearby stores. Retailers Carrefour and U-Group plan to sell yoghurts, cheeses, fruit juices, biscuits and other … Read more

The school route to healthier eating

Offering nutritious meals to students can improve diets and counter obesity across Europe. By  Ali Jones When the lunch bell rings at the Sancta Maria primary school in the Belgian city of Leuven, standard packed meals aren’t on the menu for dozens of hungry children. Instead, the pupils receive freshly prepared, hot organic vegetarian fare … Read more

Wood: building on an abundant natural resource

Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements. By  Jessica Berthereau In France’s southwestern Gironde department, where half the area is covered by forests, authorities in 2022 built a secondary school with wood from local pine trees. The Pian-Médoc school, located between the city … Read more

The artistic flair inspiring greener European cities

Arts and culture can bring imagination and momentum to projects for putting urban neighbourhoods more in tune with nature. By Jack McGovan In the Dutch capital Amsterdam, a thoroughfare called the Stadhouderskade is being reclaimed by residents. They’re turning the car-clogged artery into a two-kilometre-long haven for nature and people. Students of art, engineering, mathematics, … Read more

Brain-harming chemicals seen in clearer light with fresh findings

EU researchers have identified new ways that certain substances can interfere with people’s hormone system and brain development. By Gareth Willmer Professor Joëlle Rüegg is breaking new ground in a quest to learn more about how everyday chemicals can impair brain development in people, including infants, by interfering with their hormones. An expert in environmental … Read more