The most significant difference between waste disposal in Japan and the West is that human excreta – or, ‘night soil’ – was viewed as a product with economic value rather than something to be paid for to be removed. As Japan is not abundant in fertile land for farm animals, manure as fertilisers was replaced with night soil. Parallel to gold mining in other countries, excrement collection in Japan became a booming business; contracts soon started to form between farmers and the urban families that created this ‘precious’ resource. Read full article here
Technology
The First Solar-Powered Car Comes at a Hot Price
The Lightyear O is a revolutionary electric car powered by the sun. Developed by a Dutch startup, the four-door sedan has over 50 square feet of solar panels on its roof and hood, generating up to 43 miles of energy a day. With production now underway in Finland, the car does come with a hefty price tag at $262,000, but the company hopes to introduce a more affordable version, the Lightyear 2, by 2025. Read full article here
Merv
January 27, 2023
