Welcome to your regular dose of inspirational news stories!

From community campaigns to exciting new inventions, people are doing incredible work all over the world to help the environment.

So, sit down, relax and enjoy our latest Positive Planet Newsletter.

1. Lidl announces pilot laundry refill station

Lidl is trialling the UK’s first refillable laundry detergent station in its store in Kingswinford, West Midlands. The budget supermarket chain wants to help customers cut costs and reduce plastic waste. Asda has already launched a similar thing for food products like pasta and cereal.

Shoppers will be able to fill up reusable containers with Lidl’s own brand laundry detergents. Mark Newbold, the CSR Manager at Lidl GB has said that ‘At Lidl, we believe you shouldn’t have to pay more for doing the right thing.’

(Source: Country Living)

2. Community groups call for ‘Right to Grow’ movement in the UK

Founded in Todmorden, Yorkshire, the charity Incredible Edible is campaigning to transform unused public green space into vegetable plots. The aim is to provide fresh fruit and veggies for locals and give everyone the power to grow their food.

Their new ‘Right to Grow’ proposal has support from MPs across the board. It calls for the council to allow people the right to turn unused grass verges, bare lawns around hospitals and other unused public spaces into gardens and orchards.

(Source: The Guardian) (Photo Credit: @incredibleedibleuk)

3. British electric plane takes its first flight

The first electric plane to be entirely designed and built in the UK took to the skies above Norfolk last month. The single-seat Sherwood eKub is an exciting development in the future of sustainable air travel. The first flight lasted 39 minutes and was successfully undertaken by Guy Gratton, Associate Professor of Aviation at Cranfield University.

(Source: Flyer) (Photo Credit: Guy Gratton)

4. Scientists discover enzyme that can break down plastic

Researchers at the University of Texas, Austin have created a type of enzyme that can break down plastics in a matter of days. This discovery could help to solve one of the world’s biggest problems – what to do with the tons of plastic thrown away every day. The enzyme could supercharge recycling and help protect nature from being damaged by plastic waste.

(Source: UT News)

5. Welsh companies use recycled nappies to surface roads

In a new sustainability initiative by Pura and Nappicycle, a stretch of road in Wales has been resurfaced using recycled nappies! A total of 4.3 tonnes of recovered fibre from the nappies was added to the normal asphalt mixture.

Not only is the new alternative more sustainable, it’s also more hardwearing than traditional asphalt!

(Source: Wales Online) (Photo Credit: Pura)

6. UK electric car sales almost double in one month

In March 2022, electric car sales rocketed to 55,352 which is 41% more than this time last year, and a new monthly record. Part of the reason for this increase in sustainable investment is the rising cost of fuel for petrol and diesel cars.

It is a positive development, as the more popular electric cars become, the more affordable they will be.

(Source: Inside EVs)

We hope that these Positive Planet news stories have put a smile on your face and inspired you to do your bit to help the environment. Stay tuned for the next instalment in two weeks, for six more great eco-news stories.

In the meantime, follow us on social media for regular positivity boosts, sustainable lifestyle tips and more.