Sustainability & Green Living

Memphis – October 29, 2026 -- Wearing a polyester T-shirt increased microplastic exposure in the personal breathing zone by up to 42% compared with a cotton one, according to preliminary results from a University of Memphis pilot study.

Polyester wearers breathed in nearly 2,000 particles per cubic meter

Researchers measured airborne microplastic concentrations near participants' breathing zones while they wore either cotton or polyester-containing T-shirts. With polyester, readings reached nearly 2,000 microplastic particles per cubic meter.

Up to 77% of the detected particles were microscopic. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a polymer commonly used in polyester clothing, turned up in 99% of the airborne microplastics the team identified.

Vienna – October 29, 2026 -- Anyone heating with a wood stove in Austria needs a chimney sweep's assessment first, and usually has to register the stove with the municipality and get the landlord's consent. Energy provider Grünwelt Energie has outlined what households should know about the rules and the environmental side of heating with wood.

Chimney sweeps check safety before the first fire

The chimney sweep (Rauchfangkehrer) judges whether the structural requirements are met and whether exhaust gases can escape safely. Sufficient combustion air and safety clearances must also be in place.

Requirements differ by federal state and stove model, according to Grünwelt's experts. In most cases, a notification to the municipality is required, along with landlord approval for tenants.

Mainz – October 29, 2026 -- German public broadcasters ZDF, 3sat and phoenix will cover the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20, 2026, with daily news segments, documentaries and streaming premieres.

Turkey hosts the 31st UN climate conference, while Australia chairs the negotiations. The source notes that the Pacific region and its island states are especially threatened by climate change, and that implementation and financing of projects will be debated heavily this year.

Reporters on the ground in Antalya

ZDF environment reporters Winnie Heescher and Elisa Miebach are on site, as is "NANO" presenter Gregor Steinbrenner for 3sat. ZDFheute adds fact checks, explainer articles, an updated KlimaRadar and information on the new Climate Change Performance Index. Reels, galleries and graphics will run on ZDF's social channels.

Berlin – October 29, 2026 -- WELT TV will air the roughly 43-minute documentary "Vantara - Sein Herz für Tiere" ("Vantara - A Heart for Animals") for the first time on Sunday, 1 November 2026, at 14:50. The film goes inside an Indian rescue center where injured and formerly captive wildlife get a second chance.

One of its stories centers on the elephant Leelavati. She was left tied up when a circus tent caught fire, and burning debris fell on her body. She suffered severe burns but survived, and she now receives medical care at Vantara.

Three former German circus elephants now live in Gujarat

The film traces one story that begins in Germany. After decades of performing and traveling in a circus, the elephants could no longer stay there. Contact with Vantara came through the animal welfare groups PETA Deutschland and PETA India, and three of the former circus elephants now live at the center in the Indian state of Gujarat.

Cologne – October 29, 2026 -- Interior insulation can raise the wall surface temperature in winter by around five degrees Celsius, cutting the risk of condensation and mold in older buildings without touching the facade.

Cold exterior walls encourage condensation and, with it, mold. Anyone who wants to prevent that and protect the building fabric should watch wall surface temperatures. Insulation can raise them, lower mold risk and reduce heat loss. The right choice between exterior and interior insulation depends on the building's structure, its facade and the effort involved.

Cangzhou – October 29, 2026 -- Photographers and video creators worldwide can enter the 2026 Nandagang International Wetland Photo Contest for free until November 28, 2026, with a US$1,500 Grand Prize on offer. The contest is part of Global Wetland Week, a campaign launched by the Cangzhou International Communication Center.

Six categories cover landscapes, birds, people and video

Entries fall under the theme "Together for Wetlands." The categories are Global Wetlands; Wetlands and Migratory Birds; People and Wetlands; Nandagang Wetland; Youth Imaging for entrants under 28; and Wetland Conservation Stories, which is a video category.

The contest is open to photographers, videographers, nature observers and young creators. Beyond the Grand Prize, organizers promise additional cash prizes, special awards and honorable mentions. A ten-member international jury will review the entries.

Berlin – October 29, 2026 -- Leaving fallen leaves in your garden this autumn protects soil and roots, produces free humus and gives hedgehogs, insects and birds a place to overwinter, according to German environmental group BUND. Its garden expert Corinna Hölzel urges homeowners to put the leaf blower away.

A 2-to-10-centimeter leaf layer works as mulch

Leaves should come off the lawn, Hölzel says, but they belong on beds, under hedges and around tree bases. A layer of roughly two to ten centimeters guards against drying out and erosion, keeps soil temperature stable and suppresses weeds. It also feeds earthworms and microorganisms.

As the leaves rot, they release humus and nutrients that plants use to grow, so gardeners need to fertilize less. Before mulching, loosen the soil and clear weed roots, and leave out sown seeds and young seedlings. Perennials, shrubs and fruit trees benefit most.

Düsseldorf – October 29, 2026 -- Infrared heaters deliver warmth at the push of a button and are easy to install, but running them for long periods can drive up electricity costs, according to energy provider Grünwelt Energie.

Infrared heaters work best as a supplementary heat source

Infrared heaters warm rooms with direct thermal radiation. Grünwelt Energie says they are strongest as an add-on heater, for example in a bathroom or guest room. The devices are relatively cheap to buy, usually need no regular maintenance and stir up little dust.

Converting electricity directly into heat limits efficiency

The main drawback is that these heaters turn electricity straight into heat. Long operating times can therefore mean higher costs. As the only heating source, especially in poorly insulated buildings, they are less economical.

Washington – October 28, 2026 -- Microplastics turned up in the blood of 27 of 28 people tested in a new report, a 96% detection rate across participants in Canada and the United States.

The report, titled Microplastics in Me: Finding Plastics in Human Blood, comes from Plastic Pollution Coalition, Plastic People, and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. It is the first to publicly identify a group of individuals who have microplastics in their bodies.

Participants were public figures from across North America

The 28 volunteers work in music, art, entertainment, media, politics, and public policy. They come from different age groups, backgrounds, and cities. Their blood was drawn over an eight-month window in 2025–2026.

St. Ulrich bei Steyr – October 28, 2026 -- Austrian company Al's World GmbH makes shoe insoles from felted alpaca wool, offering a natural alternative to purely synthetic materials in places where heat and moisture build up.

Alpaca wool is built for warmth and moisture

Alpaca wool is an animal protein fiber, like sheep's wool. It can be comparatively fine and is valued for its soft feel and insulating properties. For insoles, moisture management is the key point: wool fibers can absorb water vapor from their surroundings while retaining warmth. Al's World uses these properties deliberately in its felt insoles.