Zero waste is an idea demanding a change in the way we think about and function in the environment. It points out that human activity should be connected with the responsibility for how we live and what consequences our actions have on the planet. The idea behind zero waste is to minimize the amount of waste and reuse it, as well as not to waste purchased products. Due to the fact that we use environmental resources, it is worth remembering that everything we buy and then use becomes waste. Therefore, the emphasis on changing our habits and lifestyles is so important, but what matters the most is to reduce excessive consumerism.

Currently, plastic is the most popular synthetic product. Although its history is rather short – the first plastic was created in the mid-19^th century – its versatility has resulted in massive production around the world. The process of disposing of plastic-derived waste does not keep up with its grinding, and therefore the amount of synthetic waste grows at an increasing pace. By means of their inventions, environmentalists hope to move the consciences of consumers who buy food in plastic packaging, guided rather by their own convenience than care for the environment. How many of them actually know how dangerous the plastic they buy can be?

We do not know whether recycling will save us from environmental disaster. We believe, however, that segregating trash makes sense. From an early age, our children learn to link the colors of containers with various types of waste. Plastic bags, plastic bottles, metal caps, aluminum cans and milk cartons end up in yellow containers and bags every day. These few examples already show the diversity of these materials. According to the Resin Identification Code (RIC) system introduced in 1988, there are as many as seven codes to designate plastics alone. The waste we separate must therefore undergo another sorting process so that we can speak of proper recycling. How to do it? It turns out that an adequately designed camera is sufficient.

We deal with plastics on a daily basis. The reason for this is the wide range of their application. We surround ourselves with them in our homes and workplaces; they are used in many industries, but also in everyday life. Versatility and ease of use are their characteristic properties. Nowadays, the challenge is to be able to reuse the materials intended for disposal, i.e. to recycle them. Researchers from the Institute of Chemistry of the University at Silesia in Katowice are investigating these possibilities.

Silesia, i.e. the region of Poland which roughly dozen years ago was the most powerful industrial center in the country, is still struggling with residues of heavy metals, which are still present in the soil, water, mine waste dumps, and in the air – despite the fact that the number of polluting plants has been reduced and the use of appropriate filters, measures that have admittedly limited the emission of harmful substances into the environment, has been made obligatory. Metals will not disappear on their own; they are assimilated by plants, which animals feed on, and thus the “uninvited guests” are passed on. Humans are not spared by metals as well. The bare post-mining and post-production landfills around which housing estates are erected “endow” their residents with toxic dust. It turns out, however, that there are plant species which attach themselves to polluted areas and only exist where the concentration of heavy metals is high.

Climate change has become a fact, and its effects are felt by people around the globe. Particularly dangerous are prolonged droughts, since they not only have a negative effect on the development of plants, but also become the cause of many dangerous diseases. The intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides or melioration as a support for agricultural production turned out to be highly harmful to the soil, and in many places led to its degradation. Much of the world is struggling with a lack of proper hydration, and desertification is beginning to threaten all continents. The research results of interdisciplinary scientific teams focused on counteracting environmental devastation and restoring vital biodiversity are not only diligently followed, but also applied as quickly as possible.

It is no secret that both bacteria and some plant species are able to survive in the most unfavorable, even extreme conditions. Such places certainly include areas contaminated with various organic and inorganic compounds, including hydrocarbons or heavy metals. Research shows that some organisms manage very well in such an environment… by naturally cleansing it of pollutants. Scientists are trying to learn about these extraordinary abilities of certain strains of bacteria or selected plant species in order to create a unique “arsenal” supporting the process of remediation of contaminated areas.

In recent decades, technology and IT have completely dominated the global job market. Human-made virtual reality is no longer controlled by human beings as tightly as it is done by AI. Numerous algorithms perform a sequence of tasks to improve human work as much as possible. Among the areas of their activity, ecological waste management deserves special attention, since it requires an interdisciplinary approach to ensure highly efficient flows of raw materials, semi-finished, and finished products from the place of consumption to the place of origin.

When traveling by car, we usually do not realize that shock absorbers are largely responsible for our driving comfort. However, after a while we realize that they no longer fulfill their basic purpose, which is to absorb and dissipate the mechanical vibrations generated while driving. But what if we changed the approach and instead of dispersing unwanted vibrations, tried to use them and thus increase the car’s energy efficiency?