Plastic pollution is an urgent crisis. The world produces 299 million tons of plastics a year and the situation is actually getting worse. China had imported 40 percent of America’s plastic waste, as well as other recyclables, for the last 30 years, but abruptly banned the imports in 2017. Clearly, we need some new recycling ideas and, luckily, there are some.

From Colombia to Argentina, major cities in Latin America are starting to adopt electric bus fleets. In a region with the highest use of buses per person globally, officials believe the transition will help meet climate targets, cut fuel costs, and improve air quality.

Six years ago, the city of Copenhagen set the goal to become the first carbon-neutral capital in the world, shrinking energy use as it shifts to renewable energy and produces enough extra green power to offset other remaining emissions. It plans to reach the goal by 2025, while some other cities, including Washington, D.C., are aiming for as late as 2050.