Here’s today’s stories of progress in the fight against climate change.

🗺️ The race against time to map the world

The parts of the world that are the most vulnerable to climate change often aren’t accurately reflected on Google Maps. Volunteers hope to change this before climate disaster strikes, as a trustworthy map will be vital for humanitarian workers rescuing people from fires or floods. So far, work on a crowdsourced, open-source map has charted over 2.1 million miles of roads that other maps have overlooked.

🗑️ A no-waste restaurant

A Mexico City restaurant has achieved what others might think impossible – it throws nothing away. Pulling off this feat involves intense levels of planning, while the chefs upcycle scraps into traditional beverages and sauces. Food at the zero-waste spot also comes from local farmers who harness regenerative agriculture techniques that don’t drain the soil of its nutrients.

🔋 How sand can power a town

In Finland, the world’s largest sand battery will cut the town of Pornainen’s district heating emissions by as much as 70%. Full of grains of sand, the battery stores energy generated from solar panels and wind turbines. At 15 metres wide, it has the capacity to store enough heat for one month in summer and a week in winter. 

The Green Light is written by freelance climate writer Molly Millar.