Investing Ideas

Sponge Cities Offer New Look into Green Technologies from Unusual Angle

A massive influx of cash to green research and development is giving a boost to so far lurking, but hugely profitable eco-friendly construction companies, like some Nasdaq names.

Some innovative companies are developing a patented process for recycling industrial waste, mainly iron tailings and fly ash, into cutting edge building products that exceed government requirements. As a result, millions of tons of potentially hazardous waste is cleaned up and reused, and thus, kept out of the environment.

They are also a trailblazer in developing "sponge cities" for critical water management. In addition to manufacturing eco-friendly green building materials, this company is also a leader in the development of a construction phenomenon known as "sponge cities". It's a trailblazing trend that has reimagined how cities manage their rainwater containment.

In short, the sponge city concept aims to capture more precious rainwater and redirect it in ways that are less harmful to the environment. China is building 30 'sponge cities' that can soak up floodwater and prevent disaster. Porous asphalt pavement absorbs the water and retains it, and when there's a need, it can also release the water it has stored. Thus, Lingang or Nanhui as it is now known, has made changes to the urban infrastructure and has become the sponge city of Shanghai. The sponge city concept is being piloted in Lingang as an eco-friendly defence and drainage system as flood management measures. The city faces risks from the sea levels which are rising every year. Rapid development blocked the natural water to seep into the soil.

U.S. Economy

U.S. Homebuilders No Longer Sure What To Do Even As Lumber Prices Crashed

NAHB Homebuilder Confidence crashed from 80 to 75 in August. That is a 13-month low (July 2020).

Investing Ideas

MP Materials – a Rarely Apparent Answer to Commodity Shortage on U.S. Market

There’s a massive commodity shortage looming for metals critical to the U.S.’s national security.

U.S. Economy

As the U.S. starts to reopen, people aren’t rushing back to work

With many low-paying jobs in the U.S. going unfilled, even after employers have offered enticing sign-on bonuses, it seems that the COVID-19 crisis has forced a much-needed adjustment in a labor market where workers had long suffered from a decline in bargaining power.