When Hollywood takes a break from making CGI-heavy superhero films and decides to tell stories of empowerment, the effects can be life-changing. Hidden Figures is the story of three female African-American NASA mathematicians who helped launch John Glenn into space at the height of the Cold War. This Oscar-nominated film called attention to crucial yet overlooked contributions that African-American women made to one of America’s proudest moments. It has also given parents the opportunity to introduce their children to three incredible African-American role models.
In honor of Black History Month, Milwaukee College Prep teacher Terrance Sims created posters with his students to celebrate African-American culture. One of the posters was a recreation of the one sheet for Hidden Figures. For the photo, students Ambrielle Baker-Rogers, Miah Bell-Olson, and Morgan Coleman dressed in ‘60s clothing and got vintage hairdos to look like the film’s heroes, Katherine Goble Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. The poster turned out so amazing that it caught the attention of its star, Octavia Spencer who commented about it on Twitter.
Spencer’s co-star, Janelle Monae, posted the photo to her Instagram calling it “Priceless” as did Taraji P. Henson who exclaimed, “Oh My Goodness In Heaven.” Ambrielle’s mother Jerrica Rogers took her daughter to see the film before the photo shoot. “It was so inspiring for both of us.” she told Buzzfeed. “My daughter was locked in the entire time and quotes parts of the movie even to this day! I love the message it promotes, especially for young black girls. It gives them role models in a field where our representation is so low. It was just an awesome and empowering experience.”
The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority—now known as D.C. Water—has long provided water and sewer services to Washington, D.C. But for the past decade, the utility has also had an unexpected side hustle: turning human wastewater into fertilizer with flourishing results.
At most wastewater treatment plants, flushed water is cleaned, while the remaining solid matter is hauled away for disposal. Over time, transporting and disposing of that waste can cost millions of dollars while increasing carbon emissions from the trucks carrying it. A decade ago, however, D.C. Water decided to invest in transforming the solid waste into “humanure” rather than throwing it away.
Growin’ grass and makin’ gas
At the end of the wastewater treatment process, the collected human waste solids are processed into biosolid fertilizer using technology developed by Norwegian company Cambi. The process doesn’t just produce high-quality fertilizer—it also generates biogas that can be put to good use.
“So you get up to 40% more biogas,” Cambi CEO Eirik Fadnes said. “That biogas can be used to generate electricity to be used elsewhere in the wastewater-treatment plant or put on the grid and sold.”
D.C. Water sells the biosolid fertilizer under the brand name Bloom, and it’s already proving to be a success. Bloom has been used throughout the Washington, D.C., area by customers including Catholic University, Mount Olivet Cemetery, and the Franciscan Monastery. It’s also used on numerous lawns, school grounds, community gardens, and golf courses.
Success by the numbers
The numbers underscore D.C. Water’s success. To date, nearly 400,000 tons of Bloom have been sold across Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, generating $13.6 million in revenue. D.C. Water originally estimated it would take 20 years for Bloom to pay off its investment. But thanks to strong demand from institutions, landscapers, and local garden centers, the utility is now on pace to recoup that investment in just 12 years.
Bloom is also helping D.C. Water meet its environmental goals. By turning waste into a useful product instead of hauling it away for disposal, the utility has reduced its carbon footprint by roughly 50,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions each year—the equivalent of taking more than 11,700 gas-powered cars off the road annually. The process also produces biogas, which can be converted into electricity to help offset the energy costs of wastewater treatment.
Human waste works wonders
None of this would matter if human biosolids weren’t effective at improving soil. “Humanure,” a term coined by Joseph Jenkins, refers to compost made from properly treated human waste. Because human feces can contain disease-causing pathogens, it must be handled carefully. After all, we call it “waste” for a reason.
When human waste is composted correctly, naturally occurring microbes break down the organic material while generating enough heat to destroy harmful pathogens. Over time, the result is a nutrient-rich compost that can improve soil health. Some farmers even build specialized outdoor composting toilets to create humanure for use on their land.
Should D.C. Water continue on this path of simultaneous profitability and environmental improvement, it’s likely other wastewater treatment plants will follow its lead.
Many folks feel pressured to be more productive or believe they should always be doing more. After all, no one wants to be perceived as lazy. However, a decades-old quote that celebrates the value of being “lazy,” along with a recent scientific study, suggests that doing less might actually be the smarter move.
During 1947 testimony before the U.S. Senate, Clarence Bleicher, a Chrysler executive and president of the company’s DeSoto division, offered an unexpected perspective on “lazy” workers:
“I have taught my foremen this for some months now—if you get a tough job, one that is hard, and you haven’t got a way to make it easy, put a lazy man on it, and after ten days he will have an easy way to do it, and you perfect that way and you will have it in pretty good shape.”
Over time, the quote was shortened to: “I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult (or hard) job because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.” For decades, the saying was misattributed to several prominent figures, including billionaire Bill Gates.
Study supports Bleicher’s point
Regardless of the quote’s origin, its central idea received scientific support in a 2026 study. Led by psychologist Nathalie André at the University of Poitiers, the neuroscience researchers found that people and animals behave according to the “principle of least effort.” In other words, what we often call “laziness” may simply reflect a natural tendency to seek the easiest path to a reward while avoiding unnecessary effort or punishment.
While they may appear inactive, their brains are constantly weighing whether the effort is worth the reward. That cost isn’t limited to physical exertion. It can also include the time required, mental fatigue, frustration, or anxiety a task may bring.
The researchers found that “lazy” people aren’t opposed to challenges. Instead, they’re selective about how they invest their mental and physical energy. That may explain why a student is labeled a “slacker” by a math teacher but “studious” by an advanced English professor. The brain naturally gravitates toward tasks that feel the most rewarding while also trying to accomplish them with the least amount of effort needed to succeed.
Energy exerted differently
While being hardworking is admirable, a 2016 study by psychologist Todd McElroy supports the findings of the newer research. McElroy found that people with a greater need for cognition tended to devote more energy to mentally solving problems than to physical action. In other words, the people often labeled “lazy” weren’t avoiding effort—they were simply directing their energy differently.
He also found that both cognitive and physical problem solvers performed better when they got more sleep. The point is that if your body is telling you to take an afternoon nap, it may not be laziness motivating you. Instead, it could be your body’s way of restoring the mental and physical reserves needed to be more innovative and efficient afterward.
So if you’re focused on a problem or task yet aren’t physically doing anything, know that your “laziness” may simply be your brain searching for the most efficient use of your effort. Who knows? You may stumble upon a solution that’s more efficient than the one everyone else eventually adopts.
A new rule adopted by the European Union is intended to reduce landfill waste while holding major clothing manufacturers accountable.
Starting July 19, the EU prohibits large companies from destroying unsold clothing, accessories, and shoes under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The regulations will expand to cover medium-sized companies in 2030.
Fast fashion has become a major environmental concern. As retailers rapidly cycle through trends, unsold clothing often ends up in landfills or is destroyed to make room for new inventory. Many garments are made from synthetic fibers that can release greenhouse gases as they break down and shed microplastics that may contaminate soil and waterways.
What’s the ban’s purpose?
The ban is intended to reduce the amount of unsold clothing that large manufacturers dispose of. According to the European Environment Agency, between 264,000 and 594,000 tonnes of unused textiles are destroyed across Europe each year.
Instead of destroying unsold clothing, companies will need to find other ways to keep those products in use. That could mean selling excess inventory at a discount, donating it to charities or social enterprises, or preparing it for reuse through repair, refurbishment, or remanufacturing. When those options aren’t feasible, the materials can be recycled.
While the regulation is primarily focused on reducing the fashion industry’s environmental impact, the EU also hopes it will strengthen the economy by encouraging more sustainable business practices. The ban incentivizes companies to design products that are more resource-efficient, durable, reusable, and easier to repair or recycle. In turn, consumers should benefit from higher-quality products that last longer and generate less waste.
Companies may destroy unsold clothing and footwear only in limited circumstances, such as when the items are damaged, unsafe, counterfeit, infringe intellectual property rights, or have been rejected by charitable organizations. Businesses relying on these exemptions must provide supporting documentation, such as test results or other records, to justify the destruction. Even then, they must follow the EU’s waste hierarchy, which prioritizes reuse and recycling over disposal. Companies are also required to publish annual reports detailing the unsold products they have discarded.
National authorities will enforce the ban and may impose fines on companies that violate its requirements, including failing to maintain records for at least five years to support inspections. To help reduce the administrative burden, businesses may use existing customs and logistics codes when reporting the products they discard.
Why recycling isn’t enough
Recycling clothing can be a complicated and labor-intensive process. It often involves separating fabrics, dyes, synthetic fibers, and natural textile materials before they can be reused. That’s not to say it isn’t worthwhile. Instead of ending up in a landfill, recycled textiles can be turned into new clothing, home insulation, carpet padding, and other products.
Still, recycling isn’t a cure-all. The EU hopes the new ban will encourage companies to keep usable clothing in circulation for as long as possible through resale, donation, reuse, or refurbishment before recycling becomes necessary. In doing so, the regulation aims to create a more circular economy rather than allowing piles of unused clothing to continue growing.
This movement hopes to encourage clothing manufacturers to produce higher-quality products and reshape the industry as a whole. Making clothing from higher-grade materials with durable stitching that’s easier to repair can help reduce waste. While critics argue that doing so could reduce the number of garments sold each year, many say better-made clothing is worth the higher price—especially if consumers end up buying fewer replacement items over time.
What can you do with old clothing?
There are plenty of things you can do with old clothing around your home. If an item is too damaged to donate, its fabric can be repurposed for crafts or used as cleaning rags. And if you’re handy with a needle, there are countless ways to upcycle old clothes into new outfits, accessories, or other useful items with a little inspiration from the Internet.
Giant corporations and everyday people alike can do their best to make the most of the materials they have, helping save money and reduce waste.
