Let us be honest, most climate headlines are a bit of a mood killer. The world has just recorded its hottest three years in history, and in south-eastern Australia we have felt it firsthand with brutal heatwaves. Western Sydney even clocked two days above 42 degrees recently, the first time in seven years. 

However, at Go For Zero, we are all about helping you live more sustainably through simple swaps, while also making sure you hear about the great things happening in the world. So when we stumbled across this very cool story, we knew we had to share it! A group of Sydney university students is dreaming up practical, human-centred designs to make life in a warming climate more comfortable. Not futuristic fantasy stuff, but real ideas for our streets, train platforms and bus stops. It is the kind of innovation we love to cheer on, so lets jump into these 3 Feel Good Friday innovations by Aussies!

1. A street light that cools the air, yes really

University of Technology Sydney (UTS) student Isabella Bucknell has created a design called Terracol, it's basically a little climate hero disguised as a lamp post accessory. The 2.2 metre system attaches to street lights and collects rainwater in two 12-litre tanks. When temperatures hit between 30 and 35 degrees, sensors release the water through terracotta panels that naturally cool the surrounding air.

The clever part is that the combination of water and porous terracotta could drop the temperature by about six degrees. An AI program estimated the cooling would reach a four-metre radius. Imagine walking home on a 35 degree day and feeling cooler air for a change... winning!

2. Clean air while you wait for the train

Another UTS student, Freya Rollo, turned her attention to something many people might not think about, air quality. Her design, called Luft, is an air purification module that could be mounted on train station walls. You can lean against it like a regular seat while it quietly filters the air around you.

The pod uses a HEPA carbon activated filter and is tough enough to meet NSW train safety standards. It's designed to clean 300 square metres of air per hour, roughly equal to 700 breaths of fresh air, creating a two to three metre bubble of cleaner space for commuters.

Considering studies estimate traffic pollution contributes to more than 1,800 premature deaths every year, that is not just clever design, it's design stepping up for public health.

3. Bus stops that feel like mini community gardens

Over at the University of Sydney, five students teamed up with Sweltering Cities and Blacktown City Council to rethink the humble bus stop. Their research found only 37 per cent of stops in Schofields have shade, seating or shelter (yikes)!

Their Canopy Project includes three versions to suit different spaces. The biggest design features solar panels, native plants, a bladeless ceiling fan and seating made from hempcrete and recycled timber. There's even a micro-library and interactive display. The goal is to make bus stops places people actually want to be, not just somewhere to scroll on your phone and sweat.

Small designs, big possibilities 

From the footpath to the train platform and the bus route, these projects are glimpses of a kinder, cooler Australia where design works with nature instead of against it. And whilst innovations like these won't fix climate change on their own, it's important to remember that these students play a big role in shaping a sustainable future, and that is something are cheering on from the sidelines!

So when next time summer turns the pavement into a frypan, remember there are bright minds out there looking for solutions and designing a cleaner, more comfortable way forward. And if a bus stop with a garden on top becomes the new normal, we are absolutely here for it.

Happy Friday legends,

Ellie x