AMSTERDAM—Walking into De Ceuvel feels a bit like walking into a post-apocalyptic utopia. A dozen or so houseboats litter the ground around a gathering place, where a rusted hull has been cut in half and converted into benches. Slanted solar panels pepper the rooftops of structures built out of recycled materials, all…

Frank Alsema describes himself as a “city maker.” The TV producer lives in north Amsterdam, where his house has become a lab for more sustainable urban lifestyle. The community there and throughout the Netherlands aspire to what they call a “circular economy.” That means recycling and reusing everything, including…

Wooden skyscrapers are fast becoming a trend in sustainable construction, with dozens planned across the country. Two buildings in Portland, Oregon—Carbon12, a new all-timber high-rise building, and Framework, another in progress that will be 12 stories—offer an early look at what it will take for the trend to develop…

It can be tough to reconcile being a LEGO geek and a fan of the environment (raises hand). But LEGO is trying to make that a little easier.

If you’re anything like me, you wouldn’t survive a workday without that steaming, morning cup o’ Joe. And the four to five cups that follow it. Okay, maybe I have a problem but who doesn’t these days?

Nearly everything about the small block says “wood”: its texture, appearance, sturdiness, and color are like an especially high-quality piece of particle board. But it’s just a bit too dense for wood, which gives it away. The block is made of straw bound together by mycelium, the root-like tendrils of mushrooms.

An extremely expensive truffle has been grown farther north than ever before, a phenomenon researchers attribute to altered growing conditions created by climate change. For the first time, a Mediterranean black truffle, also known as a Périgord truffle, has been grown in the United Kingdom—and not a moment too soon…