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“Today was one for the history books. It was truly a big day for the environment.” - Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive DirectorNations committed to develop a legally binding agreement to #BeatPlasticPollution at #UNEA5.

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“Today was one for the history books. It was truly a big day for the environment.” - Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive DirectorNations committed to develop a legally binding agreement to #BeatPlasticPollution at #UNEA5.

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View this post on Instagram

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Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)

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Microplastics in the ocean: A deep dive on plastic pollution in Monterey Bay

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Tiny beads = big problems.

Exfoliants may be great for your skin, but the environment is paying a high price thanks to one tiny ingredient in your soap: microbeads.

A image of microbeads in the ocean may not tug on the heartstrings like a picture of a sea turtle caught in a plastic pop ring, but these tiny plastics are adding up in our waterways and threatening the lives of the animals who live there.

Global Citizen campaigns on environmental issues, knowing that a healthy environment gives people the opportunity to survive and thrive in a world free of extreme poverty. You can take action here.

But how are microbeads traveling from your morning cleanse to the shore of the ocean? Just as they are meant to.

These tiny plastics are designed to be rinsed down the drain, which is precisely where environmentalists and scientists don't want them to go.

What's a microbead? Which produces use them?

A microbead is a small piece of plastic, about 1 millimeter or smaller in size (approximately the size of a pinhead).

They are typically used as abrasives or exfoliants because their hard surfaces are effective, damage-free scrubbing tool for your skin and they don't dissolve in water. For these reasons, it has become a common ingredient in many personal-care products.

Some common products that have microbeads include face scrubs, toothpaste, moisturizers and lotions, deodorants, sunscreens and makeup products; Business Insider compiled an extensive list here.
Take Action: Call on the UK Prime Minister to Protect the Oceans
The qualities that make microbeads so effective as exfoliants are the same qualities that make them hazardous to the environment.

"The effect is similar to grinding up plastic water bottles, other products of concern to environmentalists, and pumping them into oceans and lakes," The New York Times wrote.

Microplastics are a big news item this week.
But what exactly are microplastics? Watch this 🎞️ to find out. #CleanSeas#BeatPollution pic.twitter.com/vucKa4v8KD
- UN Environment (@UNEP) September 7, 2017

How do microbeads get into the ocean or lake?

Those tiny pieces of plastic don't dissolve in water, which is why they work so well at cleaning the oil and dirt out of your pores. However, because they are so small (less than 1 millimeter), the microbeads are not filtered out by wastewater treatment plants. That means they end up in water streams by the trillion.

US households wash 808 trillion microbeads down the drain each day, according to a study published in Environmental Science & Technology by the American Chemical Society. At the waste treatment plant, 8 trillion microbeads enter directly into waterways. That's enough to cover 300 tennis courts each day and dump it in the lake.

Although the majority of microbeads at waste treatment plants do not directly enter water sources, there is still a clear pathway for the tiny plastic pieces to eventually find their way into rivers and lakes. The remaining 800 trillion microbeads settle into sludge, which is later applied as fertilizer to grass and soil where the microbeads can enter water sources via runoff.

Even one shower can release 100,000 microbeads into the ocean, British MPs warned.
Read More: Tiny Pellets, Big Problem: Plastic Pollutes 73% of British Beaches
"We're facing a plastic crisis and don't even know it," Stephanie Green, a co-author of the study, told CNN.

Many of the microbeads are ending up in the already-plastic polluted Great Lakes. A 2013 study found 1.7 million microbeads per square kilometer in Lake Erie, the highest count of the five lakes.

#Welsh government to prohibit the use of #microbeads in #cosmetics via @CosmeticsDsgEU#QARA#EUCompliance https://t.co/LFOB2fukqG
- Obelis EU RP (@ObelisCosmetics) September 6, 2017

What damage can the tiny plastic beads really do?
Read More: Seafood Eaters Consume 11,000 Micro Bits of Plastic, Study Finds
Once in the water, microbeads accidentally enter the food chain. The microbeads used in many self-care products are the same size as fish eggs - food for many marine life.

Over 250 species of marine wildlife have mistaken the microbeads as food, according to a 2013 study, including fish, turtles, and seagulls.

"Microbeads are highly damaging to the natural environment and the wildlife that live there," the Wildlife Conservation Society said in a press release.

If ingested by an animal, the microbeads not only deprive the creatures of needed nutrients but also can become lodged in their digestive tract, causing pain, inability to eat and eventually death.

The microbeads possess another threat to wildlife. Because the plastic in the microbeads attracts and absorbs toxic chemicals, they are toxic to wildlife that eat them and humans that may eat fish that consumed the beads.

Don't eat fish? Does not matter. Scientist also found microplastics in table salt.

What have leaders done about the microbead problem?

Because waste treatment plants are unable to prevent microbead pollution through either pathway, the study published by the American Chemical Society states that removing microbeads from products is the best method to prevent microbead pollution.
Read More: Bad News: Your Yoga Pants Are Killing the Oceans
The US passed a law banning plastic microbeads in soap, toothpaste and body washes in 2015.

Since President Barack Obama signed the ban, major companies like Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and L'Oreal pledged to phase out products that use microbeads by July 1, 2017.; however, it is unclear if all of the brands have followed through on this commitment.

Members of the British Parliament followed up by calling for a worldwide ban on products containing microbeads. Canada made a similar law to that of the US and pledged to ban all microbead products by July 1, 2018.

However, legislatures are unaware of all the products that contain microbeads, creating a loophole in the US ban that allows manufacturers to continue to sell some products with microbeads, including detergents, sandblasting materials, and cosmetics.

This loophole exists because the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have ingredient list guidelines for some of these products; therefore, these products could or could not include microbeads without the consumer or the government knowing.

Ban the 'bead! #Microbeads, what are they good for? Absolutely nothing. Check out latest @ECOH_Inc blog post... https://t.co/ql1nVv7n9q pic.twitter.com/TvsJHqX3DN
- ECOH (@ECOH_Inc) September 12, 2017

What can I do to reduce microbead pollution?

The simple answer: stop using and buying products that have microbeads in them.

You can check for yourself if a product uses microbeads if the label includes these ingredients: Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and Nylon (PA).

If you use exfoliant products that contain microbeads, opt for natural exfoliants like oats, salt, yogurt, sugar or coffee grounds. Alternatively, you can try the cosmetic alternative to microbead: man-made sand.

And if you already have products in your house with microbeads, don't just throw them away where the beads will end up in a landfill and could end up runoff water anyway. One possible solution is to ship them back to their manufacturer.

You can donate microbead products to the 5Gyres Institute, a research and education group studying plastic waste, by sending this to this address: 3131 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404; or you can send them to the team of scientists documenting microbead pollution in the Great Lakes: SUNY Fredonia, Attn: Sherri Mason, 280 Central Ave., 340 Sciences Complex, Fredonia, NY 14063.

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The Tiny Microbeads In Soap May Pose a Big Environmental Problem

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Tiny beads = big problems. Exfoliants may be great for your skin, but the environment is paying a high price thanks to one tiny ingredient in your soap: microbeads.

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Eco Dish Sponge - Plastic Free Loofah's, from Agile Home and Garden

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Plastic Pollution

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POWERFUL VIDEO: Why We Need to Stop Plastic Pollution in Our Oceans FOR GOOD

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Alternatives for microbeads

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Eco-friendly Gift Wrapping ideas

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Eco-friendly leaf confetti

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DIY | Leaf Confetti (The Best Tips & Eco-Friendly Alternative)

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Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Plastic Plant Pots

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Citation-“Stop Plastic Pollution.” Greenpeace International, https://act.greenpeace.org/page/49013/petition/1?locale=en-GB. Accessed 3 Aug. 2021.

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Add your name to join millions of people from around the world demanding that massive consumer goods companies reject unnecessary throwaway plastics. #BreakFreeFromPlastic

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Create Your Own Poster for Plastic free World

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How we're working on making LEGO® bricks more sustainable! - LEGO® CON 2021

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Handcrafted bamboo bottles in Tripura, sustainable alternative to plastic

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Plastic free Produce

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Plastic Free Produce Banana Leaf Plate and Cup || Leaf cup cutting in Rural Northeast India

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Bamboo toothbrush

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I have switched from plastic pegs to bamboo pegs 

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I have switched from plastic pegs to bamboo pegs 

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How A Company In Berlin Is Turning Coffee Grounds Into Reusable Cups

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Reusable Bags

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Why not all reusable bags are good for the planet | Did You Know?

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How to Reduce The Carbon Footprint of Your Paper Towels?

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In the United States, paper towels can be found in nearly every home, office, and business. And it's not just here in the U.S., these disposable towels are a big business all over the world, with over $12 billion paper towels sold annually.

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Bookmark made out of Dried flowers

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This story is part of Planet or Plastic?-our multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic waste crisis. Learn what you can do to reduce your own single-use plastics, and take your pledge.

Shampoo bars-hair cleanser in bar soap form-are the latest trend in hair care products. Usually made of natural ingredients to promote hair health, they're also easier on the environment and great for travel. Here are five reasons to make the switch from bottle to bar.

Reduction of Plastics

Currently, about nine million tons of plastic get thrown into the ocean annually, which breaks down to one garbage truck full of plastic being dumped into the sea every minute. Shampoo bars cut out the need for plastic bottles, and most come wrapped in recycled paper or in paper boxes. They're also convenient for traveling-just pop them in a metal tin available for that purpose.

No Worries About TSA Limits

A traveler's nightmare is having TSA agents raid your bag, asking if you're over the 3.4-liquid-ounces limit, or worse, opening your suitcase after a flight and finding that your shampoo bottles leaked all over your favorite outfit. Shampoo bars eliminate both scenarios, as TSA isn't going to take soap that's in bar form and a shampoo bar won't ruin your clothes. It might make them smell good, though.

Concentrated to Last Longer

Most shampoos are 80-percent water and conditioners can be even more-up to 95-percent water. Why pay for water when you can add it in yourself? Shampoo bars are megaconcentrated and generally last longer than bottled versions. On average, a shampoo bar will outlast two to three bottles of liquid shampoo, meaning you save money and extra trips to the store.

Cruelty Free and All Natural

Many brands that produce shampoo bars are striving to protect the oceans, wildlife, and ecosystems that are being affected by the mass production of chemical-laden products in the beauty industry. Many traditional bottled shampoos are filled with preservatives and chemicals that can strip hair of its natural oils and leave your scalp feeling dry. Oftentimes, these chemicals are not found in shampoo bars. Many bars contain essential oils and natural ingredients and are cruelty free. Another plus? Many shampoo bars are free of palm oil, an ingredient linked to deforestation and habitat degradation.

Where to Find Them

Using sustainably-sourced, natural ingredients, U.K.-based Lush Cosmetics created one of the first shampoo bars and even makes conditioner bars. Beauty and the Bees in Tasmania, Australia, has been making hair and skin products with pure, local, ingredients for more than 25 years. Relatively new to the bar game, New Zealand's Ethique started making beauty bars in 2012 and has built a large following thanks to its ethically-derived ingredients. Basin and Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve products are cruelty-free and made in the U.S.

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Why You Should Buy a Shampoo Bar Before Your Next Trip

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This story is part of Planet or Plastic?-our multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic waste crisis. Learn what you can do to reduce your own single-use plastics, and take your pledge. Shampoo bars-hair cleanser in bar soap form-are the latest trend in hair care products.

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A Spoon You Can Eat Is a Tasty Alternative to Plastic Waste | Short Film Showcase

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Fabric bowl covers

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Bamboo cotton buds

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Zero Waste tip // Move to Bamboo Cotton Buds

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Fabric bread bag

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Zero waste Pen refill

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We live in a world and society that puts a huge emphasis on living green and protecting the environment. There are many ways to protect the environment, such as installing a solar system, buying green appliances, reducing carbon footprint or eating healthier and natural foods.

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Eco friendly Plastic free loose tea

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Citation-“Join the Fight Against Plastic Pollution | World Wildlife Fund.” WWF Supporter Page | World Wildlife Fund, https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1002. Accessed 3 Aug. 2021.

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Troy Mayne / WWF

Join the Fight Against Plastic Pollution

Eight million metric tons of plastic are leaking into our oceans every year. This cannot continue.

Plastic is everywhere. From beaches in Indonesia to the remotest Arctic, it is silently choking our planet. Plastic has contaminated the soil, rivers and oceans. Many of us are doing our part to reduce plastic pollution by recycling and reducing single-use items, but it's just not enough. Governments must step up to take accountability and end this pollution epidemic.

Ask our government leaders to establish a global legally-binding agreement to stop plastics from leaking into our oceans.

Dear Honorable Heads of State,

Our oceans face a growing pollution crisis. About 8 million metric tons of plastic waste end up in our oceans every year. There are already an estimated 150 million metric tons of plastic in our oceans because this problem hasn't been addressed effectively. We need a global agreement to end plastic leakage into the seas by 2030.

Marine plastic pollution has serious consequences for people's well-being and their livelihoods. And it also has devastating impacts on life in our oceans-causing injury and death to fish, sea turtles, whales, birds, coral reefs and much more.

Every single country is part of this plastics crisis. And every single country must be part of the solution: we need a united global response, with the world's governments taking accountability for ending marine plastics pollution.

That's why we, the people of the world, ask you to create a global and legally binding agreement to stop the leakage of plastics into our oceans by 2030. The agreement should:

set strict goals for pollution reduction in each country-including the US,

create a national action plan in each country-including the US-to meet these goals.

The plastics crisis in our oceans was created in a single lifetime and can be ended in a single decade. If we act now, together.

If you take action and have not already registered, you will receive email about important conservation news and how you can help World Wildlife Fund protect the diversity of life on Earth.

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Join the Fight Against Plastic Pollution | World Wildlife Fund

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Troy Mayne / WWF Join the Fight Against Plastic Pollution Eight million metric tons of plastic are leaking into our oceans every year. This cannot continue. Plastic is everywhere. From beaches in Indonesia to the remotest Arctic, it is silently choking our planet. Plastic has contaminated the soil, rivers and oceans.

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Let’s do it

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Let’s take a collaborative responsibility

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Single use plastic

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9 Eco-Friendly Alternatives for the Worst Single-Use Plastics ♻️  | WWF-Australia

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1. Significantly reduce your plastic load.
2.Reduce the amount of plastic heading to landfill, incineration and the ocean.
3.Reduce your food waste - buy smaller quantities of your lesser used products.
4.Save money - if you know you eat a lot of a particular product, buy in a larger quantity, which will reduce the cost per 100g.

5.Make zero waste and bulk foods shopping accessible to everyone.

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DIY newspaper dustbin liner

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How to Make Newspaper Dustbin/ Newspaper Trash Bin/ Paper Dustbin/ WASTEBASKET/ DIY.

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Plastic free World

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Easy and Affordable Ways to Reduce Microplastic Contamination

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Lifecycle of Plastic

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What really happens to the plastic you throw away - Emma Bryce

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The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Is Not What You Think It Is | The Swim

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Plastic Pollution

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Plastic pollution crisis: How waste ends up in our oceans

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Plastic Free July

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Plastic in our oceans is killing marine mammals

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Plastic in our oceans is killing marine mammals

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Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) with a plastic bag, Moore Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia © Troy Mayne / WWF Keywords plastic marine pollution hawksbill turtles marine species marine turtles Would you rather pick a fight with a jellyfish or a plastic bag?

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Take action

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Kids Take Action Against Ocean Plastic | Short Film Showcase

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Kids against plastic | Amy & Ella Meek | TEDxExeter

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Plastic free

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What is it

Apeel has created an edible coating made from plant-based materials which can be applied to the surface of fresh fruit and vegetables to slow down spoilage and extend shelf life. As well as reducing food waste, it also means that harvesting can be optimised so fruits and vegetables can ripen further and customers can enjoy better tasting produce.

Set up in 2012 with a $100K Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant, Apeel produce is now available in several categories including avocados, organic apples, cucumbers, lemons/limes, oranges and mandarins, and available at major retailers throughout the US, Denmark, The Netherlands and Germany.

Why it's an example of the circular economy

Apeel's coatings contribute to the circular economy by reducing waste in two distinct sectors of the economy:

By applying the coating to fruits and vegetables, Apeel helps reduce significant volumes of food wasted by keeping produce fresh for longer.

Apeel's coating can be used to replace single-use plastic packaging, the default option often used by food suppliers to preserve produce.

How it works

The coating is made of plant-based materials -lipids and glycerolipids -that exist in the peels, seeds, and pulp of all the fruits and vegetables we already eat - creating a high-value product from natural resources. Because the materials needed to make Apeel exist in all fruits and vegetables, this can include the parts of the plant that typically go unused after harvesting, such as the peels and seeds.

Apeel is prepared as a powder and diluted with water prior to application. The versatility of Apeel means that the product may be applied using a variety of approaches, including: spray, dip, or brush on methods. Apeel provides both the product, and the service of applying the product, integrating the coating process into the supply chain of wholesalers and retailers.

Benefits in detail

Reduced carbon emissions

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), if food waste was a country, it would be the third highest generator of greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, it's estimated that about 30% of food that's produced is wasted, which results in significant impacts on food security, economic well-being and the environment.

Applying an Apeel coating can double the shelf life of produce. Cumulative 2020 sustainability metrics for Apeel avocados alone resulted in nearly 2,100 mT CO2-eq of GHG emissions avoided - equal to planting 34,000 trees or taking 450 cars off the road for a year.

Increasing the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables can also have unexpected additional benefits. The prospect of applying Apeel to produce that is typically transported by air freight - such as with asparagus - would mean it's possible to shift transportation mode to sea freight which would reduce carbon emissions in food supply chains.

Reduced plastic waste

Apeel has the potential to reduce the food industry's reliance on plastic packaging. For example, Apeel Long English Cucumbers replace commonly-used plastic wrap with the company's plant-based edible coating. For every 500,000 cases shipped, Apeel can help avoid plastic use equivalent to eliminating 1.2 million single-use water bottles.

No extra cost to the consumer

As well as maintaining freshness and flavour, customers don't need to pay more for Apeel-coated products. As the product reduces lost stock through spoilage, the cost of applying the coating is more than covered.
Case study published May 2021

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Apeel has created an edible coating made from plant-based materials which can be applied to the surface of fresh fruit and vegetables to slow down spoilage and extend shelf life. As well as reducing food waste, it also means that harvesting can be optimised so fruits and vegetables can ripen further and customers can enjoy better tasting produce.

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Eco friendly ideas

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How to make Natural Bouquet | Ecofriendly series

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Every year millions of tonnes of plastic finds its way into landfills or oceans, polluting land, water and air. If we do not control this excessive usage of plastic in time, many plant and animal species may go extinct, water levels across the globe may rise and life on earth may never be the same.
It is time we take this matter in our hands!

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Small seemingly insignificant changes lead to big results over time.
If we make small changes in our day to day life and control or eliminate the use of plastic, we can contribute significantly to resolving the growing plastic problem across the world.
To make this bigger and cause some real impact, we can also share this with friends and family so they can do their bit too.

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This month, I pledge to observe PLASTIC FREE JULY… and I hope you all will join me too..!!
We pledge to take one small action, form one small habit, every single day of this month. In doing so, we would have each taken 31 proactive steps towards a plastic free world.
What’s more, we make this a movement!
The more people who join this cause, the closer we are to our dream.
By following these steps, we support the UN in the following Sustainable Development Goals:
SDG12 - Responsible consumption and production
SDG13 - Climate action
SDG14 - Life below water
SDG15 - Life on land

So let’s get started, and pledge to not stop till we make our planet …

PLASTIC FREE…!

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ECO-KAARI - EcoKaari is a social enterprise, born from an ardent desire of the team, to create a community where the bottom-up development is the key to achieve better living for all beings in a sustainable way.

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In the 21st century where global warming and climate change is a major issue, scientists, world leaders and nations are finding solutions to solve climate change issues. Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal (PDM), an NGO of environment education, research & awareness creation in Maharashtra & Goa, works at grassroot level. It serves the same cause, considering every minute aspect to protect environment, from the past sixteen years. PDM’s mission has always been Environmental education, research & awareness creation among the masses for clean, healthy and hygienic environments and has been striving to do so since its inception in 1999.

Vision: To build a strong and self-sustained organisation working for the cause of Environment.

Mission: To empower the youth to accept challenges of changing world with a tune of sustainable development.

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Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal | Green Shoppe

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The Green Shoppe provides a platform to self-sustaining NGO's manu-facturing eco-friendly products across the country. The objective of the shoppe is to also provide one shop stop for the aware consumers to get environment friendly products.

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Calculate and upload your plastic footprint.

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The ubiquity of plastic is a terrifying fact - it's everywhere around us: in the ground and in the oceans, in our food, and in the water we drink. More than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped in our oceans every year; by 2050, we are going to have more plastic waste than fish. But what can we do about this? Isn't this a problem just for big companies and industries? Of course not. Remember that little drops make the mighty ocean! Inform yourself and others, be aware, change your lifestyle, and take action.

This plastic footprint calculator was created to help - find out what your plastic usage will be in a year's time. We encourage you to quit some bad habits and reduce the plastic footprint - believe it or not, but we can live without all these plastic bags, disposable cups, straws, and plastic bottles. If you are concerned about our future and the Earth we pass on to the next generations, read on to find more information about plastic pollution.

It is estimated that only 5-10 % of the world's plastic is recycled. More than 30% of it ends up in a landfill and around one-third - in the oceans. How embarrassing. We've even created a new continent - a mass of plastic waste the size of Europe. Have a look at this National Geographic short animation about plastic pollution - we are certain that after watching it, you'll feel the need to change the world, step by step.

Did you know that microplastic - if inhaled or eaten by a person - increases the risk of cancer, asthma, infertility, and mental disorders?

So, how long does it take for plastic garbage to decompose? Scientists estimate that plastic can take more than 500 years to degrade, but this time can be shorter for specific items:

Plastic bags 10-1000 years;

Grocery bags 10-20 years;

Foam plastic cups - 50 years (have a look at this video: Plastic Pollution, Our Oceans, Our Future...);

Plastic disposable cups and plates - 400 years;

Disposable diapers - 450 years; and

Plastic bottles - 450-500 years.

Image source: futurism.com, on the basis of NOAA.

The 4R's is a rule to minimize and manage waste - it's fundamental for those who really care about the world we are living in. How do you start?

Refuse - Turn down all disposable plastics, such as coffee cups, straws, plastic bags, single-use cutlery, and stirrers. You are using it for seconds or minutes, but it will outlive you by a couple of hundreds of years.

Reduce - Choose the products with the least possible plastic waste: choose paper-wrapped products over those packaged in plastic, and buy biodegradable cotton swabs instead of plastic ones (this innocent stick is one of the top ten forms of beach litter, polluting the oceans) and avoid plastic microfibers in things like synthetic clothing.

Reuse (and repurpose) - Use plastic containers as many times as possible. Take your lunch in a Tupperware-type box, reuse your non-toxic, durable straw, and take a plastic bottle with you. Repurpose old plastic stuff - awaken your inner child and create a cool flower pot or a bird feeder.

Recycle - If the options above don't work, stick to the last one. Recycling plastic (and other materials) should be our everyday habit. Buy products that are made of recycled materials, choose ones that are easy to recycle, and rinse your waste before throwing it into a recycling bin to avoid waste contamination, which makes recycling impossible.

Sometimes it's even called the 5 R's rule - the last R standing for Rot, Repurpose or Remove, depending on the source.

If you are wondering what your yearly plastic consumption is, check out the plastic footprint calculator:

1. Start with your everyday needs and shopping habits. How many plastic bags do you take when grocery shopping? How many water bottles do you buy each week? Count all of them and type the values into the proper boxes. Let's assume that you buy 3 PET bottles per week (coke and water), 5 plastic bags ( Refuse rule!), 8 food wrappers, and 2 yogurt containers.

2. Let's move to the laundry, cleaning, and bathroom. Type the values that describe your needs, e.g., 4 cotton swabs/week and 4 detergents, 2 shampoo bottles, 2 refill packets per half year. Add the toothbrushes and toothpaste - in our example, it's 3 per year for both of them.

3. Add all disposable wastes and takeaway containers. Take-away lunch four times per week (don't forget about the cutlery pieces), grabbing a coffee on the go twice per week, a couple of drinks with straws, and a plastic plate on a Sunday barbecue... Urgh, it's a lot. We know it's quick and convenient, but it's the most shameful plastic waste you can easily avoid. Rethink, refuse a straw, reduce the trash, and bring your own container every time you can.

4. Plastic footprint calculator will add all the plastic you used throughout the year. In our example, it summed up to 64 pounds (29 kg), and the average for a European citizen is 68 pounds (31 kg). That's a heck of a lot of plastic! To make it worse, we can tell you that this footprint is still relatively small if you are living in the US: the average American throws away approximately 185 pounds (84 kg) a year! Multiply this by 300 million US inhabitants, and you will understand why plastic pollution is such a pressing issue.

Remember that the plastic footprint calculator features only the basic products - your plastic footprint may be much higher if you add some other products, e.g., plastic furniture, boxes, crates, buckets, flower pots, bowls, or any other plastic items.

Well, you can do a lot about that. Take the 4 R's pledge and start from small things:

Refuse the plastic bags and bring your own cloth bags. Keep a cotton bag in your backpack, in the car trunk, next to the front doors - where it's easy to notice and grab it when you're going shopping.

Bring your mug. In only the UK, 7 million disposable coffee cups are used every day. On top of that, they need to be recycled in specialized facilities, as they are made not from standard paper but from paper lined with plastic to provide waterproofness. It's estimated that less than 1% of disposable cups are recycled. Not to mention the plastic lids, sleeves, or stirrers.

Refuse the plastic straws or change to those made from paper or steel. For most people (excluding hospital patients), drinking with a straw is not a must. Did you know that plastic straws make up ~4% of plastic trash by piece? Of course far less by weight, as they weigh approximately 0.18 oz (0.5 g), but this doesn't stop them from clogging up our oceans. Take this small step and boycott plastic straws today.

Use refill packets instead of buying new bottles every time. Whenever possible, choose products that generate less plastic waste. You can check with our plastic footprint calculator how much plastic you will 'save' when using refill packets. It's around four times less, as detergent bottles are usually made from heavier HDPE (high-density polyethylene).

Carry your own water bottle. Choose a reusable plastic or glass bottle. Your footprint will be reduced, and you will be shocked at how much you can save if you drop the bottled water! Check our tap water calculator to find out what substantial savings result you can get from such a tiny change.

Don't wait any longer. Reuse or repurpose plastic change your habits today: Check our kaya identity calculator to understand how to quantify our impact, or find out what's your flight carbon footprint and try to live a greener life.

To calculate your plastic footprint, consider the following sources of pollution:

1. Single-use plastic products for food and beverages.

2. Packaging and plastic containers for cleaning and hygiene products.

3. Food packaging from the grocery store.

4. On a longer timescale, toys and larger pieces of plastic.

5. Add up the weights of all the items you used.

6. Multiply the quantities according to the timeframe (e.g., 52 times if you counted the items used in a week) to measure how much plastic you use each year.

Plastic is an excellent material: moldable, strong, and durable. Maybe too strong and durable. The plastic you use rarely gets recycled (as it's tough to do so) and takes a lot of time to degrade into something not as detrimental to the environment.

The plastic you use today loiters around for more time than you'll do: be conscious about your plastic footprint, the amount of plastic you use and dispose of, and try to reduce your impact on the Planet!

Less than 10% of the plastic we throw away is recycled. Why?

1. There are many types of plastic, and we can recycle only some of them.

2. Plastic recycling is energy-intensive, and waste transportation is even more.

3. Plastic segregated by people is often not clean enough to undergo recycling.

Most of the time, the best strategy is to reduce the use of plastic, more than betting on recycling it!

To reduce your plastic footprint, follow the four "R"s rule:

1. Refuse - If you can, say "no" to plastic. You can bring your own cup to the coffee shop!

2. Reduce - Choose the products and companies that reduce their use of plastic.

3. Reuse - Avoid single-use plastic, use your bags till they break, and wash all your containers!

4. Recycle - If you have to throw away something, segregate it and give it a chance to be recycled!

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Plastic Footprint Calculator - Check Your Environmental Impact

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Find out how much plastic you use throughout the year with this plastic footprint calculator. Rethink your habits, reduce your plastic waste, and make your life a little greener.

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The Galapagos green turtle's favourite food is jellyfish, so wherever jellyfish are most abundant, turtles are bound to be close by. Unfortunately, plastic bags look like jellyfish when floating in the ocean, and if a turtle ingests a plastic bag, it forms a fatal blockage in the gut, usually resulting in death.

This warning comes from the Galapagos Conservation Trust based in the United Kingdom and supporting turtle conservation projects since 1995.

Galapagos green turtles are endangered. They differ from other marine turtles by their serrated lower jaw and a single pair of scales covering their eyes. They can reach a length of 84cm and are known to weigh up to 136kg. They are fast swimmers, travelling at speeds up to 35mph over long distances thanks to their powerful flippers. They are even able to sleep underwater, but only for a few hours at a time.

The Trust is launching a new multi-year program to reduce plastic use in the Archipelago, where a ban on single-use plastic straws, bottles and bags will enter into force on 21 August 2018. The ban was promoted by the Governing Council of the Special Regime of the Galápagos.

Plastic debris ingested by turtles can cause intestinal blockage resulting in malnutrition, reduced growth rates and even death. Perhaps most distressingly, turtles can starve to death because they feel full after swallowing plastic debris.

A 2015 study, led by Qamar Schuyler of the University of Queensland and published in Global Change Biology, estimated that 52 percent of sea turtles worldwide have eaten plastic debris.

This 10-minute video, which contains graphic content and strong language, shows researchers extracting a plastic straw from a turtle's nostril.
A recent global study by the University of Exeter indicates that many turtles die every year from ingesting plastic debris, or get injured, or die, after entanglement in plastic and other debris.

The survey, covering 43 countries, found turtles are being tangled up in lost fishing nets, plastic twine and nylon fishing line, as well as six pack rings from canned drinks, plastic packaging straps, plastic balloon string, kite string, plastic packaging and discarded anchor line and seismic cables.

Professor Brendan Godley, the lead author of the study, warned that as plastic pollution increases more and more turtles are likely to become entangled.

"Plastic rubbish in the oceans, including lost or discarded fishing gear which is not biodegradable, is a major threat to marine turtles," says Godley.

"We found, based on beach strandings, that more than 1,000 turtles are dying a year, after becoming tangled up, but this is almost certainly a gross underestimate. Young turtles and hatchings are particularly vulnerable to entanglement."

Photo by shutterstock

In recent years, global turtle population numbers have been falling. The fishing industry is a serious threat; although turtles are strong swimmers they often become entangled in fishing gear. Weighed down by heavy nets, they are unable to surface and subsequently drown. Other threats include invasive species and pollution.

Every minute we dump the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic into the ocean. If we carry on as usual, this is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050. By 2050, this could mean there will be more plastic than fish in the world's oceans.

UN Environment's Clean Seas Campaign was launched in February 2017. It aims to increase global awareness of the need to reduce marine litter. The need for measures differs in different parts of the world. Proper waste management infrastructure is lacking in some areas, while in others the challenge involves the general public's awareness of the impact litter has on the environment.

World Turtle Day on 23 May, sponsored yearly since 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, aims to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.

World Sea Turtle Day on 16 June, is sponsored by the Florida-based Sea Turtle Conservancy, which was founded in 1959 by Archie Carr.

World Environment Day on 5 June 2018 is hosted by India and focuses on the theme of plastic waste. This aligns with, and further develops, the December 2017 UN Environment Assembly's "Beat Pollution" watchword.
For further information: Sea turtles are one of the flagship species of the UN's Wild for Life campaign. #BeatPlasticPollution is the theme of World Environment Day 2018. Petter.Malvik@un.org

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A turtle-friendly conservation project in the Galapagos islands is targeting plastic debris.

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INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT CLEANING THE OCEANS

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INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT CLEANING THE OCEANS

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Big Blue Ocean Cleanup | Ocean Cleaning | Ocean Education | Technology Development | Scientific Research

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We have physically removed millions (kg) of plastic from the ocean

We are on a mission to end ocean pollution

Big Blue Ocean Cleanup are one of the world's leading ocean cleanup non-profits. We help keep the oceans clean, protect vulnerable marine animals, provide free educational resources, research ocean pollution for policy change and support the development of innovative technologies.

Making waves across...

As an official ambassador you'll also get access to free equipment to run your own cleanup event. We support thousands of ambassadors across the globe with the free equipment needed to keep the places we love clean.

Our incredible ocean education team here at Big Blue Ocean Cleanup develops free and open source resources for teachers around the world. Inspiring the next generation to take action and protect our blue planet.

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Big Blue Ocean Cleanup | Ocean Cleaning | Ocean Education | Technology Development | Scientific Research

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Big Blue Ocean Cleanup are one of the world's leading ocean cleanup non-profits. We help keep the oceans clean, protect vulnerable marine animals, provide free educational resources, research ocean pollution for policy change and support the development of innovative technologies. As an official ambassador you'll also get access to free equipment to run your own cleanup event.

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Replacing plastic pens with pens made of upcycled paper.

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Replacing plastic pens with pens made of upcycled paper.

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Project Syahi endeavors to achieve a plastic-free world by replacing plastic pens with pens made of upcycled paper with a plantable seed at the rear-end.

PRODUCING

UPCYCLED PAPER PENS CONTAINING PLANTABLE SEEDS

​

In India alone, more than 1.65 crore pens are disposed of every month. These pens cannot be recycled and ultimately end up in landfills and waterways, adding to the plastic waste already generated by society.

We, at Enactus Kirori Mal, came up with a solution to reduce the plastic menace by producing paper pens. Project Syahi serves the dual purpose of sustaining not only the environment but also an underprivileged community.

VIEW OUR PRODUCT CATALOGUE

With the link that we have managed to establish between the community and potential buyers, the people of the community now have an assured alternative source of income, with no one to stop them from becoming entrepreneurs.

The women have been able to conquer the problems of patriarchy and poverty. Project Syahi has helped them break free from the chains of patriarchy and become self-reliant.

Our eco-friendly pens have been designed to achieve up-cycling of paper, minimizing the usage of plastic and planting the seeds for a better and greener tomorrow.

Project Syahi gives impecunious women an opportunity to achieve financial independence and earn a living.

Through Project Syahi, we aim at completely replacing plastic pens with eco-friendly paper pens. We also plan on diversifying and expanding our product range. In this process, we strive to empower our community of women, based in Tilak Nagar to play the lead role and become successful entrepreneurs in the future.

To contact us regarding feedback or anything else, click here.

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Project Syahi endeavors to achieve a plastic-free world by replacing plastic pens with pens made of upcycled paper with a plantable seed at the rear-end. In India alone, more than 1.65 crore pens are disposed of every month. These pens cannot be recycled and ultimately end up in landfills and waterways, adding to the plastic waste already generated by society.

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Interestingly, all plastics are not bad - its important that all of us understand that plastic is an integral part of many important products. 

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Interestingly, all plastics are not bad - its important that all of us understand that plastic is an integral part of many important products. 

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When Balloons fly , seabirds die .Releasing balloons banned in Australia.

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We have an exciting announcement about balloons!

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Hi! I have signed one of the petitions above. Here's a screenshot...

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I carry reusable drink bottles wherever I go .

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I carry reusable drink bottles wherever I go .

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Less than 30% of plastic bottles get recycled, the rest end up in landfills and waterways.
Switching to reusable water bottles is a great way to do your part to help limit the plastic pollution crisis.

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Mother Nature has been so generous in her packaging of most fruits and vegetables. Bananas, winter squash, avocados.....the list goes on.
When the nature has done the packaging for us, maybe we should not repackage them in plastic bags in our fridges. What do you think?

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To prevent unnecessary usage and storage of flimsy single use plastic bags, the Government has banned them. Still, we find these bags in circulation, clogging our drains and causing floods.
My family and me carry our own bags when we go shopping! We all should. Don’t you agree..?

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Plastic brushes find their way into the oceans, destroying marine life and the planet decades after it is discarded. Bamboo toothbrushes are a sustainable alternative to plastic brushes. They disintegrate in just six months.

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I recycle and reuse my empty glass jars for food storage.

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I recycle and reuse my empty glass jars for food storage.

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Glass jars are like the currency of zero waste. Use them where we can, pass them on when we cannot. Do not throw them away!

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I use reusable organic jute scrub sponge for scouring dishes in kitchen.

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I use reusable organic jute scrub sponge for scouring dishes in kitchen.

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This is made of Natural Jute Fiber
Jute scrub offers an environmentally friendly alternative for synthetic scrubs.
This scrub is Bio-degradable and safe for the planet.
This is Eco-friendly natural scrub.
TYPICALLY REPLACES PLASTIC

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Bamboo is a fast growing and a renewable resource.Once the refill is over , there is no need to discard the bamboo pen . I replace it with a new refill .I am avoiding plastic pens which are a big cause of plastic pollution.

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Coronavirus

With coronavirus forcing shutdowns and bans, much of our attention has turned inward. We're learning a lot about ourselves, as well as our habits. That includes how much waste we create.

My housemates and I have quarantined at home for the last month, and I've suddenly realized how fast we're filling our trash container. Sure, more waste is expected - each of us eat every meal at home, and we're trying our best to responsibly stock up on food and supplies to limit grocery trips.

But aside from these changed habits is a bigger problem: Almost everything we consume comes in plastic wrapping and containers. And determining what can or cannot be recycled is a labyrinth of confusing rules and regulations. In the end, we contribute more to the problem than to the solution.

Here's where you come in. As we near the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, I invite you to join me for a zero-waste challenge.

The first step is to commit yourself to logging each and every item of food for a whole day. Start with breakfast and include everything, even the bowl of cereal you eat at 2am because time doesn't seem to exist anymore.

Compile all of your packaging and food waste, and then take a hard look at what you have: Is there a lot of plastic? Are any of your food scraps compostable? Are your leftovers stored in plastic or glass containers?

Once you know your food habits and the waste you produce, you can start making some adjustments. For one example, I recently swapped out my daily yogurt cups for one larger container to reduce the total plastic used.

But don't stop there - keep going! We have some recommendations to support your waste transformation.

If it helps, think of this challenge in the contexts of cleanups. More often than not, the most common items in shared public spaces and waterways are not the car mufflers or fishing nets, but rather small food wrappers that wedge themselves between rocks (talk about being between a rock and a hard place). The same applies to our choices at home: Small choices, amplified enough times, have big impacts.

On April 22, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, join us for the largest online mobilization in history. And remember that individual actions - like reducing plastic consumption and waste - can collectively lead to change.

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As we stay at home, our waste can pile up | Earth Day

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As we stay at home due to COVID-19, we're quickly learning how much waste we create. Join our zero-waste challenge to better your habits and save the Earth.

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Our responsibility.

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I use a face mask made of cloth.. it’s washable, reusable, and so much brighter and fun looking than those disposable ones…!

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I love going to Starbucks.. but hate the fact that they give out so many paper cups… So my family and me have our own reusable cups.. no more paper cups or their plastic covers please..!

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Beauty retailers bans single use plastic

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Make better business decisions

Sign up to our newsletter for a truly global perspective on the fashion industry

Single-use sampling is central to the beauty buying experience, but they create massive waste. Credo Beauty and other pioneers are phasing out single-use packaging and products.

"We're in a waste crisis," says Mia Davis, VP of sustainability and impact at US clean beauty retailer Credo Beauty. "We are producing billions of materials that we use for mere seconds and they live on our planet for centuries."

Davis is talking about single-use products and packaging from samples to sheet masks, which Credo has finally phased out - as of 1 June - after a two-year process. Credo's achievement presents both a challenge and an encouragement to brands across the beauty sector to rethink a fundamental aspect of doing business.

The need for action is not in doubt. The beauty sector creates 122 billion single-use sample sachets annually, very few of which are recyclable. Last year, Credo Beauty alone distributed 660,000 sachets and 3,000 pounds of single-use products such as masks and wipes.

"Single-use sachets are one of the most pernicious uses of plastic that has snuck under the radar," says Siân Sutherland, co-founder of campaigning group A Plastic Planet, which is calling on UK and EU legislators to extend single-use plastic bans to include these sachets, while working with Kraft Heinz on accelerating solutions. "Straws, cotton buds and drink stirrers are often discussed, but the 855 billion unrecyclable plastic sachets pumped out every year are not."

Credo published sustainable packaging guidelines in June 2020 to encourage its 130+ brand partners to reduce single-use items, virgin plastic and non-recyclable materials. The next milestone set by the company is in 2023, by which point petroleum-derived packaging must contain at least 50 per cent recycled content or be replaced by a more sustainable material.

On Earth Day 2021, Credo also teamed up with Mob Beauty, Hudson's Bay and Element Packaging to launch Pact, the first not-for-profit recycling programme for hard-to-recycle beauty packaging smaller than a yoghurt cup, including pumps, caps and squeezable tubes. Recycling bins have since been installed in all 10 US Credo Beauty stores and 20 Hudson's Bay stores in Canada (with plans to include all 87 Hudson's Bay stores and a mail-back programme via Mob Beauty by the end of the year).

Sampling without single-use

Credo isn't alone in taking action. Beauty Heroes, an e-commerce retailer with one flagship store in Novato, Northern California, has also phased out single-use as of this month. The main impact was on sampling, says founder and CEO Jeannie Jarnot. Beauty Heroes was producing up to 60,000 sample sachets a year. While it waits for a sustainable alternative, the company has introduced reusable aluminium jars for in-store sampling. Selfridges head beauty buyer Melissa McGinnis says the retailer is prioritising reusable and recyclable packaging, including a growing refillable fragrance range. It phased out single-use face wipes from its product offering and beauty counters in 2019.

Clean beauty retailer Beautycounter is also making progress. By 2025, it hopes that 100 per cent of its packaging will be recyclable, recycled, reusable, refillable or compostable. It phased out over one million single-use plastic elements from product packaging in 2019, including the secondary lid inside moisturing creams and small plastic scoops for cleansing balms. It also introduced refillable deodorants and will launch recyclable pod inserts to replenish glass jars of night cream later this year. Sample sachets are now Beautycounter's only single-use skew. "Sampling is critical for a lot of beauty players, but it's also one of our biggest opportunities to create a clever solve for what beauty could look like without single-use plastic," says SVP of social mission Lindsay Dahl.

Other brands taking action include skincare brand Therapi, which will cut single-use sampling from 2022, and Bloomeffects, which offers multi-use deluxe samples packaged in Picea wood tubes made from upcycled sawdust. "Big box retailers have trained consumers to expect single-use samples, especially with smart sampling at checkout," says CEO and co-founder Kim van Haaster. "But we're past the point of imagining beauty products as miracles that will help your skin overnight - it takes routine and regimen."

Consumer support is growing. According to the NPD Group, the percentage of American consumers preferring take-home samples decreased from 32 to 27 per cent last year. "The idea of single-use was very appealing during the pandemic, but sustainability concerns are returning now," says beauty industry advisor Larissa Jensen. "The safest and most sustainable option is virtual try-ons but half of US consumers aren't aware this exists and it only applies to makeup, not skincare or fragrance."

Not every brand is convinced that it is best to abandon sampling. Kosas created an extensive at-home try-out service to improve consumer confidence in purchasing decisions, especially with complexion products. "Virtual tools like live streaming and AI can't replace the in-person try-on experience," says CMO Adeline Leong. "When someone returns a product, we have to destroy it, so there's a lot of waste generated by returns and exchanges, which have dropped 25 per cent since the try-out programme was introduced."

Fragrance brand Abbott, which is stocked on Credo and phased out single-use samples in line with the retailer, is moving towards limited runs of larger samples and considering scent crystals as an alternative to plastic vials.

Investing in plastic alternatives

Concerns about single-use samples are matched by concerns about the beauty industry model of single-use products, which encourages repeat consumption habits. "Beauty brands have invested so much money in single-use profit streams," says Allon Libermann, founder of Swedish newcomer Forgo. "Every time you throw away something single-use, a brand makes money because you need to buy another one. The industry hasn't provided enough options for people to live more sustainably."

Forgo sells powdered hand wash in paper sachets, allowing consumers to create a foaming hand wash at home by adding water to their reusable glass bottle. The refill sachets are effectively single-use, but Libermann maintains that "sustainability must be convenient... Switching from plastic to paper, you go from packaging with less than 10 per cent chance of being recycled to packaging which is recycled at a 70 per cent or above rate in Europe and degrades over days and months rather than centuries."

Paper isn't an option for all beauty products and, in any case, a wholesale switch to paper would create new problems. Environmental not-for-profit Canopy is working with 232 brand partners, including Benefit and Sephora-owner LVMH, on Pack4Good, an initiative to protect forests by reducing paper packaging and investing in next generation solutions such as wheat straw from agricultural residue. "Lifecycle analyses show that the production and use of next-generation fibres can reduce energy, water and toxic chemical use by 75 per cent," says Canopy campaigns director Tamara Stark.

Reformulating products to reduce packaging

The search for solutions goes on. Luxury skincare specialists 111Skin has reformulated its signature sheet masks to be recyclable and biodegradable, but has yet to find similar solutions for its sachet packaging. Founder and CEO Eva Alexandridis says these single-use products, which appear in hotel minibars around the world, are essential drivers for full-price spa treatments. Still, the brand is releasing a multi-use liquid alternative on 24 June, with 18-22 uses per tube. "Maybe in a few years we won't have single-use, but right now we're satisfying both clients," says Alexandridis. Outside of sheet-masks, 85-90 per cent of 111Skin's products are fully recyclable.

Direct-to-consumer brands like Lush have been able to limit packaging by reformulating products and training staff to convey information that would otherwise appear on labels. "We're not as bound by packaging to relay information or compete with other products on the drugstore shelf," says Ruth Andrade, who leads giving, regenerative impact and organisational development.

Product packaging accounts for 37 per cent of Lush's total packaging use, followed by 34 per cent for logistics and distribution. To make "naked" or limited packaging options possible, Lush has reformulated products from shampoo to concealer, reducing the microbiological count by removing free water. It is also exploring refillable products, but - like Neal's Yard Remedies - has struggled to incentivise and educate consumers to clean and dry their containers to a sufficient standard.

Neal's Yard Remedies joined the UK Plastics Pact in 2018, aiming to phase out all single-use plastics by 2025. The company has taken several steps to meet this challenge, including reformulating its soaps so they don't sweat in cardboard cartons (plastic wrap was previously used to avoid this) and removing carbon from the black lids on its glass jars so they could be picked up by UV sensors at recycling centres.

Broader change is needed

Consumer support may not be enough for further progress. Sutherland of A Plastic Planet lobbies for tighter legislation. "If all the commitments brands and governments alike have made were met - and none are on track to - we would see a seven per cent reduction in what is forecast to be a trebling in plastic production by 2040," she says.

Limited recycling infrastructure is another hurdle. Each year, British Lush consumers return around 500,000 of the brand's black pots for recycling, approximately 12 per cent of the pots produced. In Japan, this number sits closer to 30 per cent.

Meanwhile, clean beauty companies continue to press for more response from their supply base. "We're really proud of being an industry leader, but we're a small retailer so we want to link arms with others," says Credo's Davis. "We can push for smarter production and design, but if our brands can't find suppliers for sustainable options, we can't set hard dates for progress. That's where the evolution needs to happen."

Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com.

More from this author:
Kering, Chanel, Burberry: Where fashion stands on parental leave The big global greenwashing crackdown Even personal stylists are sustainable now

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US beauty retailer bans single-use plastics. Will others?

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Sign up to our newsletter for a truly global perspective on the fashion industry Single-use sampling is central to the beauty buying experience, but they create massive waste. Credo Beauty and other pioneers are phasing out single-use packaging and products. "We're in a waste crisis," says Mia Davis, VP of sustainability and impact at US clean beauty retailer Credo Beauty.

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Our Individual Actions matter -You play an important role in cleaning up to #End Plastic Pollution.

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Why use plastic straws which harm the environment? Here's my action for a plastic free world... my new reusable metal straw!

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I use bamboo cotton buds.

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Inspirational ideas how to stop Plastic pollution 

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Inspirational ideas how to stop Plastic pollution 

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We built Wakelet using the latest technologies to make it faster and easier to use. Unfortunately, your browser doesn't support those technologies.

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Hello! This is my poster. Hope you like it!

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Blue Square Earth View Earth Hour Facebook Post

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Hi, i have signed one of the petitions above
Here's the screenshot

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Listen to interviews that can educate you about the issues in the world from experts who know what they’re doing.

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Listen to interviews that can educate you about the issues in the world from experts who know what they’re doing.

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Citation-“A Change Is a Chance • A Podcast on Anchor.” Anchor, https://anchor.fm/ryan-lo. Accessed 3 Aug. 2021.

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This episode, I talked to Mr. Hank Dearden, the Founder of Forest Planet, an organization that plants trees across the globe to create sustainable food sources and save ecosystems. Mr. Dearden discusses the greater impact of reforestation and shares specific examples of projects where Forest Planet have successfully restored food sources and ecosystems for villages. It was an enlightening conversation and has opened my eyes to think beyond just planting a tree to reduce CO2.

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This episode, I talked to Mr. Hank Dearden, the Founder of Forest Planet, an organization that plants trees across the globe to create sustainable food sources and save ecosystems. Mr. Dearden discusses the greater impact of reforestation and shares specific examples of projects where Forest Planet have successfully restored food sources and ecosystems for villages.

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Plastic in our environment-Inquiry mindset 

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Plastic in our environment-Inquiry mindset 

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Citation-Bathurst-Hunt, Rebecca. “Plastic in Our Environment.” Padlet, https://padlet.com/rbathurst/hgffhclggav8. Accessed 3 Aug. 2021.
By:-Trevor Mackenzie

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I have signed the first petition given above, too!

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I have signed the first petition given above, too!

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Hello Aanyaa,
As a part of action, I have signed the first petition given above, too! Let's bring a change and save the world! Here's a screenshot

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The Plastic Problem is a systematic issue and NOT an individual issue.

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The Plastic Problem is a systematic issue and NOT an individual issue.

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CITATION -“Kakampi Klub.” Kakampi Klub, https://kakampiklub.cargo.site/. Accessed 3 Aug. 2021.

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I made the switch to zero-waste body soap after I realized how much plastic pollution my body wash were contributing to our beautiful planet.

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A Video About How Humans are turning the world to PLASTIC!

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A Video About How Humans are turning the world to PLASTIC!

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This is a Video By Nutshell and it is showing is How people are turning The World into Plastic!

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Plastic Pollution: How Humans are Turning the World into Plastic

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ZUV is an electric tricycle that can be 3D-printed from plastic waste

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ZUV is an electric tricycle that can be 3D-printed from plastic waste

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EOOS has developed a prototype for a "zero-emissions utility vehicle", or ZUV, which can be 3D-printed locally rather than having to be shipped around the world.

Created by EOOS NEXT, the social design arm of Austrian studio EOOS, the vehicle was commissioned for MAK's Climate Care exhibition as part of the Vienna Biennale for Change. The tricycle is made from 70 kilograms of plastic packaging waste sourced from supermarkets.

"We wanted to design around local, affordable production," EOOS founder Harald Gründl told Dezeen.

"Because of the high labour costs in Europe, almost every bike frame is produced in Asia. But we want a local ZUV production facility in every city around the world."

Created in collaboration with additive manufacturing company The New Raw, the ZUV is powered via a rear-wheel hub motor without the need for pedals or a bike chain.

To produce the simplified design, Gründl envisioned a local economic cycle, which would allow users to 3D-print the polypropylene chassis at a fab lab with large-scale robot printing.

From here, they could go to any bike workshop to bolt on a motor at its predefined position alongside the handlebars, brakes and three wheels.

This would allow individual components to be repaired and replaced close to home to extend the vehicle's lifespan. And ultimately, the chassis could be shredded and re-printed to form another ZUV.

"What we envision is a circular economy of mobility," Gründ explained.

"Service schemes with a designed 'take back' will be the future. And it's way easier to close the loop if you do it locally rather than sending around ships full of waste as we do today, which is stupid."

Even the 3D printing process itself was designed to minimise waste, as The New Raw uses custom machinery built from a disused industrial robot.

This is capable of printing diagonal layers rather than vertical or horizontal ones, which means that no additional falsework is needed to support the structure while it is being printed.

Despite its compact design, which weighs in at only 100 kilograms, the ZUV can carry two adults on its bench seat alongside two children or an equivalent amount of cargo in the transport box at the front.

Polestar's aim to produce a climate-neutral car is a "moonshot goal" says sustainability head

The hope is that it could help to fulfil some of the heavy-load, short-distance journeys, for which we traditionally default to a car.

"A car has maybe 800 kilogrammes of battery while a bicycle has eight and it does the job for many of the journeys that we want to make in a city," Gründ said.

"A lightweight vehicle has the benefit of having less effort in the production but it also uses less energy to transport people," he added. "The more sustainable you want to make a mobility system, the less weight it should have."

Whether the final electric vehicle will truly be "zero emissions" in use is dependant on the energy mix in the city where it is being charged and how much of it comes from renewable sources.

By making use of local fabrication and waste materials, Gründ also hopes the project goes some way towards lowering the emission associated with producing the EV in the first place.

"The reuse of post-consumer plastics is a big step towards net-zero carbon emissions," Gründ said. "Every new vehicle will be, in a way, carbon neutral as long as the 3D printer is operated with energy coming from renewables."

This does not consider the emissions associated with producing the supermarket packaging in the first place, which could only be avoided if the industry moved away from single-use plastics.

But Gründ argues that recycling does eliminate end-of-life emissions when the plastic is incinerated.

"When supermarket plastic in Vienna goes to recycling, they're just burning it," he said. "And this creates another three tonnes of CO2 emissions, which we could avoid."

Another brand on a mission to cut the emissions associated with EV production is Swedish carmaker Polestar, which is aiming to produce a climate-neutral car by 2030.

Reusing materials from scrapped cars will play a key part in achieving this goal, the company's head of sustainability Fredrika Klarén told Dezeen as part of an in-depth interview for our carbon revolution series.

"If you look at a car, you have a very high recyclability but somehow we are not completing the loop," she said. "We don't have a large recycled content today in cars so that would be a challenge going forward."
Photography is by Studio Theresa Bentz.

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ZUV is an electric tricycle that can be 3D-printed from plastic waste

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EOOS has developed a prototype for a "zero-emissions utility vehicle", or ZUV, which can be 3D-printed locally rather than having to be shipped around the world. Created by EOOS NEXT, the social design arm of Austrian studio EOOS, the vehicle was commissioned for MAK's Climate Care exhibition as part of the Vienna Biennale for Change.

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Established by Nestle and Jacob Douwe Egberts UK, Podback provides "simple and easy ways" to recycle pods of participating brands, such as Nespresso, Nescafe Dolce Gusto and Tassimo.

From 9 August, Oxford residents will be able to recycle plastic and aluminium coffee pods using free collection bags provided by Podback.

For those residents who cannot access a kerbside service, a Collect+ service is available, allowing consumers to drop off filled bags at a Collect+ store.

Councillor Lubna Arshad, Oxford's cabinet member for parks and waste reduction, said: "With more people working from home and drinking coffee, the expansion of the recycling service to collect coffee pods couldn't come at a better time.

"Our residents want to do the right thing for the environment and recycle as much as possible. The coffee pods will be collected every week for recycling using both our household recycling and waste vehicles."

Councils

Oxford joins Cheltenham borough council and South Derbyshire district council in having a kerbside collection for coffee pods, while Chichester district council is currently trialling the scheme.

Last month, Podback said at least four other authorities were set to join "by the end of the summer" and even more were to do so "by the autumn" (see letsrecycle.com story).

Coffee pods

According to Oxford city council, recent research showed that more than a third (35%) of coffee pod drinkers are unaware that pods can be recycled, while 90% state that they would like to be able to recycle their coffee pods through their usual household recycling.

Podback announced the former executive director of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), Rick Hindley, as its own first executive director in May 2021 (see letsrecycle.com story).

Mr Hindley said: "We want people to enjoy the quality and taste of coffee and have easy ways to recycle their pods. Consumers can already access local Collect+ stores of which there are more than 6,500 in the UK, to drop off empty coffee pods.

"However, this new collaboration with Oxford Direct Services and Oxford city council, to introduce coffee pod collections through the existing kerbside recycling services, will make it even easier for consumers to participate at home whilst helping the council increase the amount it recycles."

Recycling

The council is to send an information leaflet through Oxford residents' doors in August asking them to register for the new service based on the types of coffee pods they use.

Once registered, residents will be sent a roll of recycling bags and can start using them immediately. They will be able to putting the bags out for kerbside collection on top of their blue recycling or green waste bin lid on their normal collection day.

Podback then sends the coffee grounds it collects to anaerobic digestion to produce a combination of biogas and soil improver.

Aluminium is processed by Tandom Metallurgical Group Ltd in Congleton, near Stoke-on-Trent. Plastic pods are reprocessed by Roydon in Swinton, near Manchester.

Oxford

Representing an estimated population of more than 150,000, Oxford city council had a household waste recycling rate of 52.6% in the 2019/20 financial year.

In-house Oxford Direct Services (ODS) manages waste collection for the council and local businesses.

The council said working with Podback would reduce residual waste and increase Oxfordshire's recycling rate as a county to 65%.

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Oxford added to kerbside coffee pod recycling scheme - letsrecycle.com

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Established by Nestle and Jacob Douwe Egberts UK, Podback provides "simple and easy ways" to recycle pods of participating brands, such as Nespresso, Nescafe Dolce Gusto and Tassimo. From 9 August, Oxford residents will be able to recycle plastic and aluminium coffee pods using free collection bags provided by Podback.

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Banana stems used to make wicks for lamps.

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Banana stems used to make wicks for lamps.

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10 Easy Ways to Save the Environment! Upcycling & Recycling Hacks by Blossom

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10 Easy Ways to Save the Environment! Upcycling & Recycling Hacks by Blossom

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Green Star | Milk Bag Project by Har Ghar Hara Ghar ,Garbage Free India & Clean Mumbai Foundation

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Shoes made from recycled plastic  bottles 

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Shoes made from recycled plastic  bottles 

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Neeman's are designed to be your Most comfortable Sneaker. They are made better with Natural & Sustainable Materials. Neeman's Shoes are Lightweight, Flexible, Sock-free,Odour Resistant and Machine Washable. Perfect for wearing in Summer or Winter. Made with Merino Wool and Organic Cotton.

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This Company Is Transforming Plastic Recycling In India | Mashable India

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SUEZ, turn plastic waste into a resource

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Barbie dolls made of ocean plastic waste 

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Barbie dolls made of ocean plastic waste 

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Hoping to engage children in supporting a green future, Barbie brand owner Mattel has given the toy a sustainable makeover with the introduction of a collection of three dolls made from 90% recycled ocean-bound plastic parts.

To introduce the sustainable Barbie Loves the Ocean collection, Mattel has created 'The Future of Pink is Green', a stop-motion brand campaign in partnership with BBH LA that leverages the brand's iconic association of pink - alongside green - to communicate our next step toward a greener future. It also aims to educate kids on the importance of sustainability in an easily digestible way for fans of all ages.

Barbie Loves the Ocean is in line with Mattel's purpose-led approach to branding and feeds into its stated goal to use 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based packaging alternatives across all products and packaging by 2030.

Richard Dickson, president and chief operating officer at Mattel, said: "This Barbie launch is another addition to Mattel's growing portfolio of purpose-driven brands that inspire environmental consciousness with our consumer as a key focus. At Mattel, we empower the next generation to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. We take this responsibility seriously and are continuing to do our part to ensure kids can inherit a world that's full of potential too."

In tandem with these efforts, Mattel has produced a new Barbie vlog on YouTube in which the doll talks directly to her fans about the need to adapt individual behaviors for the sake of the planet.

A further commitment will see the toy brand launch a limited-edition Barbie-branded bracelet in partnership with 4Ocean, which will enable people to get their hands on a post-consumer recycled plastic accessory that has been assembled by hand in Bali. Under the deal, 4Ocean will remove one pound of trash from waterways, oceans and coastlines and educate people on proper waste management for every bracelet sold.

Explaining the background to these complementary initiatives, Lisa McKnight, senior vice-president and global head of Barbie & Dolls at Mattel, adds: "Our 62-year legacy is steeped in evolution, as we consistently drive forward initiatives designed to better reflect the world kids see around them.

"We are passionate about leveraging the scope and reach of our global platform to inspire kids to be a part of the change they want to see in the world."

Barbie's battle to banish plastic waste is complemented by Mattel Playback, a product return program that accepts unwanted toys for re-use in future products.

Mattel has set out a roadmap towards using only 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based materials by 2030 to address consumer concern over plastic waste, fueled by a recent high-profile Greenpeace campaign, while also promoting the benefits of fewer screens and more physical play for children.
To get in touch about Ad of the Day, please email imogen.watson@thedrum.com.
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Ad of the Day: Barbie dolls made of ocean plastic waste to inspire kids to go green

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Hoping to engage children in supporting a green future, Barbie brand owner Mattel has given the toy a sustainable makeover with the introduction of a collection of three dolls made from 90% recycled ocean-bound plastic parts.