Waste Not
The latest in the growing number of efforts directed at reducing, repurposing and ultimately eliminating waste in all its forms.
What to Do with Recycled Glass?
Our office kitchen only has one microwave and I always get hungry at peak lunchtime. I place my Pyrex glass container of leftovers at the end of the microwave queue of different shapes, sizes and brands of glass containers, and wait my turn. From Mason jars at weddings to glass water bottles at the gym and glass carafes for endlessly cold iced coffee, it’s clear that glass is being used in just about everything. Glass has so many benefits: It’s reusable, easy to clean, BPA free and sustainable. Yet, even with these benefits, glass recycling in the U.S is dismal.
Grundig Renews Food Waste Campaign, Releases New Consumer Research
Europe’s largest home electronics manufacturer, Grundig, has renewed its commitment to reduce global food waste, launching the second phase of its Respect Food initiative with a manifesto film underlining the seriousness of the food waste problem. The announcement follows the release of new research revealing that 90 percent of consumers want to lead more sustainable lifestyles and reduce food waste, but lack the time and means to make the change happen.
Trending: Supermarkets Roll Out New Initiatives to Future-Fit Global Food Systems
Supermarkets across the globe are doing their part to future fit the food system by rolling out new initiatives and products that aim to tackle food waste and CO2 emissions.
Dell, Philips, Timberland Working Out Kinks in Circular Plastics Strategies
Capturing littered plastic – whether in the oceans, on beaches or from city streets – and transforming it into new products has become something of a creative marketing drive, with brand owners investing in high-profile launches to demonstrate leadership in this space: P&G’s beach plastic shampoo bottle and the
Neighbourly, M&S Expand Redistribution Scheme Beyond Food Waste
Neighbourly, a social network connecting local projects and community needs with companies ready to help with funds and volunteers, has announced the expansion of its food surplus program to include non-food product donations. UK retail giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) is the first to sign onto the donation scheme.
Kavita Shukla: Fighting Food Waste with FreshPaper; Rallying Women Innovators with FreshVoices
Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. What started as a simple home remedy and a middle school science project has exploded into a viable and affordable solution for fighting food waste across the globe. During a trip to India to visit family when she was 12 years old, Kavita Shukla’s grandmother gave her a homemade tea of different spices to ward off illness after having ingested a glass of unfiltered tap water. The spicy concoction prevented Shukla from becoming sick and ultimately became the inspiration behind years of experimentation with rotting fruits and vegetables that would lead to the creation of Shukla’s revolutionary FreshPaper.
UK Deposit Return Schemes Could Slash Marine Litter by 60%, But Political Will Is Lacking
Bottle deposit schemes just got a major boost, thanks to a new analysis issued by thinktank Green Alliance. Communicated via an infographic, the analysis suggests that introducing deposit return schemes on plastic bottles would be the single most effective action to accelerate progress. The concept has been a hot topic in the UK over the last year, as the Government searches for ways to curb the country’s considerable plastic waste problem.
Trending: Stinky Waste Products Become Solutions for Pressing Environmental Problems
What do sulfur and urine have in common? Scientists and designers have uncovered new ways to transform the two smelly substances into smart solutions to tackle pressing environmental problems.
UPS Logistics, Tech Solutions Helped TerraCycle Divert 40M Lbs of Waste from Landfill in 5 Years
A partnership between global customs and logistics company UPS and TerraCycle has reached a major milestone — by transforming hard-to-recycle items such as toothpaste tubes and snack bags into new products, the two organizations have diverted 40 million pounds of waste from landfills since 2012.
WWF Launches Research Program to Reduce Food Waste, Boost Farmers' Bottom Lines
Food waste and agriculture contribute considerably to greenhouse gas emissions, making farm and market-level interventions imperative in order to reduce impacts. Together with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the Walmart Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund has launched a new research program geared at maximizing crop utilization and edible food recovery.
Trending: Cross-Industry Partnerships Propel New Plastics Economy
As the circular economy continues to gain steam, two new public-private partnerships have emerged, driving the widespread reuse of recycled plastics towards the mainstream. In an effort to make good on its goal to design 100 percent of its packaging to be recoverable or recyclable by 2025 and to increase packaging recovery and recycling rates, food and beverage giant PepsiCo has partnered with nonprofit The Recycling Partnership.
Trending: Circular Solutions for Agricultural, Seafood Waste Unlock New Economic Opportunities
Circular solutions for food waste are popping up almost daily, but agricultural and seafood waste are commonly overlooked, despite the value that can be derived from these biomaterials. Recognizing the opportunities these waste streams present for both economic and environmental ends, organizations across the globe have unveiled new products and procedures that could help set new industry precedents.
Trending: Cross-Industry Collaboration, Existing Tools Accelerating Circular Economy
The unveiling of new research across industries has revealed that existing tools and collaborative research could hold the key to driving forward the shift to a more circular economy.
Trending: Emerging Tech Poised to Slash Food Waste Across the Value Chain
Efforts to eliminate the global food waste problem continue to gain momentum, giving rise to two new technologies that aim to curb the issue at each step along the value chain.
Community Fridge Network Could Provide Key to Curbing UK Food Waste
After recently making headlines for its pioneering ‘Smart Fresh’ label, which allows consumers to closely monitor the freshness and edibility of their products, UK grocery giant Sainsbury’s is back in the news with the announcement of a new initiative in partnership with sustainability charity Hubbub and
Closed Loop Foundation Awards $350K to 8 Startups Fighting Food Waste
Approximately 63 million tons of food are wasted in the U.S. each year, a monumental number that has significant environmental and social repercussions. In an effort to reduce the amount of food that is lost and wasted, the Closed Loop Foundation has granted $350,000 to projects across the U.S. working to advance the reduction, recovery and recycling of food waste. Closed Loop reviewed 150 proposals over a period of nine months, finally selecting eight to receive funding to develop and scale their solutions.
Circular Business Models Could Unlock £4.4B for Electronics Recycling Sector
The way people buy, consume and discard their electronics is changing — and for the better. A new report by WRAP has revealed that an industry-wide adoption of circular principles could unlock new economic opportunities and drive the economy towards greater sustainability. The research outlined in Switched on to Value: Powering Business Change shows that while only 10 percent of UK households use household recycling schemes to discard their unwanted electrical items, 83 percent of households have demonstrated interest in retailer take-back and trade-in schemes, which can provide customers with a convenient way to properly dispose of products while ensuring data protection and safety.
The Freedom Sleeve: How One Reusable Coffee Sleeve Is Helping Create a Zero-Waste Future
Self-driving cars, solar panels and groundbreaking carbon-capturing technologies are essential tools in combating climate change and propelling the shift towards a more sustainable future, but complex, large-scale solutions aren’t the only ones driving change. New twists on seemingly inconsequential items that we use every day could be just as instrumental in turning the tides on systemic environmental and social issues.
Trending: Dow, Coca-Cola Ramp Up Efforts to Make Packaging Circular
Industry heavy hitters are making moves to create circular solutions that keep everyday products, such as chip bags and plastic drinking bottles, out of landfills with the launch of groundbreaking waste-to-energy programs and closed-loop packaging solutions.
19 US Aquariums Team Up to Fight Plastic Pollution
The crusade against marine plastics continues with a new initiative driven by nineteen aquariums across the US. Launched today, the Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP) seeks to drive a shift away from single-use plastic and toward more sustainable alternatives. As its first order of business, the Partnership has rolled out a new nationwide consumer campaign, "In Our Hands," to empower their 20 million visitors and millions more in their communities to make positive behavior changes and raise awareness around how plastic pollution threatens ocean and freshwater animals.
