Hannah Furlong
Editorial Assistant
Sustainable Brands
Report: Water Management Action Plan for Food, Beverage Supply Chains
Supply Chain / Water quality is an urgent national concern in the UK, where only 17 percent of water bodies currently meet ‘good’ standards. Several businesses are already working with farmers and others in their supply chains to improve the situation, but UK charity Business in the Community (BITC) is calling for more to be done. - 7 years ago
Happy Family Providing Full Transparency With New Clear Baby Food Pouches
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / Organic food brand Happy Family is the first national brand to offer fully transparent baby food pouches. Happy Family's new Clearly Crafted™ product line showcases “goodness you can see” with clear plastic packaging, recipes listed directly on the pouches (not just the ingredients list), and the USDA-Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified logos. - 7 years ago
Insect Protein Company Exo Raises $4M in Series A Round
Product, Service & Design Innovation / Alternative protein company Exo announced the close of a $4 million Series A funding round today. The company’s cricket flour protein bars are “formulated for taste” to “appeal to everybody” by Kyle Connaughton, former Head Chef of R&D at The Fat Duck. The funding round was led by AccelFoods, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on food and beverage companies. - 7 years ago
Target, Hershey, Waitrose Join Consortium to Shape Future of Protein
Collaboration / Protein is an essential part of any diet. As the global population surges to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, meeting the world’s demand for protein will become increasingly difficult. Having researched the issue and after working with 200 stakeholders, Forum for the Future is bringing together organisations across the protein system to collaborate as part of The Protein Challenge 2040. - 7 years ago
Canada Accepting Public Comments on Draft Sustainable Development Strategy
Leadership / Last week, the Government of Canada released the 2015 Progress Report and 2016-2019 draft of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS). - 7 years ago
PSA Illustrates Potentially Hairy Effects of China's Air Pollution
Marketing and Comms / Air pollution in China is unavoidable, and a huge health problem. Last year, a Berkeley Earth study found that deaths related to the main air pollutant, PM2.5 particles, total 1.6 million a year or 17 percent of China’s mortality rate. - 7 years ago
Trending: Reducing Waste With Chewing Gum Plastic, Innovative Design
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / Rather than creating more waste, two new plastic solutions are speaking to the eco-conscious: Gumdrop Ltd. is using chewing gum in a novel, closed-loop recycling solution, while a new container was designed for improved reusability and recyclability. - 7 years ago
Trending: Biomimetic Design Solutions Collecting Clean Water from the Air
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / According to the United Nations, 1.2 billion people live in areas of physical water scarcity and another 1.6 billion people face economic water shortage or lack the infrastructure to take water from rivers and aquifers, making water scarcity one of the most significant global problems to be faced this century. - 7 years ago
California’s Drought Added $2B In Energy Costs, Caused 10% More Emissions
Cleantech / California’s drought is contributing to a dangerous cycle: Reduced water flows have reduced hydroelectric power generation, leading to an increased reliance on natural gas for the state to meet its energy needs. Since climate change is worsening California’s drought, and emissions contribute to climate change, well, the situation is not good, to say the least. - 7 years ago
China’s Biggest Movie Ever Is an ‘Eco-Fable’ Rom-Com About Evils of Human Development
Marketing and Comms / A new romantic comedy with an environmental message has become the highest-earning film ever shown in China. The Mermaid, a Chinese-Hong Kong co-production, raked in an impressive 2.7 billion yuan ($417 million) in its first two weeks in theaters. - 7 years ago
How Supermarkets Can Help Fight Obesity, One Receipt at a Time
Behavior Change / Obesity is a big problem in numerous countries around the world. Obesity rates are above 20 percent in every US state, and exceed 35 percent in 3 states (Arkansas, West Virginia and Mississippi). Every state is expected to reach a rate of at least 44 percent by 2030, and in 13 states, the rate is expected to surpass 60 percent. Across the pond, the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that 74 percent of men and 64 percent of women in the UK will be overweight or obese by 2030. - 7 years ago
Trending: Apple Invests $1.5B in Clean Energy; 17 States Won’t ‘Stay’ Clean Power Plan
Cleantech / The U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision to delay the enforcement of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan was a victory for the coalition of 27 industry opponents and mostly Republican-led states that believe the regulations are a “power grab.” In response, a bipartisan group of 17 states has announced that they will collaborate to expand clean energy, modernize energy infrastructure, and drive change. - 7 years ago
Consumers Love E-Commerce’s Convenience, But Not Its Cardboard
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / While consumers are becoming more comfortable with online shopping and are enjoying the convenience it can bring, there are growing concerns around its environmental impact. The human desire for instant gratification is driving faster and faster delivery services for e-commerce, and that quick service carries a hefty impact. - 7 years ago
Campbell Soup Launches $125M Venture Capital Fund for Food Startups
Product, Service & Design Innovation / The Campbell Soup Company has announced that it is launching a $125 million venture capital (VC) fund to invest in food startups. The fund, under the banner Acre Venture Partners L.P., will be managed by unidentified outsiders independent of Campbell, although the food giant is its sole limited partner. - 7 years ago
Trending: Scotland Invests £70M Into Circular Economy; Report Outlines Potential for US
The Next Economy / More and more, circular economic business models are proving ways to cut costs and increase efficiency. A new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Corporate Citizenship Center (CCC) reinforces that turning waste into resources presents economic opportunities for American businesses. - 7 years ago
How a Partnership with Parley for the Oceans Is Driving Engagement at adidas
Organizational Change / Leading up to her trip to the Parley Ocean School, adidas Group designer Jasmin Bynoe was unsure of what to expect. She was about to take to the seas for a 5-day adventure in the Maldives alongside 17 of her colleagues from adidas; they would be learning about plastic pollution and what they could do to help from Parley for the Oceans educators, and it was sure to be a unique experience. - 7 years ago
Wendy’s New Campaign Suggests Local Sourcing Is What Makes Its Burgers ‘Deliciously Different’
Marketing and Comms / In 2014, nearly 90 percent of Americans said they consider where a food product is produced when making a purchasing decision, and about two thirds said they would pay more for food that is produced closer to home. As the local food movement continues to become more mainstream in North America, it seems inevitable that brands will jump on the bandwagon. - 7 years ago
Trending: Paint Innovations Helping to Improve Vehicle Efficiency
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / When it comes to fuel economy, lightweight design and temperature control are important considerations for cars and airplanes alike – and the impact of a coat of paint might surprise you. Vehicles with more reflective coatings or with less paint can be more efficient.According to the U.S. Department of Energy, hot weather can increase vehicle fuel economy because engines warm up to an efficient temperature faster, summer grades of gasoline can have slightly more energy, and warm air causes less aerodynamic drag than cold air. However, the use of air conditioning can reduce a vehicle’s fuel economy by more than 25 percent in very hot conditions. - 7 years ago
Trending: WRAP, Veolia Working to Optimize Recycling in UK, France
Waste Not / While waste reduction charity WRAP calls on stakeholders to do their part to help improve recycling consistency and efficiency in England, three companies in France have partnered on a circular economy initiative for small household appliances. - 7 years ago
Tyson Foods Dumps More Pollution Into Waterways Each Year Than ExxonMobil
Behavior Change / Tyson Foods Inc. was the second biggest polluter of America’s waterways from 2010 to 2014, according to data the company submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Toxic Release Inventory. - 7 years ago