Good News Notes: “A new “zero waste” policy in Los Angeles could see the city go plastic-free in the near future. L.A. city officials say it’s time to lead by example and continue phasing out plastic items and products that are wasteful and detrimental to the environment. This includes utensils, polystyrene or styrofoam food containers,…
Tag: plastic pollution
Omani student invents new type of bioplastic using natural elements
Good News Notes: “Neeam al Harrasi, a student from the wilayat of Rustaq in the Governorate of South Batinah, has created a new type of bioplastic using natural materials available in the sultanate, such as rice water and fish scales, to make the mass production of bioplastics more affordable. The school project in which Do’aa…
Fighting Plastic Waste with Edible Food Packaging
Good News Notes: “The use of plastic packaging for food products contributes significantly to plastic waste, of which 14 million tons end up in our oceans each year. By 2050, it is predicted that there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish, which will be a serious threat to our ecosystems and well…
Coca-Cola, criticized for plastic pollution, pledges 25% reusable packaging
Good News Notes: “The Coca-Cola Company (KO.N) on Thursday said it will aim for 25% of its packaging globally to be reusable by 2030, a move hailed by environmental groups who have called out the soft-drink maker for worldwide plastic pollution. Coca-Cola is a top target for consumer, investor and environmental groups concerned about petroleum-based plastic single-use…
Packing peanuts to be banned in NJ under new law
Good News Notes: “More recycled plastic, glass and paper will be used in everyday products — from trash bags to beer bottles — under anew law Gov. Phil Murphy signed Tuesday. The law also prohibits the sale of polystyrene packing peanuts in New Jersey within two years — a move supporters say will help keep the easily blown…
From trash to cash: waste pickers help stem the plastic pollution tide, earn thousands
Good News Notes: The world’s ability to produce waste outpaces its ability to manage it. In Cavite, informal waste pickers are helping stem the plastic pollution tide by turning trash into useful products with the assistance of Project ASEANO. ASEANO is a project under Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA),…
Microbes Are Evolving to Eat Plastic Pollution, Study Shows
Good News Notes: “Millions of years ago, evolution turned tiny microbes into multicellular plants, animals, and humans. Now, evolution is turning them into something equally remarkable: environmentalists. So finds a new study from researchers at Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology.1 Published this month in the scientific journal mBIO, it found plastic waste is giving rise to a growing…
This ‘floating continent’ could collect and recycle plastic from the ocean in future
Good News Notes: “‘The 8th continent’ is an award-winning design that recycles ocean plastic and is completely self-sustainable. Its five-part structure contains everything from greenhouses and living quarters to biodegradable waste collectors. Senior designer at Zaha Hadid Architects in London, Lenka Petráková, developed the idea for her student master thesis a few years ago in Vienna,…
The US finally adopts a national recycling strategy
Good News Notes: “The Environmental Protection Agency announced a new national recycling strategy today, the agency’s first ever such commitment, according to the Washington Post. It’s a roadmap for the US to achieve a goal of recycling at least half of its municipal waste by the end of the decade. That’s a steep rise considering the US’ recycling rate has actually…
Maui Launches Stainless-Steel, Zero-Waste To-Go Container Program
Good News Notes: “HuiZero, Hawaii’s first zero-waste to-go container program, has just launched at participating restaurants across the island of Maui. The tins are food safe, easy to clean and infinitely reusable, making them ideal for an island chain like Hawaii. HuiZero’s mission is to help eliminate single-use plastic and curb plastic pollution across all…