Good News Notes: “Trying to curb climate change through individual action can seem intimidating at best and overwhelming at worst. Does the fate of future generations really rely on me never eating a steak again? How much plastic waste am I producing by shopping at Trader Joe’s? Kate Marnach, the owner and founder of The Zero(ish)…
Tag: plastic waste
Supermarket chain Morrisons takes lead in fight against waste by banning plastic on bananas
Good News Notes: “Supermarket chain Morrisons is set to become the first supermarket to remove plastic bags from all bananas sold in its stores. Paper bands will replace the bags, in a move that should reduce over 180 tonnes of plastic waste. Bananas are the second most-bought item in Morrisons stores, and the shift is set to…
Is the Future of Grocery Mobile? Meet 4 Startups Behind The Refillable Revolution
Good News Notes: “Every single year, the world produces 300 million tonnes of plastic waste—that’s the same weight of the global human population combined. Much of it comes from our packaging, from single-use bottles to plastic wrap and sachets. Almost every product we buy, from food to household goods, comes in disposable packaging. But even…
Ocean Cleanup pilots ‘the first scalable technology’ to remove plastic waste from Earth’s waters
Good News Notes: “Each year, 8 million tons of plastic— the equivalent of a garbage truck load every minute — is dumped into the ocean, according to the World Economic Forum. The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit engineering environmental organization based in the Netherlands, is attempting to remove as much of that plastic as is feasible. “Our strategy…
McDonald’s To Phase Out Plastic Toys From Its Happy Meals
Good News Notes: “The toys that come in McDonald’s Happy Meals will soon be made mostly from corn and other materials rather than from fossil fuel-based plastic, the fast-food chain says. The switch is already underway in some international markets; it’s expected to be complete globally by 2025. “Making our toys out of renewable, recycled,…
Engineers are ‘driving’ innovation to help eliminate plastic waste
Good News Notes: “Each year in the United States, millions of tons of plastic waste are discarded and not recycled, leading to serious environmental problems. In an effort to help keep this waste from ending up in the environment, engineers at the University of Missouri are partnering with Dow and the Missouri Department of Transportation…
€1 Million Prize for Plastics-to-Protein Research Awarded to Steve Techtmann, Ting Lu
Good News Notes: “Plastic waste and access to nutritious food top the list of humanity’s challenges. Yet humans are nothing if not innovative, especially in the face of adversity. Michigan Technological University’s Steve Techtmann, associate professor of biological sciences, aims to convert plastic waste and inedible biomass into edible protein — a biological sleight of hand…
Trek’s updated bike packaging saves 433,000 pounds of plastic
Good News Notes: “Trek Bicycle announced its first-year results from incorporating lower-impact and recyclable materials in its bike packaging. Targeting plastic waste, Trek said it removed 433,600 pounds of plastic from bike boxes and Bontrager accessory packaging. The goal is to make all bike boxes from Trek, Electra, and Diamant 100% recyclable and all packaging…
Hygienist fights plastic pollution with sustainable products
Good News Notes: “A Portland dental hygienist is not only keeping people’s mouths clean but is also trying to help the environment. Ingrid Adeogun realized a few years ago just how much plastic waste comes from the dental industry. Many research companies show that approximately 1 billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown away every year in…
Target sets sustainability goals: Net-zero emissions by 2040
Good News Notes: “Target is known for its exclusive merchandise, with private label brands for everything from arts and craft supplies to apparel. Now, the retailer is pledging to make all those products more environmentally sustainable. It said Tuesday it will design items that are more durable and will eliminate waste and encourage reuse by 2040….