In many parts of the country warm weather has finally arrived, which means cookout season is upon us, ushering in a summer’s worth of charcoal-scented air, laid back afternoons that extend into evening, and al fresco feasts with (now, socially distanced) friends or family. While it doesn’t take much more than a grill and a package of hot dogs to create a worthy celebration, a few simple, inexpensive upgrades — think next-level condiments, stylish outdoor dishware and elevated lawn games — can make any backyard BBQ that much more special.  

With health concerns momentarily outweighing mindful consumption, global efforts to wean the world off of single-use plastics have ground to a halt — and suddenly, in the race to protect citizens, plastic is everywhere. Thankfully, lockdown has also triggered radical, sustainable innovation and ingenuity.   Unsurprisingly, plastic is having a bit of a resurgence. Its wipe-clean-ability; its disposability; its apparent standard-setting hygiene offering. In the era of COVID-19, people are happy to see plastic again; and businesses, nervous of contributing to poor public health, are making few apologies for using more of the material.   According to BloombergNEF (BNEF) research, demand for plastic packaging is likely to increase, at least in the short term: “Concerns around food hygiene due to COVID-19 could increase plastic packaging intensity, undoing some of the early progress made by companies,” it stated in a report.   In Europe, plastics manufacturers have gone further, using the threat of Coronavirus to rally against an incoming ban on single-use plastics.   With concerns for health momentarily outweighing mindful and ethical consumption, global efforts to wean the world off of single-use plastics have ground to a halt. All of a sudden, in the race to protect citizens, plastic is everywhere — with the industry keen to point out the revolutionary role plastic has played in medical care. From face masks and syringes to surgical gloves and catheters, plastic has dominated the sector and helped reduce the risk of infection.     And given that Coronavirus is said to survive on plastic surfaces for up to nine days, single-use and throwaway plastic products have been the go-to safest options throughout this period. As Tony Radoszewski, Head of the Plastics Industry Association, declared back in March: “Single-use plastics can literally be the difference between life and death.”   Thankfully, activists haven’t gone missing in the face of a possible rollback of action on phasing out unnecessary plastic. In fact, lockdown has triggered radical innovation and ingenuity — to develop sustainable solutions that also protect public health.  

Contactless coffee

Take Rebecca Burgess, for example. Just a week after the US reported its first case of Coronavirus with no connection to overseas citizens, Starbucks quickly banned customers from bringing in their reusable coffee mugs. Many other coffee chains all over the world adopted similar policies, increasing the uptake in single-use coffee cups once more.   So, Burgess’ sustainable behaviour change firm, City to Sea, has set up a #ContactlessCoffee initiative to encourage coffee shops now reopening in the UK to accept reusable coffee cups from customers in a way that is safe and secure.   “We knew [UK coffee shops] wanted to start serving hot drinks in reusable cups again, but just weren’t sure what the guidance was,” she told Sustainable Brands™.   So, the firm set out a simple, four-step process and video to help them do just that. Since launching in Bristol with Better Food Co, UK-wide chains Boston Tea Party and Costa Coffee are now also accepting reusables, alongside lots of indies. “We make our way through around 3 billion disposable cups a year, and less than 1 percent of them are recycled — so, this one change could have a huge impact on our planet,” Burgess adds.   City to Sea has also established a cross-industry task force looking at the issue of reusables during COVID-19. The group has more than 20 organisations, including Starbucks, the Sustainable Restaurant Association and Zero Waste Scotland. Elsewhere, a group of companies have teamed up to prove that the healthcare profession doesn’t have to turn to plastic when it comes to sourcing personal protective equipment (PPE).   The campaign group A Plastic Planet has been working with Reelbrands and Transcend Packaging to create the world’s first plastic-free visors worn by frontline workers and medical staff. Made from wood pulp and paper board, they are both recyclable and home compostable.   It is hoped that more than one million of the PPE visors will be made every week. Yodel, a delivery service provider to the NHS, has already put in an order. Meanwhile, A Plastic Planet is also working with TerraCycle to collect visors from dedicated disposal bins to be recycled.  

Affecting us all

The pandemic has also made it hard for individuals and businesses to avoid the extra use of plastic. Even social media star Lauren Singer, who had not sent an item of rubbish to landfill in more than eight years, has been struggling. In an Instagram post to her hundreds of thousands of followers, she admitted stockpiling products in preparation of lockdown, many of which were packaged in plastic.   But as the BNEF analysis predicts, the current spike in demand for plastic is likely to be temporary and should not impact circular economy goals. Whether the general public will continue to put more focus on public health — and the benefits plastic brings in protecting us against virus infection — than sustainability, only time will tell, Burgess says. Though she remains optimistic: In a recent City to Sea survey, just 9 percent of people said they want things to go back to ‘normal’ — a clear indication of the public’s desire for change, she says.   Meanwhile, 36 percent of people felt they had been pushed into using more single-use plastic due to COVID-19; and 70 percent of those surveyed had not changed their feelings about plastic pollution, despite lockdown.   “It’s possible to look after our human health and the health of the planet at the same time,” she asserts.

This World Environment Day, the global community is asked to take urgent action to halt the destruction of biodiversity and rethink humanity's relationship with nature. In the wake of COVID-19, the planet needs protection from the surge of improperly discarded personal protective equipment (PPE) that is leaking into marine environments and posing serious hazards to ocean wildlife.   TerraCycle's Zero Waste Boxes provide a recycling solution for all types of single-use PPE, which are not recyclable through conventional recycling facilities. When placed in public spaces such as grocery stores, big-box stores and parks, Zero Waste Boxes encourage people to responsibly dispose of their protective gear instead of tossing items on the ground.   To recycle PPE waste, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Boxes:

• Safety Equipment and Protective Gear Zero Waste Boxes - to recycle disposable safety gear including garments, gloves, masks and safety glasses.
• Disposable Garments Zero Waste Box - to recycle chemical protection suits, flame resistant suits, and smocks.
• Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Box - to recycle vinyl, nitrile, and latex gloves.
• Disposable Masks Zero Waste Box - to recycle surgical and industrial face masks.

  For large-scale recycling solutions, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Pallets:

• Safety Equipment and Protective Gear Zero Waste Pallet
• Disposable Garments Zero Waste Pallet
• Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Pallet

When full, the boxes can be returned to TerraCycle for processing and the collected waste will be cleaned, melted and remolded to make new products. TerraCycle created the Zero Waste Box program to provide solutions for difficult-to-recycle waste that cannot be recycled through TerraCycle's national recycling programs or via standard municipal recycling. All Zero Waste Boxes are sealed while in transit, limiting any possibility of contamination. The boxes travel for up to a week before they are received at TerraCycle facilities, where additional safety precautions are taken in accordance with CDC recommendations. The Zero Waste Box program does not accept medical waste or biohazardous materials. "During this time of uncertainty, our Zero Waste Box program provides easy solutions for keeping waste out of landfills and paving the way for a greener future," says Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle. "Our goal is for all consumers to engage with TerraCycle recycling programs in a safe manner."

A Plastic Planet Helps Launch The World's First Plastic-Free PPE

by Bill McCool on 06/08/2020 | 2 Minute Read   Last week, as emergency first responders were given a cruel reminder that it’s easier for cops to get protective body armor so they can attack peaceful protestors and journalists than it is to get personal protective equipment (PPE) that doesn’t involve a trash bag, there was at least one bright spot.   Non-profit group A Plastic Planet, along with Reelbrands and Transcend Packaging, created a plastic-free visor for doctors and nurses working in hospitals that are on the frontlines fighting the Coronavirus pandemic which has now claimed over 390,000 lives. The visor is both recyclable and compostable.   The REELshield plastic-free visors come from an FSC food-grade paper as well as a certified home compostable PEFC wood pulp cellulose. The cost of the lightweight, adjustable gear is said to be the equivalent of its plastic counterpart, and the visors will get sold at cost to encourage sustainability. Additionally, Reelbrands can manufacture just over one million units a week.   A Plastic Planet will also team up with Terracycle to ensure that PPE gets disposed of in marked bins for recycling. “No-one wants to compromise the safety of employees and the public, but the plastic PPE visors are used once and then exist for centuries, polluting our planet,” said A Plastic Planet co-founder Sian Sutherland in a press release.   “We wanted to lead by example and show that we can protect ourselves and protect our planet,” she added. “We can no longer sacrifice nature without consequence. The public backs a green recovery from the pandemic because, quite simply, we cannot self-isolate or vaccinate against the climate crisis.”   Anywho, hospitals, get those orders in. Thousands of nurses here in the US have no other option than to reuse their masks, and every added bit of protection helps. Plus, if those face shields you’re buying can get recycled or composted, even better.

Com o tema "Meio Ambiente em Tempos de Isolamento Social, a programação contou com algumas ações "virtuais" promovidas pela Empresa, a exemplo da Live Chesf, no Instagram, realizada no dia 2, sobre "Mudanças Climáticas e o Setor Elétrico", com o pesquisador do Cepel e coordenador do Comitê para Mudanças Climáticas da Eletrobras, Alexandre Mollica; da divulgação de notas, durante toda a semana, no canal interno ChesfHoje – com Dicas de Reciclagem de esponjas, materiais escolares, cápsulas de café, entre outras

Olá pessoal!!!Seguindo o tema da semana sobre resíduos sólidos, que tal algumas dicas de como separar os resíduos sólidos na sua casa durante esse período de quarentena?! Alguns locais estão fechados por conta da pandemia, mas é importante conhecê-los para quando este difícil momento passar, utilizá-los!

  Starting a new business is daunting enough without the challenges of a global pandemic. Sisters Lisa and Melissa Gerben quietly launched RAKO Coffee Roasters in December of 2019, with a wholesale focus at first and big plans for spring pop-ups, a retail line and eventually brick-and-mortar cafés in the summer of 2020.   “Of course it didn’t happen that way,” Lisa says.   When restaurants and offices closed, their wholesale accounts were significantly impacted. Their pop-ups were put on hold, but their retail line was ready and waiting.   “In March when everything shut down, Melissa and I both noticed that we were just looking for stuff to do at home,” Lisa says. “We jumped on the baking and the pickling bandwagon and then we thought, ‘Why not launch our coffee online?’”   Their retail line currently includes eight sustainably sourced single origin coffees.   “One thing we really prioritized when creating this line is to offer coffees that appeal to every palate, while also tasting distinctly different from one another,” Lisa says. “We have your classic chocolate-y, caramel-y coffees, and then we have some more off-the-wall ones with peach and lemon zest flavor notes.”   Each coffee has a descriptive taste profile to let you know what you can expect from it.   “Coffee actually has tasting notes the same way wine does,” Melissa says “Coffee has over 800 compounds, which is actually a lot more than exist in wine.”   The Gerbens decided to take the leap to sell these coffees online in April, but they wanted to do so in a way that would allow as many customers as possible to access their coffee, and to get the most out of the products, even without a professionally trained barista to do the brewing.   Two keys to success were free shipping and home brew guides. All DMV orders ship free, and each order arrives with a detailed laminated brew guide that explains how to grind and brew your coffee, depending on what type of brewing apparatus you have.   There are also advanced brew guides available online, which provide specific ratios and timings tailored to each individual coffee.   “It basically comes down to the acids and sugars that are in each particular coffee,” Melissa explains. This is based on factors like how long the beans are roasted, the altitude where the beans are grown and more.   “All of these things factor in to how it’s going to taste when it’s brewed, and so a slightly different water temperature may draw a different acid from the bean,” she adds. “And the grind size, if you grind it at a slightly different setting, that may also draw different flavors. It’s basically an experiment that you do over and over and you change one factor each time and you finally end up with what tastes best for the coffee.”   The launch of the retail line has led to an outpouring of support from customers.   “We were so blown away and pleasantly surprised,” Lisa says. “The sales are incredible and we’re so grateful to everyone, but also just this feeling of connectivity with the community has been really incredible as well.”   With the early success of RAKO, Lisa and Melissa have turned a lifelong dream into a reality. “When we were in high school, we went on a family trip to Guatemala and had the opportunity to tour some coffee farms, and that was just such a formative experience,” Lisa says. “That’s actually where something clicked and I wanted to be a coffee importer. It wasn’t that linear in my life, of course, but I would say that it really started with that trip for both of us.”   With this early inspiration in mind, the sisters built their company on a commitment to giving back to and empowering communities, both locally and globally. Globally, it’s about sourcing.   “We think that the best way to help communities is through economic empowerment,” Lisa says. “Most of our coffees in our current lineup are directly imported from coffee farmers which we have long standing relationships with that predate RAKO, from my international trade background… By importing these coffees directly from the source, it allows them to retain more of the money for the coffees that they’ve grown.”   Plus, the shop proudly supports and makes donations to the International Women’s Coffee Alliance chapter.   Locally, 10 percent of each sale benefits Erik Bruner-Yang’s Power of 10 initiative, supporting independent restaurants by re-employing staff, sustaining business operations and providing food to those in need.   “We saw this just immediate impact on restaurants, and have tons of friends in the food and beverage industry that were just overnight out of a job through no fault of their own,” Lisa says.   They have also put the planet at the center of their brand, by choosing sustainable farmers to work with, roasting with state-of-the-art, energy-efficient equipment and participating in a recycling program with TerraCycle. RAKO provides a prepaid envelope with each order, so customers can send back their empty coffee bags and they will be recycled into park benches.   As their following grows, Lisa and Melissa are actively looking for pop-up spaces and are tentatively planning their next moves. “If it’s safe to do so, we’re targeting this summer for our first pop-up,” Lisa says. “We would love for that to turn into a permanent location.”

In the wake of COVID-19, the planet needs protection from the surge of improperly discarded personal protective equipment (PPE) that is leaking into marine environments and posing serious hazards to ocean wildlife. TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Boxes provide a convenient recycling solution for all types of single-use PPE, which are not recyclable through conventional recycling facilities. When placed in public spaces such as grocery stores, big-box stores and parks, Zero Waste Boxes encourage people to responsibly dispose of their protective gear instead of tossing items on the ground.   To recycle PPE waste, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Boxes:  

• Safety Equipment and Protective Gear Zero Waste Boxes – to recycle disposable safety gear including garments, gloves, masks and safety glasses.
• Disposable Garments Zero Waste Box – to recycle chemical protection suits, flame resistant suits, and smocks.
• Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Box – to recycle vinyl, nitrile, and latex gloves.
• Disposable Masks Zero Waste Box – to recycle surgical and industrial face masks.

  For large-scale recycling solutions, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Pallets:  

• Safety Equipment and Protective Gear Zero Waste Pallet
• Disposable Garments Zero Waste Pallet
• Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Pallet

  When full, the boxes can be returned to TerraCycle for processing and the collected waste will be cleaned, melted and remolded to make new products. TerraCycle, the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams, created the Zero Waste Box program to provide solutions for difficult-to-recycle waste that cannot be recycled through TerraCycle’s brand-sponsored, national recycling programs or via standard municipal recycling.   All Zero Waste Boxes are sealed while in transit, limiting any possibility of contamination. The boxes travel for up to a week before they are received at TerraCycle facilities, where additional safety precautions are taken in accordance with CDC recommendations. The Zero Waste Box program does not accept medical waste or biohazardous materials. “During this time of uncertainty, our Zero Waste Box program provides easy solutions for keeping waste out of landfills and paving the way for a greener future,” says Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle. “Our goal is for all consumers to engage with TerraCycle recycling programs in a safe manner.”  

For more information, visit www.terracycle.com.

   

As the world begins to reopen, holidays, environmental or not, will look a bit different this year. “Nature is healing” memes aside, COVID-19 is causing quite a bit of damage to the planet in the long-term and stirring up many planetary concerns, including increases in single-use plastic waste, reductions of municipal recycling programs, and temporary bans on reusable goods. “Nature is healing” memes aside, COVID-19 is causing quite a bit of damage to the planet in the long-term, including single-use plastic waste. Image via World Environment Day. Now, more than ever, it’s essential we do our part to take care of the planet this World Environment Day, and beyond! First held in 1974 by the United Nations, World Environment Day encourages global awareness and action to address pressing environmental issues. The 2020 theme is “Time For Nature,” an urgent call to protect biodiversity and rethink humanity’s relationship with the natural world. For our own health, safety, and preservation of a world to get back to, here are some ways you can make a difference (“from home”) this World Environment Day: Brush up on your wildlife knowledge. Defined as the variety of life on Earth, biodiversity encompasses over 8 million species of living things (animals, fungi, microorganisms, and plants) and the ecosystems they inhabit (coral reefs, deserts, forests, jungles, oceans and more).  Red soft coral with polyps extended. Photo by NOAA on Unsplash. Healthy ecosystems are fundamental to sustaining human life. They are responsible for regulating climate, protecting against the spread of disease, providing fertile soil in which to grow food, purifying the water, filtering the air, and reducing the occurrence of natural disasters.  This makes it all the more essential to halt the destruction of ecosystems and implement global stewardship of biodiversity. The best way protect nature is to educate yourself. Use this extra time at home to learn more about the various species and habitats that make up our vast planet; World Environment Day has this practical guide for ways different groups can get involved. Become an expert on local environmental protection. Learning about biodiversity as a concept is important in theory, and putting your knowledge to practical use can have a huge impact. Explore the native biodiversity that exists in your city and research what your local government is doing to protect wildlife and preserve habitats in the area. Check to see if your city is part of the Cities of Nature network. If it isn’t, urge your local representatives to join this initiative to recognize the value of biodiversity in and around cities.  Change starts at home, and while we’re spending a lot of time there, it’s a powerful thing to engage local leaders, especially while social distancing. The Value of Nature in Urban Life poster illustrates the many diverse life-supporting and life-enhancing benefits nature provides people in cities. Image by Cities of Nature. Advocate for nature. You don’t have to leave your house to call for positive change in your community. Show your support for the protection and restoration of local green spaces by urging your city government to meet the environmental targets they’ve pledged via web, email, and phone. Honey bees are contribute to approximately one-third of the food we eat, so take the time you have at home to create a habitat for them. Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash. With the time at home, provide habitat for pollinators and ground-dwelling insects in your garden by planting native plants. Try your hand at growing your own pesticide-free produce in your yard, on your porch or in your window sill. Start an email or social media chain for neighbors on the effects of lawn chemicals on residential critters, and what they can plant to save the bees.  Be a conscious consumer. As individuals, we must rethink what we buy and use to become responsible shoppers. Buying fair-trade, sustainably sourced, and recyclable or reusable products prevent pollution and deforestation, which helps to preserve the planet’s species. Take action by leveraging your purchasing power and avoiding products that are potentially harmful to biodiversity. Put pressure on your favorite brands to disclose their impact and urge them to limit single-use plastic in their business operations and supply chains. Check to see that the brands you shop are sourcing their raw materials responsibly by looking for certifications like Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC), B Corp or Rainforest Alliance Certified. The Forest Stewardship Council sets standards for responsible forest management to protect forests for future generations, and creatures like this bat! Photo by Vlad Kutepov on Unsplash Part of being a conscious consumer also entails taking personal responsibility to ensure your products and packaging don’t end up in the environment. Keep hard-to-recycle items out of landfills with our National Recycling Programs—simply sign up to start recycling! Or, try our all-in-one solutions, Zero Waste Boxes, which are buy one, get one 30% off today with code PLANET30. Educate others. Host a virtual workshop or video call to share what you have learned with friends and family. Talk with them about the importance of preventing biodiversity loss and finding nature-based solutions for sustainable change. Many organizers registered their digital event with World Environment Day to be featured on their global map! Share your message on social media. Take your advocacy online! Connect and spark conversations with local and national environmental protection organizations. Share links to educational resources and encourage your followers to get involved in protecting species and ecosystems. Together we can act #ForNature by sharing the latest updates, stories, news and tips for joining the movement online ! Photo by Tyler Mullins on Unsplash By making environmental stewardship the cool, sharable, ‘grammable thing to do, you inspire and motivate your network to join the conversation. How are you celebrating biodiversity this World Environment Day? Tell us in the comments!