It's Venus Williams's literal job to be outside, so it comes as no surprise that the tennis superstar has long been hip to the importance of sun safety.   The only problem? It's tough to find a mineral sunscreen that doesn't leave behind an ashy white cast on dark skin once applied. Furthermore, certain SPF ingredients can wreak havoc on the environment — and Williams is well aware. In fact, that's what inspired her to create EleVen SPF products in partnership with Credo.   “As an athlete and professional tennis player spending most of my life outdoors, I was compelled to create a sun care collection I could use daily," she shared in a statement. "Safe for our planet and good for people of all skin shades and types, I hope to inspire others to get out, be active and stay healthy.”   The line is currently comprised of two powerhouse products: On-The-Defense Sunscreen SPF 30, along with the Unrivaled Sun Serum SPF 35.   The mineral sunscreen easily melts into all skin tones, leaving nothing behind, besides a clear semi-matte finish. As for the serum, the formula offers a more lightweight solution, combining hydrating skincare ingredients like prickly pear with SPF 35 for essential sun protection. Along with both products providing 25% zinc oxide broad spectrum defense against UVA/UVB rays, they are also made using reef-safe formulas. Plus, On-The-Defense Sunscreen's tube is made from 40% PCR material and can be recycled through Credo’s TerraCycle program. While the Unrivaled Sun Serum's bottle is made completely from glass and is recyclable as well.   Both product's outer boxes are made from 100% recycled paper and soy-based ink is used for all of all of the labels.   Safe for the environment and our skin? You can go ahead and sign us up for this goodness, Venus!

It's Venus Williams's literal job to be outside, so it comes as no surprise that the tennis superstar has long been hip to the importance of sun safety.   The only problem? It's tough to find a mineral sunscreen that doesn't leave behind an ashy white cast on dark skin once applied. Furthermore, certain SPF ingredients can wreak havoc on the environment — and Williams is well aware. In fact, that's what inspired her to create EleVen SPF products in partnership with Credo.   “As an athlete and professional tennis player spending most of my life outdoors, I was compelled to create a sun care collection I could use daily," she shared in a statement. "Safe for our planet and good for people of all skin shades and types, I hope to inspire others to get out, be active and stay healthy.”   The line is currently comprised of two powerhouse products: On-The-Defense Sunscreen SPF 30, along with the Unrivaled Sun Serum SPF 35.   The mineral sunscreen easily melts into all skin tones, leaving nothing behind, besides a clear semi-matte finish. As for the serum, the formula offers a more lightweight solution, combining hydrating skincare ingredients like prickly pear with SPF 35 for essential sun protection. Along with both products providing 25% zinc oxide broad spectrum defense against UVA/UVB rays, they are also made using reef-safe formulas. Plus, On-The-Defense Sunscreen's tube is made from 40% PCR material and can be recycled through Credo’s TerraCycle program. While the Unrivaled Sun Serum's bottle is made completely from glass and is recyclable as well.   Both product's outer boxes are made from 100% recycled paper and soy-based ink is used for all of all of the labels.   Safe for the environment and our skin? You can go ahead and sign us up for this goodness, Venus!

Venus Williams has rolled out a new clean, reef-safe SPF under her EleVen by Venus Williams brand.  The pair of mineral formulas are said to melt into any skin tone without leaving behind a chalky finish and are exclusive to Credo. Williams partnered with Credo Beauty and The Sunscreen Company on the formulations, which were designed to complement her activewear brand that features UPF 50 technology. The range includes On-the-Defense Sunscreen SPF 30 and Unrivaled Sun Serum SPF 35; each has 25% zinc oxide and skin care ingredients. The On-The-Defense Sunscreen tube is made from 40% PCR material and is recyclable through Credo’s in-store TerraCycle program, and the Unrivaled Sun Serum bottle is made from glass and is recyclable. The outer boxes are made of 100% recycled paper and printed with soy-based ink and recyclable.

According to MarketsandMarkets, the Oral Care market is projected to reach $53.3 billion by 2025 at a CAGR of 3.0%, up from $44.5 billion in 2019. Compared to other beauty care categories, traditionally oral care is not as fast moving. However, from natural ingredients and vegan callouts to sustainable packaging, oral care is taking cues from the beauty industry and innovation abounds. Brands that use natural ingredients across all beauty segments continue to be a consumer driver, particularly popular in skin care. According to the NPD Group, in 2019, prestige skin care sales reached $5.9 billion with natural products as the top growth contributor. Natural skin care brands represented 30% of total prestige skin care and sales grew by 14% over 2018. Furthermore, in the past year, Nielsen data showed natural skin care sales in mass stores grew at an 8.7% rate versus overall conventional health and beauty gains of 1.2%. Natural Deodorants Make A Move To Oral Care Recognizing consumers’ demand for naturals, in 2017, Procter & Gamble acquired natural deodorant brand Native. In 2018, the brand extended its skin care reach with the launch of bar soaps and body washes in a variety of scents. In 2019, Native moved into oral care with the release of two toothpaste variants: Whitening Wild Mint and Detoxifying Charcoal, which are available in fluoride and fluoride-free formulas. Similarly, this year, natural mineral salt deodorant brand Crystal, entered the oral care market. Crystal True Minerals is offered in two whitening sets: True Minerals Advanced Dental Whitening System and True Minerals Teeth Whitening Kit and Refill. According to the brand, the products are formulated with “clean vegan ingredients that are gentle, sulfate-free, and enamel-safe.” Ingredient Story Like personal care and beauty products, ingredient stories are a way for brands to connect with consumers. Oral care products are following their lead and using naturals, clean ingredients, and vegan formulas to capture consumers’ attention. To address the need for clean products, in February, Colgate added the Zero line in seven skus to its portfolio. Colgate Zero does not contain artificial flavors, sweeteners, preservatives or colors. The toothpaste is offered in Peppermint and Spearmint flavors for adults, Strawberry for Kids 2 to 6 Years and a fluoride-free Toothpaste for Kids 3 to 24 Months. The mouthwash is available in three variants: Fresh Breath, Healthy Gums, and Strong Teeth. In line with prebiotic and probiotic food and beverage trends, Tom’s of Maine launched a new range of Prebiotic Personal Care products “designed to help support the body’s good bacteria in order to maintain a healthy balance.” The line includes toothpaste, deodorant, body wash, bar soap, and liquid hand soap. The Prebiotic Toothpastes are available in Peppermint and Spearmint flavors, which contain fluoride for cavity protection and inulin with the aim to support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the mouth and reduce odors associated with bad breath. Vitaminpaste by Golden Products are fluoride-free toothpastes infused with vitamins D and E and three forms of vitamin B offered in Vitaminpaste Adults and Vitaminpaste Kids formulas. According to the brand, “kids get at least 50% of their daily vitamins of these types.” Katie Wells, known as Wellness Mama, the blogger, author and podcaster, launched the Wellnesse brand based on her DIY creations, which are “human safe and planet safe.” The Whitening Toothpaste Fresh Mint is a mineralizing glycerin-free toothpaste formulated with Hydroxyapatite, aloe vera, and green tea powder. The line also includes two shampoos and two conditioners: Cleansing Shampoo for All Hair Types, Smoothing Shampoo for Wavy and Curly Hair, Nourishing Conditioner for All Hair Types, and Enriching Conditioner for Wavy and Curly Hair. In February 2020, Colgate-Palmolive acquired Hello Products. Following the CBD buzz, Hello Products released a CBD collection of toothpastes and mouthwashes formulated with hemp oil and hemp extract, sustainably sourced from hemp farmers based in the U.S. The toothpaste tubes are made with plant-based materials and the toothpastes are available in CBD Tea Tree Oil fluoride-free and CBD Activated Charcoal fluoride-free options. The mouthwash is offered in CBD Aloe Vera Soothing and Activated Charcoal Soothing varieties (shown above) and the bottles are made with 25% post-consumer recycled plastic. A Sustainable Future The world does not have unlimited natural resources and sustainability is no longer a fad or a trend. It’s a lifestyle. Consumers’ interest and demand for sustainable products and services are a global phenomenon that continues to grow. According to Nielsen, by 2021, sustainably minded shoppers are estimated to spend up to $150 billion on sustainable FMCG goods, an increase of $14 billion - $22 billion. Oral care is just one of the many categories that consumers are scrutinizing. In November 2019, Tom’s of Maine unveiled its recyclable toothpaste tube, which has been recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers and is designed to be compatible with the No. 2 HDPE plastic stream. The brand’s Antiplaque & Whitening Peppermint Natural Toothpaste was the first product to debut the new tube and by the end of 2020, all full size Tom’s of Maine toothpastes will be housed in the new recyclable tube. At the beginning of the year, Colgate extended its range with the release of the Smile for Good brand. Available in Smile for Good Protection and Smile for Good Whitening formulas, the toothpastes are packaged in a recyclable plastic tube and contain “natural and purposefully selected ingredients” free of SLS, certified by the Vegan Society, FSC and EcoCert. Comparably, Dr. Bronner’s Spearmint All-One Toothpaste joins the Dr. Bronner’s family, packaged in recyclable boxes and tubes. The toothpaste contains 70% organic ingredients including organic spearmint oil and menthol crystals as well as fair trade and organic coconut oil and coconut flour. In addition, the formula is certified vegan, cruelty-free, fluoride-free, and is free of synthetic detergents and synthetic flavors. In France, Unilever debuted its first toothbrush made from 100% recycled plastic. Under the Signal brand, the new Signal Ecolo Clean toothbrush is made from 100% food-grade post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic and the ergonomic hollow handle has 40% less plastic than an ordinary toothbrush. In addition, it is packaged in recyclable paper. In partnership with TerraCycle®, the toothbrush is 100% recyclable. Ditch The Tube Bite Toothpaste Bits are natural, plastic-free toothpaste tablets designed to replace conventional toothpaste. The ecofriendly tablets are made with gluten-free and vegan ingredients and housed in refillable glass bottles. To use, customers place the tablet in their mouth, bite down and then brush their teeth with a wet toothbrush. This year, the brand launched two new products. Berry Twist Bits are marketed to children and Lavender Lemon Bits is a limited-edition seasonal flavor for the Spring. On March 6, 2020, Bite founders Lindsay McCormick and Asher Hunt appeared on Shark Tank and turned down a six-figure offer from Mark Cuban because they were not willing to give more than 7% of their company. In 2019, Lush, the UK brand launched a range of five vegan Toothpaste Jellies formulated with sorbitol and xylitol and packaged in a recyclable pot. On the U.S. Lush website, the five limited-edition flavors: Blue Tooth (lemongrass and eucalyptus), Megawatt Smile (lemon and daisy), Plaque Sabbath (sweet and spicy licorice), Strawberries and Clean (berry), and White Fang (mint blend) are “coming soon.” Bright Future According to a Euromonitor survey, “health-inspired beauty, green, clean and ethical features, and personalization” trends were cited as having the greatest influence on sales of beauty and personal care players in the next five years. Increasing consumer demand for better-for-you, healthy alternatives and sustainable packaging combined with trending ingredients such as naturals, vegan-certified, prebiotics, and CBD, are driving oral care innovation. Watch as new oral care products launch inspired by personal care and beauty trends.

Kao’s new recyclable package for MyKirei personal care products — which uses up to 50% less plastic by weight than traditional rigid plastic bottles with pumps — embodies functional, emotional, and social benefits of a holistic sustainable design.   While the recyclability challenges of lightweighted packaging are of increasing importance to producers and consumers, the tremendous benefits of smaller, lighter packages must be acknowledged to find solutions that balance their virtues with more intuitive resource management. Less material by weight equals fewer resources extracted from the planet, and less waste if disposed compared to heavier packages. For producers, less packaging brings down production costs overall, and with lighter, less voluminous shipments, transportation costs by weight, which are additionally offset by the ability to fit more items on a truck or pallet. This translates for consumers, who enjoy increased access to products by the pricing and delivery of packaged goods in-store. Ecommerce relies heavily on lightweight packing material to maintain product quality from point A to B, and even “non-packaged” items such as clothing, fresh produce, and durable goods like furniture and automobiles are often packaged for distribution. Lightweight packaging also lends itself to beauty and utility. Many packages are lightweighted by using plastic and other synthetics, which have near-endless potential for colorization, shaping, printing, and textures, often rendered to resemble wood, glass, and other high-value, aesthetically pleasing materials. Flexibles and films, ubiquitous across the packaging supply chain, have versatile characteristics. In sachets, pouches, cling wraps, and bags (which recycling critic John Tierney calls, not inaccurately, “a marvel of economic, engineering, and environmental efficiency”), these thin plastics are cheap, strong, and often elegant in design, making lots of sense from a utilitarian and practical perspective. It cannot be overstated that no lightweighted packaging material, namely plastics, in and of itself is at the crux of our issues with recyclability, pollution, and waste. It’s the way we use them, intentionally designing items to be thrown away in a global recycling system that isn’t equipped to effectively recover it for additional cycles of production. But just as the material, shape, and size of package is part of the design, the creation of systems that ensure it is recovered and reintegrated it into the supply chain are, as well. MyKirei is a new lifestyle brand launching in the US by Kao Corp. (makers of Bioré, Jergens, and Curél), with whom TerraCycle is partnered with in Japan. They are debuting the brand nationally with three products — Japanese Tsubaki & Rice Water Nourishing shampoo and conditioner, and Yuzu and Rice Water Nourishing hand wash — all of which are packaged in Kao’s patented “Air” Bottles, flexible film bottles filled with air pockets around the perimeter of the bottle to make it stand upright. The innovative Air Bottles are said to use up to 50% less plastic by weight than traditional rigid plastic bottles with pumps. The brand promises the Air Bottles are 100% nationally recyclable through the recycling program we manage, free to consumers to use with the points incentive they can use to donate cash to charity. Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of “Kirei” (which favors sustainability as well as beauty, cleanliness, simplicity, and balance), this collection of products is founded on the belief that care and respect for ourselves, our societies, and the world around us is key to simple, beautiful living. The brand hopes to inspire a gentle, more sustainable way of life. With a recycling program and charity component developed as part of the product launch, vs. reactively down the road, MyKirei by Kao maintains and reinforces the functional, emotional, and social benefits of a beautiful, but typically non-recyclable, package with a holistic design approach.  

Kao’s new recyclable package for MyKirei personal care products — which uses up to 50% less plastic by weight than traditional rigid plastic bottles with pumps — embodies functional, emotional, and social benefits of a holistic sustainable design.   While the recyclability challenges of lightweighted packaging are of increasing importance to producers and consumers, the tremendous benefits of smaller, lighter packages must be acknowledged to find solutions that balance their virtues with more intuitive resource management.   Less material by weight equals fewer resources extracted from the planet, and less waste if disposed compared to heavier packages. For producers, less packaging brings down production costs overall, and with lighter, less voluminous shipments, transportation costs by weight, which are additionally offset by the ability to fit more items on a truck or pallet.   This translates for consumers, who enjoy increased access to products by the pricing and delivery of packaged goods in-store. Ecommerce relies heavily on lightweight packing material to maintain product quality from point A to B, and even “non-packaged” items such as clothing, fresh produce, and durable goods like furniture and automobiles are often packaged for distribution.   Lightweight packaging also lends itself to beauty and utility. Many packages are lightweighted by using plastic and other synthetics, which have near-endless potential for colorization, shaping, printing, and textures, often rendered to resemble wood, glass, and other high-value, aesthetically pleasing materials.   Flexibles and films, ubiquitous across the packaging supply chain, have versatile characteristics. In sachets, pouches, cling wraps, and bags (which recycling critic John Tierney calls, not inaccurately, “a marvel of economic, engineering, and environmental efficiency”), these thin plastics are cheap, strong, and often elegant in design, making lots of sense from a utilitarian and practical perspective.   It cannot be overstated that no lightweighted packaging material, namely plastics, in and of itself is at the crux of our issues with recyclability, pollution, and waste. It’s the way we use them, intentionally designing items to be thrown away in a global recycling system that isn’t equipped to effectively recover it for additional cycles of production.   But just as the material, shape, and size of package is part of the design, the creation of systems that ensure it is recovered and reintegrated it into the supply chain are, as well.   MyKirei is a new lifestyle brand launching in the US by Kao Corp. (makers of Bioré, Jergens, and Curél), with whom TerraCycle is partnered with in Japan. They are debuting the brand nationally with three products — Japanese Tsubaki & Rice Water Nourishing shampoo and conditioner, and Yuzu and Rice Water Nourishing hand wash — all of which are packaged in Kao’s patented “Air” Bottles, flexible film bottles filled with air pockets around the perimeter of the bottle to make it stand upright.   The innovative Air Bottles are said to use up to 50% less plastic by weight than traditional rigid plastic bottles with pumps. The brand promises the Air Bottles are 100% nationally recyclable through the recycling program we manage, free to consumers to use with the points incentive they can use to donate cash to charity.   Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of “Kirei” (which favors sustainability as well as beauty, cleanliness, simplicity, and balance), this collection of products is founded on the belief that care and respect for ourselves, our societies, and the world around us is key to simple, beautiful living. The brand hopes to inspire a gentle, more sustainable way of life.   With a recycling program and charity component developed as part of the product launch, vs. reactively down the road, MyKirei by Kao maintains and reinforces the functional, emotional, and social benefits of a beautiful, but typically non-recyclable, package with a holistic design approach.

TerraCycle’s division that handles a variety of regulated materials saw decreased revenue and profits last year, but a marketing push late in the year helped reverse the trend.   That’s according to an earnings report from TerraCycle US, a Trenton, N.J.-based company specializing in collecting and recycling difficult-to-recycle materials. The document covers TerraCycle US, not the financial results for parent company TerraCycle LLC, which operates in 20 countries.   The company’s Regulated Waste division manages the collection and recycling of fluorescent lamps, bulbs, batteries, scrap electronics, organic waste, medical waste and other materials. The division was formed in November 2017, after TerraCycle’s acquisition of Air Cycle Corporation, which brokered recycling services for fluorescent bulbs and batteries.   According to an earnings report, the Regulated Waste division brought in $6.79 million in sales and $58,000 in earnings in 2019. That was down from $7.11 million in revenue and $166,000 in earnings during the prior year.   In the filing, the company noted the division “began to show signs of recovery in the last quarter of that year.” Starting last summer, the division’s major priority was to expand marketing and lead generation, according to TerraCycle. As a result, during the fourth quarter, revenue exceeded fourth-quarter revenue from the prior three years by about 6%.   The division also experienced a management change last year. In May 2019, Kevin Flynn was appointed general manager of the division with a focus on improving the overall strength of the business, according to the filing. Flynn, who previously led global operations for TerraCycle, replaced Bobby Farris, an e-scrap industry veteran who oversaw the Air Cycle integration and led the Regulated Waste division for two years. Farris in September 2019 was hired as CEO of Total Reclaim.   The Regulated Waste division is just one of four at TerraCycle US. The others are Sponsored Waste Programs, through which brand owners pay the company to run collection and recycling programs for their products and/or packaging; Zero Waste Boxes, where consumers buy prepaid shipping boxes and mail in items for recycling; and Material Sales, which sells recovered commodities, mostly plastics.   In 2019, the Regulated Waste Division brought in 25% of the company’s revenue. Overall last year, TerraCycle US saw net sales of $27.12 million, up 35% from 2018. Its net income was $3.24 million, up from $1.15 million in 2018.   The filing also discussed the impacts this year of the COVID-19 pandemic on the company. As is the case with others in the industry, TerraCycle US experienced a decrease in collections in March and April. The company applied for and received a Paycheck Protection Program loan, one of the U.S. Small Business Administration programs intended to help businesses survive the economic shutdown from the pandemic. About $750,000 of the loan will be used to cover payroll, in addition to rent on the Illinois office and various warehouses, interest on the Trenton building mortgage, and utilities.

If you’re a shopper who evaluates environmental facets of products you purchase, please direct your attention to pens and pencils. Manufacturers are promoting variety of styles that offer eco-friendly features. Some use recycled resources. Others incorporate sustainable alternatives that reduce or eliminate plastic. To folks who are picky-for-the-planet about pens and pencils, we declare, “Write on!” Editor’s note: Earth911 teams up with affiliate marketing partners to help fund our Recycling Directory. If you purchase an item through one of the affiliate links in this post, we will receive a small commission.  

Reducing Plastic

As demand for more sustainable products widens, so does variety, style, and quality of eco-friendly pens, according to Paul and Julie Painting. They own Eco-Pens.com, which sells promotional pens printed with names and logos. Quality is important, Paul Painting says, so their pens are functional, rather than non-valued items easily tossed in the trash. With minimum-required orders, prices of Eco-Pens’ printed pens range from about 60 cents to $3 each, depending on quantity, style selected, and other factors, Paul Painting says. From Eco-Pens.com and other suppliers, intriguing materials used for pen bodies include:

• Wheat straw and wheat husk, such as styles showcased on Eco Promotional Products Inc. The Wheat Straw ballpoint pen’s barrel is made with 45 percent wheat straw, which is leftover material after wheat grains are harvested. “The wheat straw in this pen reduces the amount of plastic used,” explains the website.
• Recycled cardboard, such as Eco-Pen Recycled Cardboard Fineliner Gel Pens on Amazon. “All Eco-Pens are made from 100% recycled plastic and cardboard,” the webpage says.
• Bamboo, such as the Panda Bamboo pen on Eco-Pens.com. The pen has a “bamboo wood barrel and cornstarch clip and tip made with 60% biodegradable materials.”
• Cork, such as the Recycled Cork Barrel Pen sold on Eco-Pens.com.

Recycled Plastic, Paper, & Other Materials

Some writing implements are designed with recycled plastics and other recycled materials. Recycled newspaper is employed for TreeSmart pencils, available on Amazon.   A traditional Sunday newspaper produces about 200 TreeSmart pencils, says Steve Mawdsley of TreeSmart Industries. He explains that TreeSmart tightly rolls newspaper around pencil lead and adheres it with non-toxic glue. “The newspapers dry as hard as cedarwood, so sharpening is easy,” he says. “Since the newspaper is tightly wrapped around the lead, it’s supported much better, resulting in less lead breaking.” Other pens and pencils featuring recycled materials include:

• Pilot B2P refillable gel ink and ballpoint pens are “made from 89% and 83% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.”
• Recycled Tetra Pens, sold on Eco-Pens.com, contain recycled Tetra Pak “and similar food and beverage container materials.”
• Ticonderoga Renew pencils contain recycled wood scraps. “Less wood is used and less waste is created. Pencils are made with 53% pre-consumer recycled wood.”
• Recycled Denim Hex Pencils, available from The Pencil Superstore website, are “100% recycled denim blue jean pencils.”
• Greenciles pencils are made of recycled paper, including newsprint, printer paper, and stationery. “The paper is cleaned, reused, and wrapped around a safe graphite writing core,” says their website.
• Onyx and Green mechanical pencils, available on Amazon. The body of these pencils is made with recycled PET plastic. They ship “packaged in a recycled material package with soy based ink.”

Refillable Whiteboard Markers & Highlighters

Often, highlighters and whiteboard markers are single-use disposable items. Refillable versions from different brands are available, potentially reducing waste. Examples include:

• Refillable Whiteboard Markers from Pilot, made with 91 percent recycled plastic, according to a spokesperson from JetPens online store.
• Pentel Handy-line S Retractable and Refillable Highlighter

Responsible Purchasing, Packaging, & Discarding

In addition to evaluating what pens and pencils are made with, savvy shoppers also think about such facets as quantity, durability, packaging, and disposal. Purchase only what you need. “Do you really need the 10-pack of pens or will one or two pens be enough?,” queries Alex Payne publicist for TerraCycle, which recycles items not usually accepted in household recycling. When you’re done with them, don’t drop pens and pencils into recycling bins, unless you’re sure your recycling service accepts these items. Most facilities can’t process them, even if they’re made with recycled water bottles or newspapers. Due to mixed materials and other factors, pens and pencils are widely regarded as contaminants that interfere with efficient recycling, explained Robert Pickens, a member of Oklahoma Recycling Association. Other tips:

• If possible, request or seek out items with little or no plastic packaging.
• Think about refillable pens, rather than single-use disposable styles.
• Look for manufacturers that offer recycling or take-back programs, Payne recommends.
• Discard pens responsibly so they don’t wind up as litter or ocean pollution.
• TerraCycle offers recycling opportunities for pens. One option is the BIC Stationery Recycling Program, which accepts pens, markers, mechanical pencils, and other eligible items for free.

Feature image by Tyler Nix on Unsplash

Sean Prockter – Special to the Fitzhugh   Did you know that cigarette butts are considered litter?   OK, perhaps you knew that one, but did you also know that you can recycle them here in Canada?   It’s true, and given that cigarettes are toxic, non-biodegradable and made of plastic means tossing them on the sidewalk does a significant amount of harm to our environment.   So, if you are a smoker, know someone who smokes, or just simply cares about our environment, please read on to find out how hazardous a single cigarette butt can be.   Cigarettes are the number one source of litter in Canada and has been for over 20 years, according to the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. In fact, there were more than 500,000 butts collected in 2018 alone.   Why? Well, it’s still largely considered a socially acceptable action, which it shouldn’t be. A tossed cigarette butt is an act of littering.   How can one cigarette butt be a problem?   Well, other than the cumulative effects of multiple people thinking that way about a tossed cigarette, it’s also toxic to the environment.   A variety of chemicals are added to cigarettes to make them more appealing, control the burn rate, and promote addiction.   Often the cigarette is not entirely smoked and the nicotine that still remains is extremely poisonous to all organisms.   Then there’s the cigarette filter, which is designed to do exactly what its name suggests, filter and absorb the toxins in cigarette smoke and collect solid particles known as tar. Most cigarette filters have an inner core composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic.   Here in Jasper, a cigarette butt may take five to ten years to break apart; however, that does not mean that it biodegrades. It simply breaks apart into tiny pieces.   The toxins then spread into our waterways, poisoning our fish and other aquatic species while the acetate turns into microplastics.   Ocean Wise, a conservation organization based in British Columbia, has done extensive research on microplastics in our marine environment and the findings are not good.   The fish off our coasts are consuming these microplastics at an alarming rate, causing a multitude of health problems.   Microplastics also act as binding agents to chemical pollutants, and guess what happens to those chemicals if the fish are harvested? They wind up on our plates and in our restaurants as a wicked full circle.   What can we do about this? First of all, don’t litter.   However, there is something else we can do here in Jasper that not only prevents the littering of cigarette butts, but can also support our community at the same time.   It’s called TerraCycle and to date, they have recycled nearly 150 million cigarette butts right here in Canada.   Basically, an individual, organization or municipality can sign up with the company, print off a free shipping label and once they’ve collected enough butts, ship them off to Mississauga where the box is weighed.   One pound is worth $1 starting at three pounds, and all the funds go towards a charity of your choice.   The butts are zapped with gamma rays to remove the toxicity, processed into tiny plastic balls and then morphed into industrial plastics used for railway ties and plastic pallets.   Businesses and municipalities all across Canada have been erecting these metal receptacles ($100) designed to collect cigarettes in downtown areas for this cause.   With many of our community groups struggling due to funding cuts, this could be an amazing way to give back to the town in several positive ways.   For some reason, our society continues to see the tossing of cigarette butts as socially acceptable.   We are trying to break that social barrier through education. It’s considered pollution and the most common form of littering in this country.   The indigenous people of Canada have long said that the health of our land is the health of our people. They are absolutely right.   Don’t be part of the problem; be part of the solution, one cigarette butt at a time.  

Being the change they want to see in the world, some companies are thinking outside the box to come up with innovative ideas to make their products more sustainable.   For example, Oka-B, a popular spa footwear manufacturer, relies on closed-loop manufacturing, which means it’s reusing the same materials over again, conserving natural resources, and minimizing waste. “By using a bio-based recyclable material, we are able to grind up any scraps and make them into new shoes,” says Sara Irvani, CEO of Oka-B. “This recycling empowers us to eliminate more than 150,000 pounds of waste annually. Our innovation is deeply rooted in our values.” The shoes are also produced in the U.S., which reduces the company’s carbon footprint. In addition, customers are also encouraged to return old pairs to the company for recycling with an enticing discount off their next order.   The Noel Asmar Group, which manufactures spa uniforms, pedicure bowls, and more, is also striving to be more sustainable by making quality over quantity a foundational value. “We transformed the boxy smock in 2002, setting high expectations for quality uniforms in the workplace,” says founder and CEO Noel Asmar. “We replaced a very utilitarian-looking, low-quality, poor-fitting uniform that often only lasted five to six months. In 2018, we launched our first uniform collection made from fabric that is spun out of recycled water bottles. Since then, we have diverted more than 268,000 water bottles from landfills.” The company also launched a sustainability initiative, Hospitality Lifecycle, to help manage textile waste. It partnered with Debrand, which provides custom-tailored recycling solutions, to help spas recycle their expired textiles.   While serving on the sustainability leadership council for Sephora, Tiila Abbitt was shocked to learn how truly unsustainable the beauty industry was. “Of the 120-billion units of colored cosmetics packaging produced annually, none of it was being recycled through our system,” says Abbitt. “I visited numerous recycling facilities, attended sustainable cosmetic conferences, and talked to various packaging engineers in the space and found that with color cosmetics, specifically, they’re all using harder plastics, mixed metals, magnets, and screws, which unfortunately, render the products unrecyclable under our system, because nobody is sitting there taking these things apart. It was mind-blowing to me that products were being produced to just end up in a landfill.” Such revelations made her realize she could do better, which led her to create Aether Beauty, a color cosmetics line that is ethically sourced, cruelty-free, and vegan. “On the packaging side, it’s all fully recyclable, and I also do carbon-neutral shipping,” says Abbitt. “And on top of it all, I partner with 1% for the Planet on all sales.” It is an international organization whose members contribute at least one percent of annual sales to environmental causes.   Valérie Grandury, inspired by a health scare, created Odacité, a California-based skincare company focused on using clean ingredients. “Since our inception 10 years ago, sustainability has been at the heart of everything we do,” she says. “This starts with our sourcing practice. Our formulas only use ingredients that beautify the skin without compromising the environment.” When it comes to sourcing, the company relies on wildcrafted, organic, non-GMO ingredients that have been grown without chemicals, pesticides, and fertilizers. With its own lab, Odacité is able to control its manufacturing process to create zero waste. All products are handmade in small batches and use very little water. According to Grandury, 95 percent of packaging is made of recyclable glass, and her team is constantly searching for an alternative to plastic pumps. External packaging is also kept to a minimum. And if that isn’t enough, the company has pledged to plant 20,000 trees in 2020.   Earlier this year, The Detox Market launched its Earth CPR Initiative, a sustainability roadmap to becoming carbon negative by planting at least 2.5 million trees and encouraging other brands to do the same by 2025. “To that end, we’re partnering with TerraCycle to turn our stores into beauty recycling hubs, planting a tree for every online order, rethinking our shipping practices and how we stock our offices, and designing modular retail displays to phase out the non-recyclable ones,” says The Detox Market founder Romain Gaillard. “There’s a lot in the works, and we’re thrilled to be making changes that yield tangible results, now and over time.