Todo o início de ano é hora de renovar o material escolar dos filhos e muitas vezes não sabemos o que fazer com lápis, caneta, apontadores e demais materiais de escrita que não servem mais para o uso.  Então, traga esses objetos para a sede do TRE Tocantins e deposite nas caixas de acrílico disponíveis ao lado da porta do elevador, no 2º e 4º andares.

Não dá mais para continuarmos com vícios antigos dentro de casa, precisamos pensar em sustentabilidade em casa, em pequenas ações que minimizem o impacto negativo que deixamos no nosso ambiente. Na verdade, já deveríamos estar pensando em como melhorar o ambiente, em tudo o que estragamos, nossos filhos irão nos cobrar por isso. Esse texto não é nada profundo, ainda é o básico de sustentabilidade em casa, você já coloca em prática?

Shaving is a daily ritual for millions of men and women worldwide. Unfortunately, most commercial shaving supplies aren’t environmentally friendly. Plastic razor waste aside, ingredients in shaving products may harm your body and the environment. For example, many popular shaving creams contain triethanolamine (a combination of ethylene oxide and ammonia) and propylene glycol — a main ingredient in antifreeze and brake fluid. Contact with triethanolamine has been linked to allergic reactions while contact with propylene glycol has been connected to allergies, eczema, and asthma.   Shaving without mindfully sourcing your supplies puts harmful chemicals like propylene glycol and triethanolamine back into the water ecosystem. These chemicals get absorbed by fish and other organic matter and can end up back on someone’s kitchen table.   Canned shaving creams also contain hydrocarbon propellants like butane or propane to make the product foam. Hydrocarbons are harmful to the environment because they’re a source of greenhouse gases.   The good news? Nontoxic shaving supplies exist and building an eco-friendly shaving kit won’t cost as much as you think. From your toiletry bag to your razor, here are seven must-have supplies for your eco-friendly shaving kit.   1. An Eco-Friendly Vegan Toiletry Bag   A vegan toiletry bag is the foundation for an earth-friendly shaving kit, but finding one that’s also eco-friendly isn’t easy. The majority of leather alternatives use polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a toxic material that isn’t biodegradable. Conventional cotton farmers use herbicides and pesticides, so avoid grabbing a toiletry bag off the department store shelf without checking what it’s made of.   Recommended Vegan Toiletry Bags   There’s a new vegan leather made from pineapple leaves called Piñatex. This leather-like material is made by a company called Ananas Anam, and is being used by several big brands including Hugo Boss. Pineapple leaves are a byproduct of existing agriculture so there’s less environmental impact.   Although sourcing pineapple leaves doesn’t adversely impact the environment, turning the leaves into leather requires using a petroleum-based resin, which isn’t biodegradable. Ananas Anam is working with a leading Dutch textile company to create a bio-resin alternative. Considering most synthetic vegan leather contains PVC, which releases dangerous dioxins, Piñatex is a safer and less damaging option.   If you’d like a toiletry bag made with this leather alternative, head over to Etsy for a Piñatex toiletry bag handmade in Belgium.   If you prefer the look and feel of cotton, Terra Thread offers a selection of vegan, fair trade, GOTS certified organic cotton pouches in various sizes. Choosing an eco-friendly vegan toiletry bag says you care about people, too. Although leather is a popular option for toiletry bags, the leather industry exposes workers in developing countries to toxic chemicals, acids, and solvents that can cause serious, long-term harm.  

2. Metal Razor

  Get ready to shave like your grandparents! Old-school wet shaving tools are making a comeback because they’re affordable and they produce a cleaner, closer shave than anything you’ll get from a disposable or cartridge razor.   You can pick up one of these best-selling metal safety razors from Amazon in various styles, including different colors and varying handle lengths. Women who use safety razors to shave their legs prefer long handles and many people prefer short-handled safety razors for traveling. Note: If you’re traveling with a safety razor, the blades are not allowed in carry-on luggage. While some brave men and women opt for a classic straight razor, most prefer a double-edged safety razor. Safety razors made from steel or chrome are built to last for generations. You could probably use your great grandfather’s razor and just replace the blade!  

Still Not Ready to Switch to a Reusable Razor?

  Recycling disposable razors isn’t profitable for waste management companies because the materials cost more to process than they’re worth. But if you’re not ready to try a reusable safety razor —or willing to endure the sharp learning curve (pun intended) to shave with a straight razor — you may be able to continue using disposable razors without tossing them into a landfill.   Qualified businesses and organizations that are willing to make a small effort can become collection points to gather disposable razors for recycling. In 2019, TerraCycle, a company that’s committed to recycling “un-recyclable” materials, launched a free razor return program with Gillette. You simply sign up online and provide your organization’s address. If your organization qualifies, you will receive a collection bin and TerraCycle will list the organization’s address on their map as a public drop-off point. When the bin is full, seal and send the bin to TerraCycle and request a new bin.   The program accepts cartridge heads and razors from all brands, including used blades from safety razors. Learn more about TerraCycle’s free Gillette Razor Recycling Program.  

3. A Tin To Collect Used Blades for Recycling

  Part of being environmentally responsible means using products that produce minimal waste, and that includes your used blades. You don’t need to shove used blades into the wall like your grandfather did. Metal safety razor replacement blades can now be recycled, making a safety razor as eco-friendly as a straight razor. But don’t toss them in your recycling bin; used blades are a safety hazard for recycling workers. Collect them in a secure metal tin, and when it’s full, take it to a drop-off location for TerraCycle’s Gillette Razor Recycling program, mentioned above. You can search for a drop-off location near you on TerraCycle’s interactive map.  

4. Coconut Oil

  Pre-shave oil is important for both men and women. Today’s disposable razor shaving culture has eliminated the use of pre-shave oil, but if you want a close shave without razor bumps, rashes, or nicks, you need pre-shave oil. Instead of buying small packages of chemical-based products down the shaving aisle, try coconut oil.   You can buy coconut oil in the grocery store in small jars, but if you already use coconut oil for other purposes like cooking, oil pulling, or conditioning your dog’s coat, get a giant tub from a bulk store like Costco.   To use coconut oil as a pre-shave oil, rub some in your hands (or heat it in a pan in the winter) and rub a generous amount on the area you’re going to shave just prior to applying shaving cream. The oil will provide extra glide for your razor.   If you’re allergic to coconuts, try jojoba oil.  

5. Handmade Shaving Cream or Shaving Soap

  Ditch the canned stuff and whip up a batch of homemade shaving cream. Canned shaving cream is expensive and the chemical ingredients dry out your skin. Making your own shaving cream gives you full control over the ingredients you absorb into your skin.   If you have soap making experience or you want to learn a new skill, follow these instructions to make your own shaving soap. If you’re not a soap maker or just want a quick option, DIY shaving cream is an easy project.   Alternatively, you can buy handmade shaving soap from a crafter on Etsy or Amazon and support a small business. Shaving soap may come in a puck, squeeze tube or bar. Here are some soaps to consider:  

• Maison Lambert’s organic shaving soap puck with argon oil and jojoba oil in a cedarwood scent
• Dr. Bronner’s unscented shaving soap in a squeeze tube with fair trade and organic ingredients
• Beauty by Earth’s organic shaving soap bar with all natural ingredients, sulfate and paraben free

6. A Shaving Brush & Scuttle

  If you use shaving soap, you might consider two more tools for your shaving kit: a shaving brush to create and apply lather and a scuttle or shaving bowl. If you’re new to shaving soap, it’s best to practice creating lather by using a scuttle. However, as time goes by you might switch to lathering directly on your body. Some men prefer to create lather directly on their face and some women prefer creating lather directly on their legs.  

7. A Washcloth

  Those disposable face wipes floating around in your toiletry bag may be handy, but they’re not eco-friendly. Replace them with a washcloth, soap, and water. You don’t really need fancy wipes to wash your face.   What’s in your eco-friendly shaving kit?   Do you have an eco-friendly shaving kit? What’s inside? Share your tips in the Earthling Forum or the comments below so we can all start finding eco-friendly replacements for products we can’t live without.

Wet cat food sales are on the rise, according to pet retailers and manufacturers, and consumers are seeking products that contain high-quality ingredients and are convenient to serve. Peter Berman, owner of Rock Dog & Cat, a pet supply store in Eagle Rock, Calif., said that he has seen big growth in wet cat food at his store, a fact that he attributes to increased consumer awareness about the importance of moisture in a cat’s diet. Berman said that multiple customers have been interested in switching their cat to an exclusively wet diet—often at their veterinarian’s recommendation.   “In their search for wet cat food, there are two things that are most important to them—the quality of the ingredients and where they’re sourced from,” Berman said. “My customers respond best to companies that are transparent with this information.”   There’s no question that cat owners increasingly care about quality—a trend that has been seen across the board, said Jasmine Galligan, founder and owner of Wet Noses, a Monroe, Wash.-based pet food and treat maker.   “Customers are looking for options that aren’t filled with preservatives,” she added. “They want ingredients that are simple, clean, balanced and high quality. We Noses was founded on the guiding principle of, ‘If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t feed it to your pet,’ and we’re starting to see more and more cat parents feel the same.”   In response to this demand, Wet Noses introduced its Wet Whiskers Cat Food in Jars at SuperZoo in Las Vegas in August. The food is made with 100 percent human-grade ingredients, is Non-GMO Project verified, and is free of grains, gluten, corn, soy and dairy, according to the company. All varieties—Beef, Chicken, Fish and Turkey—are made with hormone-free, antibiotic-free, humanely raised meats and fish, with no artificial ingredients, company officials added.   Neil Thompson, vice president of sales for Pets Global, a pet food manufacturer in Valencia, Calif., said that the biggest trends in wet cat food are a continued interest in whole shredded items with high meat content. He has also seen an increase in consumers seeking lower-priced pâté items. The company is working to fill that need and recently launched Essence Cat Food in both kibble and matching cans. The 5.5-ounce cans contain 96 percent meat ingredients.   “The new line of Essence cans meets the size of can we commonly receive requests for with both a high meat inclusion and a price point under two dollars,” Thompson said.   Annabelle Immega, trade marketing manager for Petcurean Pet Nutrition, a pet food and treats manufacturer in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, said that a specific trend they have noticed involves the growing interest in wet recipes that provide functional benefits to address challenges such as picky eating, itchy skin, dull coat and food sensitivities.   “In October 2019, we unveiled seven new recipes for cats as part of our Go! Solutions wet food collection,” she said. “These pocket-sized packs of solutions-based nutrition have been specifically formulated to support pets with unique dietary needs and preferences, including those who thrive on higher levels of meat protein, those who have food sensitivities that may benefit from a limited number of ingredients and those who are simply picky eaters.”  

Packaging Preferences

  Another trend in wet cat food has been a shift in packaging. While there’s no question that cans are still popular, some manufacturers are introducing products in alternative packaging formats. For example, Petcurean Pet Nutrition uses sustainable Tetra Pak cartons for all of its wet food recipes. The packaging has a number of environmental and safety benefits, in addition to being more convenient for distributors, retailers and consumers, Immega said.   “Tetra Pak cartons are manufactured from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paperboard and other controlled sources,” Immega said. “They are made from 67 percent renewable materials, they are recyclable and they are BPA free. The cartons use fewer raw materials and are 40 percent more compact than cans. With an easy-to-open tear-off strip and no sharp edges, Tetra Pak cartons are much safer to handle and are reclosable for easy storage in the refrigerator.”   New packaging options seem to be catching on with consumers. For example, Berman said that the pouches sold at Rock Dog & Cat have been a popular addition.   “My customers appreciate that there is a TerraCycle seal on the back of some of the pouches, and they’ve told me that they received a free envelope to ship the packaging back—and it’s fully recycled,” Berman said. “There’s something to be said for the convenience of pouches, but the fact that they also make recycling easy is an added bonus.”   Bill Vallas, owner of Quality Pet Market in Austintown, Ohio, said the convenience of pouches is definitely important to his customers.   “The ease of use makes a pouch format popular,” he said. “The food slides right out and isn’t messy. They’re generally sold in a single-serving format, and it’s just really easy for the customer.”   Haley Legge, a clerk at Woodlands Pet Shop in San Francisco, said that customers also perceive that there is more liquid in the pouches, which makes them more desirable. She agreed that ease of use is a driving factor in the growing interest in this format.   Pouches aren’t the only can alternatives available. Wet Noses is using glass jars in its small-batch production process.   “Our glass jars enable the customer to see each simple, clean and balanced ingredient,” Galligan said. “An added bonus is the ability to reseal it and save it in the refrigerator with no gross opened can to be worried about.”  

Merchandising

Creative Displays

There are many ways pet specialty retailers can get creative with wet cat food displays and, ultimately, draw more attention to the category.   Neil Thompson, vice president of sales for Pets Global, a pet food manufacturer in Valencia, Calif., suggested using a variety of products to attract customers’ interest.   “We personally like endcaps that incorporate more than just food by adding items such as litter, cat trees or toys,” he said.   Making sure that customers can see the products is also important. Jasmine Galligan, founder and owner of Wet Noses, a food and treat maker in Monroe, Wash., suggested that retailers add some height with a riser.   Different packaging formats can also help with displays.   “One of the reasons we opted to use Tetra Pak cartons for all of our wet food recipes, in addition to being a more sustainable packaging choice, is because they take up 40 percent less space on the shelf,” said Annabelle Immega, trade marketing manager for Petcurean Pet Nutrition, a pet food and treat manufacturer in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. “They also allow more visual space to stand out on the shelf, and to communicate the benefits of each recipe to retailers and pet parents alike. With Tetra Paks having more visual real estate and ease of stacking, retailers can get really creative with endcaps and window displays, combining wet cat food with hard goods for cats, for example, to create eye-catching displays for customers passing by.”  

Assortment Optimization

Curate an Ideal Mix of Wet Food

  Pet specialty retailers that create a well-rounded assortment of wet cat food will give customers the options that they desire.   Peter Berman, owner of Rock Dog & Cat, a pet supply store in Eagle Rock, Calif., said that he has found cat owners like to have choices. Of course, they also want to know that retailers have carefully selected foods that they believe in, he added.   Neil Thompson, vice president of sales for Pets Global, a pet food manufacturer in Valencia, Calif., agreed that cat owners appreciate variety.   “We believe retailers must provide an abundance of cat can selections, the more high-quality items for consumers to select from, the better,” Thompson said.   Annabelle Immega, trade marketing manager for Petcurean Pet Nutrition, a pet food and treat manufacturer in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, recommended setting up an assortment of wet food that complements a store’s dry food selection, as many pet owners are interested in providing a “multiformat meal plan.”   “Mouth feel and texture are important aspects of palatability, and some cats appreciate a crunchy kibble while still requiring the moisture benefits of wet food,” Immega added. “Curating an easily shoppable assortment of both dry and wet food options that work well when fed in combination is a great way to meet this consumer demand and increase sales.”  

Tom is the founder of the world's leading recycling initiative, with the promise to remove waste from our supply chains, working with major brands such as Nestlé and Unilever - hailed as one of Forbes’ Impact 30.   We met Tom earlier this year during Sustainable Brands Paris and were struck by not only his promising business initiative, but his bold ideas and views. A challenging voice driving forward environmental change, we made sure to pin him down for an interview.     Tom shared with us his personal story: born into communism in Hungary, after the Chernobyl disaster, he and his family escaped as refugees, first to Belgium then to Germany, Rotterdam and Canada. Finally, he settled in the US. He reflects:   “I went from one extreme to another extreme and fell in love with business as a tool for change along the way.”   Tom worked his way to Princeton where, in Economics 101, he was taught that the purpose of business is to profit shareholders. However this immediately didn’t sit right with him. He said: “Is that really the reason people go to work? I don’t think so. Yes, profit is an indicator of health, but it’s not the reason for being.”   This got Tom seeking a business idea with more of a purpose than profit. “I landed on garbage. It’s fascinating - we’re built to be repulsed by it. It’s not sexy, so there’s not a lot of innovation within it. It’s ridiculously unexciting to be involved in, but the scale is universally big. Every object you see right now will 100% one day belong to the garbage industry.”   With waste as his focus, Tom started TerraCycle from his dorm room in 2001 - first turning worm poop into organic fertiliser. While the fertiliser itself was popular (it was soon sold in Home Depot and Walmart) its packaging was where TerraCycle’s potential and purpose would unfold.   Tom used old plastic drinking bottles - initially out of ease and affordability - with schools and local organizations collecting bottles in exchange for proceeds. 18 years on and this is the core of TerraCycle today, with manufacturers now sponsoring national collection and recycling programs for waste streams they create.     TerraCycle’s scope is wide. In the last few months alone, they’ve announced recycling schemes for baby food containers, beauty products, laboratory waste - and they just won an award for the development of the first national cannabis recycling program in Canada.   “Everything we do is to move from linear to circle,” says Tom. While this move does dramatically reduce the waste that ends up in landfills and being burnt, Tom sees recycling as only a temporary solution. Instead, he looks to nature to see if we can remove the concept of waste altogether. Tom says:   “If you asked a tree what is waste, I don’t think a tree could define it. Because in nature, there is no such thing. The root cause of consumer waste is not plastic - it’s single-use.”   With this in mind, Tom’s entrepreneurial efforts have shifted to refill and reuse. His new initiative, Loop, delivers products in reusable packaging straight to your door. Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Nestlé and PepsiCo are among the household names already on board, with one new brand a day joining the platform since it launched.       In short, Loop’s aim is to make reusing packaging easier than ever - and the norm - so we move away from the reliance on single-use, disposable packaging. However, Tom also acknowledges that innovation alone won’t solve the world’s problems. “The cause of every environmental problem is consumer culture. So the clear answer is to buy less, but also to consume differently.”   While as Tom put it himself, there’s nothing sexy about rubbish and waste, we are big fans of solutions that will green our planet.   With widespread awareness of the climate emergency now mounting, the scramble of big brands to find new, regenerative solutions has begun; and with Loop and TerraCycle leading the way, we think there’s nothing more exciting than that.   Enjoyed reading Tom’s story? Sign up to our newsletter to have bold and brave voices land in your inbox every month! Plus the latest from our clients and community - and a few humblebrags.

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Sustainability is the best gift you can give this year.   BY KATIE BOURQUE Dec 16, 2019   Here's the dilemma: You want to find the right gift for your dad, your grandma, and maybe even your pet — but what you don't want to do is contribute to all the unnecessary waste that occurs during the most wonderful time of the year. In fact, one study found that we throw away 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day than any other time of the year. Yikes. So if your idea of the perfect gift includes being kind to the environment, then you're in the right place.   People throw around words like "environmentally-friendly," "green," and "earth-friendly" — but the Good Housekeeping Institute prefers the term "sustainable," which means that there is at least one specific way that the product benefits the environment in the long run. "Sustainability, for us, is using the Earth’s resources in such a way that future generations can meet their needs," explains Birnur Aral, Ph.D., director of the Health, Beauty & Environmental Sciences Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. So the products on this list all have at least one sustainable attribute, if not more.   If you're looking to gift sustainable clothes, check out our list of the best sustainable fashion brands, but if you're in the market for stocking stuffers, white elephant gifts, and other last-minute presents, our sustainable holiday gift guide features the best eco-friendly gifts you can buy in 2019:

More than 156 million single-serve coffee pods have been recycled by Lavazza Professional via its TerraCycle partnership. Lavazza Professional’s relationship with TerraCycle to recycle its single-serve Flavia Freshpacks began 10 years ago. It’s part of the company’s ongoing sustainability strategy work, according to Global Senior Manager Sustainability Richard Bond.   “TerraCycle has been a critical partner in offering this recycling solution for our Flavia Freshpacks and helping us to reach this wonderful milestone,” Bond said in a statement. “Strong partnerships are a critical factor in this work which we hope to build on with TerraCycle as we identify ways in which we can further support our customers and distributors in achieving their own sustainability targets.”   Through the Recycle Your Freshpack Program, businesses serviced by an authorized Lavazza Professional distributor can register at www.recycleyourfreshpacks.com, collect their empty Flavia Freshpacks, download a shipping label and returned the waste to Trenton-based TerraCycle for recycling.   “This milestone demonstrates that by offering a simple solution to waste, a significant impact can be achieved that not only preserves the environment but makes the world a better, cleaner place,” said TerraCycle Chief Executive Office Tom Szaky in a statement.  

City of Brighton now has expanded recycling offerings. As part of continued efforts to help minimize waste and divert as much material as possible from entering landfills, the City has implemented a new recycling program. The recent announcement was made on the City of Brighton’s Facebook page. The Gillette Razor Recycling Program is provided through TerraCycle and is now available for residents in the City and surrounding areas. Citizens can drop off all brands of razors, razor blades and both their rigid and flexible plastic packages at the City’s DPW offices located at 420 South Third Street. After the items are received by TerraCycle, they’re broken down and separated by material. Plastics are cleaned and pelletized to be recycled into new products, such as picnic tables and park benches while the metal is sent for smelting and conversion to new alloys. The razor recycling program is said to be different than others as TerraCycle accepts both of the razor packages. If all goes well, it’s possible the City could expand into other product recycling programs through the company. (JM)

Sustainability is a word that’s talked about often today, but in reality it’s a complex concept that touches upon many aspects of daily living. Perhaps the most-often quoted definition of sustainability comes from the U.N. World Commission on Environment and Development: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”   In addition, most agree that sustainable practices are those that support ecological, human, and economic health and vitality. “Sustainability presumes that resources are finite, and should be used conservatively and wisely with a view to long-term priorities and consequences of the ways in which resources are used,” according to the UCLA Sustainability committee. Many companies in the optical industry follow this philosophy. Among the companies at the forefront of this effort is Bausch + Lomb, which for the past few years has been collaborating with TerraCycle on a popular contact lens recycling program. “Before the ONE by ONE Recycling program, we would routinely hear from doctors and patients of the concern they had for the waste that contact lenses and their packaging created, particularly daily disposable lenses,” B+L senior director, professional strategy, Jill Saxon, OD, said during a recent joint event with TerraCycle.   “Coupling the continued demand and growth of daily disposable lenses, and our continuous effort to become a more environmentally sustainable company, we recognized this opportunity and quickly sought a solution.”   Saxon noted that early in the process of working with TerraCycle, B+L learned that contact lenses are part of what is considered a forgotten waste stream—items many people never thought about in terms of recyclability. “We also learned that, surprisingly, even though the material used to manufacture contact lenses, blister packs and top foils are recyclable, the materials don’t end up being recycled if placed in standard municipality recycling bins due to their small size.” Another company that has incorporated recycling and environmental protection into its DNA is SOLO Eyewear. Each pair of SOLO sunglasses is constructed using repurposed bamboo or recycled plastic, which the company noted reduces the carbon footprint and prevents hundreds of pounds of virgin materials from being produced each year.   SOLO said it repurposes packing materials and defective sunglasses for parts in new production. In addition, SOLO donates 10 percent of profits to the funding of eye exams, eyeglasses and cataract surgeries, which it believes has led to restored vision for 13,000-plus people in need. SOLO has partnerships with Aravind Eye Care System and Restoring Vision, and has worked to improve vision for people in 32 countries to date. Multi-national vision care companies such as Johnson & Johnson Vision also are active in the area of sustainability across an array of programs. J&J Vision said that, working with its employees and external partners, it has achieved a “strong record of protecting the planet” and is committed to further reducing its environmental impact. J&J Vision is focusing on three specific areas in this effort: climate, waste reduction and protection of natural resources. “We have significantly reduced our carbon footprint over the past 10 years by prioritizing energy efficiency in our production technology and harnessing renewable energy with wind turbines and solar power in the U.S. and the United Kingdom,” the company said. “By further reducing secondary packaging for our all of products, we have made significant headway in reducing the impact of shipping, distribution, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.”   Today, 90 percent of J&J’s raw materials are recycled, and it continues to explore better solutions to drive single-use plastic recycling and packaging material optimization. The company also created Earthwards, a program dedicated to designing more sustainable products and brainstorming innovative product improvements. One of the most intensive optical company efforts around the idea of sustainability are the programs undertaken by CooperVision, which is working diligently to increase its efforts around environmental initiatives in specific key areas—saving water, conserving energy, and reducing, reusing and recycling resources. CooperVision’s parent company, The Cooper Companies, earlier this year announced its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It subsequently, published a series of short videos relating to these sustainability programs. The company noted that it believes providing access to the videos, even in their short form, will resonate more meaningfully with eyecare professionals, partners and others around the world. “Our support for the SDGs represents our long-term view of what it means to be a global medical device company in the world today,” Cooper Companies president and chief executive Albert White said at the time. “Through our efforts to contribute to achievement of the SDGs, Cooper is helping to address the needs of the planet and of people around the world.” CooperVision also was recently recognized for a contact lens rebate donation program that permits consumers to designate a portion of their CL rebates as a donation to Optometry Giving Sight (OGS). In the past eight years, donations to the program has resulted in more than $800,000 donated to OGS. CooperVision’s Melissa Kiewe, senior director of customer marketing, told Vision Monday she believes the rebate program and partnership with OGS dovetails nicely with CooperVision’s own corporate responsibility efforts. “It’s an actual fit with what CooperVision cares about and really gives the patients an option of ‘paying forward’ the improvement in how they see to help improve how other people see around the world. We’re definitely very proud of [this program].”   Costa is a frame company which has long been committed to environmental causes, particularly water-related ones. In fact, the company calls protecting the watery world “one of Costa’s main brand values.” In 2019, Costa kicked off their Kick Plastic Lens Recycling program at Vision Expo East, an effort that encourages ECPs to collect, recycle and repurpose plastic lenses, both clear and sun. At Vision Expo West, Costa expanded the program, allowing optical labs to send both their plastic waste and dry plastic finishing, or swarf, to select Piedmont Plastics locations for recycling and repurposing. This is an expansion from two to 13 labs that accept optical discarded plastic in the continental U.S. To date, Costa told Vision Monday, “the Kick Plastic Lens Recycling Program has facilitated the recycling and repurposing of over 2,200 pounds of discarded plastic lenses, with the number growing every day. This is in addition to over 22 tons (approximately 44,000 pounds) of plastic lenses processed from Costa’s Daytona Beach labs.” In addition, Costa is dedicated to a Kick Plastic initiative to reduce the amount of single use plastic the company uses. As part of this program, the company has onboarded over 700 ECPs into the Kick Plastic Ambassador program: a commitment from the ECPs to ask their patients to be part of the movement, Kick Plastic Ambassadors receive a special designation on the Costa dealer locator website, as well as Kick Plastic water bottles for their staff and communication materials. These initiatives are just the tip of the iceberg for Costa. The company’s vice president of marketing, TJ McMeniman, explained, “Sustainability initiatives are not just ‘important’ to Costa—they are an integral part of our DNA. That is why we are not only working to improve our own practices as a company but also believe firmly in using our resources to help others build out their own sustainability practices to protect our waterways.”   Thema Optical is another company that has partnered with TerraCycle to further their sustainability efforts. Under the company’s new recycling program, Thema is able to recycle the excess acetate created in their production methods. The acetate is then processed into sheets and used to make new acetate products. Giulia Valmassoi, CEO of Thema Optical’s North American division explained, “Thema is a global company that respects the importance of social responsibility. Vowing to be a sustainable company through our eco-friendly production process and recycling program was an easy decision when we knew the significant impact it would make.” For Marcolin, sustainability comes into play both on a corporate level and within their brand portfolio. Marcolin Group collaborates with Positive Luxury, which awards their Butterfly Mark, “a symbol of trust earned by brands that have adopted sustainability as a business strategy,” explained CEO Massimo Renon. In February, Positive Luxury will host their first-ever Positive Luxury Awards, with the Innovation of the Year award sponsored by Marcolin Group. On the brand level, Marcolin USA’s Timberland is particularly dedicated to sustainable initiatives. Timberland in particular, Marcolin USA CEO Davide Rettore said, “aims to be the largest, most sustainable outdoor lifestyle brand on the planet.” The brand’s Earthkeepers collection frames are made with bio-based plastic obtained from the bean seeds of a castor plant, and the accompanying cases are comprised of 70 percent recycled material, Rettore explained. In addition, Marcolin’s suppliers and factory supply chains are audited routinely to ensure they meet guidelines to reduce environmental hazards for both the employees and the local community. In addition, Rettore said, Marcolin USA partners with Timberland internally for in-office initiatives including “recycling, plastic bottle elimination in the cafeteria, community service and cleaning, and seminars for the employees to raise awareness, with the final objective to be guided by a higher purpose.” Much of the sustainability work at Modo is channeled through their brand Eco, which produces eyewear made of 95 percent recycled or biobased materials. In addition, Modo plants a tree with D.C. based nonprofit, Trees for the Future, for every Eco frame sold. To date, Modo said, they’ve planted more than 2 million trees. Modo describes the Eco One Frame—One Tree program as an answer to the question, “how to do good with our eyewear?” A spokesperson for the brand explained, “Planting one tree for every frame sold seemed to be the best way to connect our social mission to the brand core message. To make this happen, we started our partnership with the NGO Trees for the Future. Since then we planted more than 2 million trees—and that number just keeps growing.” This year, Modo has also worked to raise the volume on this initiative, after hearing feedback that they haven’t been “loud enough” in the past. Now, Modo offers marketing materials focused on their social purpose initiatives, which help ECPs tell their story. Modo Global CEO Alessandro Lanaro told Vision Monday, “We have a responsibility to leave the world a better place than how we found it. Together with Trees for the Future, One Frame, One Tree is making a positive impact not only on the environment, but for the people.”   Silhouette’s neubau also aims to set “high environmental standards,” a company spokesperson told Vision Monday. The brand’s motto, SEE & DO GOOD, encapsulates these efforts, and so do the company’s sustainable practices, which include “the conscious use of resources,” regional production in Austria, and support of “nonprofit projects revitalizing nature in urban environments.” neubau eyewear is constructed of naturalPX, an eco-friendly material made from organically sourced and renewable primary products (mostly oil extracted from the seeds of castor oil plants) and neubau aims for sustainability in their packaging, printed and in-store materials as well. A company spokesperson explained, “We strive to treat our environment with the utmost consideration, knowing that there are already many accomplishments to look back on—but even more that lie ahead. It is our continuous effort to improve and our ambitious goals that define us.” Sustainable eyewear is also at the core of what Proof Eyewear, an Idaho based company founded in 2011, does. All Proof frames are created using eco-friendly materials, including sustainably sourced wood, biodegradable cotton-based acetate, and recycled aluminum. In addition, $10 of each frame purchase goes directly to the company’s Do Good Program, which gives back to various local and global projects.   March 2020 will mark Proof’s ninth annual Do Good project—right now, Proof customers can go online to vote between Morocco, Samoa, and Cambodia. Once a country is chosen, Proof will partner with HELP International and Art of Visuals to develop a project that will allow them to support and give back to people in need. A company spokesperson explained, “We dedicate ourselves to creating sustainable change related to economic development, environmental conservation, education, and visual health. Working together with the people of the country we have chosen, the projects are designed to help to co-create change and empower the people… Just like our glasses, our Do Good projects are not one-size-fits-all, our efforts specifically catered to the needs of individuals and communities of each country.” Flint, Michigan-based Genusee makes their eyewear from recycled single-use plastic water bottles. Genusee is focused on effecting change in three main ways, a company spokesperson told Vision Monday. These are: reducing plastic waste, creating living-wage jobs, and establishing a new circular economy for the future of Flint. As part of that commitment, Genusee designed a buy-back program through which the company buys back used eyewear for a credit toward the customers’ next pair of glasses. Within the luxury sector, Kering Group, including Kering Eyewear, have also shown a dedication toward building a more sustainable future. This year, Kering’s chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault was one of the 32 original signatories of The Fashion Pact, a movement led by French president Emmanuel Macron to align the fashion industry with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The signatories will report on their progress in September 2020. In addition, Kering was also part of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’ (PPBES) first-ever private sector partnership. The partnership includes a “significant non-earmarked contribution to the IPBES Trust Fund by Kering,” Kering reported on its website. And, at Shanghai Fashion Week, Kering held a “K Generation Talk & Award Ceremony” to recognize sustainable innovation in China. The ceremony was in partnership with Plug and Play, and recognized three Chinese startups, Melephant, Heyuan and FeiLiu Technology “for their disruptive innovations addressing sustainability challenges in the textile value chain,” said Kering on their website. This is just a small sampling of Kering’s sustainability initiatives—the brand’s sustainability officer and head of international institutional affairs, Marie-Claire Daveu, heads up the company’s commitment to sustainability, which has three pillars: care, collaborate, and create. In 2019, Kering was ranked the second most sustainable company in the world across all sectors in the 2019 Corporate Knights Global 100 ranking. The company also runs the Kering Foundation, which aims to combat violence against women.