How did the French brand Caudalie establish itself as a powerful eco-responsible leader in the beauty industry? Its founder Mathilde Thomas enlightens us.   It's been a long time since the Caudalie adventure began for Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas. The discovery of the power of polyphenols housed in grape seeds, in 1993, launched the brand, which soon became anchored in the beauty routine of women around the world. A true pioneer in the beginnings of clean beauty, Caudalie continued to evolve, with Mathilde's actions, to be even greener and more eco-responsible without compromising on its effectiveness.  

An ever greener process

  "The list of elements that we want to eliminate from our formulas grows as studies show that some are endocrine disruptors," explains Mathilde Thomas. Since 2017, all of the brand's new skincare products are therefore free of silicones and PEG (polyethylene glycol) - agents frequently used for the silky texture and the surfactant properties they bring to products -, and its complete portfolio is revisited to remove gradually some agents. A major challenge - "Each step is complicated!" -, which it is possible to note thanks to the launch on the market of innovative ingredients, such as derivatives of coconut and sugar, which allow fluid and stable natural concoctions. Mathilde Thomas' other bet? "I want Caudalie to be zero waste - that is to say that all of our packaging is recycled, recyclable or refillable - by 2022." The glass used for the bottles will therefore be transparent, and metallic or laminated impressions on the plastic tubes will be eliminated. For parts that are more difficult to recycle, such as serum pumps, made from several materials, the brand teams up with the recycling company TerraCycle .   This increased awareness, the founder had in Hong Kong, where she lived to conquer the Asian market. “When you live in Asia, the pollution problem becomes extremely concrete. We visited paradisiacal beaches overgrown with waste, and when we surfed, each wave was strewn with plastic residue, ”laments Mathilde. As soon as he returned to France in 2018, tight measures were taken to reduce Caudalie's environmental impact. "Since I go to the lab every week, it makes the process easier!"  

The impact of COVID-19

I was supposed to meet Mathilde Thomas in person, at the end of April, during her planned visit to the Queen City for the inauguration of Caudalie's new head office in Canada, which will house both her offices and her boutique-spa. Crisis Covid-19obliges, its opening was delayed. The brand's boutiques and spas around the world have also temporarily shut down. “The business is badly affected. We have unemployed staff, on temporary layoff… it's a crisis that we have never experienced, ”confides Mathilde, saddened, during our interview with Zoom. When I ask her about the consequences of this event on our consumption habits in the future, the business woman tells me that the hope lies in the next generation. “Young people are very sensitive to the environmental cause and they will only go to work for companies they believe in. They see the product as a whole. This is what will change customs! ” she said, enthusiastic. Anyway,   Théo Dupuis-CarbonneauDiscussion with Mathilde Thomas, confounder of Caudalie   © Supplied by ELLE Québec   "In the evening, I mix my Make-up Remover Oil ($ 34) and my Vine Flower Cleansing Foam ($ 34) to remove all traces of makeup!"   Buy © Supplied by ELLE Québec   Buy © Supplied by ELLE Québec   “The whipped texture of the new Lift & Firmness Body Balm ($ 53) penetrates like a charm. And its delicate smell of orange blossom is divine!”   Buy © Supplied by ELLE Québec   "After having melted a little mineral tinted cream ($ 32) with my Premier Cru cream ($ 169), I complete my makeup with a touch of red and a bit of Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara ($ 36)."

Credit Valley Conservation is not just asking citizens to be environmentally conscious, it seeks to lead them by example.   The CVC can proudly boast it has achieved that goal after the announcement on June 16 that it has been named as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for 2020.   “For us, I think it demonstrates there is recognition that we’re not just asking other people to do the right thing, but that we are also walking the talk and doing the right thing,” said CVC chief administrative officer Deborah Martin-Downs.   “It’s one thing to be admonishing people for not doing enough for the environment or not watching their own footprint, but this affirms we are also involved in doing the right thing within our organization.”   The designation is awarded to winners of an annual editorial competition run by the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. It identifies organizations focused on sustainability initiatives and environmental leadership.   “We were not doing everything we could have been a few years ago, so we’ve made huge strides in identifying things we could do and gradually working them into our processes,” said Martin-Downs.   “We’re a public organization, so it takes time to do those things, but I’m really proud of how people embraced the opportunity to change and to showcase that we can do exactly what we’ve asked others to do.”   The CVC does a variety of things within the Dufferin Community, from helping run and maintain Island Lake Conservation Area, to assisting with floodplain management, applications for changes to urban and agricultural properties, helping towns and businesses manage their storm runoffs, and more.   According to Canada’s Top 100 Employers, two major initiatives the CVC has put into practice are included in some of the reasons why the organization was selected.   The first is its TerraCycle collection program that captures additional recyclables such as pens and pencils, setting up its own organic composting, and establishing an employee uniform recycle and reuse program.   The second has to do with its LEED Gold-certified building containing the CVC offices in Mississauga, which features LED motion-controlled lighting, in-floor radiant heating, louvred window coverings, and more.   Implementing “smart blue roof” technology to help manage stormwater systems is also planned but the project is still in early stages. For the CVC, being named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers is a reinforcement that it is leading by example.   “We still have a ways to go with recycling in the parks, for example. There are many other activities we have found we can do with the office as well,” Martin-Downs said.   “There were a lot of big firms on that list, and I feel like we’re this piddly, little firm, so it was nice to be recognized.”

We can’t shop our way to saving the planet, but mindful choices matter. From ingredient sourcing to sustainable packaging, here’s how the industry’s forward thinkers are striving to tread more lightly as they produce the beauty products you see on the shelves. RETHINK (INGREDIENTS) The fine print on beauty labels tells us next to nothing about how responsibly sourced ingredients are. To muddy matters, calculating a product’s eco-footprint is far trickier than checking if the formula is all-natural or organic. For starters, natural ingredients can still cause environmental havoc—take, for instance, palm oil and its derivatives. Widely used in beauty products, they can be found in everything from shampoo to lipstick. They are largely produced in Indonesia and Malaysia, and the destruction of rainforests to clear the way for palm oil plantations is rampant. “A lot of companies are coming in and bulldozing and forcing communities out,” says Lindsay Dahl, senior vice-president of social mission at Beautycounter. Although the brand initially wanted to eschew palm oil, it realized that palm derivatives are still the best choice for many of its products.

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."

Medical cannabis patients have a new option to buy bulk and reduce the amount of packaging their medicine comes in.   On Wednesday, Hexo Corp. (TSX and NYSE: HEXO) launched a 30-gram bulk product of the company’s Tsunami dried flower strain. Because all products need to meet Health Canada’s packaging regulations, buying more weed in a single bag produces less packaging waste than buying several smaller packages for the same overall amount of cannabis.   Offering bulk to medical patients is an “important step on Hexo’s sustainability journey,” the company said in a press release.   Sustainability has been a stumbling block for the regulated market.   Under the Cannabis Act, packaging needs to be opaque, child-resistant and water proof. This has lead many companies to use plastic packaging instead of biodegradable materials. Some recycling programs exist for cannabis packaging, like TerraCycle which recycles any licensed producer’s packaging, as well as vape products made by Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED).   Other packaging can be recycled in Ontario’s curb-side pickup, according to the Ontario Cannabis Store. But buying bulk remains the leading way to reduce packaging.   “We know our medical clients have been waiting for this opportunity to purchase a higher volume of cannabis without excess packaging,” Hexo CEO and co-founder Sebastien St-Louis said in the release.   The company offers medical patients free shipping and absorbs the cost of the excise tax on all orders, St-Louis added.   So far, the 30-gram bag is only available for medical users but not for regular adult users.   The fruity indica-dominant strain is a Northern Lights variant with a 20–26 per cent THC kick and less than 1 per cent CBD potency, according to BC Cannabis. But more strains will be added to the 30-gram format soon, St-Louis said.   In October 2019, Hexo launched a bulk 28-gram format for recreational users. The bigger bag of weed continues to go for $140 for 28 grams, or $5 per gram, which was around $0.60 cheaper than the price-per-gram of the unregulated market, according to self-submitted data collected by Statistics Canada.   The “quality weed at legit prices,” was designed to disrupt the unregulated market, St-Louis said in an October statement. “Consistent, reliable and controlled products like this can play a major role in achieving the goals we set out nationally by legalizing cannabis just over a year ago: eliminating the illicit market and protecting public health and safety.”

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!

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.