Cigarettes are the world’s most littered item and pollute the oceans with toxic microplastic. Philip Morris, the world’s biggest multinational tobacco firm, tells Eco-Business that it supports policies to curb butt pollution, but warns that biodegradable filters might encourage littering.

An advertisement for green group Sea Shepherd highlights the ecosystem damage of cigarette butt pollution to mark World Oceans Day. A single cigarette can pollute 500 litres of water, the ad warns. Image: Sea Shepherd Though few people would ever say this publicly, it could be argued that, by killing 7 million people a year, tobacco companies are doing the world a favour by keeping human population growth in check. But tobacco does more harm—or good, if you’re a hardened misanthrope with a disregard for human suffering—than merely killing people. Smoking pollutes the air with all manner of toxins, farmers fells millions of trees to grow tobacco, dropped cigarettes start forest fires, and tobacco companies emit millions of tonnes of carbon in the curing process, guzzle millions of gallons of fresh water to process their products, and use child labour.   As if that wasn’t a big enough environmental and societal footprint, tobacco companies are now adding to the world’s electronic waste crisis by pivoting towards “heat-not-burn” products like e-cigarettes that are supposedly less likely to kill their users than lighting up a Marlboro. Taxes on cigarettes have been designed for governments to make revenue and to discourage people from smoking, not for tobacco companies to reduce their environmental impact.   Doug Woodring, founder and managing director, Ocean Recovery Alliance   But an often overlooked impact of the tobacco industry is that, of the 5.6 trillion cigarettes manufactured and smoked by 1.1 billion people annually, two-thirds of their butts are dropped irresponsibly, ultimately ending up in the sea. Cigarette butts, which are made of non-biodegradable plastic fibres, are the most common form of marine litter, and have been reigning ocean pollution champions for more than three decades, according to beach clean up data from Ocean Conservancy, a non-governmental organisation. They are, by far, the most littered item on the planet. Yet it is the makers of plastic bags, drink bottles and drinking straws that shoulder most of the blame for the plight of the oceans. And while a cigarette butt is less likely to choke a turtle or starve a whale than a plastic bag, there have been calls from activists in the United States to ban cigarette filters because of the environmental damage they cause. Researchers have found remnants of cigarette butts, which contain synthetic fibres and a smorgasboard of toxic chemicals used to treat cigarettes, in the guts of 70 per cent of seabirds and 30 per cent of sea turtles. Cigarette butts take anywhere between 18 months to 10 years to break down in the environment, depending on the conditions, and 12 billion butts are discarded around the world every day. Laurence Ruffieux, director of operations, sustainability for New York-headquarted Philip Morris International, said to tackle the problem requires the three e’s—empowerment, by providing smokers with places to responsibly dispose of cigarette butts; education, making people aware of the damaging consequences of butt-flicking; and enforcement, fines and other ways of punishing litterers. She added that the role of tobacco companies in contributing to the final ‘e’ was obviously limited. Ruffieux said that Philip Morris, the world’s largest multinational tobacco firm that makes about US$30 billion a year from selling cigarette brands such as Marlboro and Chesterfield, has been stepping up its efforts to combat littering by getting involved in clean-up operations such as World Cleanup Day, and awareness-raising campaigns. “We need to tell people [smokers] that it’s not okay to litter. We also need to raise awareness that [butts] contain plastic. Filters are made from bioplastic [known as cellulose acetate], but still, they can take years to degrade,” she told Eco-Business.

Even if we create a biodegradable filter, it sends the message that it’s okay to litter. Laurence Ruffieux, director of operations, sustainability, Philip Morris International

So why don’t tobacco companies, armed with vast resources to pool into research and development, make biodegradable filters? Ruffieux said a biodegrable cigarette has yet to be invented, that can be handled and extinguished easily and has “the right taste”. “If it [a biodegradable filter] altered the taste of your favourite cigarette, you might stop buying it,” she said. And even if the industry developed a biodegradable filter, it would send the message to smokers that it’s okay to litter, she added.

Butt tax?

Doug Woodring, founder and managing director of Hong Kong-based marine plastic solutions group Ocean Recovery Alliance, said that what tobacco companies are doing now to combat cigarette butt pollution is not nearly enough. Woodring argued that it’s much easier for people to casually flick a cigarette butt than drop a plastic bottle or drinking straw. “Education [to stop butt-flicking]? Good luck with that,” he said. To tackle the problem effectively, serious legislation is required, said Woodring. He proposes a butt tax—not to be confused with anti-obesity legislation—where an additional tax is placed on cigarettes that goes towards a fund for cleanup efforts, or a system where smokers are given rebates for disposing of smoked cigarettes at public collection points. “Without an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law [that makes tobacco companies responsible for post-consumer tobacco waste], or some kind of tax on cigarette butts, not much is going to happen [to reduce butt littering],” he said. Ruffieux said that Philip Morris supports policy measures to reduce cigarette littering, including EPR laws for tobacco companies, as cigarette butts could be considered single-use plastic. But she added that such laws “need to make economic and environmental sense”. “We are often asked why were are not recycling cigarette butts. This is because they are contaminated with toxicants, and washing butts to make them clean enough for recycling does not yet make sense from an economic or environmental perspective.” Woodring pointed out that recycled butts can be used to make new products. New Jersey-based firm Terracycle has used cigarette butts to make park benches and shipping pallets. Though the recycling process is expensive, Terracycle receives funding from tobacco companies to make the system work. Though EPR laws for tobacco companies do not yet exist, as they do for other companies that make plastic and electronic products, soon they will, Woodring said. “Everywhere, when you increase the tax on cigarettes, you see a decrease in smoking. If you introduce a system that holds tobacco companies to account for their environmental damage, you’ll see a decrease in their environmental impact,” Woodring said.” The world is moving towards EPR systems for all issues, and tobacco companies that make major changes to reduce their environmental impact now could buy themselves time before regulators legislate, Woodring added. One country that has leant on tobacco firms to help combat cigarette butt pollution is France. If firms did not take voluntary action to address the problem they would face legislation, France’s environment ministry warned. British American Tobacco responding by saying it would work with the government to educate smokers and distribute pocket ashtrays, but rejected the idea of a butt tax. Imperial Brands said it encouraged smokers to dispose of butts responsibly, and had no plans to re-engineer its filters to make them less polluting. In June, the European Union issued a directive on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, a law that will apply an EPR to the tobacco industry. Companies will have until 2024 to comply. Ruffieux said that Philip Morris is “not waiting for regulations” and is already taking action to tackle cigarette filter pollution, and is also well aware of the impact of the heat-not-burn electronic products the company says it wants to replace cigarettes to bring about its mission for “a smoke-free future”. “We have set up recycling and takeback centres that cover the majority of our [heat-not-burn] devices. This is something we’re doing regardless of the regulations,” she said, adding that the industry needs to work with governments and non-governmental organisations for any measures to be effective. Electronic devices such as e-cigarettes are much less likely to be littered than regular cigarettes, Ruffieux added. Last week, Philip Morris announced a plan to make all of its factories carbon-neutral by 2030.   Though reducing the harm its products do to its customers by encouraging a switch to heat-not-burn products is the company’s main sustainability priority, according to Ruffieux, the firm’s 136-page 2018 sustainability report highlights emissions reduction, biodiversity, deforestation, water, fair working conditions and child labour as other strategic priorities.

It’s appalling how much we waste in this country.   Americans throw away 262 tons of trash each year, and over half of all this goes to a landfill.   Some of the trash that doesn’t end up in a landfill finds its way into our beautiful blue oceans, playing a part in killing off aquatic species in record numbers.   Some people want to combat ecological devastation by attempting to get their waste output as close to zero as possible.   Some even set a lofty goal of fitting all the waste they produce in one year in a single mason jar.   Do you think you could do that?   If you fully commit to the principles in this article, you’ll be able to.   This will save you TONS of money.  

The Beginning of a Worldwide Movement

  The mother of the zero-waste movement is Bea Johnson, who started the Zero Waste Home blog in 2008.   It chronicles her family’s efforts over the years to reduce their waste stream so that today, it’s a mere trickle.   Johnson estimates she reduced her household costs by 40% by embracing a zero-waste lifestyle.   Before she captured the collective imagination of millions, only geeky policy wonks inside the government were using the term “zero waste.”   But thanks to her efforts over the years, everyone now knows what it means.   She went on to pen a best-selling book on the subject and is an in-demand speaker who’s inspired millions to take the plunge to zero-waste living.   But she can’t take all the credit for people around the globe rising up against the constant tide of waste that threatens to engulf us all.   Cataclysmic events like the 2008 financial crisis helped people to see that corporate greed is a rapacious evil that pushes people into lives of out-of-control consumption.   And, natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy have caused people to realize that we’re doomed if we don’t start taking drastic action to combat climate change.  

The Five “Rs”

  To become a devotee of the zero-waste philosophy, engrave its five simple commandments on every neuron in your brain: REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, and ROT.  

1. Refuse

  Refuse anything you’re offered that you don’t really need.   This way, you won’t contribute to the growing mountain of waste we humans are generating at a prodigious rate.   This includes things like refusing free pens at a bank, plastic straws at a takeout joint, or a bobblehead given out at a minor league park.   It might be incredibly difficult to pass up the seductive allure of all that free stuff, but in the end, you’ll pay for it.   That’s because free isn’t really free.   That shoddily made key chain a bank gave you to tempt you to open up an account with them was manufactured in a pollution-spewing factory.   Plus, the cost of promotional materials is passed along to all their customers.   That includes YOU if you fall for their gimmick and become one of their customers.   By refusing to accept these doodads, you’re striking a subversive blow for frugal warriors everywhere who also happen to deeply care about our planet.   With this one action, you’re telling companies you won’t sell your soul for a bunch of cheap crap.   Tell them to take the money they would have spent and donate it to environmental causes.  

2. Reduce

  There are several excellent ways to put this rule into effect.   First, reduce the number of things you buy to the bare minimum.   To help you accomplish, ruthlessly ask yourself this question every time you’re about to buy something: “DO I REALLY NEED THIS?”   You’ll be flabbergasted by the amount of money you can save if you get into this simple habit.   Second, take care of the things you already own so they last longer.   This way, you reduce the frequency with which you have to purchase replacement items.  

3. Reuse

  If you can’t refuse or reduce it, reuse it.   This is the time to summon forth insane amounts of creativity from deep within you and find ways to reuse everything.   Start out simple—like repairing a hole in your jeans.   If you don’t know how to do it, it’s easy to learn how.   Just go on YouTube and search for one of the many tutorials they have here.   This simple fix will add years to the life of your garment.   If your garment wears out to the point where it’s no longer worth fixing, cut it up into squares and use it to wipe up spills instead of using paper towels.   This one little hack will save you $182 a year and help save entire forests from the hungry blade.   That’s because half a million acres of trees are senselessly sacrificed each year to satisfy our insane desire for disposal products.   Besides, the plastic packaging the paper towels come in has to be tossed out, which is needless waste.   When the rags wear down to the point you can’t clean with them, compost them.   By doing this, they’ll be transformed into fertile soil for next year’s garden.   You can also use squares from old clothing to blow your nose instead of buying facial tissues.   The key to mastering this principle is every time you’re about to thoughtlessly toss something into the trash, come up with 101 ways to reuse it instead.  

4. Recycle

  There comes a point in the lifecycle of every object where it reaches the end of its useful life.   By this time, you won’t be able to use the previous four “Rs” to redeem it.   Because it’s time for the next stage in its cradle-to-cradle journey: the recycling bin.   If the object in question isn’t the kind that people typically recycle, check out the TerraCycle website.   Here, you’ll find a way to recycle virtually everything.   According to their website, TerraCycle “is a social enterprise on a mission to eliminate the idea of waste.”   Imagine that—a world where waste as a concept ceases to exist!   This is the kind of world I definitely want to live in.   They offer a range of national, easy-to-use platforms that makes recycling even items thought to be nonrecyclable a breeze.   They also have Loop, a sustainable shopping experience moving the world away from single-use packaging.   To locate the nearest recycling center to you, check out the Earth911 database.   And if it’s an old appliance you want to recycle, bring it to Habitat for Humanity’s Restore.  

Why Recycling Isn’t the Answer for Everything

  Some people question why recycling isn’t higher up on the “Four R” hierarchy.   After all, recycling is supposed to be a good thing.   Just make sure the right recyclable goes into the right bin, and we can make sure old waste gets turned into new products, right?   Unfortunately, it’s not that easy because almost 25% of the items a person puts out to be recycled still find their way into landfills.   Consumers often aren’t clear what can be recycled and what cannot.   They frequently throw things into a bin believing it should be repurposed, without really knowing whether it can be.   This is known as aspirational recycling, and it’s a HUGE problem.   Many items can contaminate an entire batch of recyclables, causing the whole load to be disposed of.   One way to contaminate a load is by throwing food receptacles into a bin without washing them out first.   Filthy food containers cannot be recycled, so they’ll either contaminate the entire load, or they’ll be snatched out of the waste stream.   Then, they’ll end up in a landfill, sad and forlorn that they couldn’t reach the end of their recycling journey.   Another reason recycling isn’t a cure-all for our trash woes is we used to send our trash to China.   However, in January 2018, China banned the import of many types of plastic and paper.   So, recyclers and waste management companies ended up with tons of recyclable material on their hands with no place to send it.   With China no longer in the picture, it’s often more cost-effective to send this trash to a landfill than to recycle it.  

5. Rot

  To put the fifth commandment into action, you’ll have to learn how to become a master at composting.   Composting is when you put dead plant material into a pile.   And then, through the fantastic aerobic action of fungi, bacteria, and other cool organisms, the material is magically transformed into fertile loam.   Composting creates high-quality dirt that’s way better than anything you can buy at a garden supply store.   Composting plays an integral part in the zero-waste picture because things don’t really decompose in landfills.   This is because they have nonporous linings that prevent material from leaching into the groundwater.   This keeps everything far from soil and air, which can’t team up with microorganisms to carry out the natural alchemy of transforming disgusting waste into fertile soil.   If you want to recycle your food scraps, try kitchen vermicomposting.   Or, find a local nursery that’ll accept your food scraps.   You could also offer them to a community garden.  

Follow the Order

  These commandments must be applied in a linear order.   First, adamantly REFUSE to buy something, no matter how other people might tempt you to do so.   If this is an abject impossibility, then REDUCE what you’re about to purchase.   If there’s no way for you to buy less of something, make sure you REUSE it when you’re done using it.   If you’ve racked your brain and can’t figure out how to reuse it, then RECYCLE it.   If there’s no way to do that, let it ROT.   See how that works?  

What Products to Buy

  One of the very best ways to live a zero-waste lifestyle is to buy in bulk.   Bring your own cotton drawstring bags, so you don’t have to use theirs.   You save money, and you only buy what you need.   Oils, vinegar, and pet food are just a few of the products that can be bought in bulk.   And when you’re buying items you can’t buy in bulk, look for options that have as little packaging as possible.   With less packaging, you’re bound to save money, because packaging typically cost between one and 10 percent of the total product cost.   For example, if you’re buying soap, buy locally made products with compostable labels or no packaging at all.  

Buy Local Produce

  Big-box grocery stores ship in their veggies from all over the world, resulting in a HUGE carbon footprint.   Lots of produce you buy at chain grocery stores travel 1500 or more miles to get to your plate.   But when you buy locally, your food doesn’t have to travel that far, and you drastically reduce your food miles.   This is the distance your food travels from where it’s grown to where it’s ultimately purchased.   Buy locally, and your food doesn’t have to take a circuitous trip over the ocean or mountains just to get to your plate.   This reduces the carbon footprint of what you eat, and therefore, its negative environmental impact because it cuts down on fuel consumption and with it, air pollution.   Another reason to buy locally is that large retailers have a significant waste problem that farm-to-table producers don’t have.   When you buy from chain supermarkets, you end up paying for all this waste in higher food prices.   Many local producers pride themselves on having produce that is pesticide and hormone-free as well as organic.   So, not only will it be infinitely more delicious than what you can find at big retailers, it’ll be healthier for you as well.   The benefits don’t stop there, because not using pesticides improves air quality and crop quality.   And by supporting local farmers, you help keep them in business.   Plus, big developers won’t get their grubby hands on the land, turning it into condos and such.

Once Upon a Farm Packaging Nationally Recyclable Through TerraCycle^®   TRENTON, N.J., October 22, 2019 – Once Upon a Farm, the beloved kid nutrition brand that makes organic, cold-pressed baby food, smoothies and applesauce, has expanded their partnership with international recycling company TerraCycle® to offer consumers a free, easy way to recycle packaging from their entire product line.   “Sustainability is an ongoing journey for Once Upon a Farm and we are always striving to do better and leave a better planet for the next generation,” said Ari Raz, President and Co-Founder of Once Upon a Farm. “While our ultimate goal is a recyclable pouch, our partnership with TerraCycle gives consumers an easy, free option to recycle our packaging.”   Participation in the Once Upon a Farm Recycling Program is easy. Simply sign up on the TerraCycle program page https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/onceuponafarm and mail in the packaging using a prepaid shipping label. Once collected, the packaging is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products. Additionally, for every pound of waste shipped to TerraCycle, collectors can earn $1 to donate to a non-profit, school or charitable organization of their choice.   “Thanks to companies like Once Upon a Farm, families can offer their children the high-quality, real food nutrition they need, while being rewarded for doing the right thing,” said TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky. “Through the expansion of their recycling program, consumers have an opportunity to divert even more packaging from landfills and while making a positive impact on the environment for future generations.”   The Once Upon a Farm Recycling Program is open to any interested individual, school, office, or community organization. For more information on TerraCycle’s recycling program, visit www.terracycle.com.   ABOUT ONCE UPON A FARM   Headquartered in Berkeley, California, Once Upon a Farm was founded with the dream of providing yummy and nutritious “farm-to-family” food to children of all ages. The company currently offers lines of baby food, applesauce and smoothies that are cold-pressed (HPP) to better lock in nutrients, taste and color compared to shelf-stable alternatives. Once Upon a Farm is B-Corp certified and committed to nurturing our children, each other, and the earth in order to pass on a healthier and happier world to the next generation. For more information, please visit www.onceuponafarmorganics.com.   ABOUT TERRACYCLE` TerraCycle is an innovative waste management company with a mission to eliminate the idea of waste®.   Operating nationally across 21 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers, cities, and facilities to recycle products and packages, from dirty diapers to cigarette butts, that would otherwise end up being landfilled or incinerated. In addition, TerraCycle works with leading consumer product companies to integrate hard to recycle waste streams, such as ocean plastic, into their products and packaging. TerraCycle has won over 200 awards for sustainability and has donated over $44 million to schools and charities since its founding 15 years ago. To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in its recycling programs, please visit www.terracycle.com.

We take environmental initiatives seriously and we know that many of you do too, so we’ve rounded up all sustainable brands and green initiatives that are available here at Yorkdale below – take a look!   Reformation Uses eco-friendly materials and reuses offcuts created during the manufacturing process. They also provide a RefScale for each of their garments –  breaking down the item’s impact on the environment for you. They use recycled paper hangers and minimise the use of packaging with 100% consumer waste materials.   Apple Trade in your eligible device for an Apple Store Gift Card. If it’s not eligible for credit, they’ll recycle it for free. No matter the model or condition, they can turn it into something good for you and good for the planet.   EB Games Pick up a recycled game or trade in your used games, accessories, and consoles for an in-store credit or prepaid Visa or Mastercard.   H&M When you drop off your unwanted textiles (clothing, linens, towels, etc) in a H&M store, you’ll get rewarded with a voucher for your next purchase. Just ask for the garment collecting box, usually located by the cash.   The Levi’s Store Bring in your old denim and receive a 20% coupon towards one item that same day.   Starbucks Help Starbucks reduce the number of cups by bringing in your own tumbler and receive 10 cents off.   Tim Hortons Get a 10 cent discount when you bring in a TimMug or any travel mug.   Nespresso Nespresso capsules are made of aluminum, an infinitely recyclable material. Collect your capsules in their reusable bag, seal it and drop it off in store.   Lush Bring back 5 empty, clean black LUSH pots to the store for recycling and receive a Fresh Face Mask, free!   Kiehls Recycle and be Rewarded Program. Bring back 5 of  your empty bottles and get $16 off your next purchase.   Aveda 100% recycled packaging on all of their products.   L’Occitane L’Occitane has partnered with TerraCycle to make it easy for you to recycle your used beauty and skin care packaging. Bring back your empty products for 10% off your same-day purchase.   LEGO The Sustainable Lego blocks is a collection of botanical elements such as trees, leaves, and bushes made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane. By 2030, Lego intends to manufacture most of its products and packaging using environmentally friendly materials or recycled sources.   Bose Will mail any old Bose products to their head office for disposal.   David’s Tea Bring your own mug and get 10% off your drink, 50 cents if you bring your own tin.   Innisfree The brand has initiated a number of campaigns like the Play Green Campaign, Recycling Used Bottles Campaign, and Eco Handkerchief Campaign.   Dynamite For every shopping bag sold, a donation will be made towards One Tree Planted.

A spooky Halloween doesn’t have to be a horror show for the planet. Join the Earth911 team as we talk through how to reduce the waste and garbage produced by the scariest holiday of the year.   First off, a green Halloween can be a budget Halloween with these ideas about making, renting, and recycling costumes for kids and adults. You cosplay enthusiasts out there can bring the environmental ideal to your fun, too. Making your own Halloween decorations is another way to take the old and make it new this year. We share ideas about how to reuse household items as All Hallow’s Eve decorations.   Torn over the prospect of handing out processed sugar packaged in single-use bags and boxes? We have some suggestions for greener alternatives to candy and their wrappers.   We also answer your Earthling Questions. This week, we address how to recycle the #7 plastic bags for bird seed, the best way to replace a private-labeled battery — many companies, such as ADT, provide their own batteries with their products — and the challenge of recycling pens and markers. TerraCycle has a convenient, but somewhat expensive, office zero waste box that can help with marker and pen recycling.

We all recognise how important it is to take care of our Skin but very few of us actually remember than lips have skin too. Our lip skin endures so much throughout the day and yet we rarely take care of it further than the daily lipstick application, most of us even forget that it needs SPF protection too.   I have been on the lookout for good lip balms that don’t just give you a few seconds of perceived moisturisation but actually nourish and moisturise the lip skin. In this post we will be looking at the eos shimmer Lip Balm and figuring out whether it’s worth your time and cash.   If you missed previous posts check out:   Cheaper and Better Than Your Lip Balm? Check out the Oryza Dewy Glow Skin Beauty Balm In-Depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   INCredible Jelly Shot Lip Quencher – In-depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   Estée Lauder Lip Conditioner – In Depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   SPF Protection for Lips – Mega Battle: Carmex VS Maybelline VS Nivea VS Blistex – In depth Reviews and Ingredient Analyses   We all recognise how important it is to take care of our Skin but very few of us actually remember than lips have skin too. Our lip skin endures so much throughout the day and yet we rarely take care of it further than the daily lipstick application, most of us even forget that it needs SPF protection too.   I have been on the lookout for good lip balms that don’t just give you a few seconds of perceived moisturisation but actually nourish and moisturise the lip skin. In this post we will be looking at the eos shimmer Lip Balm and figuring out whether it’s worth your time and cash.   If you missed previous posts check out:   Cheaper and Better Than Your Lip Balm? Check out the Oryza Dewy Glow Skin Beauty Balm In-Depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   INCredible Jelly Shot Lip Quencher – In-depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   Estée Lauder Lip Conditioner – In Depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   SPF Protection for Lips – Mega Battle: Carmex VS Maybelline VS Nivea VS Blistex – In depth Reviews and Ingredient Analyses       Packaging   The eos lip balm comes in black outer packaging which looks simple but yet stands out. The lip balm itself comes in a matte black plastic ball with a pink-orange design.   Colour   The eos lip balms come in many different types and colours. It was hard to figure out how many of these exist as not all of them appeared on the eos website. Nevertheless, the one shown in the picture and tested in this post is the eos Shimmer lip balm in Coral.   It has a shimmery orange shade but the colour is very transparent and doesn’t make the lips orange at all (this might depend on the natural shade of your lips). The shimmery part though is very beautiful, it gives the lips a nice glow that doesn’t look or feel heavy or sticky.   Texture and Finish   The balm has a gel-oil type of texture when it’s on the lips. It’s neither oily or sticky but neither thick and it spreads easily and evenly like a gel.   The finish is gorgeous, the shimmery aspect is very beautiful and the lips don’t feel heavy or sticky.   Smell and Taste?   This balm has a very faint scent that is hard to define. The closest I can describe it is something between vanilla and a crayon.   I’ve added a taste category here too, but please don’t eat this. The category is here simply because practically whether you want to or not, it’s not uncommon to lick your lips or somehow taste the balm off your lips while you eat or drink something.   This balm doesn’t taste of anything.   Longevity   This is a very important category for lip balms because many of them feel nice the first couple of minutes but most of them disappear quickly and without offering the skin lasting results.   This balm lasts longer than many others out there (this depends heavily on how you eat, drink and speak though) and it leaves the skin soft and smooth. It might not give you a skincare overhaul but it’s a nice quick fix solution for dry lips.         Price   A full size, 7g sphere retails for £6.50. Not the cheapest lip balm but it looks great and the ingredients are not bad either.   Practicality of use – user experience   This lip balm is very easy to use even if you are not a fan of sphere balms. It’s also very practical and easy to just throw in a handbag without having to worry that it will get damaged.   Skin compatibility   Lip skin compatibility is not as detailed or researched as much as our face skin, so one can only assume that this lip balm is suitable for all. Avoid using any cosmetics if your skin is broken or has open wounds.   Additionally, this product does not contain any skin type specific products.  

Other

  This balm lasts for 12M. This product is dermatologically tested and gluten free but not vegan (contains beeswax).   I couldn’t find this lip balm on the eos website but here’s what the brand states on the packaging:   “Light shimmery soft lips Eos Shimmer, enriched with hydrating jojoba oil, shea butter, and anti-oxidant vitamin E, enhances your lips with a touch of colour and shine.”   Ethics   It wouldn’t be ethical if we didn’t talk about the credibility of this section. It is very hard to impossible most of the time to verify the information or credibility of the sources, so please take this section with a pinch of salt unless stated otherwise. This section is not meant to be definitive and is most likely more about reputation around those subjects than credible information. If you have additional or more correct information please email: bondsofbeautymail@gmail.com   Eos supports sustainable sourcing and they are an active member of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), a non-profit industry association. They also support I Am That Girl, a non-profit organization helping girls to transform self-doubt into self-love.   They partnered with TerraCycle to make their sphere balms out of recyclable packaging. You can participate in the eos recycling program for free. To learn more click here: eos & TerraCyle   They state that they do not test on animals but some of their products are sold in China were animal testing is required.   Results   I have very dry lips all year round that peel multiple times on a daily basis and I thought that this lip balm was cute enough to want to use constantly but also kept my lips soft and moisturised. It stays on the lips for a while but of course the exact time depends on whether you are eating, drinking or talking in the meantime.       Ingredients   This lip balm is not exactly skincare but it does contain some ingredient goodies that will help moisturise your skin.   To keep this article short, I am only listing the skin nourishing or skin positive/negative ingredients and ignoring the ones that only play formulation or pigmentation purposes. For the full list of this product’s ingredients scroll down to the “full list of ingredients” section.     Ingredient positives:  

1. Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil –A skin replenishing, emollient and anti-oxidant.
2. Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille) – A skin conditioner and fragrance. It is said to help heal inflammation, bruises and burns and can also help temporarily with itching. It is particularly beneficial for dry skin as it can help moisturise and create a waterproof barrier on the skin. It can also be a source of Vitamin A.
3. Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil – A skin conditioner that is high in anti-oxidants and anti-bacterial fatty acids. Provides deep hydration and conditioning to skin. Some research shows that it can improve skin’s elasticity and by extent perhaps slowing down wrinkle formation.
4. Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil– Also known as Jojoba oil, a skin conditioner that can enhance the skin’s restorative properties.
5. Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter Extract – A good skin conditioner. Helps retain moisture by forming a barrier and reduces the appearance of rough patches and dry flakes. Anti-flammatory, soothes itchy, irritated or sunburnt skin. Absorbs UVB, anti-oxidant, emollient, skin replenishing.
6. Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil – Moisturiser and skin conditioner.
7. Tocopherol – Refers to a class of compounds with similar activities to vitamin E. A skin conditioner, anti-oxidant and fragrance agent. Check out: Vitamins C & E – Do they work in skin care?
8. Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil– Anti-oxidant, skin conditioner and fragrance.

  Ingredient negatives:    N/A   Ingredients that can cause irritation to some:   This is actually really case specific, as different people have different sensitivities and allergies. Just because a compound has been reported by some to cause sensitivity, it doesn’t mean you will have an issue. “Sensitizer” compounds being present is not a negative in my opinion, as this is the case with pretty much everything out there and funnily enough I’ve seen products that are targeted specifically for sensitive skin, containing some compounds that have been reported by some, or are known to be, sensitizers.   If you have sensitive skin or you are prone to skin sensitisation and unwanted reactions, try a little bit of this at the back of your hand first and consult a medical doctor if you are concerned.   Check out: What is sensitive skin? What are the causes and what can we do?   The following compounds present in this spray have been either proven or claimed by some to be sensitizers, irritants, allergens etc: Natural Flavor (Aroma), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil.   Full list of ingredients:   Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Natural Flavor (Aroma), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Mica, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Yellow 6 (CI 15985), Red 6(CI 15850).      

Verdict

  This lip balm is not the best skincare product you could use on your lips but it is a very good lip balm for when you are on the go. It looks great and it doesn’t feel sticky or heavy. Plus it moisturisers the lips and keeps them soft.   I am not affiliated with any company or brand. These are my views and experiences.   Beauty is a very personal thing, we all have different skin, requirements and biological build which can influence things. What worked for me might not work for you and vice versa. Have you ever tried these products? Did they work for you? Let me know your experiences below!     Packaging   The eos lip balm comes in black outer packaging which looks simple but yet stands out. The lip balm itself comes in a matte black plastic ball with a pink-orange design.   Colour   The eos lip balms come in many different types and colours. It was hard to figure out how many of these exist as not all of them appeared on the eos website. Nevertheless, the one shown in the picture and tested in this post is the eos Shimmer lip balm in Coral.   It has a shimmery orange shade but the colour is very transparent and doesn’t make the lips orange at all (this might depend on the natural shade of your lips). The shimmery part though is very beautiful, it gives the lips a nice glow that doesn’t look or feel heavy or sticky.   Texture and Finish   The balm has a gel-oil type of texture when it’s on the lips. It’s neither oily or sticky but neither thick and it spreads easily and evenly like a gel.   The finish is gorgeous, the shimmery aspect is very beautiful and the lips don’t feel heavy or sticky.   Smell and Taste?   This balm has a very faint scent that is hard to define. The closest I can describe it is something between vanilla and a crayon.   I’ve added a taste category here too, but please don’t eat this. The category is here simply because practically whether you want to or not, it’s not uncommon to lick your lips or somehow taste the balm off your lips while you eat or drink something.   This balm doesn’t taste of anything.   Longevity   This is a very important category for lip balms because many of them feel nice the first couple of minutes but most of them disappear quickly and without offering the skin lasting results.   This balm lasts longer than many others out there (this depends heavily on how you eat, drink and speak though) and it leaves the skin soft and smooth. It might not give you a skincare overhaul but it’s a nice quick fix solution for dry lips.       Price   A full size, 7g sphere retails for £6.50. Not the cheapest lip balm but it looks great and the ingredients are not bad either.   Practicality of use – user experience   This lip balm is very easy to use even if you are not a fan of sphere balms. It’s also very practical and easy to just throw in a handbag without having to worry that it will get damaged.   Skin compatibility   Lip skin compatibility is not as detailed or researched as much as our face skin, so one can only assume that this lip balm is suitable for all. Avoid using any cosmetics if your skin is broken or has open wounds.   Additionally, this product does not contain any skin type specific products.  

Other

  This balm lasts for 12M. This product is dermatologically tested and gluten free but not vegan (contains beeswax).   I couldn’t find this lip balm on the eos website but here’s what the brand states on the packaging:   “Light shimmery soft lips Eos Shimmer, enriched with hydrating jojoba oil, shea butter, and anti-oxidant vitamin E, enhances your lips with a touch of colour and shine.”   Ethics   It wouldn’t be ethical if we didn’t talk about the credibility of this section. It is very hard to impossible most of the time to verify the information or credibility of the sources, so please take this section with a pinch of salt unless stated otherwise. This section is not meant to be definitive and is most likely more about reputation around those subjects than credible information. If you have additional or more correct information please email: bondsofbeautymail@gmail.com   Eos supports sustainable sourcing and they are an active member of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), a non-profit industry association. They also support I Am That Girl, a non-profit organization helping girls to transform self-doubt into self-love.   They partnered with TerraCycle to make their sphere balms out of recyclable packaging. You can participate in the eos recycling program for free. To learn more click here: eos & TerraCyle   They state that they do not test on animals but some of their products are sold in China were animal testing is required.   Results   I have very dry lips all year round that peel multiple times on a daily basis and I thought that this lip balm was cute enough to want to use constantly but also kept my lips soft and moisturised. It stays on the lips for a while but of course the exact time depends on whether you are eating, drinking or talking in the meantime.     Ingredients   This lip balm is not exactly skincare but it does contain some ingredient goodies that will help moisturise your skin.   To keep this article short, I am only listing the skin nourishing or skin positive/negative ingredients and ignoring the ones that only play formulation or pigmentation purposes. For the full list of this product’s ingredients scroll down to the “full list of ingredients” section.     Ingredient positives:  

1. Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil –A skin replenishing, emollient and anti-oxidant.
2. Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille) – A skin conditioner and fragrance. It is said to help heal inflammation, bruises and burns and can also help temporarily with itching. It is particularly beneficial for dry skin as it can help moisturise and create a waterproof barrier on the skin. It can also be a source of Vitamin A.
3. Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil – A skin conditioner that is high in anti-oxidants and anti-bacterial fatty acids. Provides deep hydration and conditioning to skin. Some research shows that it can improve skin’s elasticity and by extent perhaps slowing down wrinkle formation.
4. Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil– Also known as Jojoba oil, a skin conditioner that can enhance the skin’s restorative properties.
5. Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter Extract – A good skin conditioner. Helps retain moisture by forming a barrier and reduces the appearance of rough patches and dry flakes. Anti-flammatory, soothes itchy, irritated or sunburnt skin. Absorbs UVB, anti-oxidant, emollient, skin replenishing.
6. Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil – Moisturiser and skin conditioner.
7. Tocopherol – Refers to a class of compounds with similar activities to vitamin E. A skin conditioner, anti-oxidant and fragrance agent. Check out: Vitamins C & E – Do they work in skin care?
8. Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil– Anti-oxidant, skin conditioner and fragrance.

  Ingredient negatives:    N/A   Ingredients that can cause irritation to some:   This is actually really case specific, as different people have different sensitivities and allergies. Just because a compound has been reported by some to cause sensitivity, it doesn’t mean you will have an issue. “Sensitizer” compounds being present is not a negative in my opinion, as this is the case with pretty much everything out there and funnily enough I’ve seen products that are targeted specifically for sensitive skin, containing some compounds that have been reported by some, or are known to be, sensitizers.   If you have sensitive skin or you are prone to skin sensitisation and unwanted reactions, try a little bit of this at the back of your hand first and consult a medical doctor if you are concerned.   Check out: What is sensitive skin? What are the causes and what can we do?   The following compounds present in this spray have been either proven or claimed by some to be sensitizers, irritants, allergens etc: Natural Flavor (Aroma), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil.   Full list of ingredients:   Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Natural Flavor (Aroma), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Mica, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Yellow 6 (CI 15985), Red 6(CI 15850).    

Verdict

  This lip balm is not the best skincare product you could use on your lips but it is a very good lip balm for when you are on the go. It looks great and it doesn’t feel sticky or heavy. Plus it moisturisers the lips and keeps them soft.   I am not affiliated with any company or brand. These are my views and experiences.   Beauty is a very personal thing, we all have different skin, requirements and biological build which can influence things. What worked for me might not work for you and vice versa. Have you ever tried these products? Did they work for you? Let me know your experiences below!

The scale of Halloween in America is staggering.   According to an article in Redbook written by Kelly Marages and distributed through MSN, Americans spend about $3.8 billion on Halloween candy every year. Annual candy purchases include 35 million pounds, or about 9 billion pieces, of the candy type most associated with the holiday, candy corn, which Marages writes was invented in 1898.   A few differences between this year and 1898 help explain the incredible volume of candy distributed on Halloween.   Daylight saving time and street lighting give treat-or-treaters more hours to collect candy, and urbanization and infill development enable most kids to visit many more houses per hour.   Perhaps the biggest change boosting the velocity of candy distribution is an end to an old tradition; kids in the past had to entertain homeowners with a song, dance, joke, or poem in exchange for treats. Now, the only qualifications for receiving candy before running to the next house are the ability to knock on a door, hold a bag, say “trick or treat,” and perhaps show at least the hint of a costume.   Costumes are another feature of Halloween leading to mass consumption. According to Marages, Americans spend about $3.4 billion a year on Halloween costumes for themselves and $370 million dressing up their pets.   In addition to candy and costumes, Halloween is the impetus for massive production of ornamental pumpkins. In fact, according to Marages, 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced on more than 90,000 acres in the U.S. each year.  

What are the solutions?

  Of the waste resulting from these activities, candy wrappers are the least amenable to a solution. Etsy projects cleverly upcycle or reuse folded wrappers in items such as bracelets, and recycling can be accomplished through TerraCycle, but these are not viable options for many people.   Reuse projects for candy wrappers generally require painstaking folding work, and recycling through TerraCycle requires mail-in and payment of a $43 fee for the smallest mailer pouch.   If you distribute something other than candy for Halloween, you risk disappointing trick-or-treaters, but you can avoid buying a product packaged in non-recyclable wrapping and possibly transported thousands of miles to serve no nutritional purpose.   I found I can satisfy trick-or-treaters by giving out handfuls of nickels instead of candy, probably because, in the dark, kids cannot be sure if they got any quarters. In previous years, when I cared less about neighbors’ opinions, I gave out pencils and small toys from thrift stores.   Halloween waste from costumes can also be reduced. Cheap, plastic, disposable costumes will quickly become waste, but durable, reusable costumes look better and last longer. Shop at thrift stores for high-quality, low-cost costumes, and donate your used costume to a thrift store when you are done with it.  

YMCA costume exchange 

  The Camarillo Family YMCA, at 3111 Village at the Park Drive, will host a costume exchange program from Oct. 22-31, and it is open to nonmembers. In the lobby, the YMCA charges just $10 per costume and $1 for accessories such as masks, hats and magic wands. If you drop-off a costume, you get a $10 voucher for a new costume. According to Paige Harris, youth programs department head, the YMCA will have costumes available, left over from last year, even on the first day of the program.   The exchange will relocate to the Halloween at the Y event on Oct. 26 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. This free community event, also open to nonmembers, will feature an outdoor movie, “Hotel Transylvania,” on the lawn field starting around 6:30 p.m., so bring a lawn chair. The event will also feature a costume contest and food trucks.  

Pumpkin planning

  Pumpkins, the last of the three main Halloween wastes, can be easily managed. Pumpkins, including seeds, may be recycled in your curbside yard waste cart. Compost site operators bring the temperature of compost piles up over 130 degrees for several days, preventing seeds from sprouting in finished compost. Composters do this regularly anyway to kill seeds that cause weeds. Pumpkins, like fruit from landscape trees, are an exception to the general rule against food in yard waste carts in Ventura County.   Even better than putting your pumpkin in your yard waste cart is to compost it yourself in your own compost pile or worm box, saving the seeds for replanting next year. However, put pumpkins in your garbage cart if you have attached self-adhesive plastic rhinestones, glue-gunned beads, studs, rivets or other unnatural decorations. No one wants Halloween pumpkin bling contaminating the compost of their spring flower beds.  

Here’s a consolation

  Fortunately for the cause of local waste reduction, one Halloween tradition is limited to other parts of the country. In New England, the night before Halloween is known as Mischief Night; kids “T.P.” houses, throwing streamers of toilet paper over tree branches and landscaping. Even this waste and annoyance is tame compared to an older tradition. According to Marages, teens used to “throw stinky cabbages at their neighbors' houses or leave other rotting produce on their doorsteps.”   Eco-Tip is written by David Goldstein, an environmental resource analyst for the Ventura County Public Works Agency. He can be reached at 658-4312 or david.goldstein@ventura.org.

The Body SHop has spent two years building a solid supply chainwith Plastics for Change in India to source Fair Trade recycled plastic and plans to integrate these materials across its global recycled plastics portfoolio within three years.

Consumers are choosing brands they think are better for the planet, so it’s important they know what they’re getting. How often are you overwhelmed or confused by labels at the store? Organic, non-GMO, fair trade, cruelty-free ... the list goes on. With mounting concerns about what’s in our products, where they come from, and how they are made, more and more people are craving transparency and sustainability with the things they buy. And it doesn’t stop at the products inside. In a world dialed into the impacts of single-use packaging and disposability on the environment, what’s on the outside counts as well. Brands and manufacturers know if they don’t stop producing widely non-recyclable items, they will be left in the dust. It’s important that packaging labels inform and educate so the public can choose more sustainable brands. However, lack of clear definitions can make it difficult to know what exactly these labels mean, confusing the buyer and opening things up for greenwashing.   Let’s take a closer look:  

Bioplastic

Often represented on packages (as well as other commonly disposable items, such as beverage cups and eating utensils) by leaf symbols and riffs on the recycling Mobius strip, bioplastics are simply defined as plastics derived from natural, renewable feedstocks, unlike those derived from fossil fuels like many of the plastics consumers enjoy today.   Corn, potatoes, rice, tapioca, wheat fiber, and sugar are among these, as are shrimp shells, seaweed, and algae. While the capacity of agricultural land to sustain a robust age for bioplastics is questionable, the sustainable “edge” is that they offset dependence on finite oil reserves. To be called a “bioplastic” in the United States, a material need only be composed of a percentage of renewable material. Defined on a product-by-product basis, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) BioPreferred seal only requires product packaging to contain a minimum of 25 percent bio-based content, and the majority percentage may be fossil fuel-based plastic resins and other synthetics additives.  

Biodegradable or compostable plastic

Subsets of bioplastics are biodegradable or compostable plastics, which are often incorrectly conflated with all bioplastics. Many consumer goods companies are beginning to use "biodegradable" plastic in their packaging as a sort of silver bullet to the plastic pollution issue. The challenge, however, is that this packaging does not actually break down in the real world settings where it is likely to end up.   If a biodegradable package enters a trash bin and ends up in a landfill, it will be covered with other garbage and stripped of its access to sunlight and airflow. In the environment (i.e. roadside, forest, or even the ocean), there is plenty of evidence to suggest this material does not degrade the way it was intended to in an industrial compost facility. Compostable plastics will only break down in a compost site at a rate consistent with other known compostable materials, such as paper, food waste, and yard trimmings, in a highly controlled industrial facility with just the right temperature and microbes, not your backyard pile. There are few (but growing) numbers of composting facilities around the world and many view bioplastics as contaminants. Plus, most biodegradable bioplastics (categorized as ‘other’ plastic #7) are not municipally recyclable. The compostability of plant-based plastics is akin to the recyclability of petroleum-based plastics; they will only be processed if the solutions are accessible. So, improving their viability will require consumer support and more collaboration in the industry.  

Ocean-bound plastic

A number of consumer goods companies have been introducing products and packaging that use what is known as ocean-bound plastic. This is plastic collected within 50 kilometers of a waterway, making it a possible risk to reach the ocean, which can happen in countries with poor waste management. Often comparable to curbside-quality and plentiful to collect, ocean-bound plastic captures the value of litter that very generally might find its way into the ocean, but is not necessarily found in marine environments at all.   Slightly different is the material our beach and ocean plastic division collects directly from marine environments such as oceans, beaches, rivers, and lakes with the help of volunteer NGOs and clean-up organizations. The plastic collected is usually degraded and therefore non-recyclable municipally. Through partnerships with consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies around the world (including the first fully recyclable shampoo bottle made with beach plastic for Head & Shoulders), this, too, has been integrated into products available to consumers.  

Single-material

Most packaging today is not traditionally recyclable because of its complexity. Some flexible packages (pouches, shelf-stable cartons, and the like) are considered recyclable, but an average consumer with access to a recycling option may not be able to tell what type(s) of plastic the packaging is made from. So, packaging producers are attempting to simplify the construction of the packaging to allow for it to be accepted at grocery store drop-points.   While this development makes it much easier to recycle from a technical standpoint, practicality is questionable due to constraints around accessibility and participation. This material is not curbside recyclable and only accepted at the few drop-off points funded by law and intended to recycle plastic bags; consumers hear “recyclable” and think they can recycle at home. This causes confusion at the store and contamination in streams with already weak end-markets. +++ The world is waking up to the fact that essentially any plastic not reused or captured for recycling is at risk for joining the 10-20 million tons that pour into oceans annually. Steering more material away from filling the bellies of fish or turning into microplastics is an effort companies and consumers can get behind, so they need to be informed. We can think about it this way: the next time you go shopping, whatever you buy, two more will be created. One to replace the one you bought, and one to signify the trend. For everything you don’t buy, one less will be there because there is nothing to replace. If you choose brands doing the work to manage resources more wisely, you vote for a future with less waste.

  The Tour de Trenton returns for 2019 on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 1 p.m.   It’s not a race, but a leisurely tour of the city to celebrate all things made in Trenton past and present. Trenton Cycling Revolution has partnered with TerraCycle with support from The Trenton Council of Civic Associations for the “Made in Trenton” tour.   This is inspired by one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, the Lower Trenton Bridge, also known as the “Trenton Makes, The World Takes” bridge.   The ride will focus on the city’s past and present showcasing locations of businesses that speak to the phrase Made in Trenton. The route is 14 miles and will include a rest stop with facilities at the halfway point. A ride themed T-shirt is included with registration for the first 100 riders.   The tour is escorted by the Trenton Police Department and attracts people from neighboring communities as well as New York and Pennsylvania.   The number of volunteers and attendees continues to grow with recent rides having over 150 riders.   This year’s riders will meet in the parking lot of the William Trent House at 15 Market St., Trenton. Ride is $15 with online registration, $20 day-of. Register online at www.TrentonCycling.org   Trenton Cycling Revolution is an all-volunteer community organization, originally founded in the 1990s.   For more information, email trentoncyclingrevolution@gmail.com.