Hoje parece muito hype fazer compostagem caseira e ter canudinhos reutilizáveis. Mas gerações atrás tinham hábitos ecologicamente muito mais corretos e viáveis do que os atuais.
Tom Szaky is a leading force in the sustainability world. The founder of TerraCycle, a company that finds ways to recycle hard-to-recycle items (think everything from snack wrappers to backpacks to sponges), Szaky made headlines most recently for, Loop, his new initiative that gives companies the option to sell their products in reusable packaging that can be collected, cleaned, and reused multiple times. So far, Unilever, Procter & Gamble Company, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo, among others, have signed onto it. The combined reach of these corporations is obviously huge, so this innovation could prove game-changing when it pilots this spring.
If Szaky has anything to do with it, the end of single-use plastic packaging is near. Here, he busts some of the top myths standing in the way of the reusable economy he's helping to build:
Myth Busting #1: Single-use plastic packaging is usually the most convenient.
We've become so accustomed to the convenience of single-use plastics that sometimes it's hard to see how they're actually making our lives harder in some ways. For example, snacks wrapped in plastic are easy to eat on-the-go—but they also make us less likely to cook for ourselves, which is often the healthier choice.
Since our lives show no sign of slowing down, toting an insulated hot/cold beverage container to fill with water or your preferred hot beverage and keeping a zero-waste kit with eating utensils and durable straw will replace many pieces of single-use plastic when you are out and about. Set a reminder, or keep these items in your car or bag to ensure they are easily accessible and convenient to use.
Myth Busting #2: Single-use plastics are more hygienic than reusable packaging.
Time for a little history lesson: Post-WWII, companies started to run with ways they could replace durable items with things that consumers could buy again and again. One way they sold this new culture of consumerism was by saying the ability to dispose of a product after one use was not only more convenient but also more sanitary. This had huge implications for food, personal care, and beauty industries.
Hearkening back to the old days when we cleaned, stored, and otherwise cared for our products can help you become a more conscious consumer and save money in the process. Durable razors, washable cleaning cloths, and reusable cotton swabs and hygiene products can still easily fit into modern life.
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Myth Busting #3: There's no comparable alternative to plastic in some cases.
Again, it's all about perspective. There are often viable alternatives that provide the same functions as single-use plastic with way less waste. Take your reusable water bottle: It replaces the need for bottled water, as all you really want is portable water. Why can't this be true of your soda, beer, or kombucha? Bottle returns are still alive and well in some states, and many premium health retailers like Whole Foods Market and Mom's Organic Market are bringing them back.
Even something as specific as cling wrap, the stuff used to wrap food and seal the tops of containers to prevent food waste, can be replaced by durable alternatives like beeswax wrap or durable silicone, which perform just as well, if not better, than their single-use counterparts.
Myth Busting #4: For differently abled people, single-use plastics are often essential.
Establishments, such as restaurants, can offer authentic hospitality while taking responsibility for the disposal of single-use plastics with recycling solutions.
As Alice Wong, a disability rights activist, aptly says about how the plastic straw ban disproportionately affects people with disabilities, "Everyone consumes goods and creates waste… We should recognize that different needs require different solutions." This is a complex issue, but things as simple as finding other ways to solve for plastic waste, such as doing away with plastic wrap, creating a robust internal recycling program, or offering both plastic and compostable straws, are ways to get everyone on an equal playing field and make sustainability accessible for everyone.
niciativa reforça estratégia global da companhia de tornar todas as suas embalagens recicláveis até 2025
A Mondelēz International aderiu à plataforma de economia circular Loop – iniciativa da TerraCycle, líder global em soluções para reciclabilidade – cujo objetivo é reduzir a emissão de resíduos de embalagens por meio de um modelo de assinatura em que bens de consumo cheguem às residências dos consumidores em contêineres reutilizáveis. A medida visa a reduzir a dependência de embalagens e fornecer uma solução conveniente e durável.
Did you get the memo? The milkman is back in style! Loop, a zero-waste, circular shopping platform that harkens back to the milkman model of delivered reusables, is set to launch this spring. Big brands such as Tide, Coca-Cola, Pampers, and Häagen-Dazs, among others, have joined the project and will offer their items on the platform.
With more than 300 items available for purchase on the site, Loop will deliver your selected items packaged in refillable and reusable containers, made out of durable materials such as stainless steel or glass, and brought to your doorstep by UPS. The way it works is very similar to your average online shopping experience: create an account, add things to your basket, and purchase at checkout. There are no membership or subscription fees — the main difference from standard online shopping is that with Loop you are asked to pay a deposit. The deposit is fully refundable, and could be anywhere from $47 for a Pampers diaper bin or 25 cents for a Coca-Cola bottle.
“The cost will vary per consumer based on what product they order, the deposit for the packaging and if they reach free shipping,” Loop told CleanTechnica. “We’ve had just shy of 50,000 people sign up to be notified when Loop launches so they can apply.” The company plans to launch in New York and Paris this May, with further plans to expand to London, Toronto, Tokyo and San Francisco within the next year.
So now maybe you’ve thought about it a bit, heard the word ‘diapers’, and now you’re wondering about the practicality of handling hygiene items? They’ve thought of that. Engadgetreports that Procter & Gamble, which has a 2% stake in Loop, has plans to use a durable bin for products such as diapers and menstrual pads, fitted with a carbon filter that will block odors until the bin is picked up for recycling and sanitized for reuse.
The platform is run by the waste management company TerraCycle, and is making an effort to make recycling convenient and affordable. Because isn’t that really what’s holding the mainstream consumer back from recycling and reusing — convenience? Loop’s system makes it easy to be zero-waste, and for the small price of a refundable deposit fee.
This concept isn’t entirely new, and many countries globally have some form of a deposit-refund system in place. This incentivizes and rewards recycling and deters people from throwing away or damaging the containers. However, Loop’s platform is exciting in that it is bringing together major brands and companies to take recycling to the people. We can’t wait to see Loop in action!
Vinte e cinco empresas, incluindo a Unilever e a The BodyShop, se uniram para criar o Loop, uma plataforma para ajudar a reduzir a produção e quantidade de lixo plástico.
If you’ve ever heard your older family members reminisce about days of old when milkmen used to deliver milk in reusable glass bottles every morning, imagining such a thing might seem kind of quaint and old timey. But those old-school milk deliveries were onto something when it comes to minimizing waste. In an effort to revive and update the grocery home delivery model, Loop, a new zero-waste consumer goods delivery platform, is launching this spring in the United States and France. This basically means that, come spring, you can get your groceries delivered in reusable packaging, and nothing gets thrown out. According to Adele Peters writing for Fast Company, once you’ve cleared out all your (super cute) stainless steel containers, you send them back to Loop, where they get cleaned, sterilized, and reused for other customers.
According to the brand’s official website, Loop is partnering with a slew of top brands to make “your everyday essentials … available in durable, functional packaging that’s beautiful enough to display.” Instead of getting one box delivered every month, as is typical with delivery subscriptions, Loop will automatically resend items as you return your containers, so your supplies get replenished as you need them. It was not immediately apparent how the prices for these products will be different than buying them conventionally.
Courtesy of Loop
Given that plastics are filling up our oceans and destroying marine life while adding to massive levels of pollution worldwide, according to Danielle Wiener-Bronner writing for CNN, zero-waste consumer solutions come not a moment too soon.
Tom Szaky, CEO and co-founder of Loop partner, TerraCycle, told Peters for Fast Company that “We run what is today the world’s largest supply chain on ocean plastic, collecting it and going into Unilever and Procter & Gamble products and so on. But every day, more and more gets put in the ocean, so no matter how much we clean the ocean, we’re never going to solve the problem. That’s really where Loop emerged: To us, the root cause of waste is not plastic, per se, it’s using things once, and that’s really what Loop tries to change as much as possible.”
Courtesy of LoopEach reusable Loop package is designed to last for at least 100 uses, Peters wrote, and product orders can be placed via the Loop website once the platform is launched. Your products will get delivered in a UPS-designed reusable tote, and as you use your stuff up, just toss the canisters back into the tote. You’ll then be able to either drop off your Loop bag at your nearest UPS, or schedule a pick-up from the Loop site. If you’d like to queue up to get on the waitlist for the upcoming rollout, you can sign up on the website’s home page.
About 300 products are slated for launch via the Loop platform, Wiener-Bronner wrote for CNN, including Tide brand laundry detergent, Crest oral health supplies, Häagen-Dazs ice cream, Pantene shampoo, and Nature’s Path Organic items. Peters also wrote that eight out of 10 of the major brands listed by Greenpeace as being primary contributors to the global plastics crisis are on board as part of the new platform.
Given the overwhelming scale of the global plastics crisis, eco-friendly solutions that revamp the way companies do packaging, is long overdue as a mainstream concern.
If you’ve ever heard your older family members reminisce about days of old when milkmen used to deliver milk in reusable glass bottles every morning, imagining such a thing might seem kind of quaint and old timey. But those old-school milk deliveries were onto something when it comes to minimizing waste. In an effort to revive and update the grocery home delivery model, Loop, a new zero-waste consumer goods delivery platform, is launching this spring in the United States and France. This basically means that, come spring, you can get your groceries delivered in reusable packaging, and nothing gets thrown out. According to Adele Peters writing for Fast Company, once you’ve cleared out all your (super cute) stainless steel containers, you send them back to Loop, where they get cleaned, sterilized, and reused for other customers.
According to the brand’s official website, Loop is partnering with a slew of top brands to make “your everyday essentials … available in durable, functional packaging that’s beautiful enough to display.” Instead of getting one box delivered every month, as is typical with delivery subscriptions, Loop will automatically resend items as you return your containers, so your supplies get replenished as you need them. It was not immediately apparent how the prices for these products will be different than buying them conventionally.
Courtesy of Loop
Given that plastics are filling up our oceans and destroying marine life while adding to massive levels of pollution worldwide, according to Danielle Wiener-Bronner writing for CNN, zero-waste consumer solutions come not a moment too soon.
Tom Szaky, CEO and co-founder of Loop partner, TerraCycle, told Peters for Fast Company that “We run what is today the world’s largest supply chain on ocean plastic, collecting it and going into Unilever and Procter & Gamble products and so on. But every day, more and more gets put in the ocean, so no matter how much we clean the ocean, we’re never going to solve the problem. That’s really where Loop emerged: To us, the root cause of waste is not plastic, per se, it’s using things once, and that’s really what Loop tries to change as much as possible.”
Courtesy of Loop
Each reusable Loop package is designed to last for at least 100 uses, Peters wrote, and product orders can be placed via the Loop website once the platform is launched. Your products will get delivered in a UPS-designed reusable tote, and as you use your stuff up, just toss the canisters back into the tote. You’ll then be able to either drop off your Loop bag at your nearest UPS, or schedule a pick-up from the Loop site. If you’d like to queue up to get on the waitlist for the upcoming rollout, you can sign up on the website’s home page.
About 300 products are slated for launch via the Loop platform, Wiener-Bronner wrote for CNN, including Tide brand laundry detergent, Crest oral health supplies, Häagen-Dazs ice cream, Pantene shampoo, and Nature’s Path Organic items. Peters also wrote that eight out of 10 of the major brands listed by Greenpeace as being primary contributors to the global plastics crisis are on board as part of the new platform.
Given the overwhelming scale of the global plastics crisis, eco-friendly solutions that revamp the way companies do packaging, is long overdue as a mainstream concern.
Can you imagine a world where the milkman still brings glass bottles of fresh dairy products to your doorstep and takes the empties back to be cleaned and reused?
At first I was skeptical. But the more I think about it, the more I think the model can work. It doesn't have to be bad news for plastics processors. But it won't solve the industry's problems.
Stay with me on this.
Terracycle Inc. brought up the idea last month at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Terracycle is known for setting up recycling schemes for hard-to-recycle products, like cigarette butts and juice boxes. Some of the company's projects strike me as gimmicks, designed to take pressure off brand owners that sell unrecyclable products.
At Davos, Terracycle announced a new service called Loop, which promises to use and collect reusable containers for a wide range of products. It's being touted as a replacement for single-use plastics packaging.
Unilever plc and Procter & Gamble Co. are already signed up to participate, so expect to see products like refillable stainless steel deodorant sticks in select markets this spring.
When I first read about Loop, I wondered how Unilever will sell deodorant packaged in stainless steel for the same price as product packaged in plastic. Not to mention the cost of picking up, cleaning and refilling the sticks. And if the price isn't the same, how many consumers will pay a premium for deodorant in stainless steel?
It sounded like a gimmick. I was ready to write a column about the balance between convenience and sustainability and argue that convenience, which favors single-use plastics, will win.
But the more I researched, the more I thought that this might be a few years ahead of its time, but it might work. After all, many consumers already get meal kits and groceries delivered to their doors. Why not encourage them to return the packaging through the same delivery system? There's no reason those vehicles have to return to the warehouse empty.
Loop says it will use premium, durable packaging made from metal, glass and engineering plastics. If those are the choices, I like plastics' chances. Plastics have the edge when it comes to cost and carbon footprint. And when premium plastics containers have reached the end of their useful life span, they're easily recycled.
All that said, Loop isn't going to solve the plastics industry's solid waste crisis. It's not going to collect fast food containers, cigarette butts or tampon applicators, which are among the most common trash items collected in beach cleanups. It's also not going to stop microplastics that come from laundering clothing.
But it's a potentially encouraging development in what I expect will be a long effort to make consumers a little less comfortable with the idea of throwing away valuable plastics after only one use.
No lema ambientalista “Reduzir, reutilizar, reciclar”, quase toda a atenção ficou voltada – à reciclagem. Agora, algumas das maiores marcas de consumo do mundo estão tentando mudar o foco para o segundo “R” – de reutilizar, com um programa que fornece produtos em embalagens reutilizáveis que podem ser devolvidos à empresa para posterior reembolso.
Recycling is incredibly important, but it’s not without its caveats. For one, plastics lose their quality each time we recycle them, so it’s not an effective long-term solution for our plastics. Plus, it’s not always economically viable for recycling centers to actually process all our plastic waste—not to mention that it’s nearly impossible to get the majority of the global population recycling at all (never mind recycle properly).
So while it’s crucial that we continue to recycle, we also need to make some real changes to the way we consume products. We need to stop our endless consumption of single use plastics. With the amount of plastic matter polluting our oceans and water supplies on a daily basis, using plastic once and then throwing it out is just not sustainable.
But a massive change may be on the horizon. Loop—a new zero-waste platform spearheaded by TerraCycle (a waste company that works to recycle especially challenging materials).
A coalition of major brands—like Procter & Gamble, Nestle, PepsiCo, and Unilever—designed Loop to be convenient, affordable and unobtrusive for consumers. That’s right—we’re not talking about artisanal ice creams and high-end nut butters in reusable packaging. Loop will make many of America’s most popular products zero-waste—like Tide detergent, Häagen Dazs ice cream, Seventh Generation cleaning products, Pantene shampoo, Dove deodorant and Crest mouthwash.
And they’ll deliver them to your door and pick up the empty container up when you’re done, like a modern milkman.
HOW LOOP WILL WORK
When you order your deodorant or detergent or whatever, you’ll pay a small deposit for the bottle. Then, the company will deliver the product in a super-durable, reusable tote, designed by engineers at UPS to withstand many abusive uses. When you finish your products, you can throw them back into the tote. When the tote is full, you simply request a delivery person to pick it up from the Loop website or drop it off at a UPS location.
Everything in the system is designed to withstand at least 100 uses, which is a major step up from the use-and-toss system we have in place right now.
Even if you don’t like the big brands that are partnered with the service, you have to admit that making zero waste a part of the average consumer’s shopping experience would be a major environmental win. Loop is launching its pilot programs this year. As early as this spring, consumers will be able to take part in this new sustainability initiative in both New York City and Paris.
After that, who knows. If Loop is a success, maybe you’ll be able to buy your favorite ice cream flavors in a stainless steel container, too.
Tom Szaky is a leading force in the sustainability world. The founder of TerraCycle, a company that finds ways to recycle hard-to-recycle items (think everything from snack wrappers to backpacks to sponges), Szaky made headlines most recently for, Loop, his new initiative that gives companies the option to sell their products in reusable packaging that can be collected, cleaned, and reused multiple times. So far, Unilever, Procter & Gamble Company, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo, among others, have signed onto it. The combined reach of these corporations is obviously huge, so this innovation could prove game-changing when it pilots this spring.
If Szaky has anything to do with it, the end of single-use plastic packaging is near. Here, he busts some of the top myths standing in the way of the reusable economy he's helping to build:
With more than 300 items available for purchase on the site, Loop will deliver your selected items packaged in refillable and reusable containers, made out of durable materials such as stainless steel or glass, and brought to your doorstep by UPS. The way it works is very similar to your average online shopping experience: create an account, add things to your basket, and purchase at checkout. There are no membership or subscription fees — the main difference from standard online shopping is that with Loop you are asked to pay a deposit. The deposit is fully refundable, and could be anywhere from $47 for a Pampers diaper bin or 25 cents for a Coca-Cola bottle.
“The cost will vary per consumer based on what product they order, the deposit for the packaging and if they reach free shipping,” Loop told CleanTechnica. “We’ve had just shy of 50,000 people sign up to be notified when Loop launches so they can apply.” The company plans to launch in New York and Paris this May, with further plans to expand to London, Toronto, Tokyo and San Francisco within the next year.
So now maybe you’ve thought about it a bit, heard the word ‘diapers’, and now you’re wondering about the practicality of handling hygiene items? They’ve thought of that. Engadget reports that Pr
The platform is run by the waste management company TerraCycle, and is making an effort to make recycling convenient and affordable. Because isn’t that really what’s holding the mainstream consumer back from recycling and reusing — convenience? Loop’s system makes it easy to be zero-waste, and for the small price of a refundable deposit fee.
This concept isn’t entirely new, and many countries globally have some form of a deposit-refund system in place. This incentivizes and rewards recycling and deters people from throwing away or damaging the containers. However, Loop’s platform is exciting in that it is bringing together major brands and companies to take recycling to the people. We can’t wait to see Loop in action!
Courtesy of Loop
Courtesy of Loop
But a massive change may be on the horizon. Loop—a new zero-waste platform spearheaded by TerraCycle (a waste company that works to recycle especially challenging materials).
A coalition of major brands—like Procter & Gamble, Nestle, PepsiCo, and Unilever—designed Loop to be convenient, affordable and unobtrusive for consumers. That’s right—we’re not talking about artisanal ice creams and high-end nut butters in reusable packaging. Loop will make many of America’s most popular products zero-waste—like Tide detergent, Häagen Dazs ice cream, Seventh Generation cleaning products, Pantene shampoo, Dove deodorant and Crest mouthwash.
And they’ll deliver them to your door and pick up the empty container up when you’re done, like a modern milkman.
HOW LOOP WILL WORK
When you order your deodorant or detergent or whatever, you’ll pay a small deposit for the bottle. Then, the company will deliver the product in a super-durable, reusable tote, designed by engineers at UPS to withstand many abusive uses. When you finish your products, you can throw them back into the tote. When the tote is full, you simply request a delivery person to pick it up from the Loop website or drop it off at a UPS location.
Everything in the system is designed to withstand at least 100 uses, which is a major step up from the use-and-toss system we have in place right now.
Even if you don’t like the big brands that are partnered with the service, you have to admit that making zero waste a part of the average consumer’s shopping experience would be a major environmental win. Loop is launching its pilot programs this year. As early as this spring, consumers will be able to take part in this new sustainability initiative in both New York City and Paris.
After that, who knows. If Loop is a success, maybe you’ll be able to buy your favorite ice cream flavors in a stainless steel container, too.