Shelton, Conn. and Trenton, N.J.,–BIC, a world leader in stationery, lighters and shavers, has partnered with international recycling leader TerraCycle® to offer consumers a free and easy way to recycle their fully-used pens, mechanical pencils, markers and other stationery products and parts of packaging nationwide. As an added incentive, for every shipment of used stationery products collected and sent to TerraCycle through this program, collectors earn points that can be donated to a school or charitable organization of their choice.   “As families spend more time writing, drawing and coloring together, we want to provide them with a responsible way to dispose of their products once they are used. Our collection program with TerraCycle gives consumers a simple way to recycle their writing instruments and art supplies to make a difference in the world,” said Mary Fox, North American General Manager for BIC. “Sustainability has always been at BIC’s core. We are thrilled to expand this program to the U.S. from Europe, where we have successfully recycled an astounding 46 million items.”   Through the BIC® Stationery Recycling Program, consumers can now send in all brands of pens, markers, mechanical pencils, highlighters, glue sticks, watercolor dispensers and paint sets to be recycled for free. The program is also collecting the soft, flexible plastic packaging that some writing instruments are packaged in. Participation is easy: sign up on the TerraCycle program page https://www.terracycle.com/bic and mail in the used items using a prepaid shipping label. Once collected, the waste is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that is remolded to make new recycled products. The BIC® Stationery Recycling Program is open to any interested individual, school, office or community organization.   “Through this free recycling program, BIC offers consumers the unique opportunity to learn about the value of recycling products they use every day while learning, playing or working that would otherwise end up in landfill,” said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “We are proud to partner with BIC to offer consumers an easy solution for these typically unrecyclable items.”   This is the latest step BIC has taken on its journey to further enhance the sustainability of its long-lasting products, which are made with the least amount of material, and to minimize its impact on the environment, one of the goals in its 2025 “Writing the Future, Together” program.   BIC and TerraCycle began partnering in 2011 to collect and recycle used stationery products in Europe. A similar program was launched in Australia and New Zealand last year.   The two organizations have also partnered to promote the circular economy by offering BIC products through LOOP, an e-commerce circular economy platform created by TerraCycle aimed at eliminating waste and reducing dependence on packaging.   For more information on TerraCycle’s recycling programs, visit www.terracycle.com.

Sustainability efforts for beauty companies may cost more in the short term, but often pay out over time. Beauty brands that want to be part of TerraCycle’s Loop program must develop durable packaging that can be reused at least 10 times. It costs more for businesses upfront, but has the potential to help brands reduce their packaging costs over the long term. It’s one example of the return on investment for sustainability — Ren, Pantene, Melanin Essentials, Love, Beauty and Planet, Soapply, Plaine and The Body Shop are among the brands working with and selling through the Loop operation. “Manufacturers are hitting parity on price and sustainability anywhere from two to three uses sometimes,” said Benjamin Weir, Loop’s director of business development and sales innovation. “We’re pushing the system to be as durable and as reusable as possible.” For Procter & Gamble, which has invested in Loop, the cost of making Loop-approved packaging is actually more expensive — but the business views it as an investment in learning. “While ROI is definitely something we are getting in certain pockets of our business, it is not the sole criteria for learning in this space, particularly with some of the pilots we are running,” said Anitra Marsh, associate director of global sustainability and brand communications at P&G Beauty. Marsh was referencing Loop, as well as Olay Whips refills, which launched in the fall. “We have to learn before we can bring things to scale.” Another P&G pilot launches Monday: The business is testing paper board tube packaging for deodorant, available exclusively at Walmart. “If you’re looking at return on investment, sustainability initiatives are the long game. There are no short wins with sustainability,” said Sarah Jindal, Mintel’s senior innovation and insights analyst for beauty and personal care. She called Loop’s efforts “a great example of that initial upfront investment that pays in bucketloads,” and said renewable energy is another key example. “At some point, once you’ve made that initial investment, you no longer have an electric bill that you’re paying to someone else,” she said. P&G, for example, has saved more than half-a-billion dollars after years of energy conservation programs across the company, said Kelly Vanasse, chief communications officer for P&G beauty and grooming. “That’s one example — the work we’re doing on zero waste to landfill, it’s the same thing.…The more we continue to realize those successes, it just creates a virtuous circle.” Jindal stressed that the timing of returns from sustainability initiatives can vary. “Returns will come in many different forms at many different levels at many different time points,” Jindal said. Unilever, for example, has started to see increasing sales momentum from “sustainable living brands.” Sustainable living brands grew 69 percent faster than the rest of the business in 2018, compared with 46 percent faster in 2017, the company said. Biossance, the skin-care line born out of biotech operation Amyris, has worked to build up its own virtuous circle — a sustainable supply chain in order to offer Amyris-produced squalane to the broader beauty market at “desirable price points,” said president Catherine Gore. “The promised land is really connecting sustainable ingredients, sustainable thinking, sustainable manufacturing and sustainable packaging with the cost effective-nature of that. We’ll really hit our sweet spot when all of the brands can afford to make these types of changes.” Biossance’s key sustainability initiatives revolve around sustainable sugarcane in Brazil. The company makes its own squalane with that sugarcane, versus harvesting from sharks. Sugarcane stalks are used for boxes, and gas off-put is used to power the plant. “All of that has been optimized so we can offer squalane by the ton to consumers and brands worldwide at a much more desirable price point than [killing sharks],” Gore said. “The whole idea is to keep the mission first, and in order for that to be accessible, it has to be at the right price point.” There’s also a softer side to the ROI equation. As sustainability permeates consumer consciousness, companies and brands that have taken steps in earth-friendly directions expect to see dividends coming in the form of consumer loyalty. “The concept of brand loyalty…has kind of flown out the window, but this view on sustainability — because it is becoming so important to the consumer, and it is so visible to the consumer — that becomes one of those really important parts of, ‘do I want to buy from this brand, or do I want to buy from that brand?” said Jindal. “That loyal relationship becomes really important in the fragmented world we’re living in where you’ve got new brands popping up almost every single day,” Jindal said. Right now, consumers are at the stage where they notice obvious things, Jindal said, like packaging. But as beauty companies delve deeper into sustainability and talk openly about their initiatives, consumer expectations are likely to evolve. “The more prevalent that information becomes, it becomes that much more important to a wider range of consumers,” Jindal said. “They’ll look at [company practices] and say, ‘you know what, I don’t agree with the practices of that company, so I won’t buy from them anymore.’ It’s as simple as that, to flip that switch, because there are so many brands out there they can choose from.” For Biossance, sustainability is a key part of customer retention. “There’s a large community that’s very close to our shark-saving initiative,” Gore said. The company estimates that by producing squalane, it saves two million sharks per year. That, combined with Environmental Working Group certification and other commitments, like zero waste by 2025, compostable boxes and going carbon neutral in 2020, keep customers coming back. “As we share those stories, it holistically brings a very dedicated community together that believes in the sustainability, wants to put their purchase power toward that, and trusts in the brand,” Gore said. P&G also sees customers caring more about sustainability. “When we have products consumers love, they’re like, ‘OK, I love your product — now help me love your product even more. What are you doing from a sustainability perspective?’ Everyone wants to do the right thing…today, doing the right thing is being more sustainable,” Vanasse said.

With Earth Day every day, our pals at L’Occitane are sharing some super-creative ways to upcycle your empty products, so you can have fun transforming your empties all while reducing waste in your home. Let’s get crafty! —Vita Daily   planting new terrariums. Turing your empty L’Occitane jars into plant pots is a simple and creative way to both add a touch of green into your home and repurpose those beautiful glass packaging—bonus points if you throw in some of your own compost!   flower power. Another way to bring a little bit of nature into your home is to repurpose an empty shower gel bottle into a stunning hanging vase for your most beautiful flowers. Simply tie some string around the bottle, place your favourite flowers inside and voilà! For some added fun, you can also change up the colour of the bottle with some paint.   spice it up! Upcycling your empty L’Occitane jars into cute kitchen storage is both easy and practical. Just clean out the empty jar, and use it to store anything from spices to nuts, small fruits and even leftover sauces.   wait it out. If you’ve tried out these ideas and still have empties that you don’t know what to do with, don’t worry! Just hold onto the packages until L'Occitane stores reopen again, bring in your empties and they will be recycled in partnership with TerraCycle. In exchange, you will receive 10 per cent off your next skin and body care indulgence purchase at L’Occitane.   loccitane.com

When I turn on my computer, I get the following message on the screen: “April is Earth Month. Celebrate by repurposing your old things to make something new.” Boy, that could not be more appropriate for this year. People all over Earth are practicing this directive in a multitude of ways; tangible and intangible. For example, we are learning how to make masks from old T-shirts and how to maintain relationships through various social media formats. This article usually focuses on litter reduction, but today will expand on this theme to include recycling and repurposing.   Indeed, April celebrates Earth Month, Earth Day and Arbor Day. Although activities are curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic; there are still opportunities available to practice good stewardship of our planet and its natural resources.   This is an opportune time for families to improve the environment and beautify their own yards. Whether it is a clean-up project or one of planting flowers, it is a great time to appreciate nature and to teach youngsters how to protect and care for the environment. Perhaps old patio furniture may be cleaned, repaired and repainted rather than going to a landfill. Perhaps extra bulbs, seeds, cuttings or flowerpots may be shared with family or friends (observing social distancing). Old newspapers can be repurposed for several things including cleaning windows with vinegar water, serve as paint drop cloths, smother weeds, use for packing material, kids’ crafts, shoe deodorizers and more.   Our more flexible schedules these days may allow for learning about various conservation programs and organizations. Readers may wish to explore the following websites for great information:   KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL (KAB) is a nonprofit organization to educate people to improve and beautify their environments. Impressive data can be found at kab.org.   THE GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP is an effort under KAB which has been held every spring for the last 22 years. This program prompts individuals to take greater responsibility for their local environments by participating in various grassroots community service projects. It usually runs from March 19 to June 20 but, has been postponed for 2020. More details can be found online.   EARTH DAY has been educating and advocating a worldwide environmental movement for 50 years. Its slogan is “Earth Day is Every Day and Any Where You Are.” On April 22 digital events are scheduled due to COVID-19. Visit earthday.org for information about its history and impact.   The first Arbor day is attributed to being held in Spain in 1594. In the U.S., it was celebrated in Nebraska on April 16, 1872 with an estimated 1 million trees planted across the state. This now global program has helped conservation with the planting of more than 350 million trees to clean the air, protect drinking water and improve beauty and health of environment. Arbor Day falls on April 24. To learn more about this worldwide effort and how you may be able to get free trees, just google Arbor Day.   The director and the board of KEEP AIKEN COUNTY BEAUTIFUL (KACB) continue to work behind the scenes to combat litter by researching and writing grants, as well as updating policies, programs and events. Check out the website at aikencountysc.gov/KACB.   TERRA CYCLE is a relatively new and very innovative organization addressing a broad approach to accomplish zero waste. TerraCycle was created and is based in New Jersey and promotes its aim to "recycle everything" through a variety of programs. For very creative and positive ideas, visit terracycle.com.   As always, the following numbers are given to help people report litter and litterbugs. Although traveling is discouraged at this time, you are encouraged to save these numbers in your phone or cut them out and keep in a handy place for quick reference. In the City of Aiken, call 803-642-7620. In the County call 803-502-9000 ext. 3794. The Palmetto Pride Litter Hotline is 877-754-8837. Calls to these numbers are anonymous, but a request will be made for some details. Please make the calls only when safe to do so.

Every April 22 marks Earth Day, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year! We can act at different levels to protect and preserve our planet, starting with choosing fair trade products and brands, reducing our waste and recycling. Discover now 3 easy steps to create your eco-responsible beauty routine: are you ready to start?  

1. Choose Functionalab, Canadian cosmeceuticals and nutricosmetics

Natural ingredients Products based on active ingredients from nature for exceptional skin health.   Precise dosage Products formulated according to rigorous clinical research to ensure optimal effectiveness.   Support for ecological organizations Join the movement! Dermapure donates $ 1 - for each online order of Functionalab products from April 22 to 24, 2020 - to support Earth Day Network, the world's largest environmental movement recruiter.  

2. Simplify the beauty routine

All in 1 Let yourself be charmed by the application of products targeting several objectives, such as Gel or Functionalab cleansing and toning milk . Active ingredients that cleanse, remove make-up and balance the skin's pH in a single product!   Tailor-made Selecting products that meet the specific needs of your skin will avoid the famous trial-and-error - the primary cause of wasted beauty products - in addition to ensuring optimal efficiency. You can also take advantage of a free consultation with one of our skin experts to find out which products are made for you!  

3. Recycle skin care products

  An essential habit Have you finished your jar of cream or serum? Remember to clean and recycle your containers! If knowing how to recycle the different materials is a real headache for you, discover the solution near you by consulting the TerraCycle ^® program .   ›Ready for an eco-responsible beauty routine? Do you want to be accompanied on your health and beauty journey? Contact one of our experienced consultants now! Make an appointment for your free consultation or call 1 877 781-1811   ›Be part of the Dermapure community Subscribe to our newsletter , do not miss any news or promotion and take advantage of $ 25 off the clinic treatment or the Functionalab product of your choice *!   * Offer valid on Functionalab products for all orders of $ 150 or more before taxes, and on treatments not provided by doctors.  

The influence of organic makeup has had a huge ripple effect on the beauty world. Over the past few years, we've seen a stream of new brands come out with labels like "clean beauty," "natural," and "sustainable"—a sign of how far the clean movement has grown, considering these same products were once considered "crunchy" or relegated to a dusty bottom shelf. It's partly because we're becoming more discerning and better informed about beauty. But it's also because of a handful of pioneering brands that have shown the rest of the industry exactly how it's done.   While FDA regulations around terms like "organic" and "natural" remain frustratingly vague, most experts agree that "organic" typically means ingredients in a product are USDA-certified food grade. "Natural" on the other hand typically refers to ingredients that aren't synthetic. These blanket terms don't necessarily mean a product is better for you, which is why the industry is moving toward adopting "clean beauty" as a catchall for products that are free of any potentially harmful ingredients.   Thankfully, more brands have taken it upon themselves to give us the information we need to determine what's going into their products. We now know what to look out for (controversial ingredients like parabens, phthalates, and PEGs) as well as what to look for (namely, sustainable packaging and cruelty-free certifications). And just like in the non-natural-beauty world, some brands just do it better than others. Below, we're shouting out the 13 best clean and organic makeup brands that don't compromise their quality payoff for a natural ingredients list. Natural and organic: Yes   Cruelty-free: Yes   Safety: Non-GMO, non-nano, hypoallergenic, noncomedogenic, and free of parabens, sulfates, phalatates, silicone, talc, petrolatum, and polyethylene/PEGs   Sustainability: Packaging features recycled glass pots and boxes made from 80% postconsumer recycled fiber   Known for: Dewy, second-skin makeup   We'd recognize RMS's signature makeup anywhere. From the minimal packaging to the telltale dewy finish its products impart, the brand has definitely made its mark on organic beauty. Each ingredient is carefully selected to have a stable shelf life and work in tandem with your skin—driven by the brand's mission to create a clean line that rivals your favorite luxury products. Makeup artists and models alike often cite RMS's cream products as favorites and for good reason. For the best introduction to the brand, dip a finger into its iconic Living Luminizer. We also love the creamy "Un" Cover-Up concealer, which never cakes up or clogs pores. Natural and organic: Yes   Cruelty-free: Yes   Safety: Free of parabens, silicones, petrochemical emulsifiers, and synthetic fragrances   Sustainability: Refillable packaging and recyclable refill cartons   Known for: Luxury makeup that looks like jewelry   Kjaer Weis definitely wins when it comes to making clean beauty look ultra luxurious. Its shiny chrome cases look like something out of a jewelry box and also work with its refill system. The brand fills each case with the prettiest cream and powder products, all developed by its makeup artist founder. Like many of our other favorite clean-makeup brands, most of the launches combine color with skin-boosting ingredients. We're particularly fond of the Cream Blush, which blends right into your skin and gives your face a sun-warmed glow. The lipsticks, which pack plenty of pigment, are also a hit.

3. Ilia

Natural and organic: Clean; natural ingredients with some safe synthetics to increase performance   Cruelty-free: Yes   Safety: Non-GMO and free of phthalates, sulfates, parabens, gluten, and talc   Sustainability: Recycled aluminum, glass components, and responsibly sourced paper; works with TerraCycle's Zero Waste Box platform to prevent landfill waste   Known for: Multiuse products you actually want to use everywhere   Many clean brands make multiuse products, but Ilia is one of the few that actually nails it. Its signature multiuse serums, illuminators, and color sticks wear equally beautifully on your eyes, lips, and cheeks—no easy feat, considering the many good-but-not-great examples we've tried. Ilia formulates with added skin-care ingredients meant to protect from environmental stressors. The Polka Dots and Moonbeams highlighter has a permanent place in our hearts, as does the dewy Nova Liquid Light.

4. Rituel de Fille

Natural and organic: Yes     Cruelty-free: Yes   Safety: Free of parabens, phthalates, synthetic dyes or fragrances, and gluten   Sustainability: No palm-oil-derived ingredients, to minimize environmental impact; sources raw materials from companies with ethical labor practices   Known for: Witchy, celestial colors   Rituel de Fille is a force of its own in the natural makeup world. Founded by three sisters who were inspired by the magical side of clean ingredients, the brand embodies a witchy, celestial aesthetic that truly stands apart. Every detail, from the constellation-inspired packaging to the creative names, will hook you in instantly. If you try only one thing from the brand, make it the glimmering Eye Soots. The highly pigmented, buttery eye shadows come in an otherworldly range of colors that light up on your lids. While you're at it, you might as well also pick up the Rare Light Luminizer in Solaris; it's a highlighter that legitimately makes you look like you're bathed in iridescent sunlight.

5. Vapour Beauty

Natural and organic: Yes   Cruelty-free: Yes   Safety: Champion safety status from the EWG and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics   Sustainability: 50% renewable energy across facilities (100% daylight solar by 2022), 97% waterless products, reused or recycled packaging shipped in compostable materials   Known for: Taking organic makeup to the next level   If you haven't tried Vapour Beauty yet, you're really missing out. The under-the-radar favorite considers how to make its products more natural and sustainable at every single level, which is transparency we can appreciate, given how often brands attempt greenwashing. Vapour draws its inspiration from the elements. The founders wanted to capture everything they loved about nature and translate it into an edited line of makeup essentials. Fan favorites include the nonsticky Elixir Gloss and buildable blush. Having tried them both, we can confirm they live up to their reviews.

6. W3ll People

Natural and O=organic: Yes     Cruelty-free: Yes   Safety: Free of fillers, gluten, propylene glycol, petrochemicals, and petroleum by-products   Sustainability: Handmade in small batches in the U.S.   Known for: Subtle, versatile makeup   W3ll People's philosophy stems from how much our skin is capable of absorbing. Its founding team consists of a makeup artist, cosmetic dermatologist, and eco-friendly entrepreneur. Together they've created a comprehensive line of basics that focus on lightweight textures and comfortable wear. Most of the products are infused with organic aloe vera, which helps soothe and moisturize any part of your face it touches. To see how gentle and effective their line is, we recommend testing out the creamy Optimist Lipstick, which totally negates the need for balm. Equally impressive is the Expressionist Mascara, which is one of the best subtly volumizing formulas we've tried (natural or not).

7. 100% Pure

Natural and organic: Yes   Cruelty-free: Yes   Safety: Free of commonly used FD&C colorants and heavy metal dyes   Sustainability: Recycled packaging; partners with multiple organizations to make an environmental impact, including trees.org, Leaping Bunny, and more   Known for: Creating everything you could need for a full natural beauty routine   We'll definitely give 100% Pure props for its makeup, but the brand also deserves a mention for how comprehensive its complete line is. Aside from color cosmetics, the brand also formulates skin care, hair care, and body products—each one adhering to its strict natural standards. The brand easily functions as a one-stop shop for anyone looking to overhaul their entire routine. For those wanting to start smaller, its pigmented Long Last Liquid Eyeliner stays true to its name. Pair it with the Green Tea Fiber Brow Builder—it dries to the ideal, fluffy finish.

8. Kosas

Natural and organic: Clean; natural ingredients with some safe synthetics to increase performance     Cruelty-free: Yes   Safety: Free of parabens, phthalates, BHA/BHT, mineral oil, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, and petrolatum   Known for: Flattering, wearable pigments   Kosas made its mark with popular tinted oil foundations and blush duos that let you achieve a surprising amount of dimension on your skin. The brand focuses on feel-good formulations, like (chic) sweatpants for your face. Check out the aforementioned oil-foundation hybrids, which deliver a super-sheer and dewy finish, while subtly evening out tone. Wear it with any shade of its blush duo compacts; no matter which one you choose, the blush-highlighter combinations each layer together to create complexion-flattering results.

9. Bite Beauty

Packaging for the new MyKirei by Kao brand of vegan-friendly, plant-based personal-care products takes its cues from the Japanese Kirei sensibility, which favors sustainability as well as beauty, cleanliness, simplicity, and balance. Delicate graphics decorate the package, which looks like a rigid pump bottle but is, in fact, made from flexible packaging.   MyKirei brand owner Kao USA, based in Cincinnati, says the packaging design uses up to 50% less plastic than traditional bottles. The MyKirei containers have channels on the periphery that are filled with air to make the package rigid. Product is then filled into the package. Kao designed this package in-house; but Packaging Digest has seen similar formats from Procter & Gamble and Aeroflex.   The water-tight package design prevents product contamination, even when the products are used in the shower. The design also lets consumers extract nearly all the product without removing the pump from the container.   Kao is collaborating with TerraCycle on a program that lets consumers recycle MyKirei containers and pumps when the product is gone.   The first wave of MyKirei products comprises three products: shampoo, conditioner, and hand wash. Starting on April 22, 2020 (the 50th anniversary of Earth Day), the products will be sold exclusively on Amazon for $18 each.   Ken Adams, director, package development, at Kao Brands, answers questions from Packaging Digest about the package.     Please describe the air-fill process. Adams: The package is filled with air with an air tube made of the same material prior to liquid filling and is cut and sealed in this process.   What changes were required on the packaging line to handle this package? Adams: The package requires a completely new type of packaging line.   How does the package design enable consumers to use nearly every drop of product in the bottle? Adams: The inner pouch is separate from the outer pouch, so as product is dispensed, the inner pouch collapses inward, dispensing all product and leaving “almost” nothing in the package.   Is the pump inserted by the consumer after buying the package? Adams: We will sell the package with a pump that the consumer buys the first time; after the first purchase the consumer can purchase a package with no pump and use the original [pump] many times over.   The package and pump are both recyclable through TerraCycle. Can the bottles be recycled via curbside recycling, alternatively? Adams: Not at this time, which is why we have partnered with TerraCycle. We are also offering refills as another option to cut down on waste.   Does the package provide instructions for recycling via TerraCycle? Adams: Yes, the information will be on the packaging, on our website, and directly on the Amazon page.   Was this package designed specifically for the ecommerce channel? Adams: It was designed to reduce the amount of plastic of a traditional bottle and pump, but there are other benefits. This was not specific to the ecommerce channel.   Were there any special packaging needs for the ecommerce channel, and if so, how does this package address them? Adams: Actually, because of the attached pump, a secondary shipping package is required.   Does the packaging tell consumers that it has 50% less plastic than other bottles? Adams: Yes, this will be on the package.   How are the bottles decorated? Adams: The film that the package is made from is directly printed on.   What plastic(s) are the bottle and pump made from? Adams: Multiple materials.

IT IS AN invisible, deadly menace. It’s causing almost unfathomable economic destruction. We knew it was coming, but were caught woefully unprepared. It tricked nations into blaming one another—the US being the primary antagonist—instead of working together to stop it.   It is the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, and it is climate change. The two are intimately linked: As you’d expect, emissions have fallen as people drive less and industries grind to a halt. But dig deeper into how the pandemic is influencing the climate, and surprising and often counterintuitive dynamics begin to emerge. This is your guide to those complexities.   Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this story as more research becomes available.   Yes, Emissions Are Falling. But Not for Long   Back in February, an analysis by the climate group Carbon Brief found that as the pandemic seized hold of China’s economy and heavy industries shuttered, emissions from the country plummeted by an incredible 25 percent. Another analysis by Carbon Brief in early April estimated that globally this year, emissions could fall by 5.5 percent from 2019 levels. That figure may seem low, given that fewer cars are on roads and industries have stalled, but with context, it’s stunning: Until now, emissions have been reliably increasing by a few percent year after year. That’s happening even though the world’s nations pledged to individually reduce their emissions as part of the Paris Agreement, with the ultimate goal of keeping warming below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial global temperatures.   The 5.5 percent figure tops the 3 percent reduction in emissions that followed the 2008 financial crash, when economies also slowed and people traveled less. But emissions bounced right back as the economy recovered. Indeed, says Zeke Hausfather, the director of climate and energy at the Breakthrough Institute, which advocates for climate action, we can expect economies to roar back with fervor to make up for lost income. “Broadly speaking, the only real times we've seen large emission reductions globally in the past few decades is during major recessions,” Hausfather told WIRED in March. “But even then, the effects are often smaller than you think. It generally doesn't lead to any sort of systematic change.”   Electricity Use in the US Has Declined Slightly, But Gasoline Sales Dropped Big Time   Anecdotally, we can say that Americans are driving far less, given all the empty freeways. And now Northern Arizona University climate scientist Kevin Gurney has the data to back it up: The amount of gasoline supplied in the US—a close measurement of direct consumption—fell by 50 percent over the two-week period ending April 3. “Not surprising, given what we all would expect to happen, but it’s just stunning to see it,” Gurney says. “I’ve never seen anything like it in my 25 years of looking at this data.”   Interestingly, the amount of diesel supplied has remained fairly stable. That’s probably due to it being more of a commercial fuel, used for the semi trucks that are still making deliveries while the rest of us keep our cars in the garage.   Electricity use across the country has declined a bit, but nowhere near as dramatically as with fuel supplies. “I think the speculation is a lot of the activity that uses electricity isn’t going down, it’s just shifting where it's occurring,” Gurney adds. “So instead of commercial buildings being leaned on a little more heavily between 9 and 5, we’re at home using energy.”   This might offer a clue to why the emissions reductions worldwide are so much smaller than the 25 percent reduction scientists saw in China’s emissions earlier this year. It could depend on the structure of different nations’ economies. China is a major manufacturing center, which uses massive amounts of energy to keep production running. But the US and many other nations have offshored much of their manufacturing and transitioned into being service economies. When China’s workers go home, those emission-heavy industries close down. When workers in some other nations go home, they keep working, shifting the energy consumption from offices to houses. Don’t assume, though, that industrial energy consumption in the US won’t also change dramatically in the coming weeks. “We’re still in the middle of this,” Gurney says. “I would be hesitant to say that we’re not going to see a big industrial signal. I think it tends to lag a little bit because a lot of industry will continue to produce.”   This Is Our Chance to Reinvent Cities   If the streets are a city’s veins, cars are the blood coursing through them—but they’re a pathogen, of sorts. Cars killed over 6,000 pedestrians in 2018 in the US, and air pollution kills perhaps 200,000 more here each year.   With all those cars now sequestered in garages, air quality around the world has gone through the roof. In March, for instance, researchers at Columbia University calculated that carbon monoxide emissions in New York City, mostly coming from vehicles, fell by 50 percent. With that will come a dramatic improvement in public health, and at just the right time: New research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has shown that air pollution is associated with higher Covid-19 death rates. They did this by looking at 3,000 US counties and comparing Covid-19 deaths and levels of fine particulate matter in the air. They found that even small increases in long-term exposure to the pollutants leads to significantly higher mortality. That makes sense, since this is a disease that attacks the lungs.   But maybe our suddenly clearer skies don’t have to be temporary. We’re getting a taste of how much more livable our cities would be if we designed them for people, not cars. Closing roads to cars altogether—as cities like Boston and Oakland, California, have done during the crisis—means people can walk and bike in safety, itself a boost to public health.   “We call this a ‘psychic outcome,’ of people realizing what we’ve absorbed from the slow intensification of urban life as it relates to vehicles,” Gurney notes. “It’s potentially a moment where we can get a clearer picture of what we’ve slowly kind of numbed ourselves to. Cities are profoundly dominated by vehicles.”   Done incorrectly, though, a rethinking of cities could exacerbate inequalities. Cities have, necessarily, severely curtailed public transportation to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. But this disproportionately affects those who can’t afford cars, and who might rely on public transport to get to their essential jobs or shop for food.   “The actions cities are taking that are purely to give people room to roam, not necessarily room to get anywhere, I think they’re useful,” Tabitha Combs, who studies transportation planning and policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, told WIRED in April. “But I don’t think they’re enough and I don’t think they’re equitable.”   In a Weird Way, Some Air Pollution Actually Reduces Warming   In March, researchers at the University of Washington and Goethe University Frankfurt published a study that quantified one of the stranger consequences of air pollution: It can actually bounce the sun’s energy back into space, thus helping cool the planet.   Specifically, they looked at a phenomenon called cloud brightening, in which the particulate sulfate pollution that cargo ships spew makes its way into clouds. The sulfate particles attract water vapor, making a cloud brighter, and therefore better able to reflect sunlight. Ships actually leave trails of brightened clouds known as “ship tracks” as they chug across the oceans.   The researchers analyzed a shipping lane in the south Atlantic Ocean, which conveniently has winds blowing along it, instead of across it. For this reason, they could clearly delineate how reflective the clouds are directly over the lane, and just outside it, and compare the two. The effect turns out to be substantial: The brightened clouds can block an additional 2 watts of solar energy from reaching each square meter of the ocean’s surface.   They then calculated what that would mean at the planetary scale over both land and sea, and found that, in general, pollution-seeded clouds block 1 watt of energy per square meter of planet Earth. For comparison, anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions trap 3 watts per square meter. “We’re saying globally, from all types of industrial pollution, that has offset approximately a third of the greenhouse gas warming that we've experienced to the present,” says University of Washington atmospheric scientist Michael Diamond, lead author on the study.   That’s got Diamond and his colleagues wondering how that phenomenon is now playing out across the world as air quality improves. This of course varies with the fuel: The reason cargo ships seed clouds so well is that they use super-dirty fuel that flings lots of sulfate into the air (less so now, though, as international regulations mandating low-sulfur fuel went into effect January 1). Coal and natural-gas power plants on land don’t produce sulfates on the scale that ship fuel does. The researchers also have to factor in how land and sea absorb the sun’s energy differently. While you might think the ocean would be great at reflecting light, if you look at it from space, it’s basically black. That’s why the oceans have been warming so dramatically of late.   To be clear: Air pollution is a major threat to human health. The carbon monoxide cars spew is toxic, and CO₂ has led to runaway global warming. But in a bizarre way, this specific type of emission seems to help cool the planet.   Cheap Oil Means the Pandemic Is Producing Mountains of Plastic Waste   Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the economics of recycling were a mess. For it to make financial sense to recycle plastic bottles, a recycling company has to make more money selling the recycled material than it takes to gather and process those bottles. Given the low price of oil in recent years, it’s often cheaper for companies to buy virgin plastic bottles than recycled ones. (And oil producers’ sales have crashed and the price of oil cratered even further now that we’re all staying home.)   In the age of coronavirus, many recycling facilities are shutting down to protect their workers, so what little was recycled before now isn’t recycled at all. At the same time, we’re consuming more single-use plastic than ever. We’re stocking up on soap and hand sanitizer, and Amazon is hiring 100,000 extra workers to keep up demand, packing individually wrapped products into boxes. People are getting plastic-sheathed takeout from restaurants instead of dining in and eating off of reusable plates with metal utensils. “So disposability is going like crazy,” Tom Szaky, the founder and CEO of the recycling company TerraCycle, told WIRED. “And during Covid, we saw that the recycling equation that was bad anyway and trending down is even worse.”   Every Nation Needs a Big, Bold, New Green Deal   An inconvenient truth about fossil fuels is that they’re an extremely useful and cheap form of energy. For an economically developing country in particular, the allure of fossil fuels is they allow rapid industrialization. Renewable energies like solar wind are still relatively expensive to set up compared with coal and natural gas, which is why governments usually subsidize them to green their economies.   But looking back at the 2008 financial crisis shows a way forward: The stimulus package in the US helped invigorate the green-energy economy by pumping $90 billion into the development of technologies like geothermal power, biofuels, and solar energy. “If you look at the data, a few years after that, you do start to see a huge increase in solar,” says Louisiana State University environmental scientist Brian Snyder.   The likelihood of the Trump administration doing the same has about a snowball’s chance on this increasingly warm planet. But if the feds keep interest rates low to make borrowing easier and jump-start the economy, it’ll be easier to finance a wind farm or solar facility. “So that might be an effect where certainly the administration didn't mean to do it, but they nonetheless sort of juice the ability of some renewable energy systems to replace coal,” adds Snyder. The challenge, though, will be making those systems economically attractive enough given the staying power of oil, which is now even cheaper thanks to the pandemic.   Climate Research in the Coronavirus Age   Scientists, they’re just like us—in the sense that they too are stuck at home during the pandemic. And that’s a big problem for climate science. “It’s disruptive, there’s no question,” says Gurney, the climate scientist at Northern Arizona University. “For anybody who’s got to do fieldwork, or relies on things that aren’t automated instrumentation out there, this is a serious, serious problem.”   If you can’t get on a boat, you can’t collect data on how the oceans are warming and acidifying. Scientists who monitor the effects of climate change on wildlife can’t go out and collect photos from camera traps. Conserving species imperiled by climate change isn’t a passive process—conservationists have to be out there actively monitoring and preserving their habitats. If you study how permafrost is thawing in the Arctic, you’re out of luck as well. Even if a scientist can collect data remotely, for instance by aggregating government data, they may not have access to the requisite computing power at home.   “There will probably be a record gap that’ll be a problem, and if it goes on long enough it’ll be a real problem,” says Gurney. “A few weeks, you could say 'Well, we might be able to deal with that.' But if it turns into months, that becomes a significant problem for anybody who has to go out in the field.”

Daily disposable contact lenses are single-use lenses that are removed and discarded at the end of each day, and a fresh pair of lenses is applied to the eyes the next morning. Daily contact lenses are gaining in popularity among practitioners and consumers for their health and convenience benefits.   Before you consider the pros and cons of daily disposable lenses, here are two things to keep in mind:  

• Don't confuse "daily wear" with "daily disposable." A daily wear lens is one that must be removed before sleeping, because it's not FDA approved for extended (overnight) wear. Such a lens might be replaced daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly, depending upon the brand. In short, wearing schedule and replacement schedule are two different things.
• In the world of contact lenses, "disposable" doesn't always mean single-use. Daily wear lenses that are thrown out every two weeks are sometimes called disposable. "Daily disposable" is the specific term for lenses that are removed and discarded daily.

 

Why Throw Out Lenses At All?

  The more frequently you replace your lenses, the healthier and more comfortable your eyes can be.   Protein, calcium, lipids and other substances found naturally in your tears can build up on your lenses. These deposits make your contacts less comfortable than when they were new, and can also make your eyes more prone to infection.   Of course, lenses can be cleaned, but cleaning is not 100 percent effective. Some deposits will remain and continue to accumulate over time.  

Daily Contact Lenses: Convenience And Health

  There are two ways to avoid just about all contact lens care. One is to wear extended wear lenses continuously for several days, and then discard them when you remove them.   Unfortunately, overnight wear of contact lenses is not a good idea for everyone. And for many people, wearing contact lenses during sleep increases the risk of eye problems.   The other alternative is daily disposable contact lenses. Many eye care professionals and contact lens wearers feel that they offer the best of both worlds: They are convenient because no lens cleaning is required, and they are healthy because there is no day-to-day accumulation of lens deposits, and no overnight wear.  

How Different Are Daily Contact Lenses From Regular Lenses?

  Even before the advent of disposable lenses, it was well known that replacing lenses often was a healthy thing to do. Problem was, contacts were too expensive to discard very often — so various cleaning solutions and devices were used to prolong the life of the lens.   Then contact lens manufacturers developed new manufacturing methods to produce high-quality lenses in greater volume, at lower cost. These advances led to lower lens prices, making it affordable to replace lenses more often.   Some of today's daily contact lenses are made of the same materials as traditional lenses; other disposables are made from new materials and designs developed especially for disposability.  

How Much Do Daily Contact Lenses Cost?

  Daily disposable lenses are often more affordable than many people expect. It's not unusual to spend more on a daily visit to Starbucks than on daily disposable contacts. And while you might enjoy your coffee for half an hour, a fresh pair of lenses will provide comfort and good vision all day long.   Of course, using 730 daily contact lenses per year will generally cost more than, for example, using 24 monthly-replacement lenses per year. But cost can vary widely, depending on the brand and the lens material. Daily disposable contact lenses made from silicone hydrogel materials are often positioned by lens manufacturers as "premium" daily disposables with the greatest benefit and the highest cost.   If you're considering daily contact lenses, remember that higher lens cost is offset by the money you'll save on lens care products, since they won't be needed.  

Can I Wear Daily Contact Lenses?

  Yes, you probably can. Your eye care practitioner can tell you for sure. (Find an eye doctor here if you need one.)   The key is whether daily disposables are made in your particular prescription. In addition to standard single vision designs, some daily disposable brands are available in colors, in designs to correct astigmatism, and in multifocal designs to correct presbyopia.   If your prescription is outside the range in which daily disposable lenses are produced, you may have to stick with traditional disposables or frequent replacement lenses.  

Disadvantages of Daily Contact Lenses

  In addition to cost, some people object to the amount of waste created by disposable products. While contact lenses and blister packs can't be recycled locally, they can be collected and periodically sent to TerraCycle for recycling. This program is sponsored by Bausch + Lomb, but all brands of lenses and blister packs are accepted. The cardboard boxes that lenses come in can simply be recycled as usual.

My cat loves smelling my face when I lean in to nuzzle her and give her a kiss. I know it's the natural peppermint essence in my Burt's Bee's lip balm! It may be a great olfactory stimulation for her, but it's even better as a refreshing soother for my chapped lips.   The peppermint oil in this lip balm is so invigorating that it has spurred a thing called "beezin," where teens apply it to the eyelids for a natural high. This is not a good idea, as this could cause serious eye infection or inflammation! Burt professed that lip balm is for lips and preferred to see it used that way! There is no denying, though, that these essences are the real thing. The original beeswax balm with peppermint is the best for long-lasting protection against chapped lips, but there is also a wide range of moisturizing formulas. Pomegranate, pink grapefruit, eucalyptus, mango, acai berry, vanilla, wild cherry, and even blueberry/dark chocolate are each wonderfully soothing and delicious!  

All Natural. No Animal Testing.

  Burt's Bees makes skincare formulas, lip balms, and other beauty products from ingredients found in nature: beeswax, botanical extracts, herbs, and minerals. There is nothing artificial added. Burt's Bees uses a few animal by-products like milk, beeswax, and royal jelly- that's all. No animals are harmed, and none are used for testing of any kind. There are also no petroleum products, no rendered animal fats, nor harsh chemicals used. Burt's Bees produces the most affordable earth-friendly products available on the market today, and they can be easily spotted in attractive golden-yellow displays everywhere.  

Packaging Is Recycled and Recyclable

  All packaging is both recycled and recyclable. Even the lip-balm tubes are made of recycled plastic! Packaging is thoughtfully designed to hold just enough product for the average consumer to use before the expiration date. This helps control waste by keeping unused product from the landfills. All packaging is comprised of at least 50% post-consumer content, and most carry the Natural Seal which was developed in 2008. To meet this standard, the product must be 99% natural.  

A Thoughtful Gift Changes My Approach to Natural Beauty

  My introduction to Burt's Bees came in the way of a travel bag full of trial-sized balms, creams, and lotions. I now regularly refill this bag and tuck it in with my gym paraphernalia. I highly recommend it as a thoughtful gift for those who will be on the road or away from home.   My personal favorites are the replenishing body lotion, lemon cuticle cream, and the tinted lip shimmer. The cupuacu and cocoa butters in the moisturizer work for 24 hours and make a rich and creamy, yet non-greasy, lotion with the pleasant scent of mild chocolate, coconut and pineapple. Loaded with anti-oxidants, cupuaca is a tropical fruit related to cacao that comes from the Amazon rain forest. The lemon cuticle, applied before bed, keeps finger tips soft and keeps away annoying hangnails. The lip shimmers provide just the right touch of subtle color and shine. They condition my lips much like the traditional lip balms but go a step further by complementing the natural rosy glow of my cheeks unlike the painted look of creamed lipstick and lip-liner. Burt's Bees' line of products for outdoor enthusiasts come in serene green packaging and include bug repellent and soothers for sunburn, poison ivy, bug bites, muscle aches, and bruises. I recommend the small tin of Dr. Burt's Res-Q Ointment. This healing salve derived from comfrey is a must-have for any first-aid kit!   As the company continues to expand to meet the needs of the whole family, new products are continually being introduced. Natural honey throat lozenges and toiletries for men in handsome black packaging include soap, shaving cream, body wash, and deodorant. Baby-Bee and Mama-Bee products offer safe and natural solutions for sensitive skin, diaper rash, and stretch marks. Burt's Bees also has added a line of organic pima cotton baby clothes, cloths, bibs, and receiving blankets which can be monogrammed. These new offerings and gift sets are perfect for baby showers and Father's Day.   Oral care products include both fresh mint and whitening toothpastes with or without fluoride, a kid's fruit fusion paste, and an activated charcoal whitening powder. All are naturally sweetened w/ stevia and are free of artificial ingredients. The tubes, which don't yet qualify for residential recycling programs, can easily be returned to Burt's Bees for sustainable reuse.   Pet wellness is also of concern to Burt's Bees, and they have developed natural shampoos and soothing skin care products as well as a moisturizing paw and nose butter for dogs.  

New Additions for 2019

  Burt's Bees has recently introduced a complete line of makeup including BB cream, pressed powder, eye shadow, blush, mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, liquid foundation, makeup removal pads, and facial cleansing towelettes. All products are made from natural ingredients and have received good ratings from the EWG site. These meet the high quality standards of Burt's Bees and are perfect for those concerned with skin health, safe toxicity levels, and good sustainability ethics.

It All Began as a Cottage Industry

  What was started in Maine in 1984 by Burt Shavitz and Roxanne Quimby as a honey- producing company, selling from the back of a pick-up truck, soon became known for its beeswax candles. The fine quality of craftsmanship then led to the production of soaps, lip-balms, and more. Ten years later, Burt's Bees out grew its facility and moved to North Carolina where it continued to gain exposure through retailers like Whole Foods and Cracker Barrel.   In 1999, Ms. Quimby bought Burt's business share for $130,000, the amount of a house on his beloved land in Maine. In 2004, she sold 80% interest in the company to a private equity firm for 141 million while retaining 20% and title of CEO. When Shavitz voiced his displeasure, Quimby forked over another 4 million, just a fraction of the 59 million he would have gotten had he not settled for the house!   After a few consecutive leadership changes which groomed the company for a takeover, Clorox bought Burt's Bees in November 2013 for a whopping 913 million! While Roxanne received 20% of the sale, Burt got nothing. Known for his dislike of corporate greed and materialism, Shavitz claimed to be content on his land, watching nature, and living simply. He tells his story and shares his views of the sellout in a documentary by Jody Shapiro called Burt's Buzz. Burt Shavitz died at age 80 on July 5, 2015.   Although Burt Shavitz and Roxanne Quimby broke up their partnership, each having had distinctly different views and life goals, the company's new corporate team vows to uphold its founder's tenets of sustainability. Burt's bearded face remains the company's logo, and his estate will get regular royalty payments for the use of his image on all products.   Not only has Burt's Bees remained here in the U.S., the company has continued to maintain a responsible approach to the environment. In addition to choosing only naturally-derived ingredients and recycled packaging, Burt and Roxanne began the practice of using company profits to buy forest land in Maine for the Nature Conservancy. They also reached out to the community through public service announcements to educate others about Colony Collapse Disorder and the importance of bees to agri-business, the economy, and our backyard gardens. Impressive! Few businesses really operate with a genuine social consciousness and care for our planet. In 2007, Burt's Bees formed the Greater Good Foundation which supports many kinds of community and environmental projects. Here is a link to their website: http://www.burtsbees.com/Community-Partnerships/sustain-community,default,pg.html. It gives a broader overview of the company's philanthropy.   There are long-time consumers who feel that Clorox has taken liberties with the original formulations and ruined the quality of Burt's Bees products. The acquisition by Clorox, however, has actually proven to be a good thing.   For Burt's Bees, it has allowed more funds for research and development- an increase of 50%.The access to greater technology and expertise has brought about improvements in the consistency and moisturizing capabilities of Burt's Bees lotions without compromising the natural ingredients.   For Clorox, the merger has brought improvements to waste management and sustainability practices. Although a slow process, Clorox has upped these improvements to its overall product portfolio by 35% and stays committed to the goal.  

A Continuing Commitment to a Green Environment

Burt’s Bees and the National Geographic Society are collaborating to reduce the flow of plastic waste into our environment. They donated $10 per Change for Nature pledge for the first 15,000 pledges, for a total donation of $150,000 to help stop the accumulation of microplastics in our watersheds.   Paula Alexander, director of Sustainable Business and Innovation, Burt's Bees, says, "As a brand founded to connect people to nature, we must protect it." She continues, "Our packaging includes over 50% PCR content in our plastics, and they are fully recyclable -- either curbside or with TerraCycle. As part of this ongoing commitment, we're pleased to announce that earlier this month, Burt's Bees has signed on to the 'We Are Still In' climate declaration.   I don't need my discriminating cat to sniff out a winner like Burt's Bees although her endorsement just helps me plead my case. There are over 100 products now in production including shampoo and body wash. I recommend the lemon cuticle cream, the peppermint foot rub, and many others. I can assure you of the fine quality, the lovely and true fragrance of the botanical oils, the smart packaging, and the impeccable social and environmental stewardship of Burt's Bees. Oh, did I mention that it's affordable too? Take the time to indulge yourself and feel pretty with nature's best ingredients and don't forget to recycle the containers- yet, again!