Imagine going on vacation and walking on a beautiful, warm Caribbean beach. All seems serene and calm, until a huge patch of plastic waste is found, only for an endless amount of plastic water bottles, plastic bags, straws and other plastic waste to be found as further investigation is taken. Unfortunately, this tragic occurrence is a reality that has become increasingly common along the shores of the Caribbean islands. As stated by the British Broadcasting Company, the United Kingdom alone uses approximately 13 billion plastic water bottles each year, of which only over 3 billion are recycled. That leaves a whopping 10 billion plastic water bottles placed either directly into landfills or discarded as litter which affects local habitats. According to Marine Insight, people around the world throw away a total of 4 million tons of trash a day, of which 12.8 percent is plastic. This number adds up to approximately 186 million tons of plastic simply thrown away each year — a staggering amount of plastic that ends up in landfills and damages entire ecosystems. Unfortunately, the damage of plastic not only affects the Caribbean, but also our local beaches and other natural environments. Plastic water bottles, bags and straws are just a fraction of the waste that washes up on our shores. When asked how plastic affects local ecosystems around Rider,  Jordan Dreyer, a sophomore film, TV and radio major said, “Although it may not be thought of by everyone, the plastic that is thrown away ends up somewhere on earth. The pollution that plastic creates ends up destroying the habitats of the plants and animals around us, all of which are important in keeping the balance of the ecosystem.” While it does seem rather grim sometimes with the rapid increase of plastic waste around the world, there are a plethora of organizations that have been created to not only help recycle more plastic, but to make people more aware of the harmful effects of plastic. One of these organizations is RecycleMania, an eight-week competition with colleges from around the country who compete to see which institutions can to recycle the most. Rider’s very own office of sustainability is doing its part in this competition. When asked how people could become more conscientious with their plastic use, Brennan Zelenski, a junior accounting major, said, “People should be sure to recycle not only their plastic water bottles, but their everyday items such as body wash and shampoo containers. If everyone were to encourage recycling, plastic pollution would not be as much of a problem as it is today.” Thankfully, Rider’s Office of Sustainability also works with local recycling company Terracycle. The Terracycle Beauty Brigade was implemented to take students’ empty beauty and shower products so they could be recycled and transformed into entirely new products, creating zero waste in the process. While plastic pollution is a problem that affects all of the earth, there are so many organizations doing their parts to reduce plastic waste. All it takes is a bit of effort and care from everyone to preserve this beautiful planet that we call home and save it for many generations to come.

Meanwhile, Subaru of America, Inc. announced this week that its dealerships across the US have recycled one million pieces of waste through the ongoing Subaru Loves the Earth recycling program, created in partnership with TerraCycle, a leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams.   "This milestone means a lot to us at Subaru because it reinforces our belief that loving the environment means more than loving the great outdoors," said Alan Bethke, SVP of Marketing at Subaru of America, Inc. "Through our partnership with TerraCycle, in less than a year, more than 540 participating Subaru retailers located across the country have recycled more than one million pieces of waste. This partnership allows Subaru owners and the communities that our retailers serve to actively participate in preserving the environment and making the world a better place."   Utilizing TerraCycle's Zero Waste Box™ platform, participating Subaru retailers encourage customers, employees and community partners to recycle waste streams that are commonly thought of as hard-to-recycle, including snack wrappers; disposable cups and lids; and coffee, tea and creamer capsules. In addition, Subaru encouraged customers to also collect these waste streams at their home or office and bringing them into a local participating Subaru retailer.   The collected waste is then turned into useful, recycled products such as park benches, picnic tables, and playground materials, and donated to Subaru community partners. Subaru retailers can also view, and order products made from the recycled materials through an exclusive Subaru product-line, produced in conjunction with TerraCycle.   "At TerraCycle, we are committed to ensuring that waste continues to be diverted away from landfills and local communities," said CEO Tom Szaky. "Subaru not only shares that commitment but has taken it to the next level by spearheading a program that collects and recycles waste that they don't manufacture. Subaru is a model for other companies that want to give back and preserve the environment."   The partnership with TerraCycle's Zero Waste Box™ program is part of the larger Subaru Loves the Earth initiative, which is dedicated to preserving the environment. The automaker's commitment to preservation is one part of the Subaru Love Promise.  

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.

There's no denying we live in a culture that finally values self-care—even as far as collectively practicing on Sundays (looking at you, Instagram and Twitter!). And we'll be the first to admit that self-care matters: In a perfect storm of pouring out our energy to loved ones, careers, endless to-do lists, and life's curveballs, acts of self-care help us stay anchored and keep our cups filled.   We're also living at a time when it's more important than ever to take care of our planet. And though the large-scale efforts needed to reverse shifting weather patterns, the water crisis, and so on might seem overwhelming, experts agree that individual action—even tiny tweaks to our daily life—is just what it takes to turn things around.  

Rethink self-care (as earth-care!).

The good news is that there are lots of ways to actively participate in both nourishing our spirit and practically caring for the earth. Need a little inspiration? Read on below for three self-care ideas that involve simple acts of kindness for our earth:  

1. Grow your favorite herbs or flowers, or lend a hand at your local farm or rooftop garden.

Hear us out: Gardening doesn't have to be an intense, time-consuming activity. If you've got a yard and the space for it, just the practice of tending to a few of your favorite flowers or herbs and watching its transformation isn't just calming and mood-boosting, but it can help remind you to slow down, practice mindfulness, and meditate on growth and life's seasons. If you're an apartment dweller or don't have space for a garden, you can still reap the benefits of connecting with nature and doing your part by volunteering at a local garden. Using your hands to help harvest produce from the earth's soil, you'll engage your senses, feel a deep connection with the world around us through the foods we eat, and—according to the wide research done on the effects of spending time in a nature-rich environment—feel less stressed, more creative, and just plain happier.   Beyond getting to cook with veg and herbs that are 100 percent local and have traveled zero miles to get to your kitchen, planting a variety of flowers like calendula, lavender, and marigolds, and herbs like mint, rosemary, oregano, and thyme helps give the declining honeybee population and other pollinators a pesticide-free source of food. Bee extinction rates are currently 1,000 times higher than at other times in history, according to the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation.   The conservation partner of Burt's Bees is now mapping 6,000 species of vital bee populations—one of the beauty and skin care brand's biggest environmental causes.  

2. Make one plant-based meal a day.

You've heard this before, and it won't be the last time: Reducing your meat intake and embracing a plant-based diet is one of the best things you can do for both your health and the environment.   "Global consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes will have to double, and consumption of foods such as red meat and sugar will have to be reduced by more than 50 percent," reads the 2019 summary report from the EAT-Lancet Commission, a group formed to research the future of food and sustainability. The team—which includes specialists from 16 different countries in fields like agriculture, nutrition, and the environment—were tasked with creating guidelines for a planetary health diet. That diet is comprised of 50 percent fruits and vegetables and 50 percent a mix of plant protein, plant oils, and whole grains. Their report notes that animal protein should be optional and consumed very minimally.   Here's why: The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that the meat industry alone generates almost one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change. What's more, producing meat also uses up a ton of water—up to 2,500 gallons of water go into making a single pound of beef.   Besides the environmental impact, the case against factory farms and inhumane treatment of animals raised for food is another solid reason to consider leaning toward more plant-based meals whenever we can.   So for the omnivores out there, set an intention of eating fully plant-based during one meal a day—even going meatless one day a week for a year is the equivalent of not driving for three entire months. Check out some of our food director's favorite veggie-heavy recipes for a little inspiration.  

3. Start building a sustainable beauty regimen.

These days, more and more brands like Burt's Bees are doing their part in protecting the future of the planet, so it's easier than ever to build a skin care routine with products that use more responsibly sourced ingredients. Do your research to see what your favorite brands are doing to help nurture and save the environment:   Chances are you already own a stick of Burt's Bees Lip Balm—that's great news because you're supporting a company that's invested in making greener moves, from trimming up to 50 percent of excess packaging in their products to committing to sustainable practices in their manufacturing. Not to mention their lip balm tubes are recyclable, either through Burt's Bees' Recycle on Us program or TerraCycle. Start small, and you can begin to make an impact with a routine you're already doing every day.   That's big, force-of-nature thinking—even if the ritual feels small and inconsequential. Make 2019 the year you practice self-care that also cares for the planet. Because if a regular self-care practice can radically change your life, just imagine what it can do for the planet, too.  

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.

SANTA FE NATURAL TOBACCO CO.

More than 100 million pieces of cigarette waste have been recycled since the fall of 2012, when Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co.(SFNTC) first partnered with TerraCycle to launch a pioneering program designed to help keep cigarette litter off of streets, beaches and public places and out of landfills. "This is a great accomplishment that testifies to the commitment of thousands of adults across the country who are helping to reduce cigarette waste," said SFNTC President Ryan Ball. "The program not only reinforces the need to dispose of cigarette waste responsibly, but also goes beyond that by actually making the waste useful." The Cigarette Waste Recycling Program, which SFNTC worked with TerraCycle to develop, lets adult volunteers across the United States collect cigarette butts and send them to TerraCycle, where they are combined with other recyclable materials to make useful, Earth-friendly items such as lumber, furniture, containers and more. SFNTC covers all of the costs of the program, and for every pound of cigarette waste collected, the company also donates $1 towards the Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program.

Loop launches in May with a pilot program. The company behind it says it will help customers cut down on single-use materials Loop will launch a pilot program in Pennsylvania in May 2019 for reusable packaging for products like Crest mouthwash, Coca-Cola bottles, Hidden Valley Ranch dressing bottles and more. A Trenton, New Jersey-based sustainability company is rolling out a new program, offering a ton of household products packaged in ways that could reduce our contributions to the rapidly-declining state of our environment. TerraCycle recently announced it's launching Loop in the northeastern U.S. and in France. Loop will allow shoppers to buy products like shampoo, deodorant, mouthwash, ice cream, juice, and detergent from major distributors but packaged in reusable containers. The pilot program will be available in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York in May. The point is to help consumers cut down on those single-use plastic containers that usually end up in landfills — like plastic Coke bottles, Febreze canisters, Pantene shampoo bottles, and Haagen Dazs ice cream tubs. With Loop, containers will be made from steel or glass. In Philly we learned the depressing reality not too long ago that even recyclable materials get sorted into the trash because they're contaminated with leftover food or water, too hard to sort by material, or are hard to sell to other countries on the recycling market. Actually, 25 percent of what we recycle in this city ends up in a landfill. So, here's how it'll work. Customers will be able to visit Loop websites and order waste-free products from brands like Pepsi, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever. Then, they'll receive their products in a tote that eliminates shipping materials like cardboard boxes. Haagen Dazs is one of the brands partnering with TerraCycle that will transform its single-use products into reusable containers. After users are finished with the products, they won't need to clean or dispose of the containers. Loop will pick up the containers from the customer's home, clean them for safe reuse, and replenish the products. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the products will cost "roughly the same" as their cost on grocery store shelves. But, users will have to pay deposits of anywhere between $1 and $10 per container. Loop is currently recruiting 5,000 interested customers for the pilot program. According to the Journal, it will expand to London and 10 additional cities later this year and into 2020.

  Loop's new recycling program hopes to eliminate waste altogether.TERRACYCLE Some of the biggest consumer brands are trying out a new way to repurpose packaging. It’s a modern take on an old school model: think of milkmen picking up used milk bottles or recycling glass bottle to get the deposit back.   Last week at Davos, TerraCycle, a US-based waste management company, debuted a new model of recycling, called the Loop, working with global brands like Unilever, P&G, The Clorox Company, Nestle, PepsiCo, Coca Cola European Partners, Danone, and The Body Shop. It does just as the name suggests: keep “looping” the packaging back to the brand for a refill, instead of throwing it in the bin after just one use. This could be the beginnings of an e-commerce circular shopping system. Alan Jope, CEO of Unilever, said: “We want to put an end to the current ‘take-make-dispose’ culture and are committed to taking big steps towards designing our products for re-use. We’re proud to be a founding partner of Loop, which will deliver our much-loved brands in packaging which is truly circular by design.” TerraCycle has been on the business of trash for a decade, recycling waste, and helping brands figure out more eco-friendly alternatives. Despite their successes, Loop required reimagining the current system altogether. “It took quite a bit of effort to get the founding partners on board:  PG, Unilever, Nestle, Mars and PepsiCo as the model requires a major investment of money, time and other resources,” says Tom Szaky, CEO of TerraCycle. “Once these companies joined they set the stage and since then it has been surprisingly easy to bring partners on board.” Reusable containers with glass and metal would substitute cheap disposable packaging.TERRACYCLE He admits that it’s more complicated and costly option right now for brands. But at scale, the cost can drop. Same applies for retail partners like Carrefour and Tesco who were first hesitant to sign, but have been easier to convict after Carrefour pioneered the way, being the first grocery retailer to test out Loop. Laurent Vallée, General Secretary of Carrefour Group, said: “Loop is a disruptive solution led by a visionary entrepreneur. Carrefour has a strong commitment to eliminating waste and plastic. It was a natural fit for Carrefour to commit to this great project, thus becoming the first player in the retail space to join Loop. We believe our clients are increasingly concerned with unnecessary waste and we expect them to embrace this new solution. We hope other international manufacturers and retailers will join us to adopt new standards and fight waste.” For customers, the prices for Loop products will be comparable to what they would be normally in disposable packaging. However, customers do have to pay a refundable deposit for the durable containers. In the US, this will vary from $0.25 to $10. This is fully refunded when the empty packaging is picked up, no matter what condition it is returned in, Szaky clarifies. Rather than build a new brand centered around packaging, Loop wants companies and consumers to pay closer attention to the economics of packaging: the current model incentives the cheapest options. Since compostable packaging is still more expensive, big global brands have been slow to adopt. “The good news is that in Loop you don’t have to trust our products, as they are already the best brands in the world from Tide to Haagen Dazs, and you don’t have to trust us as a retailer. All you have to do is switch from disposable to durable, which gives you the following profound benefits,” he adds. With some of this new packaging, there may be some added bonuses: for instance, the metal containers keep ice cream frozen longer and wet wipes, well, wetter. Plus, there’s the obvious bonus of less trash to take out every week. By working with UPS and Suez, TerraCycle can use the same routes UPS does daily to deliver packages to pick up the waste. So no drops to recycling units or additional steps for customers. The idea was conceived at the World Economic Forum; hence it’s debut there this year. Szaky used the convening of these global brands at this annual event to design the system. To expand on this vision, Szaky has been raising capital through crowdfunding: over $3 million have been raised thus far. Szaky says they’re also raising capital specifically for Loop, which is owned by TerraCycle Global, and requires a fair amount of capital upfront for brands to innovative new types of packaging and a process of refillng. The pilots with these global brands will unravel this spring and it’s yet to be determined if customers are as eager as brands to solve the waste problem.