Kan Chan Kin uses trash to create musical instruments on his home island of Mauritius. Kan Chan Kin / Facebook
In a CNN feature, Kan Chan Kin asks: "What happens to your trash when you put it in your bin? It doesn't magically disappear, you know?"
<p>The news report calls Kan an "artivist" – part musician, part artist and full-time environmental champion.</p><p>Kan's mission is to spread awareness about our collective trash problem and to encourage waste reduction. He is most well-known for transforming trash into musical instruments that he plays around his home island of Mauritius and in public speaking opportunities.</p><p>"I make instruments, I play music, and I try to blend them both together and inspire people to reuse things," Kan told CNN. "How simple stuff like a bottle, some pieces of wood, you can make drums or many, many other instruments."</p>
<p>Kan explained how upcycling musical instruments from trash was "very easy" because the materials are all around and free, CNN reported. And, by taking the garbage out of nature, "you're doing a good action," he added.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upcycle" target="_blank">Merriam-Webster Dictionary</a>, "upcycling" is a form of recycling wherein the resultant product is of higher value than the original item. Rather than processing waste into new materials, as traditional recycling does, a product that would otherwise be thrown away can be repurposed in its current state into something new.</p><p>Kan strives to spread his message around Mauritius and beyond to inspire others to create less waste.</p><p>"I like to inspire the kids, so I tell them a bit why I do these things," Kan told CNN.</p>
<p>The musician can be seen in the CNN video showing youths how to play his handmade, upcycled instruments. He asks them to guess what they're made of to "keep it fun." He hosts workshops and concerts around his home country.</p><p>The artivist also posts <a href="https://fb.watch/3JXdNxpYx1/" target="_blank">free video tutorials on his Facebook</a> and Sound Cloud accounts, detailing how to participate in his "trash to music" movement by making an upcycled instrument at home out of rubbish. "Discover how to craft my favourite music instrument called 'Didgeridoo' from PVC pipes or cardboard rolls!," the video invites viewers.</p><p>For such a small island, the trash problem is sizable.</p><p>"Every year, four hundred thousand tons of waste enters the landfill site at Mare Chicose," Kan said in a <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/kan_chan_kin_from_trash_to_music" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2019 TEDx talk</a> showcasing his recycled instruments. "I am really concerned about the state of our environment and I try to protect it or make people conscious in my own ways... " he told CNN.</p>
<p>According to the World Bank, the average Mauritian generates 2.3 kilograms of municipal solid waste per day, or roughly one ton a year – almost double the global average for an urban resident, reported <a href="https://bioreports.net/to-help-preserve-his-island-paradise-this-musician-in-mauritius-is-turning-trash-into-instruments/amp/" target="_blank">BioReports</a>. As the most densely populated African nation despite its small size, Mauritius does not have space to spare for landfills, BioReports noted.</p><p>Tourism, which was a major economy on the island before the pandemic, would also bring more than one million visitors to the island annually, creating even more garbage, BioReports found.</p><p>Through his performances with his upcycled instruments, the former electronic music DJ hopes to show people how everyday citizens can make a big difference in the fight against trash.</p><p>"I personally think everyone should see the landfill of their region, of their country because it is part of humanity," Kan told CNN.</p>
<p>In his TEDx talk, Kan encouraged everyone to become aware of the amount of waste that humans create, to reuse things and only buy what's needed and to remove trash and upcycle it.</p><p>In the talk, he ended with a call to action for his audience: "To conclude, I would like you all to think one tiny second (about) what are the consequences of our existence – both material and immaterial? What are we leaving to this world? What are we leaving to our kids? ... So, as I turn trash into music, I invite you all to turn our problems into solutions."</p>
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A Coca-Cola bottle pollutes a river in France. Alain Pitton / NurPhoto via Getty Images
In December 2020, a report found Coca-Cola was the top corporate plastic polluter for the third year in a row, meaning its products were found clogging the most places with the largest amounts of plastic pollution.
<p>The company seems to be aiming to clean up its act somewhat this year with the introduction of a 13.2-ounce bottle made with 100-percent <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/recycling" target="_self">recycled</a> PET (rPET) plastic. The company <a href="https://www.coca-colacompany.com/news/packaging-sustainability-in-united-states" target="_blank">announced</a> the new bottle's debut in select U.S. states this February, but environmental organizations said the move was too little, too late.</p><p>"In 1990, <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUaSp-2BN9tnAcI5VSxIezu-2B2tTy0eA3-2FgXcsFJYzvF7FFl7AW5ZknGpqvSvk6gI-2FxjAy2uPYZMRbxXilqRhRRioAXE-2Bn2apOb0rxmFaqHtBQVzqLC9AFOwjLQ75X6O8vFl2lbGZDpmvbi9N-2BtUUeZBDrL4gZEk-2Ffkpglj0YCQt9FJG4ZNu_9DWd1IQpF0pa6moAa2K0USVLPw-2BdyUxYOf6Uxh7iNF2j-2F-2B0i4WsvfzVmvKM60HQTKBTl7-2FdSSDZkDf9HSA47QUmgHfQ3pfCbKBt6d7suISyU8aOtRigGCgCehfchPh0Po7w6ZyKL8uU9BmvEWmf-2B8QxEDc0kD5DE9XFKuqEM472yKOzkkbnIE3DookHKOOo-2BZNFQkQ7wX9pWu-2FO6O5cdwPXUqYqD4PxwInBqFCdbpWS1mBYS6ufaDApOtFiZq6Fcebsa6DfyeyuYm-2Bz-2BF1ebJIzOtIQXnkuptCbDtZ2-2Fe1sHUyY3deIB6BeeCq2itx0EjAlh1xw-2FkrK8lId612hX-2FRfZml7ZvNqtG7jAyLS0-2BL4-3D" target="_blank">Coca-Cola and Pepsi announced plans to sell their products in recycled plastic bottles</a>. The Washington Post quoted Greenpeace as 'unimpressed' at the time, urging the companies to eliminate single-use plastics altogether," Greenpeace USA senior plastics campaigner Kate Melge said in a statement emailed to EcoWatch. "Thirty one years later, companies should not still be boasting about transitioning to recycled content. We remain unimpressed."</p>
<p>The new bottles are the first ever made with 100 percent rPET plastic in the U.S., the company said. They will launch with its Coke-label beverages and Sprite in California, Florida and certain Northeast states this month and spread to other sparkling drinks in the summer.</p><p>In addition to the smaller 13.2-ounce bottles, the company will also launch a traditional 20-ounce 100 percent rPET bottle for Coke brands in California, Texas and New York this month. It's bottled water brand, DASANI, will follow with a 20-ounce rPET bottle in the same three states in March, while Smartwater will launch 20-ounce rPET bottles in New York and California in July. The company will shift all Sprite packaging to clear material, which is easier to recycle, by the end of 2022.</p>
<p>All together, the company said these measures would reduce its use of new plastic in North America by 20 percent compared to 2018 levels. They would also eliminate 10,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. every year, the equivalent of taking 2,120 cars off the road for a year.</p><p>"Challenges around plastic packaging waste and recycling continue to be top of mind for our consumers, customers and our system," Alpa Sutaria, the vice president and general manager for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sustainability" target="_self">sustainability</a> at Coca-Cola's North America Operating Unit, said in the company announcement. "Introducing 100% recycled PET bottles is a big proof point of how recycling can help create a circular economy."</p>
<p>The U.S. announcement comes little more than a year after Coca-Cola <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/coca-cola-plastic-pollution-2644896488.html" target="_self">said outright</a> it would not move away from plastic altogether. The company's head of sustainability Bea Perez told reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos that customers valued the plastic bottles for their light weight and easy resealability.</p><p>"Business won't be in business if we don't accommodate consumers," Perez said at the time.</p><p>Coca-Cola has an overall goal of making 100 percent of its packaging recyclable by 2025, making its bottles with 50 percent recycled material by 2030 and collecting and recycling the equivalent of a bottle or can for every beverage it sells by the same date. Currently, it offers 100 percent rPET bottles in more than 25 markets, and more than 94 percent of its North American packaging is recyclable.</p>
<p>However, environmental organizations have argued that more recycling is not the solution to the plastic pollution crisis. For one thing, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/recycling-plastic-reality-2615116844.html" target="_self">less than 10 percent</a> of the plastic used in the U.S. is actually recycled, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And more than half of that is sent abroad, often to poorer countries that struggle to manage it effectively, a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/world-plastic-waste-leader-us-2648607158.html" target="_self">2020 study based on 2016 data found</a>. Further, a recent investigative series from NPR and PBS's <em>Frontline</em> revealed that oil and gas companies had known since the 1970s that plastic recycling was not possible at scale, but continued to promote it in order to sidestep criticism of their products.</p>
<p>"Selling recycling sold plastic, even if it wasn't true," a former plastic executive told NPR, as EcoWatch <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-recycling-myth-2647706452.html" target="_self">reported</a> at the time.</p><p>This history has made campaigners skeptical of corporate recycling pushes.</p><p>"Since the 1970s, these consumer goods giants have <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUZWF4KdJRrMe8gKAsZknlq83IiQ3tif74vD2xXz6JwTTt0XGJG9qGMHpxMs4YfUtKj5S-2BfFbubK0A1L5WdaYCFsvY5TyYc8t7QoqMCvPCn04d340n-2Bv39FYEcpvN8nIgog8fROSuWU8OPvdQH6RDFQI-3DLOHp_9DWd1IQpF0pa6moAa2K0USVLPw-2BdyUxYOf6Uxh7iNF2j-2F-2B0i4WsvfzVmvKM60HQTKBTl7-2FdSSDZkDf9HSA47QUmgHfQ3pfCbKBt6d7suISyU8aOtRigGCgCehfchPh0Po7w6ZyKL8uU9BmvEWmf-2B8QxEDc0kD5DE9XFKuqEM472yKOzkkbnIE3DookHKOOo-2B-2FAF39YOHIQvGoR2L6tOvjRMVUAALROtH2vtMqy3bB-2F25-2BzGp1SjqrzPlhOv3nRkOVGA5TOA07F1ObXtajx3EEumzpbXq3bslbpUFhwZdcAkdjT4l6EGWxopL26NIB3Ovedn9uLZAgzIf5y6lMPtSz7bMLmTNblXWbbvRyqhWOyU-3D" target="_blank">joined with the fossil fuel industry to use recycling as justification to continue relying on polluting plastics</a>," Melges said. "And the climate crisis has gotten worse, our <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oceans" target="_self">oceans</a> have grown more polluted, and the health of communities worldwide has deteriorated thanks to this profit model that puts the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries before everything else. If Coke wants to make real news, it should announce that it is finally ending its reliance on plastics altogether."</p>
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More and more Americans are retrofitting their bathrooms with high-end bidets, allowing them to enjoy cleanliness and hygiene without creating as much paper waste. Not all bidets are created equal, however, and before deciding on a particular brand, it's important to do your homework. Take a look at our comprehensive Toto bidet review, and our reviews of Tushy and Omigo, to learn more about all of their options.
<h2>Toto overview</h2><p>Toto is a company that has been around for over 100 years. They aim to improve people's quality of life, and they do that specifically by focusing on bathrooms. To that end, Toto is known for high-quality products including toilets, faucets, showers, bathtubs, and bidets. </p><p>Toto has also expressed an admirable commitment to ecological stewardship. As <a href="https://www.totousa.com/about-toto/toto-way" target="_blank">their corporate website</a> notes, they strive to "protect the global environment by conserving finite natural resources and energy." One example of this is their donation of any imperfectly fired porcelain products for recycling and reuse as porcelain floor tile. Their <a href="https://www.totousa.com/about-toto/living-toto-library/smart-sustainable-packaging-solution" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">packaging</a> uses differing levels of recycled post-consumer paper products while their forklifts operate using <a href="https://www.totousa.com/about-toto/living-toto-library/plant-based-hydraulics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">plant-based hydraulics</a> made from soybean oil instead of traditional hydraulic oil.</p><p>Toto is definitely a company with a superior reputation when it comes to bathroom accessories in general, and bidets in particular. Here are reviews of some of the specific products in the Toto line.</p><h2>Toto bidet reviews</h2><p>There are two different bidet product families available from Toto: standalone bidets and bidet seat attachments. Their standalone models include the Piedmont bidet, the Lloyd bidet, and the Clayton bidet, while their bidet toilet seat offerings include a wide selection in the popular Washlet line. Here are details on the three standalone options and three of the most popular bidet seat attachments.</p><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><h3>Toto standalone bidets</h3><h4></h4>
<h2>Toto bidet pros and cons<br></h2><p>Whether you're considering a standalone bidet or a bidet seat attachment, here are some of the pros and cons to help you compare your options.</p><h3>Pros</h3><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Standalone bidets, such as the ones offered by Toto, are designed in a wider range of elegant, contemporary styles. If you are looking to remodel your bathroom, splurging for a standalone bidet makes sense.</li><li>Toto offers a wide selection of bidet and bidet attachment options. Some of their more advanced units feature night lights, adjustable nozzle positions, warm air dryers, and adjustable settings for the temperature of the water.</li><li>All of the Toto bidet attachments we reviewed include self-cleaning nozzles for added hygiene. They are also designed for DIY installation, and easily connect to your existing toilet's water supply without the need for a plumber or electrician.</li></ul><h3>Cons</h3><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Toto's line of standalone bidets and bidet seat attachments are more expensive than some other brands, especially some of their more high-end models.</li><li>Standalone bidets may not be as convenient for those who have mobility issues.</li><li>All of Toto's bidet seat attachments are electric, and don't feature an eco or energy-saving mode like some other options.</li></ul><h2>The benefits of buying a bidet</h2><p>Why buy a bidet at all? There are plenty of perks, both for you and the planet:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Bidets offer a more thorough, hygienic cleaning than toilet paper.</li><li>They're considerably more eco-friendly, using less water and paper.</li><li>Because you'll use so much less toilet paper, bidets are also more cost-effective.</li><li>Compared with TP, bidets can be really soothing to the skin.</li><li>They have special benefits for women, and especially pregnant women, helping minimize the risk of a UTI.</li><li>Bidets are highly accessible, even to those with limited mobility.</li><li>A bidet makes it much easier to teach your children about proper bathroom hygiene.</li></ul><h2>Considerations when buying a bidet</h2><p>As you consider all of your options for getting a bidet, here are a few of the key factors to consider:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Look for a bidet with a self-cleaning nozzle. This will help keep things hygienic.</li><li>Electric vs. non-electric? Electric bidets can offer more comfort features, like a heated seat, but they also use more energy than a non-electric one.</li><li>Is it a standalone bidet, a bidet seat, or a bidet attachment? While a standalone bidet is a completely separate fixture from your toilet, a bidet seat will completely replace your existing seat and a bidet attachment will be installed onto your existing toilet seat. These are usually the least expensive, but also come with the fewest features.</li><li>Does the bidet connect to your home's hot water? If it doesn't, you will only be able to clean with cold water.</li><li>Make sure you can adjust the settings. For the most comfortable bidet, look for controls that let you customize the water pressure, the angle of the water stream, the temperature of the water, and the temperature of the seat, if it is heated.</li></ul><p>Use these questions to determine whether the bidets from Toto are right for you.</p><h2>Toto bidets: a leader in comfort and efficiency</h2><p>Toto makes durable, elegant, and highly functional products that will allow you to enjoy all the hygienic and environmental benefits of a bidet. You can also read our full review of the best bidets to compare with other brands like Brondell, Kohler, Tushy, and BioBidet.</p><p><em><strong>Josh Hurst </strong></em><em>is a journalist, critic, and essayist. He lives in Knoxville, TN, with his wife and three sons. His writing on natural health, nutrition, and supplements has appeared in Health, Shape, and Remedy Review.</em></p>
Piedmont
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDgyMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMjI3MjE3Nn0.QqBs95yaFQnGwAuf0t3XaSCc7pvrSEUalnl9UulrODg/img.jpg?width=980" id="a0c63" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9d10ad2b08c5d00642b44787c1b099ad" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTO-BT500B-01-Piedmont-Vertical/dp/B00084P3GO/ref=sr_1_3?crid=ZG6AGN0U9VQL&dchild=1&keywords=toto+piedmont+bidet&qid=1613591898&sprefix=toto+piedmo%2Caps%2C188&sr=8-3" target="_blank">Toto's Piedmont bidet</a> offers an elegant, classic design, and it also comes with built-in safeguards that prevent it from ever overflowing. It is available in several color options, and will look good with any contemporary bathroom design.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> This is the most affordable standalone bidet in Toto's catalog. This bidet is a good option if you are remodeling your bathroom or are building a home and want to save water and paper waste from the start. Priced starting at $533, you can find it through other retailers for around $280.</p>
$533
Lloyd
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDgzMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNTU0Nzk0Nn0.h9XeFBojZff_4Un8swlIoamX7xAwO1wH3RKAiiZb96k/img.jpg?width=980" id="e5d22" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="83ff9c9b3ed8f1b5e92ff99c14ad9b0c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTO-BT930B-01-Vertical-Cotton/dp/B0015IVUOQ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=toto%2Blloyd%2Bbidet&qid=1613592001&sr=8-2&th=1" target="_blank">Lloyd bidet</a> has a much bolder, "skirted" design, but it also shares the Piedmont's flushing rim and integral overflow features, which keep you from ever experiencing spillage.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>This is a fancier product with a more striking appearance, and is mainly suited for a larger, more formal design. It retails for a slightly higher price point: The Lloyd model starts at $780 in total, but you can find it for $526 through other retailers.</p>
$780
Clayton
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDgzMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NTI4MTYyNn0.xNOnfejHaWbEVHRbO1vFVdUoWbFvevja40qRVr6L4dI/img.jpg?width=980" id="df200" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0cdb567e670fb2e46f50fbc43c99158c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p>The company's flagship standalone bidet is known as the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTO-BT784B-01-Clayton-Vertical/dp/B0018L9JUC/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=toto+clayton+bidet&qid=1613592108&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Clayton</a>. It includes the same overflow safeguards as the other two, and of course, each of these products is backed by Toto's longstanding commitment to excellent craftsmanship.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>This is the most traditional in its visual style, and, with a number of colors to choose from, it will look great in almost any bathroom design. The Clayton starts at $734, but is available through other retailers for around $426.</p>
$734
<h3>Toto bidet seats</h3>
Toto Washlet C200
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDgzNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MTY3OTY1M30.3coYAuyqJLBcw8hQszI8Shbcfyr6nn9V0ek-kXv2kgQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="61762" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b7c91d2511149e271c7f0139f1580788" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p>This electronic smart bidet seat fits onto your existing toilet bowl and offers a number of comfort features, including a heated seat, automatic air deodorizer, adjustable warm water, warm air dryer, self-cleaning wand, and a wireless remote control.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> We chose the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UCIOX2Q/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=-XjvJQOmffOcAmiCOZvtAA&hsa_cr_id=7413316040901&pd_rd_plhdr=t&pd_rd_r=0e0e7f3d-0baf-4977-85d3-663f618a76d8&pd_rd_w=Yi3yF&pd_rd_wg=LUFHB&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_lsi3d_asin_1_img" target="_blank">Toto C200</a> as the overall best bidet in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/best-bidet-toilet-seats-2650502928.html" target="_self">our review</a> of top brands. In addition to the features mentioned, its dual action oscillating and pulsating spray and pre-mist function provide a comfortable and sanitary clean.</p>
$715
Toto Washlet S500e with EWATER+
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDgzOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MTgzNTIyMH0.idaacYO4MzHGTeajRkSCVHOo3TH7tehRN8TAH2s75ko/img.jpg?width=980" id="f6ed5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="87fa67b17e4c8e06f74bfbce87bf4809" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTO-SW3046-01-Electronic-Contemporary/dp/B078GTKSXK/ref=sr_1_2?crid=15NGPC9YFANKH&dchild=1&keywords=toto+s500e&qid=1613960063&sprefix=toto+s500e%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Toto Washlet S500e</a> bidet seat includes the features found in the C200, plus instantaneous water heating, front and rear wash functions, two-user preset memory, and the company's <a href="https://www.totousa.com/technologies/ewater" target="_blank">EWATER+ technology</a>. This system uses electrolyzed water to keep the wand and toilet bowl clean.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> This high-end Toto electric bidet seat can help you reduce water and toilet paper use, and it can help reduce the need for chemical cleaning products with its EWATER+ technology.</p>
$1530
Toto Washlet A100
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDg0Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MzU0OTU3MH0.g2PYzguGXvB1l7RvWBcw_xNtlpy8hsmcwui8Twr3CMA/img.jpg?width=980" id="08295" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d3d798b5d7737cddaadfd9f6fa5a84d6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTO-SW2014-01-Electronic-SoftClose/dp/B0165UFOGS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=30E9Y1LAN9ZRW&dchild=1&keywords=toto+washlet+a100+elongated+bidet+toilet+seat&qid=1613589664&sprefix=toto+washlet+a100%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFBR1FMUTdJR1hXNUEmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyNjIwOTkxUE1EWk5CQjg2QTZPJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NDc1MzExSk1UMk5CQzJYVUhVJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==" target="_blank">A100</a> is an entry-level Washlet bidet attachment, but still offers numerous comfort features. It includes a heated seat with temperature control, aerated warm water with a dual action spray, and an attached arm control panel.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>One of the most affordable Toto bidet options, it still lets you adjust the water temperature and pressure settings, and features rear and front cleaning functionality for a feminine wash.</p>
$499
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A 2019 Basel Convention amendment targeting plastic waste exports went into effect on Jan. 1. Boris Horvat / AFP / Getty Images
This month, a new era began in the fight against plastic pollution.
<p>In 2019, 187 nations within the United Nations amended the 1989 <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/basel-convention" target="_self">Basel Convention</a>, which governs trade in hazardous materials, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-pollution-agreement-2636986814.html" target="_self">to include plastic waste</a>. The historic treaty created a legally binding framework to make global trade in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastics" target="_self">plastic</a> waste more transparent and better regulated, the UN Environment Program (UNEP) said in a <a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/governments-agree-landmark-decisions-protect-people-and-planet" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p><p>The amendment to the Basel Convention, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2021, will result in a cleaner ocean within five years and allow developing nations like Vietnam and Malaysia to refuse low-quality and difficult-to-recycle waste before it ever gets shipped, a UN transboundary waste chief told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/29/new-rules-to-tackle-wild-west-of-plastic-waste-dumped-on-poorer-countries" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p><p>"It is my optimistic view that, in five years, we will see results," Rolph Payet, the executive director of the Basel Convention, told The Guardian. "People on the frontline are going to be telling us whether there is a decrease of plastic in the ocean. I don't see that happening in the next two to three years, but on the horizon of five years. This amendment is just the beginning."</p><p>"Pollution from <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-waste" target="_self">plastic waste</a>, acknowledged as a major environmental problem of global concern, has reached epidemic proportions with an estimated 100 million tons of plastic now found in the oceans, 80-90 percent of which comes from land-based sources," the UNEP release noted, explaining a primary rationale behind the amendment's passage.</p><p>Once in the oceans, plastic continues to cause harm. It degrades into <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/microplastics" target="_self">microplastics</a>, which <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/seafood-study-plastic-contamination-2646982206.html" target="_self">end up in our seafood</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/microplastics-found-human-organs-2647014349.html#:~:text=According%20to%20PlasticsEurope.org%2C%20359,74%2C000%20microplastic%20particles%20a%20year." target="_self">ultimately us</a>. A recent study also found that <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/ocean-acidification-plastic-polllution-2648847023.html" target="_self">plastic pollution increases ocean acidification</a>.</p>
<p>The amendment now requires "prior notice and consent" in writing from importing and transit countries before shipping plastic waste for recycling, the <a href="http://requirements/" target="_blank">Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)</a> explained. Exporting countries must detail whether a shipment is mixed or contaminated. If permission isn't granted to receive the goods, they must remain in their country of origin.</p><p>The new international rule aims to level the playing field between wealthy nations that dump contaminated plastic waste and poorer ones that have traditionally received it. According to The Guardian, before the new rule, shipments containing contaminated, non-recyclable and low-quality plastics were often sold to developing nations for recycling. After China refused to continue accepting contaminated waste in 2018, the onus fell on other developing nations to accept it, a 2020 <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/43469/waste-trade-woes-plastic-waste-from-developed-countries-add-to-malaysias-environmental-crisis/" target="_blank">Greenpeace report </a>found. Once received, the waste was often illegally burned or dumped in landfills and waterways because it was unusable and unrecyclable.</p><p>Heng Kiah Chun, a Greenpeace Malaysia campaigner, called the impact from illegally dumping plastic waste from more than 19 countries worldwide "an indelible mark" left throughout Southeast Asia, the report added.</p><p>According to the EPA, the Basel Convention made an exception for pre-sorted, clean, uncontaminated and recycling-bound plastic scrap: it will not be subject to informed consent requirements. The idea is to encourage exports of commercially viable plastics for recycling rather than the unrestricted dumping of plastic trash that previously occurred.</p><p>In Dec. 2020, the European Union passed <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/eu-bans-plastic-waste-exports-2649639389.html" target="_self">additional regulations</a> that are even stricter than the Basel Convention amendment, including a ban on sending unsorted plastic waste, which is harder to recycle, to poorer countries. </p>
<p>Despite <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/world-plastic-waste-leader-us-2648607158.html" target="_self">leading the world in plastic waste</a>, the U.S. did not agree to the amendment in 2019. However, the amendment still applies to the U.S. anytime it tries to trade plastic waste with another of the 187 participating countries, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/11/world/basel-convention-plastic-waste-trade-intl/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>Rather than framing the plastic problem as an issue between developed and developing nations, some critics would rather see <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-pollution-producer-responsibility-2649792843.html" target="_self">commercial producers take responsibility</a>. Others, noting that <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-recycling-myth-2647706452.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" target="_self">recycling</a> models, especially in the U.S., aren't working, are encouraging a cultural shift away from using plastics, stemming the problem of plastic pollution at the source.</p><p>Nevertheless, the convention is a "crucial first step towards stopping the use of developing countries as a dumping ground for the world's plastic waste, especially those coming from rich nations," Von Hernandez, Break Free From Plastic global coordinator, told CNN.</p><p>"Countries at the receiving end of mixed and unsorted plastic waste from foreign sources now have the right to refuse these problematic shipments, in turn compelling source countries to ensure exports of clean, recyclable plastics only," Hernandez added. "Recycling will not be enough, however. Ultimately, production of plastics has to be significantly curtailed to effectively resolve the plastic pollution crisis."</p>
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Several innovative companies have begun brainstorming better ways to repurpose old wind turbine blades. xu wu / Getty Images
When wind turbine blades reach the end of their usefulness, most are sawed into transportable pieces and hauled to landfills, where they never break down. Because of the resources and energy that go into producing these blades, this type of disposal is inefficient and wasteful. Recently, several innovative companies have begun brainstorming better ways to repurpose this green technology after it goes offline.
<p>According to <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-wind-turbine-blades-could-be-recycled-instead-of-landfilled/" target="_blank">Scientific American</a>, wind turbines are built to last an industry standard of 30 years. As installed <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/wind-power-capacity-2645577863.html" target="_self">wind energy capacity continues to increase globally</a>, it is becoming increasingly important to think about the next phase in a wind turbine's lifecycle: the end. Some existing turbines have already been taken out of service and decommissioned at the end of their lifecycle, or during "repowering," a process where companies replace smaller turbines with bigger ones capable of producing more energy.</p><p>While roughly 85 percent of turbine component materials — including steel, copper wide, electronics and gearing — can be recycled or reused, old blades are harder to salvage, Scientific American reported. Since blades are comprised of fiberglass, a lightweight and durable composite material ideal for withstanding storms, separating the plastic and glass fibers for recycling is difficult, the article found. The process also requires powerful diamond-encrusted industrial saws and a lot of effort. Due to this, tens of thousands of aging blades are being removed and have nowhere to go but landfills, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-02-05/wind-turbine-blades-can-t-be-recycled-so-they-re-piling-up-in-landfills" target="_blank">Bloomberg Green</a>.</p><p>The article estimated that 8,000 blades will be decommissioned each year until 2024, and Europe will see about 3,800 coming down each year through at least 2022.</p><p>To combat what <a href="https://grist.org/energy/todays-wind-turbine-blades-could-become-tomorrows-bridges/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Grist</a> called the impending "wind turbine blade waste crisis," scientists around the world are focused on finding ways to recycle, upcycle and redesign blades for the future.</p>
<p>Washington-based Global Fiberglass Solutions (GFS) believes itself to be the first U.S.-based company to commercially recycle fiberglass wind turbine blades, a 2019 <a href="https://resource-recycling.com/plastics/2019/03/27/company-expands-wind-turbine-recycling-operation/" target="_blank">Plastics Recycling Update</a> report noted. According to a GFS <a href="http://blog.global-fiberglass.com/blog/global-fiberglass-solutions-becomes-the-first-us-based-company-to-commercially-recycle-wind-turbine-blades-into-viable-products" target="_blank">press release</a>, the company grinds up discarded blades, which are then used for decking materials, pallets and piping, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/10/759376113/unfurling-the-waste-problem-caused-by-wind-energy" target="_blank">NPR</a> reported.</p><p>Wind energy giant G.E. similarly announced a wind turbine blade recycling program in the U.S., where the majority of old blades from onshore turbines would be shredded and used to replace raw materials in cement manufacturing, <a href="https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ge-announces-first-us-wind-turbine-blade-recycling-program-with-veolia/591869/" target="_blank">Utility Dive</a> reported late last year.</p><p>The process should make wind turbines fully recyclable while also reducing carbon dioxide emissions from cement production by a net 27 percent, Utility Dive found. Because concrete is the most widely used human-made material in existence, the production of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/cement" target="_self">cement</a>, one of its composite materials, accounts for approximately eight percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46455844#:~:text=Cement%20is%20the%20source%20of,behind%20China%20and%20the%20US." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BBC</a> in 2018. Veolia, the company that will process GE's old blades for recycling, hopes to use this co-processing technology to create a greener cement, Bob Cappadona, executive vice president for Veolia North America's environmental solutions and services, told Utility Dive.</p><p>"Last summer we completed a trial using a GE blade, and we were very happy with the results. This fall we have processed more than 100 blades so far, and our customers have been very pleased with the product," said Cappadona.</p>
<p>Upcycling might be a stronger solution for the planet because old blades' strength and durability aren't wasted by shredding them. In Ireland, an experimental blades-to-bridges program run by Re-Wind is reimagining decommissioned blades into bicycle and pedestrian bridges, transmission towers and other civil engineering structures, the <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/james-gignac/wind-turbine-blades-recycling" target="_blank">Union of Concerned Scientists</a> reported. The blade pieces are strong enough to replace steel girders in construction because the technology is built to withstand intense pressure and wind speeds, Grist added.</p><p>Re-Wind is brainstorming other novel uses for the scrap blades, from serving as artificial reefs to highway noise barriers. The company is also considering cutting up the durable material to create affordable housing that can withstand extreme weather, Grist reported.</p><p>"If you are talking about a sustainable, renewable fuel source, it's not appropriate to then pollute the environment with materials that are decommissioned," Re-Wind team lead Larry Bank told Grist.</p><p>A final innovation hopes to add a third option to the recycle-or-discard dilemma surrounding wind turbines. Scientists at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are changing turbine material in hopes of making them cheaper and recyclable. Last November, Scientific American reported on the new turbine blades, which use a thermoplastic resin instead of epoxy thermoset resin to set the fiberglass into shape. Critically, the new material can be reclaimed at the end of a blade's life by melting and reusing it in new blades.</p><p>While years of additional testing may be required, Daniel Laird, the director of NREL's wind technology center, was hopeful. He told Scientific American, "I think that a lot of progress is going to be made on the recyclability of blades in the next year or two."</p>
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Indian startup Carbon Craft Design upcycles black carbon into stylish tiles. Carbon Craft Design
Indian startup Carbon Craft Design (CCD) launched with the goal of making construction more sustainable and tackling India's major air pollution problem. It does so by extracting black carbon from polluted air and upcycling it into strong and stylish carbon tiles.
<p>Black carbon is a substance in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution that absorbs one million times more energy from the sun than carbon dioxide, making it a potent contributor to the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a>, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/style/article/carbon-tiles-air-pollution-india-hnk-spc-intl/index.html#:~:text=Determined%20to%20make%20construction%20more,make%20stylish%2C%20handcrafted%20building%20tiles." target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>Black carbon also has dangerous health effects, having been linked to lung and heart disease in addition to impairing cognitive and immune functions, the article stated. Earlier this year, two separate studies found that <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/air-pollution-life-expectancy-2645407193.html" target="_self">air pollution shortens human life expectancy by three years</a> and that there is <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/air-pollution-cardiac-arrests-2644941669.html" target="_self">"no safe level" of air pollution exposure</a>, because even low levels of PM2.5 correlated with an increased risk of cardiac arrest. In 2020, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/air-pollution-deaths-study-2648424420.html" target="_self">air pollution was responsible for over 6.6 million deaths worldwide</a> and was ruled, for the first time, as a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/london-girl-death-air-pollution-2649531226.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" target="_self">partial cause of the asthma death of a nine-year-old London girl</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/india" target="_self">India</a> is notorious for its polluted air. According to <a href="https://www.iqair.com/india" target="_blank">IQ Air</a>, its cities often suffer from high levels of PM2.5, and 21 of the world's 30 most polluted cities in 2019 were in the South Asian nation.</p><p>Building and construction are partly to blame. Traditional <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/eco-friendly-bricks-2646435593.html" target="_blank">clay bricks</a> are made by firing and heating them to roughly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which takes a lot of energy and produces air pollution byproduct waste. India is the world's second-largest brick producer, and brick kilns account for 20 percent of black carbon emissions globally, CNN reported. Conventional vitrified tiles (a low-porosity ceramic), also require a lot of energy to manufacture since they have to be burned, <a href="https://www.thebetterindia.com/225013/mumbai-startup-air-pollution-tiles-carbon-craft-design-sustainable-innovation-india-ang136/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Better India</a> reported.</p>
<p>Architect Tejas Sidnal was shocked to discover how construction exacerbates his nation's environmental issues. In response, Sidnal founded CCD in 2019, and his new carbon tiles are reinventing how to build.</p><p>"That was a crazy eye opener," he told CNN. "As architects, we are responsible for so much air pollution. We can do better."</p><p>CCD Project Head Giriprashad K explained in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnB7Hh40nYk" target="_blank">company video</a> about carbon tiles, "The present-day production of construction materials is one of the largest single-source contributors of climate change. We wanted to see how to use this captured carbon [to produce] building materials. We came up with this idea that this carbon can be converted into this tile, and it is scalable."</p><p>CCD collaborated with Boston-based <a href="https://www.graviky.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Graviky Labs</a> to use pollution as a resource and create their signature product. Graviky captures and converts carbon soot from cars and factories into sustainable products, and uses a similar process to upcycle purified carbon into a powder pigment. CCD mixes this carbon pigment with cement and marble waste from quarries to produce handcrafted, monochromatic tiles, CNN reported.</p>
<p>The "craft" in the company name derives from the fact that the cement tiles are handmade by craftsmen using traditional, lower-carbon processes that have been used in India for more than 200 years, the video explained. Carbon tiles are made using a hydraulic press instead of being burned, requiring one-fifth of the energy to produce compared to vitrified tiles, The Better India reported. Carbon tiles come in six shades with 15 different designs, and can even be customized.</p><p>"By making carbon tile, we help [the craftsmen] thrive and empower the local community," Sidal said in the video.</p><p>Each new <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/green-building" target="_self">sustainable building</a> tile contains at least 70 percent waste material and is the equivalent of cleaning 30,000 liters of air, the company <a href="https://www.carboncraftdesign.com/carbontile" target="_blank">website</a> said. By CCD's math, "1 Carbon Tile = 1 Day of Clean Air" for a person. And while many companies are developing commercially viable ways to capture carbon dioxide emissions, few are focused on black carbon, Sidnal told CNN.</p><p>"We found a way to add value to this recovered carbon by using it as a pigment in carbon tiles," he said.</p>
<p>The tiles are also stronger than conventional cement tiles due to the higher carbon content, and Sidal and CCD's customers hope that recapturing pollutants like black carbon will slow the climate crisis and improve air quality, CNN reported.</p><p>"Anything that we build should be able to be reused or upcycled in some form or the other. That is why we feel that any resource is not a waste. And now we feel that air pollution is just a resource that is not harvested," Sidnal said in the CCD video.</p><p>Sidnal's ultimate vision is to construct a "carbon-conscious building" with each component derived from processing air pollutants, he told The Better India.</p>
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IKEA has partnered with Vox Creative and tiny home builder Escape to create a sustainable tiny house on wheels. Josiah And Steph Photography
Furniture giant IKEA collaborated with Vox Creative and tiny home builder Escape to produce a tiny house on wheels that could inspire environmental- and climate-friendly changes in the housing industry.
<p>"It was a natural pairing," Escape founder Dan Dobrowolski told <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/ikea-tiny-home-project" target="_blank">Lonely Planet</a>. "We feature many IKEA products in our various tiny home designs around the country as they mirror the renewable, reusable and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/recycling" target="_self">recycled</a> materials we incorporate into the actual structures."</p><p>According to IKEA, the project's goal is to prove "that anyone, anywhere can live a more <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sustainability" target="_self">sustainable</a> life," reported <a href="https://www.greenmatters.com/p/tiny-home-ikea?gm&fbclid=IwAR2rnTfIkXVQmPP1Vpt-uO05nxDzS7s6bY8PwGHP45TnC-piTL5kTcYKr0M" target="_blank">Green Matters</a>. As such, the model IKEA Tiny Home Project was created with that purpose in mind.</p><p>The entire trailer unit is a 187-square-foot model filled with IKEA furniture, topped with roof solar panels and stocked with an on-demand RV water heater, <a href="https://www.dwell.com/article/ikea-tiny-home-project-escape-923a72be" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dwell</a> reported. According to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/ikea-tiny-homes-can-help-fight-climate-change-giving-small-ncna1252431" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NBC</a>, it runs on electric and allows for off-the-grid living. The tiny building also emits zero pollution, including carbon. In fact, the only emissions come from the trailer being towed.</p>
<p>Manufactured structures are usually less wasteful than on-site constructions, according to <a href="https://pebblemag.com/magazine/living/modular-homes-ecofriendly-reasons" target="_blank">Pebble Magazine</a>. The interior's whitewashed panels are made from sustainably grown pine, reported <a href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/culture-design/ikea-tiny-home-project-escape-vista-boho-xl" target="_blank">Travel + Leisure</a>, while the kitchen cupboards are made from recycled bottle tops. There is also a compostable toilet and a collapsible desk/kitchen table, Lonely Planet shared.</p><p> Abbey Stark, IKEA senior interior design leader, told Lonely Planet that she prioritized renewable, reusable and recycled materials to make the space "functional as well as beautiful." Stark designed the space as an IKEA show home with sustainable, multifunctional, space-saving and energy-efficient products, Lonely Planet reported.</p><p>The entire build took less than 60 days to complete and models start at $47,550, Travel + Leisure reported. Curbed created a <a href="https://archive.curbed.com/ad/21417721/virtual-tour-ikea-tiny-home-sustainability" target="_blank">virtual tour</a> showcasing the eco-conscious and stylish elements.</p>
<p>If the tiny house trend becomes even more popular through new, sustainable projects like IKEA's, it could help curb climate pollution from the housing industry. Currently, the sector accounts for about five percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., not counting electricity, reported NBC.</p><p>Some skeptics note that smaller houses won't tackle the biggest climate threat from construction: concrete. The very qualities that make concrete a desirable construction material (non-modular form; low-labor requirements; capacity to be shaped) make it non-reusable and unsustainable, NBC reported. While projects like the tiny house might use more renewable materials, large structures like bridges, ports, roads and factories still use concrete.</p><p>Even so, the push toward <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tiny-house-eco-friendly-2639728847.html" target="_self">smaller, more sustainable housing</a> is leading to environmental shifts. Green Matters reported that tiny homes typically reduced energy consumption by about 45 percent and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tiny-homes-eco-friendly-2634222368.html">prompted owners to behave more sustainably</a> by growing their own crops, reducing consumption and recycling more.</p><p>"We built a sustainable tiny home from the ground up to better educate and inspire consumers to bring sustainability into their own lives," IKEA said, reported Green Matters. The company hopes the project will "[generate] awareness of the tiny home and [illustrate] the big impact that small, daily decisions can make for a better, more sustainable world."</p>
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Ikea is among the companies implementing circular economy initiatives. Visual China Group / Getty Images
By Sean Fleming
What goes around comes around, according to the old saying. And in the case of the circular economy, that's certainly true.
<p>The circular economy takes a different approach to the take-make-dispose model of consumption to which many have become accustomed. By reusing and recycling as much as possible, plus repurposing and selling on items that have outlived their initial use, the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/projects/circular-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">circular economy is creating jobs and generating economic activity, while easing some pressures on the environment</a>.</p><p>It's an approach based on "<a href="https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/what-is-the-circular-economy" target="_blank">designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems</a>," in the words of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The idea is gaining momentum and truly hitting the mainstream as a growing number of household-name brands adopt circular methods and develop products with circularity built in.</p><p>Organizations around the world are creating new platforms to support circular innovation. For instance, the World Economic Forum's <a href="https://www.weforum.org/scale360-circular-innovation/" target="_blank">Scale360° Playbook</a> initiative brings together technologists, researchers, entrepreneurs and governments to develop new products and solutions, maximize resources and rethink value chains. Additionally, emerging circular innovators from around the world can connect and work together in sharing ideas and solutions through <a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/topic/0TO2o000000ACgSGAW/circular-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UpLink</a>, the Forum's open innovation platform.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTExNTM3OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTYwNTE0OX0.ondkej2WeUQbnUL2KSQgEzmvFWUgMPReVLn5LwhZNQM/img.png?width=980" id="fce10" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3096182f74f18552926e797c2021acd8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1686" data-height="1102" />
Regenerate, reuse, recycle. Ellen MacArthur Foundation
<p>Here are four examples of the circular innovation that could be coming to a store near you.</p><h2>Recycling Incentives: Thousand Fell</h2><p>Thousand Fell is already making a name for itself as an environmentally conscious manufacturer with shoes made from sustainable materials such as <a href="https://www.thousandfell.com/" target="_blank">coconut husk and sugar cane, and even recycled plastic bottles</a>,</p><p>Now, in partnership with TerraCycle and UPS, the maker has launched a special recycling incentive. Customers can return old pairs of Thousand Fell shoes back to the manufacturer. Thousand Fell will then recycle the returned footwear and send customers <a href="https://www.thousandfell.com/pages/our-sustainability" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$20 that can be used toward a new pair of shoes.</a></p>
<h2>A Big Brand Selling Goods Second-Hand: IKEA</h2><p>Visitors to the Swedish town of Eskilstuna, about 100km outside of the capital Stockholm, could visit a <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/sweden/eskilstuna/attractions/sigurdsristningen/a/poi-sig/1113677/1314630" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1,000-year-old stone covered with Viking runes and pictures</a>. They could also visit IKEA's first-ever second-hand store.<br><br>The shop will feature gently used IKEA furniture as part of its efforts to reach its 2030 climate targets.</p><p>Head of sustainability at the Scandinavian furniture giant Jonas Carlehed told Reuters earlier this year that: "<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/ikea-opens-pilot-second-hand-store-sweden-circular-economy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">We are making a huge readjustment</a>, maybe the biggest IKEA has ever made, and one of the keys to reaching [the company's 2030 climate targets] is to manage to help our customers prolong the life of their products."</p><p>The company has also recently started a buy-back scheme for customers – it gives vouchers in exchange for the return of unwanted furniture and other items. That scheme has, however, been <a href="https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/customer-service/services/removal-recycling/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">suspended in some locations because of ongoing pandemic-related restrictions</a>.</p>
<h2>Re-usable Fast Food Packaging: Burger King</h2><p>Takeaway food is big business -- but the packaging for those meals poses a sustainability challenge.</p><p>Global takeaway brand <a href="https://de.reuters.com/article/us-rstrnt-brnd-burger-king-packaging-idINKBN2771CE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Burger King has unveiled a solution in the form of reusable packaging intended to reduce the amount of waste it generates</a>. Customers in New York, Tokyo, and Portland, Oregon will soon be able to buy burgers and drinks in reusable packaging.</p><p>The plan, one in place for next year, features a small deposit charged initially and then refunded when the customer returns with the boxes and cups, which are <a href="https://www.weforum.org/our-impact/the-loop-alliance-plans-to-eliminate-plastic-waste-and-save-the-planet-you-can-too" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">taken away for cleaning and processing via the zero-waste e-commerce system Loop</a>.</p>
<h2>Shoes You Don't Own: Adidas</h2><p>Sportswear multinational Adidas has a range of footwear designed with recycling in mind. Its UltraBoost DNA Loop shoes are made from just one material – thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). No glue is used in its manufacture, instead, it is assembled using high temperatures.</p><p>On its website, Adidas describes the UltraBoost Loop as the <a href="https://www.adidas.de/en/ultraboost_dna_loop" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">shoes customers will never own</a>, but will instead return once they are finished with them.</p><p>"If the end can become the beginning, we can help keep products in play and waste out of landfill," the company says.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/12/ikea-burger-king-adidas-embrace-circular-economy/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2649689207#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
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Electronic waste to be dismantled as recyclable waste at the Electronic Recyclers International plant in Holliston, Massachusetts. Zoran Milich / Contributor / Moment Mobile / Getty Images
By Doug Johnson
Laptops, phones and tablets come out in new, flashier upgrades each year, and consumers lap them up, eager to own the latest desirable models with the most cutting-edge features. But with every upgrade, older models mount up in landfills around the world.
<p>In 2019, we generated a record 53.6 million metric tons of <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/can-the-pandemic-help-us-to-embrace-refurbished-electronics/a-53741181" target="_blank">e-waste</a>, according to the <a href="http://ewastemonitor.info/" target="_blank">Global E-waste Monitor</a> put out by United Nations University's (UNU) — a UN research and academic institution — among other organizations. It predicts that this amount will reach 74 million tons by the end of the decade.</p><p>Apart from the sheer volume of waste piling up on trash heaps, electronics often contain toxic chemicals such as mercury and chlorofluorocarbons that can leach into the surrounding environment.</p><p>Despite growing awareness of the problem, little of this waste is being <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/china-cleans-up-electronic-recycling/a-42570581" target="_blank">recycled</a>.</p>
<iframe src="https://www.rebelmouse.com/res/scraper/embed?type=mp4&adapt_to_iframe=1&url=https%3A//tvdownloaddw-a.akamaihd.net/dwtv_video/flv/afw/afw20201127_01CheckWaste_sd_avc.mp4&thumb=https%3A//static.dw.com/image/55734519_6.jpeg" id="e56a3" frameborder="0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4dba197d882512042d93384bcf6566e5" expand="1" height="480" width="100%"></iframe>
<p>"While consumers will often say 'Yes, of course I am in favor of recycling, and yes, I recycle,' when you actually look at behaviors, it doesn't match up with the percentages who say they would do it," said Laura Kelly, director of the Shaping Sustainable Markets group at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), a London-based independent research organization.</p><p>Which is why some experts are calling for a <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/dematerialization-is-it-time-to-rent-not-buy-electronics/a-55948968" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">radical overhaul</a> of electronics manufacturers' business model.</p><p>"Innovation is very much needed in order to reuse as much as possible," said Ruediger Kuehr, director of the Sustainable Cycles Program at UNU and one of the Global E-waste Monitor's authors.</p><p>Kuehr believes we need to "dematerialize" the electronics sectors – instead of buying and owning the latest tech we should lease the devices we use, with manufacturers shifting their model to providing a service instead of material goods.</p>
<h2>Shifting Responsibility From Consumers to Manufacturers</h2><p>With manufacturers maintaining ownership of their products, the burden of recycling would shift from consumers — who often don't know how best to dispose of old devices — to companies who would reuse materials and parts for new products.</p><p>In 2019, only 17.4% of e-waste — 9.3 million tons — was formally collected and recycled, according to the latest <a href="http://ewastemonitor.info/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">E-waste Monitor</a>. This largely ends up with recycling facilities that operate independently of manufacturers. And because e-waste isn't their problem, the manufacturers themselves have little incentive to design products with easy disassembly and recovery of reusable materials in mind.</p><p>The new devices with space-age-smooth casings are often virtually impossible to take apart, meaning even the precious materials they contain will end up in landfills. And for manufacturers, the faster we discard and replace them, the bigger their profits.</p><p>Yet for certain products, leasing models are already proving to make good business sense. Japanese electronics company Canon, has a scheme to lease large office printers in Europe, which Kuehr cited as an example of dematerialization. Hewlett-Packard and Xerox offer similar initiatives.</p><p>When a lease ends, Canon takes back the used printer, refurbishes it for the next customer or, if it is no longer in working order, ships it to its facility in Giessen, Germany, where it is broken down to the chassis. Parts are then reused in repairing other machines. This allows the company to recover 80% of the materials by weight, according to Canon sustainability manager Andy Tomkins.</p>
<h2>Numbers Game</h2><p>Tompkins said Canon wasn't only motivated by environmental concerns. Considering the size of the machines — and the volume of materials involved — it "makes economic sense to do this as well," he said. There are also relatively few of these printers out in circulation, making it easier for them to be recalled than, say, cellphones.</p><p>But Tompkins believes subscription models could work for smaller, more numerous devices, if consumers were ready for it. Unlike with office machines, many private customers still want to own a product. Moreover, they want to own one that is new.</p><p>It would also require manufacturers to redesign their product lines — in the same way that Canon's made-for-lease printers are made to be taken apart with maximum recovery of materials in mind — and build facilities to undertake this work.</p><p>Even then, there is a limit to the volume of materials that can be recycled. Blair Fix, a political economist and author of the book Rethinking Economic Growth Theory From a Biophysical Perspective, points out that everything degrades and nothing is perfectly recyclable. "We're always going to need materials," he said. And right now, it is often far cheaper to produce new materials — like plastics from oil — than recycle used ones.</p>
<h2>Incentives for Change</h2><p>Kelly at the IIED noted that, in many cases, corporations do adopt environmentally progressive policies on their own. One reason is that sustainability commitments can enhance their brand. But non-renewable resources are also declining.</p><p>The E-Waste Monitor estimates the value of the raw materials thrown out in old electronics in 2019 at $57 billion (€47 billion). Of this, only $10 billion worth of raw material was recovered "in an environmentally sound way." Some of this value is in rare elements such as gold and those — like cobalt — that are becoming ever scarcer because they are essential to electronics.</p><p>Forward-thinking companies that start rolling out circular strategies now could have a head start if the economics shifts in favor of recycling, Kelly says.</p><p>There is little sign of companies doing so yet, though, and Fix says dematerialization electronics might require government intervention. Regulations could oblige manufacturers to take on the costs of disposing of their products, while public money could subsidize some of manufacturers' costs for setting up their own disassembly and recycling plants.</p><p>"If producers would market it this way, it could really make a difference," Kuehr said.</p>
<p>
<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/dematerialization-is-it-time-to-rent-not-buy-electronics/a-55948968" target="_blank">DW</a>.</em>
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EU will no longer allow exports of hazardous plastics to countries like Malaysia, pictured, as of Jan. 1, 2021. Mohd Rasfan / AFP / Getty Images
By Jessica Corbett
The European Union's executive branch on Tuesday announced new rules for plastic waste shipments—including a ban on some exports to poorer countries—that will take effect on January 1 as part of the bloc's Circular Economy Action Plan and European Green Deal.
<p>The changes to the bloc's 2006 Waste Shipment Regulation will apply to exports, imports, and intra-E.U. shipments of plastic waste, <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/environment/news/plastic-waste-shipments-new-eu-rules-importing-and-exporting-plastic-waste-2020-12-22_en" target="_blank">according to</a> a statement from the European Commission. Various shipments to and from the E.U.'s 27 member states will be subjected to a "prior notification and consent procedure."</p><p>Starting next year, bloc members may no longer export plastic waste that is hazardous or hard to recycle to nations that are not a part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the export of clean, non-hazardous waste to non-OECD countries will only be allowed under certain conditions laid out by the importer.</p>
<div id="f1a80" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="57b9f26a98e967fc856d98690e7880b9"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1341355128943742976" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">🆕 Milestone in the fight against #PlasticPollution
NEW 🇪🇺 rules on importing & exporting plastic waste, to
boost… https://t.co/uAabNZXTVM</div> — EU Environment (@EU Environment)<a href="https://twitter.com/EU_ENV/statuses/1341355128943742976">1608638958.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The rules come in response to a 2019 conference at which 187 countries <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/05/10/187-countries-just-took-crucial-step-stop-rich-nations-treating-global-south-dumping" target="_blank">agreed</a> to add restrictions on plastics to a 1989 United Nations treaty—a deal that was praised by public health and environmental advocates. According to the commission, "By banning the export outside the OECD of plastic waste that is difficult to recycle, the E.U. is actually going further than the requirements of the Basel Convention."</p><p>As Virginijus Sinkevičius, commissioner for environment, oceans, and fisheries, put it: "These new rules send a clear message that in the E.U. we are taking responsibility for the waste we generate."</p><p>"This is an important milestone in fighting plastic pollution, transitioning shifting to a circular economy, and achieving the aims of the European Green Deal," he said.</p><p>The German broadcaster <em>Deutsche Welle </em><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/eu-bans-plastic-waste-exports-to-poor-nations/a-56033900" target="_blank">noted</a> that "the moves follow China's 2018 ban on plastic imports and statements from environmentalists that waste was ending up in other Asian nations, such as Malaysia, and then being dumped into ocean waters."</p><p>Citing Sinkevičius, <em>DW</em> added that last year, "the E.U. exported 1.5 million tons of plastic waste, mostly to Turkey and Asian countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia."</p>
<div id="a8875" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bd8ae72b8f552f4b8f7148d2ac8bfb28"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1341816020575641601" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">This is huge. New rules will require trash importers and exporters to *agree* on how to handle hazardous shipments. https://t.co/BNZGIgb92O</div> — Rachel Cernansky (@Rachel Cernansky)<a href="https://twitter.com/rachelcernansky/statuses/1341816020575641601">1608748843.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Greenpeace Malaysia <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/43469/waste-trade-woes-plastic-waste-from-developed-countries-add-to-malaysias-environmental-crisis/" target="_blank">detailed</a> in a May report how plastic waste from developed nations is adding to the country's environmental crisis.</p><p>"When plastics are exported from one country to another they can bring with them a wide range of hazardous chemicals," explained Kevin Brigden, senior scientist of Greenpeace Research Laboratories. "Improper storage and treatment can later release these chemicals into the local environment, and burning can even generate new hazardous chemicals."</p><p>Heng Kiah Chun, a Greenpeace Malaysia campaigner, said at the time that "the illegal dumping of plastic waste from over 19 countries worldwide has left an indelible mark on Malaysia and other countries in Southeast Asia."</p><p>"Aside from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, communities in Selangor and Kedah have another invisible enemy to face—chemical contaminants that remain in our environment with the possibility of entering our food chain," the campaigner added.</p>
<div id="a5f12" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e278de1d1b8eb654dde4a24795b71fcb"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1339641918779617281" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">We must beware of false solutions and work to change the single-use culture of modern society. It's time for the… https://t.co/ULtXld98gI</div> — Greenpeace NZ (@Greenpeace NZ)<a href="https://twitter.com/GreenpeaceNZ/statuses/1339641918779617281">1608230497.0</a></blockquote></div>
<div id="b6045" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9491474b61d6b8a286b66dd964f9eae8"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1341821315930533889" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">In order to STOP polluting our earth with single-use plastic, we need robust reuse systems to be put in place.
Sig… https://t.co/H3RA23QlqS</div> — breakfreefromplastic (@breakfreefromplastic)<a href="https://twitter.com/brkfreeplastic/statuses/1341821315930533889">1608750106.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Greenpeace Germany campaigner Manfred Santen emphasized in May that exporting countries like his "must take responsibility for its wastes" and "stronger regulations are needed to drastically reduce the production of unnecessary single-use plastic packaging by multinationals like Nestle, so waste does not need to be exported in the first place."</p><p>While the new E.U. rules are designed to help stop richer countries from exploiting poorer ones, demands are still mounting worldwide for more ambitious efforts to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BreakFreeFromPlastic?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">#BreakFreeFromPlastic</a>. Warning against "<a href="https://twitter.com/GreenpeaceNZ/status/1339641918779617281" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">false solutions</a>" like biodegradable plastic production, anti-pollution campaigners continue to push for banning single-use plastic products, creating "robust reuse systems," and pursuing a <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/04/partner-content-circular-economy-event-recap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">circular economy</a>.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/23/eu-ramps-fight-against-pollution-ban-plastic-waste-exports-poorer-countries?cd-origin=rss" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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\Anastasiia Krivenok / Moment / Getty Images
Around the holidays, it's estimated that Americans throw out an extra 1 million tons of trash per week – and one of the biggest offenders of seasonal waste is single-use gift wrap.
Use the tips in this eco-friendly gift wrapping guide to cut down your environmental impact this year.
1. Wrap Boxes With Brown Paper Bags
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODEwNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MTk3MjQ1OH0.lkGK1xl0bRqKuI4NcbjNtQxk1a45dFH_kYK-0hL_pT8/img.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C1520%2C0%2C1520&height=800" id="c2de7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d8195023cd1ceaa122ad09763ee876fb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="800" /><p>Newspaper is the old standard, but for those of us who don't receive a physical paper – or who just want to make our gifts a little more personal – recyclable paper bags work great. If you've got a stash of, say, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trader-joes-plastic-waste-2630818452.html" target="_self">Trader Joe's bags</a> taking over your cabinet, cut them flat and use the non-printed side as a canvas. Decorate with a hand-written message, drawing, or stamped design.</p>2. Reuse Cardboard Shipping Boxes
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQxOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MjU1Mjg2MH0.5ZjP3o-ODvXH0fKbwEKD9inQza-qisGF5sox9AkpMLA/img.jpg?width=980" id="9c03f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a928dd386cfa9785c06a8b3118f9fe6b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="6000" data-height="4000" /><p>Using your delivery parcels instead of store-bought gift boxes is one of the easiest eco-friendly gift wrapping swaps you can make. Likely, this year you'll be doing more <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/online-shopping-brick-mortar-eco-friendly-2247525362.html" target="_self">online shopping</a> than risking crowded stores, which means many items will come in a perfect-sized box that's ready for wrapping. Just don't forget to recycle or compost all of that cardboard after Christmas morning.</p>3. Upcycle Other Shipping Supplies
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ4My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMjkxNDA0Mn0.z7aKpl6Vz7y7-oaFUG1zYzFbffG10-pcIB-mU_pOp2E/img.jpg?width=980" id="6094e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3835fe812cc589bc0fe1ec1af3a21128" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="3024" data-height="2016" /><p>Boxes aren't the only thing you can reuse from your online purchases. Throughout the year, save the tissue paper sheets and brown or white packing paper companies often use to ship their products. Then, when the holidays come around, you'll have your eco-friendly gift wrap ready to go. The reflective bubble wrap you may receive in your <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/best-meal-delivery-service-2648715336.html" target="_self">meal delivery service</a> makes for great festive wrapping, too. </p>4. Make Your Own Stamps
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ0MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDMzOTIzMH0.KmPzag9aTA7Rcjat1VYG3KS_Mf4ohwHQXwK1lrdIMOw/img.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0&height=800" id="84efc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="174c01a0adf5877b937353a0e4b0386d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="800" /><p>Of course, not all packages come in a box. Padded envelopes are another popular way to ship small items. Before recycling, repurpose bubble-lined mailers into stamps. You can cut out holiday shapes like stars and gingerbread men, or paint individual bubbles different colors to create fun polka-dot patterns. You can even make it extra sustainable by using crushed up berries for ink.</p>5. Add Natural Festive Touches
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ1MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyODQ4NTE0N30.QPH7jTcTlKfQZc_2aZO08F3ptQUbf1Lor_szK0gKq9Q/img.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C1440%2C0%2C1440&height=800" id="22df4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="811c947ee0010c432f2a1798d7845155" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="800" /><p>Rather than use a shiny plastic bow, go au naturale with tree branches, cotton buds, cinnamon sticks, small pinecones, rosemary, fallen leaves, or whatever else you can sustainably source in your area. The easiest way to gather eco-friendly gift garnishes is to clip sprigs off your own <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/real-or-fake-christmas-tree-2641614012.html" target="_self">Christmas tree</a>, but you can also pick some off the ground at your neighborhood tree lot or get scraps from local farms.</p>6. Swap Paper for Fabric Gift Wrap
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="490c93b9dc835241815ffb3c0afc1b1a"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rxl0X2F2Jiw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Make your eco-friendly gift wrapping part of your present by opting for a scarf, shawl, pocket square, or handkerchief over traditional paper. As the above video shows, it takes just seconds to package items using the Furoshiki method of fabric wrapping – and you don't even need to box the item beforehand, which cuts out another piece of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/waste-free-holiday-2641562236.html" target="_self">holiday waste</a>.</p>7. Use Biodegradable Paper Tape
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ3MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1OTkwMDQ5Nn0.wkjMReu4YTscu60WiK6Dwb4N7tusVZz4JxFqPX8WySY/img.jpg?width=980" id="f2b88" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9bc225e154f806bb190d83e6acd6fa9d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="3000" data-height="2007" /><p>A not-so-obvious source of holiday waste is what holds your packaging together: single-use plastic tape. For eco-friendly gift wrapping, consider using compostable paper tape or washi tape. These biodegradable alternatives are made with wood fibers, pulp, or bark and natural adhesives. They come in a multitude of patterns and colors – including plain brown – and you can even find festive rolls coated with <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/uk-retailers-glitter-ban-christmas-2648228675.html" target="_self">sustainable glitter</a>.</p>8. Ditch the Tape Altogether
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ae8e240fc389d37f7f0facf88dd1082e"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7TA4Whui_xA?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>You don't have to be an origami pro to learn the art of tape-free gift wrapping. As you can see in the video above, it's pretty simple to fold your wrapping paper into itself and secure your gift with no tape required. If you <em>do </em>happen to be an origami pro (or if all the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/social-distancing-celebrations-2645538300.html" target="_self">holiday cheer</a> has left you optimistically ambitious), there are ways to incorporate <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccL-e0zJG8w" target="_blank">fun folds</a> into your wrapping, too.</p>9. Turn Old Clothes Into Ribbons and Bows
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ3Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NTc0MTQ3Mn0.IWybrXLdL_z-6QXh4auuvyv0sbUCa0BjILbm_G1ZvPk/img.jpg?width=980" id="a17e4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ac16e3a0c4b5de2717b22e8872b3e799" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="6000" data-height="4000" /><p>Button-down shirts, flannels, or even T-shirts you no longer need can be upcycled into reusable fabric ribbons and bows. Cut strips as thin or as thin as you'd like, then tie them around your boxes to add some color and texture to your gifts. You can sew around the outside for a more durable ribbon, or leave the frayed edges for a rustic feel.</p>10. Tie Gifts Up With Compostable Twine
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ1OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MjgzNjcwOX0.zdFSHdFZd1u5zJFMurETn7UZWxROQQBu_UixG4L56bY/img.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C1376%2C0%2C1376&height=800" id="d6faa" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3b213b586ab133aadd3960b4b3cbca9e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="800" /><p>Don't have any clothing you're willing to part with? You're not totally out of luck. Many thin ropes and twines are made from organic cotton, hemp, and other natural fibers that can be reused as eco-friendly gift wrapping year after year or composted after use.</p>11. Look Through Old Household Items
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ3My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MTg1NDkyN30.rerLN_d5X_D0AhYpooxPe5oewX3lUBB87kV3A4vBxfc/img.jpg?width=980" id="50ab1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="48d8b9e5b27b8877cf7905159f1eb6bf" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="3000" data-height="2000" /><p>You probably have many items lying around that can be used as unconventional yet beautiful eco-friendly gift wrapping materials for smaller gifts. The outdated road maps cluttering your glove compartment, books on the shelf you'll never read again, and sheet music collecting dust after your child quit the middle-school band can all be given a second life around the holidays.</p>FAQ: Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping
<p><strong>Is wrapping paper recyclable?</strong></p><p>Some wrapping paper is recyclable, and some is not. If it's metallic, has glitter on it, is textured, or has a waxy coating, it can't be recycled. However, plain, unlaminated wrapping papers are usually able to be recycled. Check with your local waste management agency to see specific guidelines for your area.</p> <p><strong>Is tissue paper recyclable?</strong></p><p>Because most tissue paper is made with low-grade paper, it is not typically recyclable. However, some recycling facilities may accept it, so be sure to check with your local waste management agency. Thankfully, tissue paper tends to hold up well year after year, so it can be reused for many holiday seasons.</p> <p><strong>How do you wrap a gift?</strong></p><p>Wrapping gifts is like riding a bike: once you learn, you'll never forget it – but there may be some ugly moments along the way. Check out the video below to learn the basics of wrapping presents (but make sure you implement our eco-friendly gift wrapping ideas, too).</p>Watch this video on how to gift wrap a box:
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ffdda9fd0538c28037dd807fdc02791f"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l_pp-1qu9Ig?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>From Your Site Articles
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Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé Are Worst Plastic Polluters of 2020, Have Made 'Zero Progress,' New Report Finds
11 December 2020
Business
A fish-shaped structure filled with plastic bottles on the waterfront in the Mediterranean port of Limassol, Cyprus, on Dec. 8, 2020. Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Nestlé are the world leaders in plastic pollution, according to a new report from Break Free From Plastic. Danil Shamkin / NurPhoto via Getty Images
The top plastic polluters of 2020 have been announced, and Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Nestlé top the list for the third year in a row.
<p>In a new <a href="https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/BFFP-2020-Brand-Audit-Report.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> demanding corporate responsibility for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-pollution" target="_self">plastic pollution</a>, <a href="https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/" target="_blank">Break Free From Plastic (BFFP)</a> named the repeat offenders and called them out for what appeared to be negligible progress in curbing the amount of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-waste" target="_self">plastic trash</a> they produce despite <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-pollution-companies-oceans-2616204586.html" target="_self">corporate claims otherwise</a>.</p><p>"The title of Top Global Polluters describes the parent companies whose brands were recorded polluting the most places around the world with the greatest amount of plastic waste," the report's executive summary noted. "Our 2020 Top Global Polluters remain remarkably consistent with our previous brand audit reports, demonstrating that the same corporations are continuing to pollute the most places with the most single-use plastic."</p>
<p>The report employs brand audits and global cleanups to collect and count plastic debris from around the world. This year, nearly 15,000 volunteers collected 346,494 pieces of plastic in 55 countries to contribute to the report, a <a href="https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/2020/12/02/top-plastic-polluters-of-2020/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BFFP press release</a> said.</p><p>Over 5,000 brands were cataloged this year, but <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coca-cola" target="_self">Coca-Cola</a> quickly emerged as the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/coca-cola-plastic-pollution-2644896488.html" target="_self">world's number one plastic polluter</a>. Its beverage bottles were found most frequently, discarded on beaches, rivers, parks and other litter sites in 51 of the 55 nations surveyed, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/07/coca-cola-pepsi-and-nestle-named-top-plastic-polluters-for-third-year-in-a-row" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported. The brand was worse than PepsiCo and Nestlé, the next two top offenders, combined.</p>
<p>Plastic pollution is one of the leading environmental problems of the modern-day. Plastics do not disintegrate or disappear, but instead break up into <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/microplastics" target="_self">microplastics</a> that get consumed by the tiniest organisms. These toxins bioaccumulate and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/microplastics-found-human-organs-2647014349.html" target="_self">move their way up the food chain</a> and into our <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-pollution-arctic-snow-ice-2639834233.html" target="_self">air</a>, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/seafood-study-plastic-contamination-2646982206.html" target="_self">food</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/microplastics-drinking-water-who-2639953290.html" target="_self">water</a>.</p><p>"The world's top polluting corporations claim to be working hard to solve plastic pollution, but instead they are continuing to pump out harmful single-use plastic packaging," Emma Priestland, Break Free From Plastic's global campaign coordinator, told The Guardian.</p><p>Priestland emphasized that the only way to halt the growing global tide of plastic litter was to stop production, phase out single-use products and implement reuse systems, the news report said.</p>
<p>BFFP called on all polluting corporations to take "full responsibility for the externalized cost of their single-use plastic products, such as the costs of waste collection, treatment and the environmental damage caused by them" in its release. The group warned that a "business as usual" approach could double plastic production by 2030 and potentially triple it by 2050.</p><p>As much as 91% of all plastic ever created has ended up being incinerated, in landfill or in the natural environment, The Guardian reported. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't recycled and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-recycling-myth-2647706452.html">recycling is not an effective way to deal with overproduction and overuse of plastics</a>.</p><p>Simon Mbata, the national coordinator for a group of waste pickers who helped with the trash survey, told The Guardian, "Whatever cannot be recycled must not be produced."</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODM2NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2OTkxNDk4Nn0._iZ9jZAHum_bfUtrPbh53Tp_D-WNv2QPc5-c4JZMmwI/img.jpg?width=980" id="24319" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dac0417a8147f5396d8b553bd3ba1884" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="630" />
Break Free From Plastic's report lists the world's top plastic polluters. Break Free From Plastic
<p>Priestland said, "Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé should be leading the way in finding real solutions to reinvent how they deliver their products," the news report said. Each company told The Guardian that it had made commitments to increase recycling and reduce virgin plastic use in bottles, despite remaining at the top of the offenders list.</p><p>The BFFP report concluded with a call-to-action for the companies: "The top polluters must reveal how much single-use plastic they use, then set clear, measurable targets for reducing the quantity of single-use plastic items they produce. Finally, they must reinvent their product delivery systems to move beyond single-use plastic altogether."</p>
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Artist's impression of an Othalo community, imagined by architect Julien De Smedt. Othalo
By Victoria Masterson
Using one of the world's problems to solve another is the philosophy behind a Norwegian start-up's mission to develop affordable housing from 100% recycled plastic.
<p>Since 1950, more than nine billion tonnes of plastic have been produced globally, of which only 9% is recycled, according to <a href="https://www.othalo.com/october-5-press-release-norwegian-c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">building tech company Othalo</a>, while almost a billion people live in slums.</p><p>It has partnered with <a href="https://unhabitat.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UN-Habitat</a> – the United Nations program for human settlements and sustainable urban development – to create components to build three demonstration homes to help tackle Africa's housing shortage.</p>
<p>"In sub-Saharan Africa alone, the immediate need for low-cost housing is 160 million units," the company says.</p><p>This is expected to increase to 360 million by 2050 as a result of rapid urbanization. But with today's plastic waste, Othalo believes more than one billion houses can be built.</p><p>In 2021, the first factory producing elements such as partitions for walls, ceilings and floors from recycled plastic will be built in Kenya.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="915a481fc53353483c30c0c161b10097"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uu0inpxmCzw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
Sustainable Homes
<p>UN-Habitat says an <a href="https://unhabitat.org/un-habitat-aims-to-use-plastic-waste-to-support-housing-for-all" target="_blank">estimated 60% of people living in urban areas of Africa are in informal settlements</a>. At the same time, between 1990 and 2017, African countries imported around 230 metric tonnes of plastic, "which mostly ended up in dump sites creating a massive environmental challenge," the agency adds.</p><p>UN-Habitat deputy executive director, Victor Kisob, said the aim of the partnership with Othalo was to "promote adequate, sustainable and affordable housing for all."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0NDc5NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTYzNjYzNH0.2CbfdMTXXQP4Vmie56i-OgiW69VgLHRXL8ky4qI48Ng/img.png?width=980" id="78bba" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d53bddf04ac55d4eda2bc1690954fe4d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1640" data-height="916" />
Artist's impression of an Othalo community, imagined by architect Julien De Smedt. Othalo
<p>Othalo's process involves shredding plastic waste and mixing it with other elements, including non-flammable materials. Components are used to build up to four floors, with a home of 60 square metres using eight tons of recycled plastic. A factory with one production line can produce 2,800 housing units annually.</p><p>Following successful laboratory tests, Othalo's factory in Estonia has started producing components to build three demonstration homes for Kenya's capital, Nairobi; Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon and Dakar, the capital of Senegal.</p><p>Othalo founder Frank Cato Lahti has been developing and testing the technology since 2016 in partnership with <a href="https://www.sintef.no/en/" target="_blank">SINTEF</a>, a 70-year-old independent research organization in Trondheim, Norway, and experts at Norway's <a href="https://en.uit.no/startsida" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">University of Tromsø</a>.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0NDgwNS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjQwNjc4OH0.Gt1tcWTTglKeGrsxBC9C1YxZfBMYbr5gSw7J-JB07ew/img.png?width=980" id="d0165" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ebfc38fb8b318b7709ff1fa213b4efa7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1232" data-height="914" />
Othalo founder Frank Cato Lahti. Othalo
<p>Almost <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects.html" target="_blank">seven out of every 10 people in the world are expected to live in urban areas by 2050</a>. More than 90% of this growth will take place in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.</p><p>"In the absence of effective urban planning, the consequences of this rapid urbanization will be dramatic," UN-Habitat warns.</p><p>Lack of proper housing and growth of slums, inadequate and outdated infrastructure, escalating poverty and unemployment, and pollution and health issues, are just some of the effects.</p><p>Mindsets, policies, and approaches towards urbanization need to change for the growth of cities and urban areas to be turned into opportunities that will leave nobody behind, UN-Habitat says.</p>Pioneers of Change
<p>Reimagining cities and communities for greater resilience and sustainability was a key topic at the<a href="https://www.weforum.org/events/pioneers-of-change-summit-2020" target="_blank"> World Economic Forum's Pioneers of Change Summit 2020</a>.</p><p>The digital event brought together innovators and stakeholders from around the world to explore solutions to the challenges facing enterprises, governments and society.</p><p>Opening the summit, <a href="https://www.weforum.org/events/pioneers-of-change-summit-2020/sessions/opening-plenary-8f731cbc65" target="_blank">Stephan Mergenthaler, the Forum's Head of Strategic Intelligence and a member of the Executive Committee</a>, said: "We need to change the way we produce, the way we live and interact in our cities to make this transition to net-zero emissions a reality…</p><p>"And as this year has illustrated so dramatically, we need to make every effort that we keep populations healthy, if we want to avoid jeopardizing all this progress."</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/11/un-africa-recycled-plastic-housing/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2649069252#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
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