With all of the environmental setbacks we’ve been experiencing of late, there’s some heartening news from the United Nations. At the very least, it’s a step in the right direction. U.N.’s top court says failing to address climate change could violate international law:
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/climate-change/un-top-court-icj-climate-change-international-law-reparations-rcna220528
Tag: Plastic
A Filter for Microplastics?
Some great news for a change! According to ethicalmarkets.com, China has discovered a filter made from cotton and squid bone (hopefully they can find a replacement for the poor squid soon) that’s having success filtering these microplastic bad boys! Check out their article: https://www.ethicalmarkets.com/cotton-and-squid-bone-sponge-can-soak-up-99-9-of-microplastics-scientists-say/
Where is plastic produced?
Environment America shows us exactly where it is being produced here in the United States: https://environmentamerica.org/resources/where-is-plastic-produced/
PROPUBLICA poses a question for us: ‘When Is “Recyclable” Not Really Recyclable? When the Plastics Industry Gets to Define What the Word Means.’
Here’s a link to a fairly long but outstanding article that describes the realities of recycling and the intricacies of the PR work done by purveyors of plastics: https://www.propublica.org/article/plastics-industry-redefine-recyclable-ftc-grocery-bags?
Something to remember: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: “The 1.5 C limit is only posible if we ultimately stop buring Fossil Fuels. NOT reduce. NOT abate. Phase OUT – with a clear timeframe aligned with 1.5 C.”
Emphasis added
A new report (6/26/24) from CIEL (Center for International Environmental Law) that details tools for state, county, and municipalities to help in the plastics war.
This new report claims to help these various governmental bodies by providing legal tools for engaging the producers of plastic. Getting this information into the hands of our local governmental bodies is critical. See https://www.ciel.org/news/new-report-helps-cities-states-legal-fight-plastic-pollution/. CIEL has been around since 1998 and you’ll be impressed with the work they’ve been doing.
A new report (6/26/24) from CIEL (Center for International Environmental Law) that details tools for state, county, and municipalities to help in the plastics war.
This new report claims to help these various governmental bodies by providing legal tools for engaging the producers of plastic. Getting this information into the hands of our local governmental bodies is critical. See https://www.ciel.org/news/new-report-helps-cities-states-legal-fight-plastic-pollution/. CIEL has been around since 1998 and you’ll be impressed with the work they’ve been doing.
Hopes fade for production curbs in new global pact on plastic pollution.
This article from Climate Home News is discouraging but tells us clearly what’s happening and isn’t happening WRT curbing plastic production: https://www.climatechangenews.com/2024/05/03/hopes-fade-for-production-curbs-in-new-global-pact-on-plastic-pollution/ .
Kudos to Drawdown and their Solutions Library!
These guys have been busy! What a marvelous collection of solutions and where we’re at with respect to their corresponding degree of engagement and development. Just visit https://drawdown.org/solutions.
Consumer Alert!
This is being repeated because it’s too important not to do so. My wife and I do a lot of our shopping at our local Safeway grocery stores. They’ve been working hard, as do many grocers these days, in trying to provide products that are sustainable and organic. That said, they recently took a WRONG TURN in the plastic packaging of many of their O Organics product line and it’s up to us to remind them.
Please note the following statement from O Organics, one of Safeway’s premier product lines:
“Why O Organics® ?
With O Organics®, you know that what you feed your family is actually good for them. Because all O Organics® products are USDA Certified Organic. They are made responsibly, sustainably and safely (my highlighting). They are always non-GMO, and grown without synthetic pesticides.
Dear fellow consumers: feeding your family microplastics is NOT good for them and pumping MORE plastics into our environment is NOT helpful. https://www.safeway.com/shop/lp/o-organics-organic.html is the home of O Organics. Please write to them and express your disdain for switching from paper containers to PLASTIC containers in many of their dairy products, e.g. Half and Half, Heavy Whipping Cream, etc. This switch happened recently in 2021! They also have countless other products that are being sold in plastic that could be packaged in a more sustainable manner. We, as consumers, need to fight back or we will truly be even more awash in plastic.
Safeway is trying to do the right thing by going to a product line like O Organics. We LAUD their efforts to bring us higher quality products. Unfortunately, they’ve become distracted from their mission and it’s up to us to remind them that we DO care about our environment and the products we consume. Please go to https://www.safeway.com/shop/lp/o-organics-organic.html and at the bottom of the page, under Quick Links, click on “Contact Us”. Scroll down to the lower part of the next screen to the header ‘Contact Us’ and the right most of three boxes is a box “Other Ways To Contact Us“. Click on “Comments and Questions” and explain to them that their sustainable practices are going BACKWARDS instead of forwards in their packaging. This page also has addresses for Customer Support Center and Media Inquiries. ANYTHING you can do to help mitigate this senseless INCREASE in plastics will help. Your planet and your body THANK YOU!!!
DARIGOLD switching from paper packaging to PLASTIC!
I wrote to Darigold.com this morning: they’ve switched from paper packaging for decades of their Half & Half dairy product to PLASTIC! (Barcode is 264002760) I sent the following to their contact URL:
“Good day!! Your website talks about Sustainability & Stewardship, the Environment, and then you switch from paper packaging to PLASTIC for your dairy products, e.g., Half & Half? Are you kidding me? For your reference that’s Barcode 2640022760. I am OUTRAGED!! Talk about hypocritical! You have such a wonderful product and then you put it in PLASTIC? WAKE UP!!!! Not only will I not buy your product now, but I’ll do everything in my power to spread the word of your hypocrisy, including reporting you to Green Peace, Ocean Conservancy, Oceana.org, 5gyres.org, my own church, and worthyvisions.com.”
I urge you to PLEASE go to darigold.com and click on the Contact button and beg them to stop adding PLASTIC to our environment. Thank you!