Corporations Committed to the WasteStyle Way
Photo from inriodulce.com
The world has been waking up to the dangers of plastic waste and pollution for a while – but it seems things are really ramping up in 2018! Social media feeds are flooded with memes, images, articles, short videos and loads of ideas about plastic waste, recycling, using reclaimed materials, sourcing sustainably, environmental impact and companies “doing their bit”. It feels like individually and collectively we are all becoming more eco-conscious and committed to reducing waste and living on a less polluted, healthier Earth. This is good news!
It’s no secret that the pressure is on big business to step up their commitment to environmentally sustainable practice. So many small grass roots movements and companies need help and investment from the big players; so this is a win-win situation.
Governments and corporations are tackling the urgent problem of plastic waste and pollution on a global scale. Sir David Attenborough’s award winning Blue Planet series did so much to raise our awareness of the huge dangers our planet faces because of ocean waste. Glued to our screens, his work has had a massive ripple effect: impacting government environmental policies globally and fostering an international conversation between countries and corporations about engineering environmentally friendly manufacturing and transportation practices, as well as plastic waste reduction, reuse and recycling initiatives.
This is a huge task; the task of a generation, and covers all aspects of consumerism from clothing to packaging, furniture and toys. What’s clear is that it’s going to take teamwork. The giant conglomerates have to take a stand – and some of them are. So which companies are stepping up and how are they doing things the WasteStyle way? We’ve been checking them out.
EVIAN
An estimated 1 million plastic bottles are sold around the world every minute! The majority of these are water bottles. The French bottled water company, Evian has partnered with Montreal start-up Loop Industries and the non-profit organization Ocean Clean Up (for more on this have a read of the article Plastic…Fantastic?). Evian’s aim is to use 100% recycled and recyclable plastic and create a “circular” life cycle for its bottles. How? In conjunction with their campaign to increase consumer’s awareness about recycling. Evian’s factory in France is also carbon neutral and they use a private train line to transport their products – reducing fossil fuel use at every level.
PROCTOR & GAMBLE (P&G)
Fairy is one of the world’s most popular washing up liquids, and its holding company P&G has just launched the Fairy Ocean Plastic bottle. It is made from 90% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic and 10% plastic rescued from the ocean. Teamed with the US company TerraCycle, P&G hopes to inspire consumers to get involved in beach cleanups and promote awareness of ocean plastic and hard to recycle household waste.
TIMBERLAND
Has partnered with Thread to make boots made from plastic bottles collected from beaches in Haiti. This totally embodies everything we stand for and promote at WasteStyle. Collecting dangerous litter, beautifying and cleaning the environment, employing local, often disadvantaged people, and making recycled, recyclable and stylish footwear. Check out their video.
PATAGONIA
We’re proud to promote Patagonia, which has long been a proponent of reducing excess consumerism, and creating quality clothing from recycled, reclaimed and sustainable materials turning plastics into parkas and using natural rubber for their wetsuits. Patagonia is politically active in promoting eco-conscious leaders too, and their advertising is aimed at raising consumer awareness. Browse Patagonia products on WasteStyle here.
IKEA
This most famous of Swedish brands has been the recipient of numerous awards for its eco-conscious packaging. Aware of the devastating impact polystyrene packaging has on the environment, the furniture retailer is looking to use the biodegradable mycelium “fungi packaging” as part of its efforts to reduce waste and increase recycling. Find out more about it here.
ADIDAS
Has teamed up with Parley – by collaborating and funding Parley’s ocean clean up drive to turn plastic into high performance products. Adidas is about to launch its first ever shoes made from fiber made from plastic ocean waste.
LEGO
One of the world’s most famous plastic toy brands, we’re pleased to see that Lego is launching is first plant-based, recyclable “bio- plastic” products this year. In line with its intent, the products will be trees and plants! The new-style Lego toys are made from polyethylene – a soft, durable and flexible plastic made with ethanol extracted from sugar cane. Until now Lego’s toys were made with environmentally damaging fossil fuel based plastic. Lego is pushing consumer awareness and has teamed up with WWF and the Bioplastic Feedstock to engage in fully sustainable sourcing. It’s a good beginning.
JAGUAR LANDROVER – FROM WASTE TO WAVE
In 2017 JAGUAR LANDROVER, one of the world’s leading car manufacturers committed to a zero waste policy. Amongst their many “second life” initiatives, they’ve made a move from land to sea. Taking plastic from early design models, previously destroyed, they’re using it to create surf and paddle boards.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Whilst these companies are taking an active stand in reducing and recycling toxic waste, what more could they be doing? Which companies would you like to see speak up and do more? Are they really addressing the urgency of the situation or are we simply seeing some good PR speech bubbles and a commercially motivated jump onto the eco-bandwagon? At WasteStyle we hope they take their roles as leading brands seriously, and invest their resources and their waste in global clean up projects. We want to see their efforts expand more rapidly, and the conversation to cross-pollinate between corporations, countries and communities, and across engineering, science and government policy.
What do you think? Are we seeing a real shift in policy? Are they doing enough? What more could happen? We’d love to hear your comments!
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