Beyond Recycling, a True Solution for Plastic


credit:

Two of the world's biggest financial institutions have come together to call for an end to plastic pollution.

In a joint statement, Triodos Bank and Triodos Investment Management say it's "perfectly possible to stop using plastics in most of the items used for packaging in the food and beverage industry, in construction, mobility, textiles, and retail" if incentives are in place, per the Guardian.

"There is a share of plastics in the economy which we currently cannot replace, because there is no suitable alternative," the statement says.

"Examples that come to mind are from sectors like healthcare, where it is difficult to imagine using a different material for tubing, sutures, and the like."

The statement, which calls for an ambitious international treaty to end plastic pollution, notes that most of the seven plastic types on the market are not recyclable.

"Therefore, we need to look beyond recycling, to build a vision and incentives that will eliminate most plastic use in the long term," the statement says.

It notes that even in healthcare, there is an over-use of plastics, and "some applications could turn to alternative materials instead."

Read the Entire Article


Selected Grant News Headlines

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

Philanthropist Tsitsi Masiyiwa P'17 to Receive Honorary Degree

Bryant University in Rhode Island will bestow an honorary degree on one of Africa's most prominent philanthropists during its May Commencement ceremony, the Providence Journal reports. Tsitsi...more

Safe Walking, Biking, and Scootering: Idaho Receives Youth Mobility Grant

"As students become more independent, being able to get where they are going safely is an essential life skill. Our goal is to educate these students so they can get where they are going, safely,...more

Anu Receives Grant from Nsf'S Technology Enhancement for Commercial Partnerships Program

If a $194,197 grant from the National Science Foundation isn't enough to convince you to grow your own food, you're not the only one. An Indiana company has been awarded $9,993 from the second...more

Grants Awarded to Maine Communities to Address Climate Effects and Increase Energy Efficiency

Gov. Janet Mills has announced $5 million in grants to help communities in Maine protect themselves from the effects of climate change. The grants, awarded through the Community Resilience...more

Today'S Mayor Sustainability Series Spotlights Dr. Chip Fletcher

"Climate change is real, and it's going to get worse before it gets better." That's the message from Charles Fletcher, newly appointed special adviser on climate change and resilience for Hawaii,...more

Innovative models like GUDS critical in equipping youth with green skills for climate-resilient ...

Marfaa Naseem is a 22-year-old student of Pakistan's Quaid-i-Azam University, and she's used a US grant to set up a rainwater harvesting and hydroponic farm on her rooftop. The idea came to her...more

Rivne: A Beacon of Sustainability in a Time of Turmoil

The Ukrainian city of Rivne is trying to become the first city in the world to be carbon neutral by 2030, the Guardian reports. According to the Telegraph, Ukraine has been grappling with a lack...more

Media Advisory

The UN will hold its first-ever forum on science, technology, and innovation for sustainable development in May, with the goal of harnessing the "power of science, technology, and innovation to...more

Partnership Opportunities to Transform Food Systems

With the world's ever-growing population and ever-changing eating habits, the world's food supply is in real danger of running out of food, according to a new report from the UN Food and Agriculture...more

Making connections for climate change and mental health

Climate change isn't just bad for humans, it's bad for our mental health as well, according to a new report from Imperial College London. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National...more






Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight



Influencing Social Good Through Retail


When Hannah Davis   traveled to China to teach English, she noticed how Chinese workers and farmers were often sporting olive green army-style shoes. Those shoes served as her inspiration to create her own social enterprise, Bangs Shoes.