90 NGOs Team Up for New Campaign

The impact of plastic waste is something that we talk about a lot on our blog, and it continues to be an issue that environmental groups are concerned about. It's easy to understand why as researchers now warn that if major changes aren't made, the amount of plastic in the ocean will outnumber fish by the year 2050.

In order to have a serious impact on the problem, cooperation is needed around the world. So far, organizations that are seeking to spread awareness and fight plastic pollution have been doing so independently in various corners of the globe, but now that's changed.

On September 15, 2016, 90 environmental NGOs issued a co-signed press release announcing a cooperative campaign called #BreakFreeFromPlastic. Guided by 10 agreed-upon principles, the movement seeks to accomplish three goals.

Source: http://breakfreefromplastic.org

First, they hope to use the tremendous size of their coalition to effectively lobby governments around the world to pass regulations and laws to address the plastic problem. Secondly, the coalition hopes to use their strong voice to encourage companies to investigate greener solutions that would reduce the amount of plastic waste ending up in our environment. Lastly, the group hopes to support community-based efforts to address the plastic problem taking place around the world.

Want go get involved with the #BreakFreeFromPlastic campaign? You can sign up to show your support as an individual or a representative of a group in your local area and tweet using the hashtag to participate. The campaign's official website has more information. Tell us in the Comments section if you're joining the movement

Effects of Plastic Waste on Lungworms Raising Major Concerns

A study conducted by scientists at the University of Exeter and the University of Plymouth published in Current Biology has revealed that plastic waste in oceans is having a detrimental effect upon lungworms.

The study examined the habits of lungworms in a controlled laboratory setting, establishing that the invertebrates mated less and fed less when in environments with microscopic plastic waste. When the lungworms did feed in areas where plastic was present, the plastic often became trapped in their digestive systems, which resulted in poor nutrient absorption and sometimes death.

So why does it matter what happens to lungworms? These organisms are the bottom of the food chain for many fish species and drops in their population could lead to a huge ripple effect. Also, the scientists point out that it's likely that many other foundations of aquatic food chains are being negatively impacted in similar ways.

All of the steps that governments are taking to reduce plastic waste is a start toward protecting eco systems. We can all do our part by using more reusable and biodegradable products and fewer single use plastics.

San Francisco Bans Plastic Water Bottles

The San Francisco City Council has passed a new rule that will help reduce the amount of plastic waste produced on city property. Under the rule, plastic bottles of water will no longer be able to be sold at events held on city property. The ban only applies to bottles that are 21 ounces in size or smaller.

Mayor Ed Lee is expected to sign the legislation in the coming weeks, and it will take effect on Oct 1 for all events held inside and in 2016 for events that occur outside.

While the ban will obviously not completely eliminate the use of plastic bottles in the city, it could lead to similar actions in other cities across the country. San Francisco was the first city to pass a plastic bag ban, and now bills are being considered or have passed in dozens of others. We'll keep a close eye on the plastic bottle ban and let you know of the latest news.

Vermont Taking Step to Better Control Toxins

We frequently feature posts about new studies concerning commonly used chemicals that have been found to be toxins. Scientific study of potential toxins is constantly revealing new threats, and one of the problems that comes with trying to restrict the use of those prospective toxins in products is the need to pass legislation.

States have the ability to ban toxins, but legislation must be voted on every time a new toxin is discovered. The Vermont Senate is now hoping to change that. The state has already passed bans or passed restrictive legislation on flame retardants, mercury, lead and BPA, and now, legislators are hoping to make it easier to add newly discovered toxins to controlled substance lists.

If passed S.239 will permit the Vermont Department of Health to add new chemicals to its restricted or banned list every other year without legislative approval. Should the bill pass, other states may one day follow suit, meaning that governments would be able to respond more quickly to the risks posed by toxins.

EPA to Make Hazardous Waste Tracking Electronic

This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency passed a new rule that will eliminate the use of paper for tracking hazardous waste in the United States. Instead, a system called e-Manifest will be used to track what types of hazardous waste are being transported through the country.

The e-Manifest is good news for the environment on a number of fronts. First of all, it will allow for a faster response in cases of spills and disasters, reducing the impact on ecosystems and communities. In addition, the elimination of paper will mean less paper waste produced by the government.

In addition to helping to better protect the planet, e-Manifest will also save between 300,000 to 700,000 of work time per year and save for more than $75 million. There is still work that needs to be done before the rule can be fully implemented and e-Manifest can be launched, so the EPA states that the system will not be up and running for at least another year.

California's Controversial Plastic Bag Ban

California is currently considering a plastic bag ban that would hopefully decrease much of the plastic waste in the Golden State.

Senate Bill 270 would ban the use of single use plastic bags at grocery stores, pharmacies and any convenience store with a liquor license issued by the state. All other businesses in the state would still be able to offer plastic bags to customers.

Supporters of the bill say that it would help to reduce the more than 14 billion single use bags utilized every year in California, but many say it's not far enough. Many say that the effects would be greatly limited because only a fraction of the bag waste is produced by the types of retailers affected. For example, 53,000 tons of plastic waste comes from bags distributed by restaurants in the state every year, and restaurants wouldn't be affected by the regulation.

So what do you think? Is even a small reduction in plastic bag waste a good thing, or should California scrap the bill and come up with one that would do more?

BAMBU HELPING TO SAVE HONEYBEES

We recently wrote a post about how humans are impacting bees. Well, it turns out that one of our brands is lending a hand to the honeybees!

Bambu recently announced that they are partnering with the Oregon State University Honey Bee Lab to help fund research into the plight of the honeybees. Populations of bees have dropped dramatically in recent years, and scientists are working hard to understand why.

The Honey Bee Research and Extension program studies the health of bees in Oregon and helps support the efforts of local beekeepers who are trying to restore bee populations. Bambu made a contribution to the lab and is working on a line of products to sell to further support the lab.

This is just another example of Bambu's ongoing commitment to protecting the planet. The brand only uses certified organic materials and nontoxic adhesives in the design of their kitchen products. You can check out the entire Bambu collection here at Paperless Kitchen.

Bees Make the Best of Plastic Waste

Los Angeles Bans Plastic Bags

In early January, the Los Angeles plastic bag ban went into effect. Although the law that made the plastic bags illegal at Los Angeles retailers was passed last June, many residents were unaware and surprised when they headed to their local stores.

Under the new law, plastic bags cannot be used in grocery stores. Supermarkets can offer paper bags, but at a cost of $.10 per bag. The goal is to get people to use reusable bags and reduce litter and waste in the Los Angeles area. Big box stores are not required to eliminate plastic bags as a part of the new rules.

If you're in the Los Angeles area and have found yourself plastic bag-less, check out our collection of plastic bag alternatives. Our Chico bags are meant for grocery shopping and are made from environmentally friendly recycled plastic fabric.

      Chico Bag rePETe, Hemp & Mesh Reusable Produce Bags - Set of 3

                               Chico Bag Hobo RePETe in Turkish Blue

General Motors Manufacturing Plant Goes Landfill Free

Many businesses are struggling to reduce the amount of waste that they produce and dealing with many obstacles along the way. A recent press release shows the importance of not giving up on the goal of being waste-free, as it explains how a large manufacturing facility in Rochester, New York, managed to go completely paperless. That's quite a feat for 1.7 million square foot facility.

It took an effort over 4 years to finally eliminate all landfill-bound waste from the facility and required the teamwork of every employee. Some of the changes the company implemented to reach its goal were quite simple. For instance, management moved the location of recycling bins to make them more accessible in office areas, on the shop floor and outside in dumpster areas.

The company also did an excellent job of communicating with employees about what the benefits of their waste reduction efforts are. They shared information about how much the company saved by recycling. In addition, they showed employees profiles about the various recycling facilities that accepted their paper, cardboard and other recyclable waste. The training and communications helped to get everyone on board.

While GM did have to invest in the development of new technologies to eliminate much of their industrial waste, many of the changes the company made could be easily implemented at your business or any other in the country.