Month: May 2018

Agriculture

Restoring Appalachia

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Read the full story at Orion.

To Jude—and, it is hoped, to hundreds of other displaced former West Virginia coal miners working distressed former mining lands—tending lavender, and raspberries, and even commercial-scale honeybees offers a glimpse of a future that is both economically viable and ecologically sustainable. Jude is one of the first of nearly four dozen West Virginians to go through a program called Refresh Appalachia, one node in a network of nonprofit enterprises devoted to rehabilitating a region that has suffered a hundred years of economic and ecological distress. Funding for the projects comes from an assortment of federal, state, and philanthropic sources—and notably from the Appalachian Regional Commission, which has committed some $94 million in grants to help rebuild coal-impacted communities in 250 counties across the region. Another $3.6 million has come from federal money distributed through the West Virginia Office of Abandoned Mined Lands, which is also funding the state National Guard’s planting of 100,000 Golden Delicious apple trees in Clay County, where one variety of the apple was discovered.

Emerging contaminants, Publications

New Comprehensive Global Database of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) listing 4730 new PFAS

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The OECD released a New Comprehensive Global Database of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) listing 4730 new PFAS, including several new groups of PFASs that fulfil the common definition of PFASs (i.e. they contain at least one perfluoroalkyl moiety) but have not yet been commonly regarded as PFASs.

The list can be used in conjunction with the methodology report summarising the major findings with respect to the total numbers and types of PFASs identified, the limitations, gaps and challenges identified, and opportunities for improving the future understanding of PFASs production, use on the global market, and presence in the environment, biota, and other matrices.

For more information, visit the Portal on Per- and Polyfluorinated Chemicals. See also Toward a New Comprehensive Global Database of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs): Summary Report on Updating the OECD 2007 List of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs).

Green business, Packaging, Pharmaceuticals and personal care products

L’Oréal leads major beauty players in collective sustainable packaging effort

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Read the full story at Cosmetics Design Europe.

The new sustainability initiative is called SPICE: the Sustainable Packaging Initiative for CosmEtics.

Food and beverage manufacturing, Food service and restaurants, Food waste, Packaging

HelloFresh waits for packaging innovation to catch up with growth

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Read the full story at The Packer.

Even though meal kits are reducing food waste, they also result in packaging that consumers must deal with, she [Danielle Gilmartin, senior operations manager for New York-based HelloFresh] said. HelloFresh last year invested in a project to reduce box size by 20% and also cut the number of packaging stock-keeping units with meal kits.

Publications, Renewable energy, Tribal/First nations

Indigenous communities moving away from government utilities

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Read the full story from the University of Waterloo.

Indigenous communities are rejecting non-indigenous energy projects in favour of community-led sustainable energy infrastructure.

The switch has led to some improvements in economic and social development as well as capacity-building for self-governance, according to a study from the University of Waterloo.

Green business, Plastics, Sports

The North Face Cuts Disposable Cups from Endurance Challenge Races

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Read the full story in Environmental Leader.

The North Face committed to going cupless for its Endurance Challenge Series (ECS), five ultra trail running races that take place across the United States this year. Normally around 140,000 disposable cups total would get dispensed to runners during these endurance events.

 

Energy efficiency, Federal government

Trump Tells Federal Agencies To Optimize Energy, Reduce Waste, Cut Costs

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Read the full story in Environmental Leader.

A new executive order signed by President Trump directs federal agencies to manage their buildings, vehicles, and operations to optimize energy and environmental performance, reduce waste, and cut costs.

 

Climate change, Food and beverage manufacturing, Food service and restaurants, Green business, Smart phone apps

Ben & Jerry’s Demos Blockchain-Based Carbon Footprint System

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Read the full story in Environmental Leader.

Ben & Jerry’s is piloting a blockchain-based retail platform that connects consumers to their carbon footprints. Starting this month, customers at the newly opened scoop shop in Wardour Street, London, can use the Poseidon Foundation’s platform to support forestry conservation.

Consumer behavior, Fashion & beauty products

Will Shoppers Ever Really Care About Sustainability?

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Read the full story at Racked.

Customers say they want brands to be more environmentally conscious — but eco-friendly marketing campaigns fall flat.

Aquaculture

The Laser Battle Against Blood-Sucking Parasites of the Deep

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Read the full story in Wired.

Many threats exist in ocean aquaculture. A plague of jellyfish can wipe out a cage of salmon in one fell swoop. An algae bloom can starve the fish of oxygen. A breach in the cage netting can result in a mass escape. Aarskog’s problem is worse—and almost imperceptible. Lurking among the captive fish is a tiny nemesis: Lepeophtheirus salmonis, aka the sea louse.

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