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Could 'invisible barcodes' revolutionise recycling?

Dougal Shaw

November 14, 2019 |

BBC |

Broadcast TV Programs |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: Germany, Andernach

A pilot recycling sorting method hosted in Germany has created an easier way for recyclable and non-recyclable products to be separated. Designers printed invisible digital codes - much like invisible barcodes that can be picked up by a grocery store scanner - onto a myriad of products for a sensor machine to be able to sort products by material; the sorting machine saw over 90% success in correct allocation. Now, some of the largest food companies in the world are working together to use this technology on a wider scale.

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These shops will sell you shampoo, but it's BYOB — bring your own bottle

Cara Giaimo

November 04, 2019 |

Grist |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Eschewing packaging reduces waste. Cleenland, a store in Cambridge, Massachusetts, encourages low-waste shopping by selling household items like soap, cleaner, and detergent in bulk. Customers bring their own containers and purchase the products by weight. The store is among the first in the country to offer package-free shopping.

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Green burials: Everything you need to know about the growing trend

Chloe Rose Stuart-Ulin

October 29, 2019 |

CBC |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada

Green burials—the practice of burying a body in the earth with the intention of it decomposing naturally—are becoming more popular across Canada as people become aware of the high prices and environmental damage that come with traditional burials. The idea also lends itself to a communal enjoyment of the land: plots are reused and the spot remains unmarked. This practice is low-impact and offers other creative ways for people to bury their loved ones.

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US Supermarkets Are Doing Bulk Food All Wrong

Karine Vann

October 28, 2019 |

Civil Eats |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Many supermarkets throughout the U.S. have made bulk food shopping available but have failed to take into account the packaging of these foods, which are oftentimes plastic. While some stores have committed to cutting down their plastic waste, zero-waste bulk shopping is still a possibility as evident in countries in Europe.

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Curing Our Plastic Problem

Tom Gibson Vicky Feng Leila Hussain

September 30, 2019 |

Bloomberg |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Thailand

A company in Thailand called Universal Bio Pack created biodegradable packaging made out of cassava starch and natural fiber that could reduce the amount of single use plastic that people consume. Another company in Spain called Plastic Energy takes mixed plastics that can’t be recycled and converts it into usable oils that make fuel. Both are different solutions that could be used simultaneously to tackle the world’s plastic pollution crisis.

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Handmade in Brazil: Rede Asta's transformation of artisans into entrepreneurs

Maria Eduarda Lannes

September 26, 2019 |

Pioneers Post |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Brazil, Rio de Janeiro

A collective for Brazilian women artisans named Rede Asta provides training, production networks, links to consumers, and an online market to empower them to make a livable income. The group is also environmentally-conscious, focusing on creative waste reuse solutions that result in upcycled products. There are challenges as the collective grows, but they have supported more than 1,500 artisan women since opening.

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Grocery Stores and Local Recycling Centers Offer Solution to Plastic Bag Pollution

Emily Lanoue

September 25, 2019 |

Grady Newsource |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Athens, Georgia

Grocery stores across the nation have explored creative solutions to recycle plastic bags, including melting them into new bags and even using the material to build compact lumber and playground equipment. In Athens, Georgia, residents can bring their recyclables to the local Publix to be delivered to one of these specialty recycling centers.

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Gonzalo Muñoz - Triciclos, COP25, recycling, and climate change

Aleksandr Nechaev

September 02, 2019 |

Shake the World |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Chile, Santiago

This podcast is an interview with Gonzalo Muñoz, the founder of a successful recycling organization called Triciclos that started in Chile and has since reached 8 other countries. Triciclos was the first certified B corp in Latin America, and Muñoz is now also High-Level Climate Champion for COP25 by the government of Chile. Muñoz shares his insights on the Triciclos approach, waste as a design error, climate change, and more.

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'Plastic recycling is a myth': what really happens to your rubbish?

Oliver Franklin-Wallis

August 17, 2019 |

The Guardian |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: England

After decades of recycling plastic, the world is now coming to terms with the waste industry it has created, and seeking more sustainable models. One promising model is material recovery facilities, like England’s Green Recycling, that has invested in an AI sorting machine to help humans more efficiently and accurately find materials that can be recycled. While a costly model of sustainability, new strategy proposals are emerging that can help the world make this change possible.

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What do you do with a derelict Center Parcs? Map out a waste-free world

Holly Dicker

August 14, 2019 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Netherlands, Rotterdam

Abandoned buildings can become spaces for economic innovation and experimentation. An abandoned resort spa in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, now houses BlueCity, an ecosystem of sustainable enterprises. The initiative aligns with The Netherland’s 2050 circular strategy, which aims to reduce waste and implement circular design into the economic. At BlueCity, the businesses are leaders in sustainable innovations, from brewers that share byproducts with bakers to companies that recycle plastic.

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