“The world is changing. It is changing so rapidly that if we do not take the chance to make the right decisions, the consequences will be dire.”
The past year has been a challenging year for all and despite that, the world could barely standstill. With a pandemic on our head, we already had our hands full with climate change and yet, businesses found a way to operate. During lockdown around the world, organizations discovered an unusual yet functional way of operating remotely with zero impact on their strategies to deploy a circular economy model.
Currently, we are facing climate change that is a direct threat to humanity. International cooperation committees have joined their hands in funding and devising solutions that can power climate action plans to promote a more sustainable life for the generations to come. There have been many solutions, many executed, and many still under process. Everyone’s efforts are going to create an impact to combat climate change and to make that conceivable and efficient, a circular economy model needs to be adopted by industry leaders to promote greener solutions.
Current Position
Many industry giants are onboard building green solutions and encouraging the practice in their respective sectors by supporting government policies. When the legislators are facilitating the businesses to opt for green solutions, the chances are that the business would follow through with anything that saves their costs without degrading their brand.
Another important observation is that people are individually willing to achieve zero waste with composting habits and buying recyclable or recycled goods. Given that individual interest has increased, the businesses are more than likely to align their goals and operations keeping the circular economy model in the center of it all. According to the Science-Based Initiative, over 1,000 companies have committed to set emissions reduction targets based on science, and more than 340 have committed to set net-zero targets across their operations and value chains. The net-zero targets align with limiting warming to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F).
The awareness amongst the stakeholders of all the industries has risen ever since the governments have aligned their goals for climate action. In 2020, a pandemic triggered a rapid global response which indicates that fighting climate change is only within the hands of companies like YFC and others that are operating with a purpose to reduce global emissions and stop the impact of climate change.
Let’s delve further into these significant trends in the Circular Economy sphere that were observed in 2020 in different industries!
We are all aware of the harmful effects of improper waste management. In fact, everyone is sort of aware and there have been plenty of campaigns promoted by International Welfare Organizations that have been met with a lot of support. That support has led multiple cleanliness drives and setups for cleaning the waste but that is only half the story. The real challenge is not getting rid of the waste. It’s how we can utilize that waste for the better of the planet.
It Reduces the use of Natural Resources:
If we were to recycle the materials such as Metal, plastic etc put into waste, we would reduce the need to make more of the same material. It takes a lot less energy, petroleum and water to recycle those materials rather than creating them. If all organizations make this their priority, we can envision less stress on natural resources. This reduction can help reduce high levels of carbon dioxide in the environment.
It Reduces Landfill Space:
Waste thrown into landfills takes a long time to decompose. Plastic can take up to several decades to fully break down. Just as an example, Recycling one ton of plastic can free up over seven cubic yards of Landfill space. This space can be used for biodegradable waste which is less harmful.
It can save animals:
We have seen those campaigns in which marine life has been endangered by plastics dumped in the oceans. Not only oceans but birds and other wildlife have also been adversely affected by these waste materials. Recycling will not only protect the wildlife but will also keep waste away from their natural habitats.
Conclusion:
The United Nations have defined 17 goals that are to be met by the year 2030 that are being heralded as the UN SDG’s. The main purpose of those goals is to move everyone towards sustainable development. Recycling waste has its own major potential that can be fulfilled and converted into a huge asset towards achieving these goals and making our planet more sustainable focused. Not only will it help the community on a grand scale, recycling waste will transform the entire world into the beautiful place it once was.
The idea behind zero-waste cities has been traveling around the world to promote a circular economy lifestyle. It involves a consistent joint effort, on a national & community level, to achieve such a shift in lifestyle. There are companies and non-profit organizations that are working day and night to spread awareness amongst communities regarding climate change. The need for sustainable green solutions and climate-friendly lifestyles has only grown by the day as the waste we produce is growing with it. Now, either we pollute and compromise the only planet that has life on earth or we try and do our best to save it. To do that, experts have come up with a circular economy framework that eliminates the factors causing climate change. Based on this framework, an idea emerged for zero-waste cities. To this date, it is considered as the highest ambition of the Paris Agreement.
What Is A Zero-Waste City?
The highest ambition of the Paris Agreement is zero-waste cities and it encompasses the idea that the sustainable and habitable cities of the future will ultimately need to be zero-waste cities. As the name suggests, it promotes the idea amongst the individuals to manage their waste by reusing, recycling, and reducing it to ultimately reach a point where they are not producing any waste. A zero-waste city model comprises individuals practicing a zero-waste lifestyle. Making everyday decisions that encourage consumption of materials that are sustainable and pose no threat to the environment. Every single person who is producing waste will adopt a smart and sustainable way of life to generate less to zero waste on an individual level. When there is no waste, there will be less burden on earth to deal with that waste. That is how zero-waste cities can combat climate change and effectively diminish GHG emissions globally for a clean and green future.
What Is The Potential Of A Zero-Waste City?
Sustaining a zero-waste city is quite ambitious, but it is not impossible. Currently, 2 billion metric tons of municipal solid waste are produced annually worldwide and the World Bank is estimating this figure to increase to 3 billion metric tons by 2050. Out of all that waste, 13.5% of it is recycled and 5.5% is composted. The remaining waste gets incinerated, dumped in the landfills or the oceans. This waste adds up to the global GHG emissions globally and it is estimated that the waste sector accounts for 10 to 15 % of the global GHG emissions. To stop that, individuals around the world and the countries who are facing first-hand effects of climate change are making an effort to change their lifestyle and make more sustainable decisions. An environment-conscious effort is bringing leaders and experts together to chalk out strategies to start developing zero-waste cities. With each step being crucial for this goal, many cities have successfully managed to call themselves a zero-waste city. With various technologies and advanced equipment at our disposal, it has become more convenient to become a zero-waste city. Moreover, biodegradable goods, packaging, and raw materials are easily available for users to make sustainable decisions.
Furthermore, bringing producers to accountability will also open doors for the production of sustainable goods and encourage waste management and utilization at the industrial level. Since much of the industrial waste ends up in the oceans it compromises marine life, causing a huge impact upon the ecological pyramid. Therefore, in a zero-waste city, industries will be producing waste that is either reusable or recyclable.
Managing industrial waste will be a crucial part of it all and YFC provides just that! It crucially deals with sustainably managing your waste Read more about it here.
Why Do We Need To Advance Towards Zero-Waste Cities?
The future depends upon what we do today to stop climate change. With so many technical conveniences, waste management could not have been easier than expected. Moreover, it is one of the primary services that city governments provide and is a sector over which leaders exercise significant authority. The leaders of the world’s great cities recognize that the bold action of waste management is key to making our urban centers cleaner, sustainable, more resilient, and inclusive. Building upon that, zero-waste cities are more than possible today and it is the right time to move towards such a circular economy solution.
Zero Waste Cities Around The World!
Although it takes years’ worth of effort to become a city with no waste, Sweden has nearly reached zero-waste levels after an impressive recycling revolution. Along with that, other 23 global cities have pledged to advance towards zero-waste. These cities include Auckland, Catalonia, Copenhagen, Dubai, London, Milan, Montreal, Navarra, New York City, Newburyport, Paris, Philadelphia, Portland, Rotterdam, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Monica, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Toronto, Vancouver & Washington D.C. The pledge concludes that by 2030 these countries shall reduce the amount of waste generated by each citizen to 15%, reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and incineration by 50% and increase the diversion rate to 70%. It is estimated that 87million tons of waste disposal will be avoided by 2030 if all these cities come through. With that, other cities will have to get on board with eliminating their waste by reusing, recycling, and reducing it. YFC has also taken the initiative to provide solutions for cities moving towards Zero Waste with Noida city in India the latest to undergo the project.
Conclusion
The zero-waste city is the one solution that is helping us fight climate change. By decreasing the GHG emissions on a global level, we are sure to achieve a sustainable means of life and securing the planet for future generations. Because if we continue to live as we do, there are high chances that our future generations will not have much to look forward to. With zero-waste cities, we are opening opportunities for more circular economy solutions and saving the planet for a sustainable future to come. YES Full Circle Solutions has pledged its solutions to help the planet achieve complete sustainability. If you have an idea that would help the cause, reach out to us so that we can do our bit in #DoingGoodToDoGood!
In the past few decades, the world has altogether experienced a boom in e-waste generation. All due to the growing demand for advanced technology and the latest equipment such as laptops, mobiles, flat-screen televisions, etc. These items are valuable, which is why they are hardly discarded unless they become obsolete. Once they become useless, users casually discard the item. But are they aware of what that e-waste is capable of? Do they know if carelessly discarding it is safe? Once e-waste ends up at the landfills, it is most probably incinerated, causing GHG emissions to rise at hazardous levels. If only people knew that e-waste recycling is valuable, the e-waste recycling industry would have a lot more to contribute to the global economy.
However, e-waste recycling is a long, tiresome task as it involves an extensive sorting process. After that, the segregated waste is respectively recycled and converted into a whole new raw material. Nevertheless, not all e-waste is being recycled. Experts have estimated that only 12.5% of the total e-waste is recycled in the U.S only. Therefore, many startups like YFC are developing cutting-edge technologies to collect waste from around their operational vicinity and then recycle them as appropriate. Today, in this blog we are going to expound upon how the e-waste industry is growing into an opportunity and can potentially aid the zero-waste agenda through various recycling practices.
How Is E-Waste Recycled?
E-waste recycling is an extensive process that involves careful sorting and segregating the waste into different categories. And, since each device consists of plastics, glass, metals, or harmful chemicals, the workforce operates in a supervised environment to ensure the safety of all. Once all the devices are sorted into different categories, they are disassembled and respectively distributed to their category for further recycling. From there, the waste is shredded into tiny pieces to be converted into raw material. This raw material is then used for manufacturing other valuable products.
E-Waste: A Growing Problem Or An Opportunity?
Although recycling e-waste is not hard, many individuals end up discarding their electronic waste in the trash. From there it will end up at the landfills, becoming a major contributor to GHG emissions. That’s how e-waste becomes a problem, causing global warming. Such is the missed opportunity of extracting more out of your e-waste. If e-waste is carefully recycled, it becomes a great opportunity to build a raw material that can be used to manufacture new products: creating business opportunities and reducing the burden on the landfills. Either way, it brings each electronic device’s utility to a complete full circle, bringing the circular economy to life. Many businesses have been established by capitalizing on a growing problem by turning it into an opportunity. Therefore, recycling e-waste can become an opportunity if you act upon it now! Otherwise, it’s only going to add up to the stack of already existing problems.
E-waste recycling reduces environmental pollution and can potentially save the planet. And since e-waste consists of toxic substances, it cannot be carelessly discarded in the trash. These toxic substances include mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium, chromium, and chemical flame retardants. This is why, when e-waste ends up at the landfills, these chemicals can seep into the soil or the atmosphere, and pollute the soil and air. When the soil is polluted, the possibility of it compromising the groundwater becomes inevitable. And the polluted groundwater means that it is affecting life on earth. Therefore, removing e-waste from landfills is as important as saving the planet.
Conclusion
We cannot stop tech from evolving, however, we can control how we discard our e-waste. According to research, it was estimated that in 2019, 54 million metric tons of e-waste was produced worldwide. This number has only been increasing annually as almost only 20% of it is documented, collected, and recycled. Moreover, the way the electronic devices are becoming obsolete with an updated version every once or twice a year, the e-waste will grow. If all e-waste is recycled, it can grow opportunities for businesses to collect e-waste and recycle it into raw material. YES Full Circle offers cutting-edge technology to help you track your waste as we recycle it and also aids the environment by replacing natural resource consumption with recycled raw materials making it more sustainable and economical. Interested in partnering with a company that can benefit you and the environment at the same time? Click right here.
We live in a world that is doomed to collapse if nothing is done to minimize the harm, we are causing the environment. It might not be a conscious choice on our parts, but our lifestyle has affected the climate and environment, nonetheless. If we think about the beauty industry alone, they have contributed to such a significant percentage of waste. But thankfully enough, they have realised it and taken a seat behind the wheel to take control over the situation. Mostly working on the recycling and the eco-friendly aspect of their brands, these companies are looking at a more sustainable way of development without having a hugely negative impact on the environment.
Let us take a close look at some of the top cosmetic recycling trends for the year 2021!
Paper-Based products Are the New “IT”
It is estimated that the beauty industry alone makes a huge contribution to more and more non-biodegradable waste in the environment which can’t be recycled. There is heavy use of plastic in the industry because of the packaging choices that they make. So, brands are taking more caution now to reduce this waste. Brands like Lush have reduced their use of plastic to the bare minimum. They are even trying to experiment with no labelling at all!
Brands like L’Oreal announced that they will be using a paper-based tube! This is a major decision that the firm took in the year 2019 and they promised that more such tubes would be in the market by next year. This will most definitely have a huge impact on the goal of using less and less plastic, and given that they are mass- produce, think of the outcomes this decision will achieve!
Recyclable Plastic Bottles
Doesn’t matter how hard one tries to, one cannot do away with all the plastic that we use in our lives. Keeping the negatives aside, one reason why plastic is so widely used is because of the convenience that it provides. But then, what do we do about the negative effects that we just put aside? Well, why not use plastic bottles or tubes that are recyclable? And that’s what they did!
Unilever produced black plastic products that are recyclable! Lead to End Waste Now. Originally, it was quite difficult because the technology could not detect the “carbon black” used for colour. But they optimized their technology to reuse the pigments that are found in these bottles by automatic optical sorting machines. This infers that tonnes and tonnes of plastic bottles can be sent back for recycling! After their declaration, they also claimed that they will make sure that this technology is accessible all around the market for universal adaptation.
Everything’s Fun with A Balloon!
Another creative way for an eco-friendly packaging technique is the balloon-based solution that’s been doing rounds in the market. Adopted by a South Korean firm, Innerbottle, they started a campaign back in the year 2019 for using balloons made of silicone as an alternative to using plastic as a containing tube or bottle.
These balloons are BPA-free and are placed inside paper bottles at first. These are then attached to the pumps and can be dispensed after use! Then you can recycle your paper bottle as much as you want using the same technique. This product works whether the cosmetic is in soap or spray form. What more can you ask for?
After being pumped out of the bottle, it only leaves a residue of merely 2% as compared to the earlier 30% when different packaging formats were used. This helps the consumers in more than just one way. Not only do you get more products, but you can recycle the balloon as well!
Consumerism is at the heart of both developed and developing nations. While such a phenomenon doesn’t often add up to environmental-friendly consequences, it is never too late to start and contribute towards the protection of our biodiversity and biosphere. Even though you might feel that you are only one individual, reaching out can encourage others to build eco-friendly communities.
The excessive consumption of plastic is something that is a matter of concern that is often multi-faceted. The popularity of plastic consumption has not only led to enormous volumes of greenhouse emissions from the hazardous waste collection in landfills but also suffered and killed the many innocent lives that live in vast oceans.
Play your part in recovering Earth from the deadly threat that is posed to make every living species on earth extinct. Adopt these ten easy practices to create a plastic-free community, starting this month of July, in lieu of the special occasion of Plastic Free Month.
How To Avoid Plastic Overdose?
Here are ten easy ways you can effectively use to avoid plastic consumption. Some of these ways will definitely challenge you to change your comfortable lifestyle, but unlike what people say, ignorance is not bliss.
1. Avoid Using Plastic Straws
Did you know that we use, on average, more than 500 million plastic straws every single day? This typically leads to hazardous waste collection in the landfills where such waste is dumped. However, if you start avoiding and denying to play your part in a plastic-free environment, simply say no. Single-use straws are often bagged readily along with your junk food without you having to even ask them for the same.
Therefore, you are the one who needs to put your foot down and go out of your own way to ask them not to put plastic straws. Alternatively, you can carry environmentally-friendly straws that are made of a variety of materials. The most common ones being steel and wood. It is practical and additionally, it also does not take too much space.
2. Always Carry An Eco-Friendly Bag With You
It is always advisable to use reusable eco-friendly carry bags for your everyday grocery shopping and occasional shopping at the malls. Even though a bag made out of bamboo or jute is more expensive than non-biodegradable plastic, you will get your money’s worth since they do not wear out easily and have a much longer lifespan than plastic bags. Just keep these available on the backseat of your car and use them whenever required.
Also, if you forget to carry an eco-friendly bag with you, try to stuff your bought items in your pockets or simply carry the same in your hands as much as you can.
3. Avoid Buying Bottled Water
Not everything that is marketed well is good for our community or planet as a whole. For sake of our comfort and easy access to clean water, we have completely dismantled the importance of living sustainably with our nature. Buy a water bottle that you can reuse and refill instead of buying one-time-use plastic water bottles. Stop storing as well as serving bottled water to your guests when you can use the perfectly safe tap water.
4. Use Glass Containers To Pack Lunch Rather Than Using Plastic Again
It will be very wise of you if you do away with the Ziplock baggie and opt for glass containers to pack your lunch. Glass containers come in various sizes and shapes. Some glass containers also have airtight lids that can keep your food warm, fresh, and clear, just like the times when you used plastic containers for the same.
5. Avoiding Food with Excessive Packaging
Are we all at fault for this one? We buy products without even considering the unnecessary layered plastic packaging of the product. In addition to this, the staff at the counter will further pack this into a carry bag that is again, plastic. Adopt an environment-friendly lifestyle and opt for a lifestyle that is sustainable for both nature and other communities of living beings on our planet.
6. Stop Plastic Consumption In The Form Of Cutleries
Here is another small thing you can avoid in your life. Take-out dinner often involves the use of plastic cutleries which can be easily avoided by giving the service person a heads up. When you order food online to get it delivered to your home, make sure you write in the comments section or make time to call the restaurant to not put plastic cutleries inside your bag.
Odds are that you have your own cutleries at home and it is oxymoronic to not ditch the plastic ones. If you are a working person and buy food from street vendors, just keep a spare couple of silverware in your drawer. Remind yourself to carry it with you during your lunch break and wash it after you reach your office. Start right away and do not let laziness put down such a positive effort.
7. Prefer Cardboard Over Plastic Anyday
Cardboards are made of paper and hence, they can be easily recycled as opposed to plastic recycling. Another added benefit of preceding cardboard over plastic is that it is biodegradable while plastic is non-biodegradable.
One might argue that it is not as if plastic can not be recycled. While plastic recycling is definitely a viable option, you will be surprised to know that, according to National Geographic, almost 91% of the same are not recycled as reported in July 2021. Fact check and be aware!
8. Ditch Your Plastic Toothbrush
Something as small and significant as a toothbrush can collectively lead to plastic waste collection. Make a quick switch to fix the problem by doing your bit by adopting biodegradable toothbrushes made out of bamboo that are easily available online.
Bamboo toothbrushes wear out easily and are costlier than plastic ones but it is definitely worth it because it only takes six months for them to decompose completely. Using new toothbrushes every couple of months is also advised since the roots of the bristles have the potential for microbial growth which can’t be seen with the naked eye.
9. Read The Cover Of Cosmetic Products Before Purchasing
The makeup industry is one of the most flourishing industries and will remain in fashion as long as we exist. Like we say, with great power comes great responsibility. Therefore, makeup companies can not be exempt from making smart and environment-friendly decisions. Earlier, use of microbeads or artificially produced microplastics were aggressively used in the production of cosmetics. They were mostly used in the form of exfoliating materials as well as abrasives.
Even though many countries like the USA, UK, Canada, and South Korea have completely made such use of plastic substances, there are many other countries that are yet to announce and lay down similar laws to stop plastic from further causing mayhem.
You can always start to choose your brands wisely from where you want to buy products for your skincare routine and even makeup products. Switch over to soap brands that do not contribute to the manufacturing of microbeads.
You can also be a part of a shared march towards zero waste solutions planning, by contacting your prescribed brands and companies for cosmetics recycling. Cosmetics recycling includes recycling of the used-up bottles and packing materials.
10. Switch To e-Billing
Even though bills that are often mailed to you seem to be an innocent activity, switching over to e-billing will open up the possibility of reaping a number of ecological benefits. E-billing and its green prospect are probably one of the greenest practices we can think of but we have, nonetheless, danced past it without the due diligence to know more about it.
It can save our dependability on paper and completely curb greenhouse emissions that are a common outcome of the decomposition of paper bills that end up in landfills. If you have a billing service provider, contact them right away and opt for a technologically advanced echo-friendly software service on your smartphone. Don’t just own a smartphone, be smart!
Obviously, there are many other ways to start a green lifestyle. But to start as an eco-friendly being, these easy ways will go a long way to help and encourage many others around you to adopt a plastic-free lifestyle. Something as innocent and harmless as children’s toys are bad news for our environment. Replace them with warm wooden toys and buy single-use banana leaf plates for occasions. These are not only eco-friendly but also add a warm aesthetic to your party. The thumb rule is, if it is plastic, think straight and hard.
Wrapping Up
To conclude, it is only relevant to recollect our lived experiences of what it is like to be trapped in a plastic environment. Since the pandemic breakout, the phenomenological experience of being wrapped up in plastic masks, shields, and plastic clothing, has taught us many things.
Even though we keep accommodating the unnatural as the new normal, it is only paramount to think about how our plastic waste deposits that find their way to the seas and oceans trap the helpless oceanic lives. If not anything else, our own endurance during the pandemic should remind us that plastic is unnatural both to us and all the other living species on earth.
