There are approximately 3.5 million tons of garbage floating around the ocean, and around 80% of that is plastic. Plastics, so abundant they have formed their own literal islands, are tremendously hard to remove from marine areas. Some companies and artists have put this surplus waste to use as a material base, demonstrating that sustainable designs can be functional while helping to remove unwanted pollution. One example of a company who has made portions of their product packaging from recovered ocean plastics is Method. Already using recycled post-consumer plastics for containing their environmentally minded cleaning products, in order to make the… read more

As the search for further energy in Europe escalates, the United Kingdom report concludes that £850 billion may be needed in investment in order to prevent Europe descending into an energy deficit. The report, lasting eight months, was aimed at analyzing the infrastructure and consequent availability of European energy sources. The report commented that investors were lukewarm about injecting cash due to a lack of cohesive energy policy at European Union level. Trading in emissions was also criticized as not having enough backing by European countries. The committee producing the energy report looked at fishing, farming, general ecology and sources of energy and invited… read more

With more and more opting for greener lifestyles, environmental concerns are obviously the driving factor. The request and popularity of green merchandise has compelled companies to listen, making more choices available. However, with increased exposure and demand is there also a silent cost added to the consumer? Are we being tricked into thinking we need to have all the latest in green gear in order to do our part and be environmentally responsible? Does our need to accrue better products precede our need to be more mindful of what being environmentally accountable is more capable of, instead of only what can… read more

Reuse centers and warehouses accept donations and gather items that are still in usable condition, then offer them at economical prices for resale. Many are non-profit organizations that are available to the public for shopping, although some are only open to specialty customers, such as schools, construction industries or other particular businesses. In order to keep perfectly good items from local landfills, reuse supply centers generally operate by collecting and then offering materials at affordable prices, thus providing the community with needed, reasonably priced products. The inventory is continuously changing as new merchandise and contributions are received, but some available items… read more

There are many companies that produce solar lighting in order to assist those who have no electricity. Some of these are non-profits and a number operate as for-profit organizations. Some may question which one is a better option in providing humanitarian assistance. Non-profit operations normally are established in order to serve a social need, and usually receive charitable donations, government funding and tax deductions; however this is not to say that they are in business without the goal of turning a profit. Much of the generated profit though is in turn put back into the needs of the organization. For-profits… read more

Many companies sell environmentally friendly products. However not all of those are so committed to the green process that they earn the highest available rating from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), producing many of their products with 100% FSC certified materials. Forms + Surfaces, a California based business that specializes in doors, recycling bins, fencing and elevators, has accomplished this with their wood slat benches and other creations. Additionally, they either meet or exceed many other sustainable certification standards. In business for 40 years, their products are made from a high amount of recycled materials and are also responsibly obtained…. read more

What do you reckon? Is the cause of today’s environmental challenges over-population? Over-consumption? Apathy? Greed? Various writers claim that our industrial system of economic development is the reason for our planetary malaise. Is the economic structure of the so-called democratically “free” world guilty? If so, how on earth can we transform a system whose global reach is ever-expanding? If poverty, like population, is a key player in our environmental challenges, surely a system established to generate prosperity is more of a help than a hindrance? Surely…not. The bad news is when you dig below the surface, the values and ideologies… read more

For years, people have talked about “Subverting the Dominant Paradigm”. For years, it seems people have instinctively understood these words and what the alternative paradigm looked like. Like “sustainability” talk, it was a trendy expression that steadily gained traction within the non-mainstream quarters of the “developed” world. Great – except that nobody could really agree on what it was, let alone how to get to the other side. Subvert the dominant paradigm?  What on earth does this mean? We can hazard a guess that the dominant paradigm pre-dates the Industrial Revolution. Chances are a “genius” called Descartes had something to… read more

Were the British government to continue with current carbon limits around 80% of fossil fuels could be classed as unusable. The problem here is that mining and gas companies have spent an extortionate amount on extracting these resources and dumping them in favor of renewables may well have a sizable and negative impact on the UK’s energy economy. Over four trillion British pounds could be wasted if government changes continue, resulting in massive losses for oil, coal, and gas firms. London is the fossil fuel center of the world in terms of market investment and capital. Government changes, by way… read more

The era of the industrial economy is destined to meet its end. Paul Ekins highlights in Wealth Beyond Measure (1992), the nature and cause of modern economic development will be the system’s own undoing. It may indeed be doomed to collapse. Some writers argue that few people would benefit from such a collapse; while others counter-argue that the collapse of the modern economy is necessary for the benefit of all. But if our current economic framework is the cause for our environmental and social ills, then is it not worth asking what alternatives might exist?How might we envision a new… read more