Airlines should get ahead of regulators by voluntarily eliminating single-use plastic within five years, the chief executive of Portuguese charter Hi Fly said, ahead of a Thursday forum on replacements for plastics on commercial flights.
Source: aerolatinnews.com
Lehigh Technologies has won the Young Global Leaders Award for Circular Economy SME (small to medium-sized enterprise) for The Circulars 2019, the 5th iteration of the award, in Davos at the World Economic Forum on 21 January 2019. Lehigh was recognized for upcycling end-of-life tyre materials into Micronized Rubber Powder (MRP), a sustainable, lower-cost, high performing and customizable feedstock for industrial and consumer markets. MRP is used as an additive in a wide range of consumer and industrial products, like tyres. By improving performance and cost, Lehigh’s business model is said to be closing the loop on tyre production, ensuring sustainability and stability in manufacturing costs for the tyre industry and reducing dependence on oil-based chemicals. According to the company, tyres made with Lehigh’s MRP have better vehicle fuel economy compared to tyres made of less technological rubber powder and have saved a total of over 20 million passenger car tyre equivalents from landfills in more than 10 years. To date, Lehigh’s products have been used to manufacture over 500 million tyres using a circular model. “Consumers, employees, stakeholders and policymakers alike expect companies to lead with purpose around sustainability and are holding them accountable. Inaction or idleness can severely harm competitiveness, with a drop in stakeholder trust costing businesses globally $180 billion in potential revenues,” said Peter Lacy, Senior managing director, Accenture Strategy. “Moving to a circular economy delivers the disruptive change needed to secure a sustainable future, while enabling businesses to unlock innovation and growth. We are proud to recognize the individuals and organizations that are leading the circular movement, creating a thriving global economy.”
Read the full article at: www.tyrepress.com
An EU delegation headed by EU Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella visited China from 1 to 3 April to continue with the process of deepening EU – China environmental bilateral relations.
Mayor Janey, in collaboration with the City of Boston’s Environment Department, Boston Public Schools (BPS) and Northeast-based textile recycling company Helpsy, has delivered dropboxes for residents to bring their textiles to eleven BPS locations across Boston. These dropboxes are a part of the City of Boston’s work to expand recycling services citywide, creating a healthier and more sustainable environment for generations to come. This expansion of services builds on the work of Boston’s Zero Waste Plan and BPS Sustainability efforts in reducing the amount of waste generated and going to landfill or incineration. “Promoting sustainable practices are especially important as we work towards a greener and more equitable Boston,” said Mayor Janey. “I am excited that the City of Boston, in collaboration with Boston Public Schools and Helpsy, has delivered dropboxes for residents to bring their textiles to eleven BPS locations throughout Boston. These dropboxes will help expand recycling services citywide and will create a healthier environment for generations to come.”
Read the full article at: www.bostonpublicschools.org
Epson has announced the publication of its 2019/2020 European Sustainability Report. The 48-page, ‘Green Choice’ report provides details of the sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) measures actioned by Epson across its entire EMEA operations. The company recently achieved an EcoVadis Platinum rating for sustainability, which means it “meets the highest standards for human rights, labour conditions, environment, ethics and sustainable procurement”. The Green Choice report details how Epson has reduced its green house gas emissions per employee by 8.56%, with scope 1 and 2 emissions reduced by 18%. The company said it is also now using 100% renewable energy in all its owned buildings, and recycled 23,700 tonnes of material in 2019, including batteries, paper, wood, plastic and waste electrical equipment. Epson also explains how, as a technology partner to the United Nation’s Smart Sustainable Cities implementation programme, it has made significant progress in 2020 in aligning its business activities to the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Kazuyoshi Yamamoto, president of Epson Europe, commented: “Epson’s Green Choice report provides our customers with the assurance that we are taking all available measures to achieve sustainability across our entire European operations. “Sustainability is in our DNA; it runs through everything we do. It is about constantly addressing and improving every aspect of our global footprint, from our manufacturing and distribution to use of resources and behaviours of our people. “Working with our customers is my passion, understanding their needs and listening to what they say is essential as we continually work to improve what we offer. The Green Choice report is about providing our customers with the guarantee that Epson is completely serious about sustainability and the future of our planet. “Each and every one of us can make a green choice. Together, as we face the challenges in this ‘new normal’,…
What does life look like after COVID-19? This is the question on all of our minds as European countries start easing restrictions and we begin to see signs of life in our cities again….
The circular economy aims to eliminate waste by creating businesses built upon reducing, recycling and reusing as opposed to endless consumption. Here are four entrepreneurs leading the charge with their environmental startups.