San Francisco E-waste outlines the Ben… | SAN FRANCISCO E -WASTE

Shoemaker is aiming to remove all physical paperwork by the end of this year.  Global footwear retailer Clarks has announced a tie-up with circular economy start-up OtailO that aims to slash the waste produced in the online product returns process.  An update from the 200-year-old shoe maker on Friday claims the partnership with the Israeli company would result in Clarks customers being able to return their purchases in a more sustainable way.  OtailO’s system enables online shoppers to return purchases through a web application that eliminates the need for pre-printed labels, it explained. Meanwhile, an in-built inspection mechanism uses machine learning to assess the condition of the product being returned, while it is still in the customers hands, enabling Clarks to take more efficient business decisions and returns routing, it said.

Two-thirds (66 percent) of Pennsylvanians agree state lawmakers should place a high priority on funding for state parks and forests, according to a recent state poll of likely voters.  The agreement was broad-based and bipartisan, including majorities of voters regardless of their party affiliation, age, gender, geography, or ethnicity.  “Pennsylvanians – no matter who they are, where they live, or what political views they hold – support investing in our state parks and forests and protecting our precious natural resources,” said Brad Mallory, Board Chair of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, which commissioned the scientific statewide poll.  In addition, the poll shows that 67 percent of Pennsylvania likely voters support using as much as $125 million of the state’s share of the federal American Rescue Plan’s funding on the maintenance and repair of state parks and forests.