Tackling the Problem of Plastic Waste on World Oceans Day

June 8 is World Oceans Day an opportunity to reflect on the importance of our oceans as well as solutions to the numerous threats they face. In 2017 the action focus is plastic pollution. Our oceans are indispensable to life of Earth and fate of humanity is intimately tied to their well-being. Our oceans are hotter and more acidic and they are increasingly unable to serve as carbon sinks. Coral reefs are dying and entire aquatic ecosystems are being destroyed. Norwegian billionaire and ocean advocate Kjell Inge Røkke aptly summarized situation when he said, "the oceans are also under greater pressure than ever before from overfishing, coastal pollution, habitat destruction, climate change and ocean acidification, and one of the most pressing challenges of all, plasticization of the ocean. The need for knowledge and solutions is pressing."

Extracting Value from Recycling - Apple's e-waste Management (Video)

Apple has mined a small fortune from its own waste in both dollars and social capital. While Apple has only recently become a sustainability leader, they have been focused on recycling for many years dating back to the time when Steve Jobs was still at the helm. The problem of waste is increasingly serious but Apple is ahead of the curve and leading the way forward.

The volume of waste keeps increasing while many landfills are rapidly nearing capacity. Smart businesses need to follow Apple's lead as we anticipate a more stringent regulatory regimes in the form of Extended Provider Responsibility regulations.

The Problem of Food Waste is Being Addressed in France

France has just passed legislation designed to help minimize food waste. Reducing food waste reduces agriculture's environmental impacts including greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing food waste is also an important part of managing world hunger which is destined to worsen as climate change increasingly impacts global food production.

Around 40 percent of the world's land is taken up by food and agriculture and together they produce almost one third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing waste will decrease the amount of food required and by extension reduce some of the adverse environmental impacts associated with agriculture.

Video - The Story of Waste

The story of waste is about more than purposeless resource depletion, it is a sad tale of environmental destruction and a tragic saga of famine and starvation. There are over eight hundred million hungry people in the world today and two and a half million children die each year from malnutrition. A total of sixteen percent of climate change causing methane emissions in landfills emanate from food waste.

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Event - EcoWASTE 2015: Waste Management for Sustainable Development

This event will take place on January 19 - 22, 2015 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. EcoWASTE 2015 is part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week). Hosted by Masdar and held in partnership with Tadweer, this event will cover the entire solid waste management services and solutions required to address the dramatic increase per capita of waste production in the region and the new methods of reusing, reducing and recycling whilst maintaining a sustainable environment, in an effort to:

Webinar - How to Celebrate America Recycles Day at Work

This webinar will take place on Wednesday, October 22, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET. The final America Recycles Day 2014 webinar, features special guest Chad Obenauf, the Chairperson of Kellogg Company's Go Green team!

There is no better time to tackle recycling in your office than on America Recycles Day.

This webinar will address ways of celebrating America Recycles Day in your workplace. Obenauf, will explore his multi-faceted plans for an engaging, educational, and rewarding America Recycles Day at Kellog.

Electronics Industry Problems and Solutions (2014 Greenpeace Report)

The proliferation of electronics represents a major environmental hazard. It is estimated that we will buy 2.5 billion mobiles, computers and tablets this year. In total there will soon be more digital devices than people on the planet. As of 2012 that amounted to nearly 8kg of e-waste for every person on the planet. As the amount of electronics grows it has never been more important to consider how these devices are made and how they are disposed of.

Many big electronics firms are responding to public pressure to make improvements to the way these devices are made and how they are managed at the end of their life cycle. Electronic devices now contain less hazardous substances and are more efficient. However, far more needs to be done. The industry will need to develop innovative solutions to curb this growing problem.

Webinar - Waste Management Operations

A 30 minute complimentary webinar on waste management operations will take place on Thursday, August 14th at 11am PDT / 2pm EDT. Organizations across North America are realizing significant cost benefits as a result of simple shifts in their waste management operations. Host Erik Makinson, the Director of Waste Solutions at Ecova will conduct a live Q&A session following the webinar.

This webinar will offer insightful information on the actions that your business can take to keep your margins from wasting away:

• Move beyond hauler management to discover the next layer of savings
• Identify cost drivers that impact your bottom line
• Discover actionable opportunities to start saving today

Webinar - Promoting Recycling Behavior: What Works

Recycling @Work Pledge Partners,is holding a webinar titled "Promoting Recycling Behavior: What Works." It will take place on August 20, 2014 from 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm EST. The effectiveness of any recycling program hinges on understanding human behavior, and in many cases, asking individuals to change their behaviors.

This webinar will summarize the findings from behavioral science with regard to effective strategies for encouraging people to recycle, including recommendations for program design and marketing. The webinar will also share results from a survey conducted in partnership with The George Washington University regarding participants' feedback on bin shape, color and signage.

Event - Waste Management Executive Sustainability Forum

This event will take place on January 27, 2015 Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North in Scottsdale, AZ Join the innovators and opinion leaders of sustainability for the Waste Management Executive Sustainability Forum.

For five years running, the top names in the field have broken new ground at the Forum. Here, in a one-day event that includes keynote addresses, panel discussions and breakout sessions, Forum experts and attendees immerse themselves in the latest strategies and solutions for achieving environmental excellence.

Course - Understanding Municipal Waste to Energy (MSW) Technology & Markets

This course takes place on July 24 - 25, 2014 in London, UK. It provides a comprehensive analysis of conversion technologies for municipal solid waste and the market growth opportunities for selling MSW energy products. The focuses on the sources and limitations of feedstocks available for waste to energy projects. It also gives the necessary background to compare and evaluate the conversion technologies available to create energy or energy carriers from waste. It will demystify the many terminologies and technologies used to describe the complex map of conversion pathways. Finally it will address the policy and investment drivers behind MSW to energy projects as well as describe the current market and future market opportunities, including key economic challenges and risks.

Event - 5th China Solid Waste Management Summit 2014

The 5th China Solid Waste Management Summit will take place on June 11-12, 2014 in Shanghai / China.  This is China's largest international solid waste management conference linking project owners, developers and contractors with technology vendors, system integrators, investors and consultants for networking, knowledge-sharing and partnership opportunities.

Event - World Waste to Energy City Summit

The World Waste to Energy City Summit will take place on May 21 - 22, 2014 in London, UK. This event will provide two days of interactive debate and networking. Presented by Rethink events, this summit will will once again bring together the leading players in the advanced waste to energy sector with the most active funders in the market.

Infographic - Plastic and the 5 Ocean Gyres

10 Ways to Upcycle Plastic Easter Eggs

Now that Easter is over many are wondering what they can do with those plastic eggs. Instead of downcycling, upcycle those eggs by turning them into something you can use over and over again.

Aside from not buying them in the first place there are a number of ways that they can be upcycled so that they do not end up in landfills where they will take decades to break down. In the process they will leave a toxic residue that is harmful to the soil and water.

Event - 5th Cherry Hill Earth Festival

This Festival will take place on Saturday, April 26, at Cherry Hill, Camden County, New Jersey. More than 90 displays, vendors, and activities along with an e-waste recycling collection will be part of the family-friendly event that includes bike rides, entertainment, healthy food choices, a Phillie Phanatic appearance and more. Admission is free. The annual event is a collaboration between Cherry Hill Township and Sustainable Cherry Hill. The event marks the start of the annual Art Blooms in Cherry Hill event April 26-May 10.

Event - Waste Management and recycling Summit 2014

Waste Management and recycling Summit 2014 will take place on April 23 - 24, 2014 at the Novotel Riyadh Al Anoud, Al Anoud Tower No.1, 9033, King Fahd Road, Olaya, Saudi Arabia.

Webinar: PET Thermoform Recycling - A Progress Report

Webinar: PET Thermoform Recycling - A Progress Report, will take place on April 22, 2014, 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm. This webinar will provide an overview of PET Thermoform recycling, from early research and development efforts; the state of the market today; and a reclaimer's experience in recycling PET thermoforms with PET bottles. Speakers: Resa Dimino, Director of Public Policy, NAPCOR and Ryan L'Abbe, Vice President & General Manager, Ice River Springs - Blue Mountain Plastics Division.

Plastic Waste in Our Oceans: Problems and Solutions

The sheer volume of plastic and other trash that is floating in our oceans made the hunt for Malaysia Airlines flight 370 far more difficult. The search for the missing airliner has been a harrowing affair. After weeks of sifting through ocean refuse, the armada of ships combing the Indian ocean now claim to be zeroing in on pings that may be emanating from the missing airliner's black boxes. However, this search was hampered by the tons of garbage that are strewn across our oceans.

Event - CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESS)

CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESS) will take place on June 1-4, 2014 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. With waste volumes of all kinds increasing in the Asia Pacific region, Singapore believes that it is timely for a serious dialogue to begin on how the region's cities will overcome the challenges of waste management. While much of the current focus is on water and energy issues, waste is an important part of the equation. We cannot solve one part of this equation without solving the other parts. The water-waste-energy nexus will therefore be a key challenge for Asia's growing urban regions.