Category Archives:waste

19
Nov

Spotted: 100% Recyclable Shoes

ReKixx Recyclable Shoes

You know that we love a good eco-friendly shoe around here. What a shoe is made of is a big part of its environmental impact, but so is what happens to that shoe when it's too worn for wear. Sure you can repair your old shoes, but at some point, those kicks are going to kick it irreparably.

Throwing a pair of worn out shoes in the trash feels incredibly wasteful, but most shoes are not recyclable. Part of that is because of the materials that go into shoe-making and part of it is the way those materials are put together. A new company - ReKixx - has the solution to this problem! They've created a line of shoes that are 100% recyclable, reports Derek Markham at Ecopreneusit. He says:

This 100% recyclable, landfill-free shoe is a remix of Gary Gagnon’s original eco-sneaker, the REMYXX, which first launched in 2012 and produced over 1000 pairs of these green footwear that were well received by their buyers. Now renamed ReKixx, Gagnon is back with another iteration of the shoe, and is looking to crowdfunding to bring these sneakers to market.

You can check out their Kickstarter page here. A $50 kick gets you a pair of their shoes when they go into production!

Markham also shared a video from the company that showcases some of their shoes and what ReKixx is all about:

And here's a bit about ReKixx from their Kickstarter page:

The Brand & Mission: ReKixx cool sneakers 100% recyclable are the world’s first and only completely Landfill-Free Sneakers™. ReKixx is a brand that not only represents design and fashion, but also awareness and sustainability. Our mission is to deliver an enjoyable sneaker that advocates and initiates improvements in recycling and eco-smart™ behaviors with sponsorship, education, and research. With more than 300 million pairs of shoes thrown away last year in the U.S. alone (soles4souls.org), ReKixx is changing the way we think about sneakers AND green living.

What do you guys think about ReKixx? I am kind of loving them!

Posted:   |   Categories: Clothes+Accessories, eco-friendly shoes, green shoes, Living, recyclable shoes, Recycling, shoes, waste
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18
Jun

Spot the irony on this direct mailing!

ironic envelope forests are not fuel

I am not going to tell you who sent me this envelope, but I will tell you that it's an environmental group  dedicating to protecting forests.

I shared this on my personal Facebook, and it started a pretty interesting conversation! Obviously, sending out stacks of paper to tell us to save trees is pretty ironic, but below the surface, there is this question, which one of my friends put incredibly eloquently:

I'd like to point out that around 20% of all American households are not wired for the Internet. I'd also like to point out that it is entirely debatable as to whether or not the paper produced for this mailing is better or worse for the environment as compared to the electricity/heavy mining/chemicals needed to support the infrastructure of an all digital campaign. It's not entirely clear to me which is better, on balance.

What a great point! Just as recycled paper isn't always the best environmental choice, email blasts might seem greener but come with their own carbon footprint. It's hard to weigh the two and say which is worse.

My instinct is that printing thousands of packets and envelopes and sending them all over the country in mail trucks has a bigger impact than the data center lode from sending thousands of emails. My friend Jo Borras wrote a great piece a couple of years ago on direct mail (and the U.S. Postal Service in general) over at Gas2 that's worth a read. And on the other side, the energy it takes to send an email (or do anything online) is nothing to sneeze at, especially when you're talking thousands of communications. There's a helpful piece at Earth and Industry that looks at data centers and their impact.

And while this doesn't really contribute to the debate, my friend Joe wins quote of the day: "Under no circumstances should you burn that envelope to stay warm."

What do you guys think about direct mailings like this from environmental groups? Do they go against these groups's missions, or are they a necessary fundraising and awareness-raising evil?

 

Posted:   |   Categories: direct mail, ironic envelope, irony, Living, paper waste, waste
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20
Apr

Starbucks Introduces Reusable Cups

starbucks

Powered by Guardian.co.ukThis article titled "Starbucks introduces reusable cups" was written by Rebecca Smithers, consumer affairs correspondent, for guardian.co.uk on Friday 19th April 2013 05.30 UTC

The coffee chain Starbucks is introducing a reusable cup which UK customers can keep, in a move designed to encourage them to be more environmentally conscious while saving money.

The reusable cup is based on the design of the brand's distinctive white and green paper cups and will cost £1.

Customers who use their reusable cup will receive a 25p discount off their Starbucks drink every time they use it. The cup is made of a high-quality material which is lighter than the Starbucks ceramic tumblers, which will still be available.

The reusable cups will be available in selected stores nationwide from today but will be rolled out gradually elsewhere.

The US coffee giant has pledged to press ahead with a major expansion plan in the UK – aiming to open 300 new stores and create 5,000 extra jobs by 2016 – amid ongoing controversy over its failure to pay UK corporation tax over the past three years.

Ian Cranna, vice-president of UK marketing for Starbucks, said: "We know that our customers really care about saving money and doing their bit for the environment; between 2008 and 2012 the number of people using a Starbucks reusable tumbler increased by 235% and our new reusable cup is a low-cost, high-impact way to help make a difference on reducing waste."

Globally the chain is aiming for 5% of drinks made in its stores to be served in reusable cups by 2015 and the company says its move in the UK is a key step towards reaching this goal.


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Posted:   |   Categories: business, Coffee, environment, Food & drink industry, Food + Drink, Packaging, Recycling, starbucks, waste
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20
Apr

Starbucks Introduces Reusable Cups

starbucks

Powered by Guardian.co.ukby Rebecca Smithers, guardian.co.uk

The coffee chain Starbucks is introducing a reusable cup which UK customers can keep, in a move designed to encourage them to be more environmentally conscious while saving money.

The reusable cup is based on the design of the brand's distinctive white and green paper cups and will cost £1.

Customers who use their reusable cup will receive a 25p discount off their Starbucks drink every time they use it. The cup is made of a high-quality material which is lighter than the Starbucks ceramic tumblers, which will still be available.

The reusable cups will be available in selected stores nationwide from today but will be rolled out gradually elsewhere.

The US coffee giant has pledged to press ahead with a major expansion plan in the UK – aiming to open 300 new stores and create 5,000 extra jobs by 2016 – amid ongoing controversy over its failure to pay UK corporation tax over the past three years.

Ian Cranna, vice-president of UK marketing for Starbucks, said: "We know that our customers really care about saving money and doing their bit for the environment; between 2008 and 2012 the number of people using a Starbucks reusable tumbler increased by 235% and our new reusable cup is a low-cost, high-impact way to help make a difference on reducing waste."

Globally the chain is aiming for 5% of drinks made in its stores to be served in reusable cups by 2015 and the company says its move in the UK is a key step towards reaching this goal.

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.

Photo: Some rights reserved by BobbyProm

Posted:   |   Categories: business, Coffee, environment, Food & drink industry, Food + Drink, Packaging, Recycling, starbucks, waste
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