Grains of Salty Truth

Rather than the cure-all that was proffered, upon closer inspection, bioplastics appear to be a regrettable substitution for conventional plastics. Research shows that bioplastics suffer from toxicity and negative environment impacts like their petroleum-based counterparts.

The state of California took an unprecedented step in shattering the plastic recycling illusion recently when Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigation into petrochemical companies to determine the extent to which they have known about the futility of plastic recycling and the extent to which they have misled the public.

“The specialty coffee industry is aware of the problems regarding plastic pollution, for sure... we are looking for sustainable processes that begin with the farmers and end with the person drinking the coffee.”

Climate advocates are convening for Climate Week NYC 2021,while at the same time wildfires in California, exacerbated by climate change, threaten the world's largest tree.

"These companies are pursuing false solutions that range from potentially damaging at worst, and simple wishful thinking, at best" – Emma Priestland, Break Free From Plastic Corporate Campaigns Coordinator.

Earth Island Institute unveiled yet another novel legal theory in its bid to hold the companies that create the growing global plastic pollution problem to account.

The sustainability aspirations of the tea industry were on full display at the 2021 World Tea Expo and were made only more prominent by contrast of the hosting city, Las Vegas, known for excess. While such aspirations are noble, this article highlights an experience that exemplifies the persistent gap between those noble aspirations and the general conduct of the beverage service industry.

Littorary has signed a petition created by the World Wildlife Fund aimed at encouraging the United Nations to create a global and legally binding agreement to stop copious amounts of plastic from leaking into our oceans and waterways. We encourage others to do the same.

As plastic pollution grows to be one of the most consequential environmental hazards of our time, so grows the awareness of the problem as one that transcends national boundaries. Citizens across the world are taking notice, and many people, particularly the cohort of younger generations are demanding more attention and action to the problem.

“The first carbon footprint calculator was developed and popularized by BP in a $250 million campaign,” said Ash Sarkar, a British political activist. “Why? To individualize the problem, and let big polluters off the hook.”

Corporate America is on notice – continue to ignore your poor environmental record and face the wrath, not of a bunch of granola-munching activists, but of your own shareholders. 81% of Dupont investors voted against management to demand the company keep track of its plastic footprint.

A particularly egregious example of greenwashing in the form of a report by Finland-based Huhtamaki, a global food packaging supplier, compares their disposable coffee cups to reusable alternatives. “Key findings” from the report are misleading at best and entirely false at worst, relying on bad assumptions that lead to a skewed analysis and cherry-picked conclusions.