Originally this week's article was going to be about greenwashing, but while doing my research and just scrolling through Instagram, I felt like some good news needed to be shared. This week I'm going to highlight a few recent wins for the environment that have happened.
Starbucks is implementing new programs to reduce waste
Starbucks has a goal - and it is to reduce their waste by 50% by 2030 (which they announced in 2020). They just barely announced that they are working to eliminate their single-use cups. Starbucks launched a test run of their new "Borrow-a-cup" program. The program essential means that customers will get a reusable cup with their order that can then be dropped off at a cleaning kiosk and reused. While Starbucks still tests this initiative out, customers can bring a clean cup they already own and get a discount on their drink.
France has banned certain single-use plastics
In effect January 1, 2022, France put a ban on certain single-use plastics. This included packaging for 30 fruits and vegetables. Other types of produce will need to be free of single-use plastics by 2026. A few other plastics that are no longer allowed in France are: newspapers/ads in plastic wrapping, kid's menus at restaurants are no longer allowed to give out plastic toys, and labels on produce must be compostable.
It's awesome to see progress happening within companies and governments for more sustainable lifestyles. It's easy to get caught up in the imperfections and everything that should be getting done, but it's nice to see that change is happening and that the consumer does have an impact.
This article was originally published 3/18/2022.
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