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M&S switches from plastic bags for life to paper options

Posted on September 19, 2023September 19, 2023 by dishanth

The new bags have been rolled out to all M&S Stores with a food department across the UK. They are made using an FSC-certified paper and, according to M&S, are capable of carrying more than 15kg.

A natural resin is applied to the bags to enhance water resistance without rendering them hard-to-recycle. Customers are being encouraged to use the bags multiple times before recycling at home and M&S claims this offers a convenience benefit, as plastic bags are not collected from homes and need to be taken to supermarkets with soft plastic collection points.

M&S’s director of corporate affairs Victoria McKenzie-Gould said “the vast majority” of customers – more than 70% – already bring their own bags.

“But, on the odd occasion when we all need to reach for one more bag, we’re pleased to be offering a more sustainable option for customers,” she said.

A smaller and less robust paper bag will be added to M&S’s clothing and home departments. Like the food bag, it will be made using FSC-certified paper and be coated with a recyclable natural resin.

The switch means that M&S will need to find an alternative use for the soft plastics it collects in-store for recycling, which has, to date, been used to make bags for life. McKenzie-Gould said the intention is to incorporate this recycled content into bin bags.

M&S will continue to sell reusable tote bags in addition to the paper bags.

Push for paper packaging

Packaging company DS Smith revealed today that 80% of UK-based consumers would prefer to receive a product in paper or cardboard packaging than plastic packaging.

The firm polled 500 adults who shop online at least four times a year. One in five said they would be willing to pay more for a plastic-free option and one in four said they would not shop again with a brand they perceived to use too much unnecessary packaging.

“At a time when consumers are keeping an eye on their spending and competition for customers is fierce, brands risk losing business if their packaging fails to meet online shoppers’ increased sustainability standards,” said DS Smith’s e-commerce business unit lead for the UK, Anne Curtis.

Source edie

The Animals That Can Help us Reach our Climate Goals

Posted on April 24, 2023 by dishanth

As humans try to fix the problems of climate change that they inevitably cause, they may be overlooking a very helpful, natural solution that could help restore ecosystems and capture and store carbon dioxide. Researchers from the Yale School of the Environment have found that robust populations of nine animal species could improve nature capture and carbon dioxide sequestration within ecosystems. They estimated that increasing the populations of African forest elephants, American bison, fish, gray wolves, musk oxen, sea otters, sharks, whales and wildebeest, among others, could lead to the capture of 6.41 gigatons of carbon dioxide annually. About 95 percent of the amount needed to be removed to ensure global warming remains below 1.5 degrees Celsius, a threshold set by the Paris Agreement.

The researchers found that in many cases where thriving populations of certain species were foraging, burrowing, and trampling, the ecosystem’s carbon storage increased by as much as 250 percent. This was a direct result of the dispersal of seeds and the growth of carbon-sequestering trees and plants. In Africa, every increase of 100 000 animals can increase carbon sequestered by 15 percent. Wildebeests consume carbon in the grasses they eat and then excrete it in their dung. The carbon is integrated into the soil by insects. Wildebeests also manage the grasses and help reduce the risk of wildfires.

Whales feed in deep water and release nutrients in their waste at shallower depths. This stimulates phytoplankton production, which is essential for storing carbon in the ocean. In the Amazon rainforests, tapirs are known to frequent areas that need reseeding. With a diet of herbs, shrubs, and leaves rich in nutrients, these animals leave trails of seeds in their waste and have been convenient in areas where lands have been burned.

For these solutions to be successful, the researchers recommend strengthening current animal recovery efforts. They also recommend reassessing the legislation, policies and funding to aid the conservation of these animals, many of whose numbers have been reduced by human intervention. They found that as animals become extinct in an ecosystem, their absence could transform habitats from carbon sinks to carbon sources – this makes protecting these species extremely important They also stress that it will be important to work closely with local communities to address the complex social issues that can affect conservation efforts This would involve including the local community into decision-making and governance processes and taking into account their knowledge, values and attitudes toward rewilded species.

This is just the beginning of important research that could help us reduce the impacts of climate change with a very natural solution. Protecting these animals, among many others, and their habitats can help shorten the time needed o reach our climate goals and help us live healthier lives for our populations and the planet.

Source Happy Eco News