26 April 2009 — Jay and I are just returning from a trip in Europe and I was extremely impressed with how green this country is. Not only is it literally green from all the forests they grow all over the place including lush abundant green trees and bushes along the highways, but their environmental policies are so far ahead of our own here in North America.
12 April 2009 — It outnumbers surface plankton by 6 to 1 in parts of the world’s oceans, including the North Pacific. It suffocates sea turtles from the inside out after they have ingested it thinking it is food. It releases numerous toxic synthetic chemicals into the oceans. Yes, plastic.
If plastic pollution in the oceans is an issue that interests you or one you don’t know anything about, I would strongly suggest checking out the website of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation based in Long Beach, California. The innovative studies being done by Captain Charles Moore and his committed team place them at the vanguard of marine pollution research – and the results they regularly document are alarmingly eye-opening.
20 March 2009 — I have already mentioned that our little village of Wakefield Quebec started a community-based group to try and eliminate the use of plastic bags. Our goal is to launch a pilot project in May that would involve generating a lot of information aimed at customers to encourage them to reduce their consumption of plastic bags. We want the movement to come from customers rather than retailers who would have to force consumers into paying for the bags. So our town newspaper just published an article featuring us on the cover page, arm wrestling over plastic and paper bags.
24 June 2013 — What is innovation? To me it’s all about creative new change – creating an idea or product or process that changes and enhances the world in a new way. I think of it instinctively with a positive, world-bettering filter. Innovation is important because it can lead to new, positive, disruptive change. Fast. And in the world of plastic pollution – i.e., our shared world, because the plastic waste is now everywhere – new, positive, disruptive change cannot come fast enough.
Just over a week ago, I had the opportunity and privilege to attend the inaugural – and now to be annual – Think Beyond Plastic (TBP) Innovation Competition and Conference, held in Berkeley, California at the gorgeous and green David Brower Center on June 13-14, 2013. That coloured light bulb to my right is the TBP logo symbol, and is itself a visually delightful and innovative take on the light bulb – a perfect representation of the new rays of light and ideas unveiled last week and now radiating all over the world. The purpose of the competition and conference was to find and highlight disruptive solutions to the global plastic pollution crisis. Life Without Plastic was honoured to be a sponsor and enthusiastic supporter of TBP.
I’m now back in Wakefield and very much into the swing of daily life after an invigorating few days in San Francisco for the Green America Green Business Conference and Green Festival. I love the laid back and friendly energy of San Fran. Heck, I think I even left some of my heart there.
In my previous blog posts about this trip I’ve talked a bit about my travels to the city, the city itself, a few of the neat folks and companies I met, and some tidbits from conference presentations. In this final trip missive, I need to tell you about the fun fun time I had on my final day while taking in the Green Festival.
