Ecolabels and sustainability certifications are supposed to make shopping your values easier. But there are so many competing systems, it’s hard to know who to trust. Even the biggest, most recognizable ecolabels have their controversies. And among the less-familiar labels, separating the small organizations with high standards from the corporate greenwashing schemes can take so much research you might as […]
For many people who love the outdoors, a Gore-Tex rain jacket and leather hiking boots are nonnegotiable. Some vegetarians who buy only organic produce won’t live without their Lululemon yoga pants. But a smaller number of people may be ready to commit to only using natural fibers even for their performance wear. Those deep-green people can find sustainable options. You […]
To many Americans, the perfect lawn symbolizes success, time for leisure, social gatherings, and family fun. Unfortunately, keeping that grass perfectly green and well-maintained is resource-intensive. It requires irrigation, weeding, fertilizing, and mowing. And as lawn technology — including tools, fertilizers, pesticides, and watering systems — improves, we dedicate more resources to these highly manicured monocultures. A considerable amount of […]
Let’s eliminate single-use plastic water bottles to mark World Refill Day. Whether you’re headed out for a long walk or commuting and develop a thirst, there are more sustainable, reusable bottled water alternatives that will reduce your environmental footprint compared to buying a plastic bottle filled with expensive water. Water is getting more expensive everywhere as drought and population increase […]
Plastic politics are in the news. Three converging debates will shape the future of plastic manufacturing and recycling: At the global level, the United Nations is negotiating the terms of a worldwide plastics treaty, while in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has introduced a draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution and the Federal Trade Commission is working […]
Travel Channel hosts Ashlan and Philippe Cousteau join a special World Oceans Day conversation with Mitch Ratcliffe and Newday Impact Investing CEO Doug Heske about the rapidly declining krill population in the Southern Antarctic Ocean. These tiny crustaceans that are the keystone of a critical carbon cycle are threatened with extinction from overharvesting to make heart- and brain-healthy omega-3 oils […]
Online shopping has become the way of the world. It is easy and convenient. It has also become more prevalent, in part, due to the surge of retailers closing their brick-and-mortar stores, including Bed Bath and Beyond, Toys“R”Us, Radio Shack, Sports Authority, and others. But with more online purchasing comes an increase in product returns. When you can’t touch and […]
When we think about our environmental foodprint, we’re usually only thinking about meals. But the size of our beverage footprint can be surprising. From coffee and tea to orange juice, and even bottled water, beverages have global life cycles with complex impacts. While we might agonize over the packaging options for our soda, we tend to overlook alcohol. Hopefully, you […]
The future of modern life turns in large part on making the packaging and delivery of the food and products we buy more sustainable and, eventually, environmentally neutral or positive. Our guest today, Robert Lilienfeld, is the executive director of SPRING, the Sustainable Packaging Research, Information, and Networking Group, a Denver-based think tank that provides expert advice and commentary on […]
When you’re looking for fabrics with the lowest impact on the environment, natural fibers almost always come out ahead of synthetics. With a huge carbon footprint and often coated in toxic chemicals, synthetics are best avoided. But sometimes there aren’t great alternatives to synthetics, particularly for special applications like raingear or athletic wear. Maybe you can’t live without your Gore-Tex […]