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The Conscious Scoop: Hong Kong's Ivory Trade Ban, Vegan Tattoo Parlour and Coco-Cola's Plastic Situation

Here are 10 things you need to know, that’s happening in sustainability around the world this week. 
 
We’re back again with this weeks ten things happening in sustainability from the environment, to plastic packaging, the whole Climate Change thing, Corporates being either a problem or a problem solver, anything eco or green, you name it. We’ve got just get the little bits you need to know about what’s happening in sustainability without reading the whole damn article, cause ain’t nobody got time for that. Here are this week’s top 10 things.
 
1.A world without waste: Coca-Cola announces ambitious sustainable packaging goal
Coca-Cola is moving towards sustainability by planning to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells globally by 2030. Ambitious or doable? Kudos for taking the first step forward Coca-Cola, and perhaps later we can also remove all the chemicals in the infamous drink too. But one Little Green Step at a time
Read more their goal here.
 
2. Seabins want to be the garbage cans of the ocean
With all that plastic lying around in our oceans, there are about 8 millions of tonnes of garbage floating around every year. What’s the solution? Why not floating garbage cans?! The Seabins catch around  3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) per day, which is about a half a ton a year of debris.
Is that enough to combat this massive problem or is it just a start?
 
3. Zero-waste, packaging-free Hong Kong food store takes on supermarkets with eco-friendly goods

 Shop owner Tamsin Thornburrow is among a growing number of Hong Kong activists and entrepreneurs meeting the plastic problem head-on, by bringing a whole new level to packaging-free retailing with her newly launched zero waste retail shop, Live Zero. Super awesome, hopefully we get them at our HK festival!

 

4. Kylie Jenner has ‘dropped thousands of dollars’ on eco-friendly products for her newborn daughter Stormi

Just for fun and cause everyone can’t stop talking about it, let’s talk about Kylie Jenners newborn. The 20-year-old reality star welcomed baby Stormi into the world on February 1st, and she and the little one’s father Travis Scott have kitted her nursery out in natural, organic and sustainable items. Not too shabby eh?!

Enjoy a little light celebrity gos right here.
 

When it comes to “sustainable packaging,” there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Plastic materials that at end-of-life can completely break down naturally and disappear harmlessly may sound like the ideal answer. People hear terms such as ‘biodegradable’, ‘bio-plastic’ and ‘compostable’ and assume that these plastics are more ‘environmentally-friendly. However, the reality is not so simple. Urgh, just when we thought we had everything figured out.
Find out more about what is good and what isn’t here.
 

A moment to applaud this please. Hong Kong has voted to ban ivory sales in a landmark move to end the infamous trade in the city.A ban on ivory sales with heavier penalties in Hong Kong shows a clear commitment towards the future of African elephants YAS! Even more excited to bring our festival there this April.
More about the Elephants here.
 
7. Sustainability at the heart of the Olympic Movement
Sustainability is one of the three pillars of Olympic Agenda 2020, alongside credibility and youth. In line with its recommendations, the IOC has developed a Sustainability Strategy, as do most events when they’re being green. It comprises 18 objectives for 2020, across five focus areas: infrastructure and natural sites, sourcing and resource management, mobility, workforce and climate. Pretty cool.
Find out more about the games here.
 

8. Eurostar to drastically reduce plastic waste under new sustainability targets

Eurostar, the high-speed train operator between the UK and mainland Europe, has set itself a new 10-point plan to fully incorporate sustainability into its business. it will reduce energy usage to operate trains by 5 percent by 2020 and commit to finding alternatives to fossil fuels on train journeys by 2030. In the past 8 years,  it has already reduced its carbon emissions by 32 percent and cut waste by 50 percent over the same period. Bravo on the amazing Little Green Steps.
Look out for the Green Train.
 
9. Sea Shepherd Opens Vegan Tattoo Parlour in Amsterdam
Sea Shepherd, a marine conservation project best known for its work to stop commercial whaling as detailed on the 2008-2015 Animal Planet series, “Whale Wars”, has announced the opening of a new vegan tattoo studio in Amsterdam.  All profits from the new business venture will go toward conserving and protecting the planet’s oceans. WOW, now that’s new!
What even is a Vegan Tattoo Parlour?!
 
10. Earth-sheltered homes bring environmentally conscious living to Florida

Local scientists are building an earth-sheltered home in Southwest Florida in an effort to create a sustainable way of life. The structures are covered in concrete and then three inches of dirt goes on top, covering the home. Grass, or in this case, creeping ficus, gets planted in the dirt to help keep it in place. The structure is designed to be sturdy and protect against natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, and keep your energy costs low.

Find out more here. 
 
 
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