The Conscious Scoop: Microplastic Glitter, Vegan Scrambled Eggs and Protest Beer

Here are 10 things you need to know, that’s happening in sustainability around the world this week. 
 
It’s always good to keep yourself up to date with the latest news and headlines in the conscious community. Who said what, aho’s doing what, who’s creating the next best thing to tackle global warming? And of course, some of the silly sustainable news, just cause we all need a laugh. Here are this week’s top 10 things.
 
1. 10 stealth microplastics including GLITTER to avoid if you want to save the oceans
We’re all on the ‘refuse to use single plastic’ bandwagon but what about those pesky microplastics? Not only is there “primary microplastics” such as the microbeads found in toothpaste but there’s also “secondary microplastics”, where even the largest bits of plastic are broken up into tinee tiny pieces. Urgh, how annoying! 
Find out the top ten items you can get rid of today to stop them microplastics.
 
2. Matter Prints: The reason behind their prices and designs
Why are some of the amazing Matter Pants priced the way they are? Not only do they adhere to the ideals of sustainability and celebrating provenance, they also want to tackle the issue of fair trade and the freedom of choice of their artisans. Quite simple actually. 
Read more about the issue of pricing and ethical clothing here.

3. Vegan scrambled eggs from Just arrive in Asia
JUST, formerly the brand Hampton Creek that’s best known for disrupting the mayonnaise industry, has begun its launch into Asia with its groundbreaking Just Scramble, the new vegan egg product made from mung beans. They’ve launched in Hong Kong this week at the Green Common, one of our friends, and we couldn’t be more intrigued. 
Read more about how Green Common and JUST are helping  millions make healthier and more sustainable choices
 
4. Australia’s $60 million plan to save the Great Barrier Reef dismissed as ‘meaningless’

$60 million is a lot of money, but is it enough to protect the Great Barrier Reef? Or is it even being used correctly? “To seriously tackle the grave threat of climate change to the Reef, the federal government needs to make an urgent transition to renewable energy and rule out Adani’s Carmichael mine and all new coal mines,” – Imogen Zethoven, director of the Fight for our Reef campaign, Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) says.

Find out exactly how the money is being used here
 
5.Gucci Goes Fur-Free, Outlines Sustainability Approach
I mean like finally! After more than 20 years of PETA protests against Gucci’s kangaroo-fur loafers and seal-fur boots (what?!), Gucci has finally pledged to join Armani, Ralph Lauren and Stella McCartney in the ranks of fur-free fashion houses. A staggering 100 million animals a year still suffer for the fur industry, but that can only be sustained for as long as designers continue to use fur and consumers purchase it.
Check out something good happening in the fashion industry here.
 
6.Most Singapore brands not transparent about palm oil use: WWF
“Singapore is at the heart of a region that supplies 85 percent of the world’s palm oil. Our local brands need to show leadership by being accountable for their palm oil use and take real action to source sustainably” – WWF Singapore CEO Elaine Tan. We feel you girl.
Find out more about why Singaporean brands are afraid to be transparent and how to pressure them to switch to sustainable palm oil here.
 
7. Singapore banks big funders of region’s coal projects: Study

Not good, not good at all. Singapore’s three top banks DBS, OCBC and UOB are significant funders of coal projects in the region. Banks justify coal investments by rightly pointing out that communities need energy. Is that fair enough? What do you think?
Read up more and form your own opinion.
 
8. Singapore Airlines to use more sustainable ingredients for in-flight meals
Loving the whole Farm to Plane concept, awesome initiative SIA! Under the new initiative, SIA said it will use more sustainable and “meatless” ingredients in its in-flight meals. More local produce, such as cherry tomatoes, pumpkins, green beans and other leafy vegetables will be sourced from farms from both Singapore and destination countries.
Farm to plane, yay or nay? 
 
9. New sharing app lends a hand in the fight against overconsumption 
A husband-and-wife team takes on overconsumption in Singapore with an item-sharing mobile app. Lendor allows people to sign up to rent and/or borrow items at a price decided by the item’s owner. It currently has 2,700 items listed online. The idea for a convenient solution to the problem of the buy and throw away culture.
Sharing is the new caring.
 
10.BrewDog Made a Beer from Arctic Ice Water to Protest Trump

 “Make Earth Great Again” is BrewDog’s new protest beer. Love it! It is not subtle. The Scottish craft brewer said the beer is brewed with water from melted polar ice caps, which is a subtle way of giving Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan the finger.

When all we can do is drink beer in Trump’s foolishness of pulling out of the Paris Climate Accords.
 
 
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