Yes, CO2 is on the rise since the start of the industrial revolution (1850). But we forget that the absorption ability from the ‘main CO2 sponge’ has halved since the 1980. In this year the CO2 was ‘only’ 338,75 ppm. Wouldn’t that be wonderful to have this number today? Half The Truth: Trees Produce Oxygen, Plankton More More than 70% of our oxygen is produced by tiny plants in the world’s oceans,  the plants are called plankton and they are also responsible from removing 50% of our carbon dioxide. All life on earth depends upon plankton for our atmosphere, for the climate and for most of our food, yet we have succeeded in destroying more than 50% of all the plankton in the world’s Oceans over the last 50 years. The problems did not start with the industrial revolution, indeed an increasing concentration of carbon dioxide actually acts as a food for most plants, and if you increase the nutrient concentration with regards to nitrogen and phosphates, coupled with a slight increase in temperature, then these are perfect conditions for growing more plankton.  Yet in the last 50 years there has been a catastrophic decline in the plankton numbers, so this is not down to climate change, what has happened? Recommended:  Does Rising CO2 Benefit Plants? The decline in the plankton and the planets life support system did not start with the industrial revolution,  it started with the ‘chemical revolution’. After the 1940's, toxic chemical discharges included; herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, toxic cosmetics, industrial waste and plastic. It is impossible for ‘nature’ to evolve to deal with the most toxic of chemicals produced by man because they are not natural chemicals. The number of chemicals produced are also increasing by around 15,000 different ones every day, nature has no hope of surviving such as onslaught, this is not sustainable, the planet is not sustainable. {youtube}                              Plankton all life on earth depends upon plankton, and it will be dead in 25 years                                    Breaking: Did You Know, All You Read About CO2 Rise Is Half The Truth Recommended:  Monsanto Banned At European Parliament: Brussels, Strasbourg It takes a recognition that toxic, persistent pollutants such as Oxybenzone, PCBs, fire retardants such as PBDE, organic mercury and tin are so horribly toxic that there is actually no safe level. The chemicals simple keep accumulating in the oceans, in the marine life and in the sediment. The concentration of PCBs in the deepest part of the Ocean,  the Mariana Trench at more than 10km deep has a concentration of PCBs 50 times higher than the most toxic rivers in China. Animals or plants cannot survive these conditions.  When combined with micro plastic, the plastic acts like a sponge and will adsorb many of these chemicals and amplify their concentration by as much as a million times. Plastic particles smaller than 20nm are adsorbed directly into plants, larger micron sized particles may be eaten by plankton along with all the toxic chemicals in the plastic and chemicals that have been adsorbed by the plastic.  More than 1 in 15 of all life in the oceans now contain plastic and the associated toxic chemicals. CO2 Rise: 'Oceans' Absorb CO2 We have already lost 50% of  all the plankton and currently it is declining by 1% year on year because of plastic and persistent toxic chemicals. The oceans absorb carbon dioxide, plankton plants use the carbon dioxide and produce oxygen,  but because we have lost 50% of the plankton, carbon dioxide increases quicker, and when you dissolve carbon dioxide in water it forms carbonic acid which makes the water acidic. The pH or acidity of the world’s Oceans has declined from a pH of 8.24 during the 1940's, to pH 8.04 and in accordance with data from the IPCC it will be pH 7.95 over the next 25 years.  As marine biologists, we design and operate some of the largest public aquaria life support systems, we have experienced and know for sure that if the pH were to drop to pH 7.95 then carbonate life forms start to dissolve and this will initiate a trophic cascade destabilisation of the entire marine ecosystem.  What Means All Carbonate Based Plankton Will Die? When the trophic cascade starts it will be very quick, everything will appear normal, and then over a period of perhaps only 3 years, all carbonate based plankton will die, most of the seals, birds and whales will die as well as most of the fish, and along with them, the food supply for 2 billion people. The seas will be colonised by toxic algae, bacteria, and jellyfish.  Atmospheric oxygen levels are currently dropping more than 4 times quicker than carbon dioxide is increasing,  if we lose the plankton then oxygen levels will rapidly start to decline, carbon dioxide will increase and we will have run-away climate change.  It is not a question of a different group of algae  taking over and making oxygen,  the oceanic water will gradually become more and more acidic and toxic.  Life is currently being destroyed 1000 times quicker than the last extinction event when a meteorite crashed into the Gulf of Mexico, but we all seem to be completely oblivious to what is happening like a suicide of lemmings falling off the edge of a flat earth. Carbon dioxide and the burning of fossil fuels is certainly implicated, but it is unlikely that CO2 emissions are going to decline until around 2050 , even if we stopped all CO2 emissions tomorrow, it will slow down the process, but because we are destroying the oceans and planets life support system, the ocean ecosystem will still crash and we will still have climate change and life on earth will still become impossible.  The solution starts with a realisation that there is more to climate change than the burning of coal and oil, we need to live sustainable lives and this means zero discharge of toxic chemicals, it also means zero discharge of plastic in all its forms. Recommended:  Fossil Fuel Will Dominate Energy Use Through 2050: Globally If we can stop the discharge of plastic and toxic chemicals, then the oceanic ecosystem can recover, plankton productivity would bounce back and start to use more carbon dioxide. Indeed plankton productivity is 1000 times quicker than the growth of trees, so once we take the toxic brakes off the marine ecosystem life should return and we start down the road of reversing climate change. If we had not lost 50% of the plankton productivity then the oceans would have been absorbing up to 24 Giga tons of carbon dioxide, and we would not be experiencing climate change. Due to the inertia in the system we don't have 25 years, we only have about 10 years to eliminate plastic and toxic chemical pollution. Through the Oceans a Lifeline, stop the pollution, because in 10 years it will be too late. Before you go! Recommended:  Climate Change: Water Scarcity, Hunger, Agriculture And Food Did you find this an interesting article or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your own article about sustainability? Click on  'Register'  or push the button 'Write An Article' on the  'HomePage'

We need not pause and ponder global warming. Hungry 'migrants' will flood communities long before the high tides. It will be caused by the loss of the 3Ps, plankton, pollinators, and plants all half gone in my lifetime. Hunger: Our Oceans Are Dying Our oceans are dying, PCB laced microplastic is displacing phytoplankton as the begining of the oceans food chain. Most of it washes off the millions of miles of American roadways into rivers and streams then into the oceans where it becomes homoginized and is impossiable to remove. Phytoplankton sequesters most of the CO2 we worry about and gives us most of the oxygen we breathe while feeding the oceans fish. The oceans are directly responsible for feeding 1 billion people but they also feed cows, pigs and chickens so many more will go hungry. {youtube}                                            Why are Plankton the Most Vital Organisms on Earth? | BBC Earth                                                      Hunger, Not Global Warming Will Impact Our Future Recommended:  Climate Change A Major Threat To Bumble Bees: Worldwide Add the loss of pollinators also from toxins also and its quite obvious billions of hungry migrants will cause war, chaos and mayham like the world has never seen. Add in the burning of the rain forests for Big Macs and a sprinkling of global warming and for sure hunger, mankinds greatest motivator will effect us all, its imminent and likely irreversable.  Before you go! Recommended:  Consumerism In ‘The West’: A Society Built On Exploitation Did you find this an interesting article or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your own article about sustainability? Click on  'Register'  or push the button 'Write An Article' on the  'HomePage'

The Paper Bottle Project and brewer Carlsberg think both that it is a great idea. Prototypes were produced from virgin pulp derived from the Scandinavian forests and are ‘fully recyclable’. Shaping a path towards a sustainable bio-based paper bottle solution. Challenge innovators and designers, they understand that packaging plays as much a role in the consumer experience as it does in creating waste. Today, we also know that we have the power to answer to both consumer and environmental demands by challenging conventional packaging and developing alternatives that will one day become the norm. Replacing materials that threaten our planet and minimise waste, ultimately, lending a hand to shape a path towards a more sustainable future. Are Paper Bottles A Sustainable Possibility? The Paper Bottle Project does and created a collaborative platform between BillerudKorsnäs, Grow, multi-disciplinary experts in tech and leading Brand Partners of various categories. Together we embark on an explorative journey with a mission to create a bio-based paper bottle solution that leaves a minimal to neutral environmental footprint for global benefit. For the design of this new bottle solution, it was important that the structural and graphic language not only mirror our collaborative process but also embody the natural harmony between material, design and manufacturing. The result became an interplay of form and identity that could appeal to a broad range of potential brand owners, and yet represent a unique visual language with characteristics that stay true to the origins of the material. What makes packaging sustainable? Sustainable Packaging Reduces Use Of Resources The use of sustainable packaging can also play a role in the amount of energy it takes to package a product or make the actual packaging itself. It can reduce solid waste, water usage, electricity and emissions. Made of virgin pulp derived from the Scandinavian forests, the visual direction for the concept’s design as we like to say, was born from the woods. Does Brewer Carlsberg Also Wants To Produce A ‘Paper Bottle’ For Its Beer? Carlsberg has released details of two new ‘paper bottle’ research prototypes it’s working on. In an announcement made during the C40 World Mayors Summit in Copenhagen, the Danish brewing giant said the; ‘Green Fibre Bottle’ prototypes were produced from sustainably sourced wood fibres and ‘fully recyclable’. The business has been developing the idea since 2015, working with packaging experts and academics on the project. An ‘inner barrier’ is used to ensure the bottles can carry beer. One prototype uses a recycled polyethylene terephthalate polymer film barrier, which acts as a thin internal lining. The other uses what Carlsberg described as a ‘100% bio-based’ polyethylene furanoate polymer film barrier. The prototypes will now be tested, with Carlsberg stating that its eventual aim was to produce a ‘100% bio-based bottle without polymers’. Carlsberg is ‘pleased with the progress on the Green Fibre Bottle so far’. {youtube}                                                      Are Bio Based Bottles Good For The Environment?                           Carlsberg Unveils PAPER Beer Bottles Made from Sustainably Sourced Recyclable Wood While we are not completely there yet, the two prototypes are an important step towards realizing our ultimate ambition of bringing this breakthrough to market. The company would continue to work with experts to ‘overcome remaining technical challenges’. Carlsberg is one of many major international firms looking to change the way it packages products. Is Eco-friendly Packaging, The Next Thing In Craft Beer? For a research team in Scotland designing an environmentally friendly packaging for craft beer made with an unusual material is this the case! Cuantec - a bio-tech firm backed by the University of Strathclyde alongside three investors including the Scottish Investment Bank - says it is using the remains of shellfish to manufacture bio-degradable six-pack rings, potentially saving millions of animals each year which are killed by entanglement. Recommended:  Sustainability Single-Use Care Products: Glorified Garbage The scientists in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, were originally working towards a degradable alternative to food packaging, but believe they are just months away from a breakthrough which could see beer firms adopting the new ‘plastic rings’ later this year. Cuantec partnered with local brewery Jaw Brew to create the new can connectors, and says success would turn the business ‘from a research company into a production company’. If they get the science right in the next six months, they could be available by the end of the year. Tests are done in the lab and resulted in strong ideas for the formulation. The firm’s chief operating officer Dr Ryan Taylor, an analytical chemist and alumnus of Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, began working on the project in Spring 2017. He received support in establishing the company from his alma mater through the Strathclyde Entrepreneurs Fund, which invests in business ventures by the University community. Around 100 million marine mammals are affected each year by plastic waste, according to a study by the University of Plymouth, while hundreds of thousands of animals die as a result of being caught in plastic rings. Recommended:  Plastic Waste And Turtles: A Worldwide Fatal Attraction The firm intends to launch the bio degradable rings in the drinks market by 2020, and recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to secure € 173,000 worth of investment to hire more staff and expand its facilities. Murray-Green said the firm already has customers lined up. Plastic pollution has hit the headlines and people are starting to realise that everything they do has an impact. We bring home more plastic than we do food, it’s ridiculous. Everything is packaged and wrapped in some form of it. We can’t change the food industry overnight, but at least we can make a contribution to stopping the damage that these choices have done. What packaging is the most environmentally friendly? Recycled cardboard environmental packaging. For bulk packaging and items of all shapes and sizes, cardboard may still be the answer. However, cardboard can still be environmentally friendly, providing you choose cardboard from sustainable sources. Are there Wine Producers Who Are Interested In Eco Friendly Packaging? In the world of wine, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. But as this collection proves, it is still possible to reinvent the wheel (or bottle) and push the boundaries of design in innovative and eco-friendly inventive ways. While most producers will tell you that the liquid is the most important part of the production process (and it ultimately is), packaging plays a vital role in the marketing of a brand, even more so considering today’s tech-savvy, choice-rich, brand-hopping consumer base. Making wine more accessible, interesting and appealing should be a priority for any brand, with the label and packaging one of the most effective tools in a producer’s arsenal. Rather than being a short-lived novelty or gimmick, the most successful and original designs are executed with a specific need in mind, whether its accessibility, education, convenience, fighting for an eco-minded cause, or even fulfilling the needs of the admittedly niche space travelling wine lover. Extravagant design for design’s sake of course has its place, as does tradition. But the most memorable products are those that push the boundaries of expectation with a clear purpose, resulting in a truly unique, striking or practical design – either fabulously flamboyant or so simple you wonder why no-one thought of it sooner. Omdesign 2016 Acorn Port Planter This clever, eco-friendly packaging comes from Portuguese design agency Omdesign.  In keeping with its ethos of wanting to give back to nature, its latest design comprises a bottle of 2012 LBV Port inside a cork gift tube. Inside the tube is a real acorn, covered with soil, encouraging consumers to take part in. Portugal’s Cork Oak Forest Preservation Efforts. Once the tree begins to grow, the recipient can replant it to a permanent position in the ground and mark the area with the wooden ring from the centre of the package, creating a lasting monument to its design. The base can later be reused to collect more acorns and renew the cycle. Omdesign has won the award for Best Sustainable Packaging at the Drinks Business Awards. Blossom Cava Bouquet Sustainable Package Turning design on its head, quite literally, this wine bottle design from Norway’s PackLab for Sweden’s Stella Wines, part of the Solera Beverage Group, is intended to be upended and carried by the neck, mimicking a bunch of flowers. Why bother to take a bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine to a dinner party when you gift both in one handy package? Garcon Wines Flattened Wine Bottle Garcon Wines is a start-up company, launched by entrepreneur Joe Revell, which claims to be the first wine home delivery service that is able to post wine through a customers’ letterbox thanks to its flattened wine bottle design. The bottles, which are 100% recyclable, have the same 750ml volume of a conventional glass wine bottle but have been flattened and made longer so they can fit through a letterbox. The bottle itself is 34 centimetre in length, about 5 centimetre taller than a regular wine bottle but around half as thick. The bottles are packed in cardboard boxes. Earlier this year, the company officially  launched its flat ‘letterbox-friendly’ wine bottle in the UK, having partnered with online florist, Bloom & Wild. Customers can purchase a flattened bottle of Merlot or Sauvignon Blanc, both from Chile, along with a bunch of flowers, if they wish. Wasem Double Insulated Wine Bottle  A German design company unveiled what is claims is the ‘world’s first double-layer wine bottle’ which keeps wine cold without the need to put it back in the cooler. Called ‘Cooleo’, the bottle has already been adopted by German winery Wasem, which has ordered 6,000 bottles to house its Pinot Noir rosé and dry Riesling. The double-walled bottle provides an insulating layer which helps to keep drinks cold, removing the need to put the bottle back in the fridge, the brand claims. It is made from hand-blown Borosilicate glass, which ‘has outstanding clarity and scratch-resistant durability’ flattened wine bottle. It is sealed with a glass Vinolok closure meaning that the bottle can be up-cycled and reused. Kim Soohee, founder and CEO of the design company Our Wonderful World, which has launched the product, hopes that people will also customise the bottle using different designs, graphics, artwork and wines. Recommended:  Hydrogen Powered Gin: Sustainable Gin Could Become Reality Did you find this an interesting article or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your own article about sustainability? Click on  'Register'  or push the button 'Write An Article' on the  'HomePage'

There is a new sustainable raw material available, taken from the excess granular sludge released during the treatment of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Epe, the Netherlands. This new sustainable raw material is made possible by the Dutch Water Authority Vallei en Veluwe. Construction Of The Installation The board of Vallei en Veluwe has given the green light for the development of an installation who can carry out this process. In the spring of 2020, it has to be finished and working. Material From Sewage Has Unique Features {youtube}                                                            This video is only available in the Dutch language                                                    Waste: The Netherlands Creates New Material From Sewage                                                     Kaumera Nereda Gum - samenwerkende partners in beeld   The sustainable and biological raw material, Kaumera Nereda Gum, has a few exceptional qualities. It can retain water, but also repel it. This offers various possibilities for its use in the agriculture and horticulture, the paper industry and the construction sector.  For example, if you add Kaumera to the soil, fertilisers can be retained much longer. But you can add Kaumera as well to concrete floors, for a better coating. It last longer and its hardening better. Recommended:  Bioplastic From Fish Scale And Skin Composts Quickly: UK Circular Economy What is a circular economy? A circular economy (often referred to simply as ‘circularity’) is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. Circular systems employ reuse, sharing, repair, remanufacturing and recycling to create a close-loop system, minimising the use of resource inputs and the creation of waste, pollution and carbon emissions The goal of the national government is to have a completely circular economy by 2050 in the country. To achieve that goal, Kaumera could play an important role as raw material. Tanja Klip-Martin, chair of the Water Authority, says: "together with our partners, we are fully committed to the research, production and application of Kaumera to achieve this goal". Sewage Purification Technology What are the different types of wastewater? Types of wastewater: Wastewater comes in three main types namely Blackwater, Graywater and Yellow water. This is wastewater that originates from toilet fixtures, dishwashers, and food preparation sinks. It is made up of all the things that you can imagine going down the toilets, bath and sink drains. The raw material is obtained from the sewage sludge generated by Nereda's sewage technology. In 2012, the Vallei en Veluwe Water Board was the world' s first to start utilising this technology in Epe. There is way less energy needed to purify the sewage water. This innovative and organic method of wastewater treatment is now used in more and more installations all over the world. Recommended:  Agriculture, Using Wastewater As Natural Fertilizer: Mexico Creating New Material From Sewage In Two factories Within a year, the Vallei en Veluwe Water Authority and the Rijn en IJssel Water Authority work together to build two factories. A factory will open in Zutphen in the autumn of 2019. This factory will take Kaumera from wastewater from the dairy industry. Next to the factory in Zutphen, there will be an operational factory in Epe in the spring of 2020. They also extract Kaumera, but then from municipal sewage water. A lot of people are happy with this innovation; the extraction of Kaumera from wastewater is widely supported in this sector. Next to Rijn en IJssel, Vallei en Veluwe, the water authorities of Noorderzijlvest, Vechtstromen, Waterbedrijf Limburg and Hoogheemraadschap de Stichtse Rijnlanden are also involved. Working Together A lot of companies worked together to make it possible to extract Kaumera. They all have their knowledge and expertise to recover, process and market this new raw material. At this way, they are all working together to create a sustainable, circular economy. This all can be created and developed, thanks to the financial contributions of the Province of Gelderland, the European Union (LIFE), and the Ministry of Economic Affairs (DEI). Collaboration and innovation are essential to make things happen. Before you go! Recommended:  Climate Change Efforts On Reducing CO2 Why Not Recycle It? Did you find this an interesting article or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your own article about sustainability? Click on  'Register'  or push the button 'Write An Article' on the  'HomePage'

Sheet masks are trash. Unnecessary, they’re superfluous! They come wrapped in plastic. Sheet masks are, quite literally, pre-packaged piles of glorified garbage. Harsh, maybe but as the news cycles through stories on climate change and carbon emissions and what to do about the planet’s compounding pollution problem, it is understandable where it’s coming from. Entire cities have banned plastic straws and plastic bags. Extinction Rebellion protested at London Fashion Week while Greta Thunberg petitioned for political involvement at the United Nations  Climate Action Summit. Fashion houses are pledging carbon-neutrality. And beauty? While clean beauty is a growing category, and many brands are implementing sustainable practices, single-use items are a special cause for concern. Recommended:  Sustainable Fashion: Fungi, Roots From MycoWorks, Inspidere Sustainability Single-Use Care Products Beauty products made to use once and throw out, like makeup wipes and sheet masks, create a lot of unnecessary refuse. In the case of sheet masks, there’s a pouch, the mask, and sometimes the mask is wrapped in a plastic sheet. Usually, none of the components are recyclable and all of them end up in the trash post sheet-masking session, making it one of the more wasteful things one can do in 20 minutes or less.                                                          How to make a DIY non wasteful clay face mask Single-Use Care Products: Glorified Garbage The pouches that hold sheet masks are often a combination of aluminum and plastic, which cannot be recycled. The stiff, inner plastic sheets likely can’t be processed in recycling plants either (as is the case with a surprising amount of plastics). At best, these materials end up in a landfill; at worst, they end up in the ocean. Do facial masks work? Although there is no independent evidence that mud masks, clay masks, cream masks, or sheet masks provide any long lasting benefit to the skin, they can be hydrating, soothing and provide some keratolytic/exfoliant effect. Plastic can take hundreds of years to decompose, breaking down over time into harmful microplastics—pieces of plastic less than five millimeters long that are manufactured using different toxic and carcinogenic chemicals. Research has proven that microplastics are abundant in water, air, and the food we eat. Besides the potential health hazards of consuming microplastics, the particles release methane as they break down. Methane emissions contribute to global warming, and global warming affects our climate, creating more severe and unpredictable weather patterns that impact entire ecosystems. Single-Use Care Products: The Mask Then, of course, there’s the mask itself. Most are made with a blend of synthetic materials (nylon, plastic microfibers, polyester), which equates to laying saturated molten plastic over your face. As appealing as that sounds, there’s a downside: These “cannot be composted and must go in the garbage bin. Recent hydrogel versions are either made of synthetic polymers essentially, plastic—or eco-friendly biocellulose, but biodegradable sheet masks aren’t always better. Some come soaked in serums thick with silicones, a class of ingredients that leaves a thin, plastic-y film on the skin’s surface to create the illusion of ‘a glow’. This film is bioaccumulative, and prevents the ‘biodegradable’ biocellulose or bamboo base from fully breaking down. Instead, silicone-coated sheet masks join their synthetic counterparts in ‘leaking toxins into the soil’ for years. The same goes for under-eye masks, makeup wipes, and daily toning and exfoliating pads. Organic Cotton Masks Not Sustainable At All When you zoom out to consider the effort and emissions that go into producing the product in the first place (one organic cotton mask could require thousands of gallons of water) and the shipping materials associated with online orders, that’s a massive mountain of waste for a momentary thrill. Yet, the single-use sector continues to thrive. 'The usage of wet wipes is increasing by 15% each year and the face mask market is expected to grow to over $50 billion by 2025. Ongoing production of non-recyclable, non-compostable, and non-biodegradable products will have a considerable impact on the environment. (On a superficial note: Pollution particles will  also  have a considerable impact on your skin, hence the popularity of antioxidant beauty products. So technically, cutting down on waste isn’t only better for the earth, it’s better for your face. Is this to say that skin-care is single-handedly polluting the planet? Not at all. Rather, tracing a sheet mask’s face-to-waste-bin journey should highlight just how easy it is to reduce your environmental footprint. What is the best organic face mask? The Best Natural Face Masks For Every Skin Type: Andalou Naturals Instant Brighten & Tighten Hydro Serum Facial Mask Naturopathica Aloe Replenishing Gel Mask One Love Organics Love + Charcoal Masque Eminence Organic Skin Care Yam and Pumpkin Enzyme Peel Arcona Tea Tree Mask Inlight Beauty Chocolate Mask Sheet Masks, Choose Compostable Ones ‘Beauty Heroes’, started a zero-waste beauty section on their website because we know that customers are conscious consumers and genuinely wants to do better for the planet, they just need the tools. One of those tools is the Orgaid Organic Sheet Mask, which is 100% biodegradable and compostable, made with organic ingredients, and packaged in recyclable cardboard. When you’re done with the mask, you can place it right in your compost bin, where it leaves no evidence of its existence behind (besides your dewy, hydrated skin). Refuse, Reduce, Reuse It’s great if it’s in cardboard, and recyclable packing is awesome but it’s still an unnecessary single-use product.  Recycle , after all, enters into the equation after  reduce  and  reuse  for a reason. Refuse is even better! It’s not even having the product in the first place. Does this make you feel beautiful? Does this make you feel happy? Is the trash that this is going to create worth the moments of joy that you feel from it? Usually, the answer is no!                                                                   I Tried to Go Zero Waste for 7 Days Beauty Habits, Balance Them If you absolutely cannot bear the thought of a self-care Sunday or cross-country flight  sans  sheet mask, there’s no need to shame-spiral. If sheet masks are that one thing in life that make you super happy, more than anything else, then don’t try to get rid of your sheet mask—look for other ways to reduce your waste first. The Package Free Shop (which just closed a $4.5 million seed round led by Primary Venture Partners) is a great place to start. Bioaccumulative Ingredients, Eliminate them Cross-check your products with the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database. It rates ingredients in terms of ecotoxicology and personal health, making it pretty easy to eliminate bioaccumulative substances - like silicones, triclosan, and triclocarban - from your routine. Recycling Most products’ caps, pumps, droppers, and plastic bottles - especially those of the squeeze-y variety - aren’t recyclable on a local level. However, TerraCycle, Credo, and Ayond have programs in place to collect and properly recycle these items for you. Single-Use Products, Swap Them Ahead, discover 10 sustainable (and super-luxe) skin-care products to replace your single-use sheet masks, makeup wipes, and more. You don’t ever want to have reducing your waste feel like giving something up—it’s always a positive thing. Before you go! Recommended:  Getting Healthier By Eating Sustainable Food And Taking Exercise Did you find this an interesting article or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your own article about sustainability? Click on  'Register'  or push the button 'Write An Article' on the  'HomePage'