Great news just for you
Every week Play It Green brings you the latest fantastic eco news to deliver you a burst of positivity on a Monday.
Whilst the world of sustainability may seem a bit scary, there is so much good going on and we should focus on that!
After all, positivity breeds positivity and thinking positively is genuinely good for you.
So, with that in mind here are three amazing sustainability news stories that bring us all hope for the future.
Fantastic eco news as leather can grow on trees
Did you know that leather doesn’t have to come from animals and can grow on trees?
Well, not exactly, but leather made from apple waste, also known as apple leather, is gaining popularity as a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional leather.
Japanese, Nagano-based start-up Sorena is jointly developing apple leather with the Kyowa Leather Cloth Co and Applecycle.
The company is displaying bags and wallets made from ‘Italian Apple Leather’ at a department store in Tokyo.
Following the success of this trial show, the company is developing a new commercial material.
The material is named Ringo Leather and is being developed into a product named Ringo-Tex.
Apple leather is made from dried apple cores and pomace that have been crushed and mixed with resin and other materials.
Making leather in this way reduces food waste and has the obvious advantage of being 100% vegan.
Such has been the success of the apple leather product, Ringo-Tex, that it was selected for a trial by Nippon Airways.
The Japanese airline used the fantastic eco-leather to make its headrest covers to highlight its sustainability ambitions.
The trial was a huge success and now Sorena is looking to develop a wide range of consumer products made from Apple Leather.
What fantastic eco news!
Just imagine – all your leather products are replaced with amazing eco-friendly ones that grow on trees…no animals required.
Fantastic eco news as your footwear can now be compostable
Our planet, without a doubt, has a waste problem. Our landfills are overflowing with refuse, and plastic is a major issue.
In more fantastic sustainability news, Balena, an Israeli startup, is now attempting to address the issue.
According to a report published Thursday by NoCamels, the company has created the world’s first fully compostable footwear.
It all comes down to BioCir, a ground-breaking plastic that retains its shape until exposed to the specific bacteria and conditions of a compost facility.
This means that the plastic does not degrade while the user wears it.
In Tel Aviv, Balena has already sold 1,000 pairs of men’s and women’s BioCir slides scented with cinnamon.
It also has designated take-back locations for when the shoes wear out.
“When we look at the future of sustainability, it is clear that recycling alone is not solving the problem, the direction needs to turn towards a circular economy model,” said David Roubach, CEO of Balena.
Roubach sees their product as inspired by the earth’s natural cycle and has designed the footwear to return to its ‘starting state’.
This means the shoes decompose just as any natural biological item does, leaving no real waste.
Along with this, consumers can buy in the knowledge that their purchase comes with far less impact.
What fantastic eco news and an example of innovation being used to create positive change!
Fantastic eco news as the world’s first climate change university opens
In 1957, the American Liberal University, Black Mountains College in North Carolina closed its doors forever.
Having emphasised wisdom, with no formal exams, the university experienced guest speakers such as Albert Einstein and Aldous Huxley!
Fast forward to 2023 and a new Black Mountains College has opened its doors in Wales.
This brand-new educational establishment is the first-ever university that has dedicated its entire syllabus to action on Climate Change.
As well as this, it is currently recruiting students for its BA in Sustainable Futures for the academic year starting in September 2023.
The co-founder of Black Mountains College is British writer Ben Rawlence who said:
“It’s very much an experiment but that’s what the original Black Mountain was all about — this idea that you can’t effect change in the world unless you’re radical.”
Whilst other universities teach climate change degrees, according to Ben, their course will be different.
Undergraduates will learn about arts, ecology and systems change mostly outside, using the Brecon Beacons National park as its ‘campus’.
In order to access the course, students are encouraged to apply either directly or through UCAS.
Following this, personal statements are required, in any medium, including videos, songs, poems, or puppet shows.
What fantastic eco news and best of all, the degree will be accredited by Cardiff Metropolitan University.
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