Great Eco News Every Week
Welcome to our weekly sustainability news update, bringing you the latest great eco news. This week’s edition is packed full of stories from around the world, highlighting the positive steps being taken to protect our planet.
Change starts with individual actions, and we showcase inspiring stories of people and businesses taking steps to make a positive impact on the world around them.
Stay informed and inspired with our weekly eco news roundup, and join the growing movement of individuals taking action to protect our planet.
Great Eco News from Virgin Media O2
In our first piece of great eco news, Virgin Media O2 has successfully prevented over 250,000 mobile devices from ending up in landfills in 2022. This was done through its innovative O2 Recycle scheme.
The program encourages mobile users to recycle their unwanted smartphones, tablets, and accessories in exchange for cashback, regardless of their network.
In 2022, the company paid out over £36mn to customers for their old devices, processing around 950 handsets per working day, on average. Furthermore, 92% of these devices were data-wiped, refurbished, and resold as ‘like new’ products to customers.
The UK generates the second-highest amount of electrical waste per person globally, after Norway. Virgin Media O2 research indicates that over 17.5 million unused phones and tablets are stowed away in UK households. Through its Better Connections Plan sustainability strategy, Virgin Media O2 is committed to preventing e-waste. As well as this it aims on helping people carry out ten million circular actions by the end of 2025.
Dana Haidan, the Chief Sustainability Officer at Virgin Media O2 said:
“O2 Recycle is playing a crucial role in reducing e-waste in the UK. The program is a win-win situation for both people and the planet, keeping devices from ending up in landfills while also providing consumers with an easy way to dispose of their unwanted tech.”
Well done Virgin Media 02.
Great Eco News from Falken Tyres
Falken Tyres is constructing the world’s largest solar panel installation on a single facility, with an area of 100,000 square meters, equivalent to 18 football pitches. The installation comprises 40,000 solar panels with a total output of 22MW, and it will be finished by January 2025.
This facility, located at the Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) factory in Thailand, will use 100% renewable energy.
The gas co-generation system replaces energy supplied by local utility companies, while the biomass and the new solar panels will complete the energy supply.
These new initiatives will decrease total annual CO2 emissions by 38,000 tonnes, and they are part of SRI’s sustainability policy, ‘Driving Our Future Challenge 2050,’. The policy aims to reduce annual Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 50%. This target will now be achievable one year ahead of schedule and is down to the vision of CEO Masayuki Hyodo.
This is great eco news and shows how businesses can transition to 100% renewable energy and set a great example for all.
Well done, Falken Tyres and Sumitomo Rubber Industries.
Great Eco News from Primark
Primark, the fashion retailer, is launching new initiatives aimed at prolonging the life of its clothing. Furthermore, it has the goal of becoming more circular as part of its Primark Cares strategy. The company is working with WRAP under the Textile 2030 agreement to establish an industry-wide durability standard. It has already introduced a “durability wash standard” based on WRAP’s Clothing Longevity Protocol.
Piloting the standard in denim, 60% of the tested products have so far passed the enhanced standard.
The retailer is scaling up its clothing repair workshops and has expanded the initiative across the UK and Ireland. On top of this it has plans for further European markets to follow. Primark is also developing an online customer hub. The hub features easy-to-follow repair videos, from basic stitching to sewing on buttons and zips.
Primark’s focus on durability is aimed at extending the life of clothing through washing and wear after leaving its stores. The company is working with Hubbub to research consumer attitudes and wearing and washing habits. As well as this it is committed to reducing its emissions by 30% by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050. This is part of the UN’s Fashion Charter.
The global fashion industry accounts for 4-10% of annual emissions, making it a higher emitter than aviation. This is great eco news and shows that sometimes even the worst offenders can reform. It gives us all hope for the future!
Well done Primark!
That’s a wrap
This week’s sustainability news highlights the positive strides being made towards a greener future.
With Primark’s new initiatives to extend the life of its clothing products and Falken’s largest rooftop solar panel installation, we are seeing businesses taking significant steps towards a more circular and renewable economy.
As more companies commit to sustainability goals and take action to reduce their carbon footprint, we can hope for a brighter future for both the planet and its inhabitants.
It is great eco news to see more businesses leading the way in sustainable practices and setting an example for others to follow.
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