The morning newsletter for those
who love all things green
February 7, 2022
Topics: Win free Tesla, RPI, hemp, microfibers, Kiriko, PFAS, Closed Loop Partners, Larry Fink, circular economy, Adidas, Shanna Awan
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👎Plastics and electronics lowering fertility Shanna Awan is a professor of Environmental and Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at NYC's Mount Sinai Hospital. She is also a leading environmental and reproductive epidemiologist. A recent study revealed that certain chemicals present in household items like plastics, air fresheners, deodorants, cosmetics, personal care products, and electronics decrease fertility. Awan discovered that a class of chemicals in these household items called phthalates, decreases the testosterone in men.
She is also the author of Count Down: How Our Modern World is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race. Awan found that Bisphenol A, an estrogenic chemical present in most cosmetics and personal care products, affects fertility in women, and this aligns with the fact that the birth rate within the last 50 years declined each year by 1%. That's a decline of 50% over the last 50 years, right?
She urges the world to take quick actions to understand the problem and develop safer chemicals for producing these household items to save the human race.
Image: House of Saka GIF: AGREEN1
🌱Hemp to the rescue, again New York's Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is advancing research on industrial hemp, and it invited academia, New York State government, and industry leaders to its Seed to City Hemp workshop to discuss the hemp industry and budding opportunities for the state of New York.
RPI revealed it is developing efficient hemp processing technologies that will successfully separate hemp fiber and hurd without damage. RPI is also developing a sustainable degumming method, new hemp bio-composite processing methods, and disclosed its researchers are developing a hemp-based rebar reinforcing technology for cement to solve the challenges with steel in the construction industry, reduce carbon footprint, and enhance cement-based infrastructures. Nice work RPI!
🌧️Water-proofing is toxic Researchers at Toxic-Free Future discovered that most products labeled stain and water-resistant to contain PFAS (per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances), a class of chemical compounds found highly harmful to human health. PFAS were found in many indoor and outdoor gear products, including rain jackets, hiking pants, mattress pads, comforters, napkins, and tablecloths.
The researchers analyzed 60 items from Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Costco, Dicks Sporting Goods, Kohls, Macys, REI, Target, TJX, and Walmart. They discovered 72% of the products labeled stain or water-resistant contained PFAS. Do the math.
🇯🇵Kiriko made Fashion has evolved, and so have the things that matter the most. Unfortunately, the need to keep up with fast trends has caused us to lose value for our clothes. Somehow, we have chosen quantity over quality, and in fact, many fabrics end in the dump globally each year. Haste makes waste, as the adage goes.
As the world drives towards sustainability, the Japanese word mottainai becomes meaningful again. The need to stop wasting things and to recycle as much as possible is what drives the fashion brand: Kiriko Made.
Katsu Tanaka founded Kiriko Made in 2013. It makes unique apparel and accessories, including blankets, bags, jackets, and vintage Levi's that last a lifetime. Kikiro's fabrics include vibrant vintage and modern Kasuri, hand-dyed Shibori, and centuries-old Boros. In the January 17 issue of AGREEN1, another fashion designer in California is doing the same. Sounds like a terrific trend that will help save our planet.
Image: BBC
🌊Microfibers kill It has been believed that crude oil spills and plastic waste have had the most damaging effects on terrestrial and marine life. However, a new study by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) found microfibers to be the most common pollutant posing a threat to terrestrial and marine life.
Microfibers are microplastics that make up synthetic fabrics. Our clothes, curtains, and blankets consist of microfibers, and sadly we shred up to 1 million microfibers every time we wash them. These microfibers find their way past cleaning filters into rivers, oceans, and soils and pose a threat to humans and other forms of life.
While the world works to find ways to reduce the number of microfibers, we all can help contain them by:
• Using a front-loading washing machine that uses less water and shakes less.
• Washing with cold water and fewer cycles
• Washing clothes less frequently
• Using liquid detergents
• Installing a microfiber filter in washing machines
Experts suggest that at the very least, you invest in clothes made of natural fibers. This is a no-brainer...we hope!
Images: Forbes, Getty GIF: AGREEN1
👍Larry speaks of an opportunity of a lifetime BlackRock CEO Larry Fink addressed CEOs in his 2022 annual letter about the need to embrace decarbonization. Larry remarked that the world is driving towards a CO2-free economy, which he believes will create the highest investment opportunity current CEOs may witness in their lifetime. As a result, Larry said companies that want to secure high investment returns for decades must embrace decarbonization.
Larry said BlackRock now focuses on sustainability because it values its clients and protects their interests. BlackRock had over $10 trillion assets under its watch in the fourth quarter of 2021 and managed over $509 billion in sustainable investment. He also urged the government to support companies in the green energy transition by creating sustainability policies and regulations, and investing in innovations and technology essential for decarbonization.
Larry revealed that sustainable startups that will innovate affordable green energy solutions would be part of the next 1,000 unicorns. He also said the unicorns would include existing companies who grab the sustainability wheel. #LetsGoLarry
⭕It's the need for a circular economy, stupid Investment in sustainable solutions is our best hope to ensure a safe world in the future, and Closed Loop Partners, a New York-based firm, has dedicated itself to the cause. Founded in 2014, Closed Loop Partners is a hybrid investment firm and innovation center that invests in the circular economy, a new economic model that encourages the recycling and reuse of consumer products.
Closed Loop Partners focuses on four sectors: Plastics & Packaging, Technology, Fashion, and Food & Agriculture, an is investing in solutions to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Seven years ago it took its first investment step in the circular economy space. In that timeframe it has completed 49 investments, partnering with some of world's largest retailers, technology companies and consumer goods companies, family offices, NGOs, and institutions. We all need to keep leaning forward.
Images: adidas.com, Run DMC GIF: AGREEN1
🧵My Adidas In 1986, the rap group Run DMC released a song called My Adidas, in a modern twist of the saying: don't judge a book by it's cover. It also gained them a million endorsement. Tap the link and stroll down memory lane.
Adidas has now created a new program called Choose to Give Back, in collaboration with online resale store thredUP, to help extend the life cycle of sports performance & lifestyle apparel and footwear. Leveraging thredUP's Resale-as-a-Service® (RaaS®) platform and expertise, the program will invite consumers to send used products from any brand back to Adidas via the Adidas Creator's Club app for reuse and resale. It plans to introduce the program to online and in stores in 2022. Now we're talkin'
Images: ClimateXChange, Tesla.com
GIF: AGREEN1
🚗Your chance to win a Tesla Don't miss the 6th Annual Carbon Raffle, the winner will be selected on February 25, 2022. The Grand Prize winner gets to build their own Tesla. Tap the image above to see the 5th annual winner of the ClimateXChange Raffle. The other five prizes are cash prizes in the amounts of: $10K, $5K, $3K and $2K. Only 5,000 tickets at $250 each will be sold by this 501c3 nonprofit. Proceeds go to fulfill their mission of advancing global warming policies at the state level across the country.
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Thanks again for being you. Until the next issue, be sure to add more green to your life!
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