SmartWaste Inc

The heat won’t take us out! Thank you to all the impressive people (women and men!) who joined us in LA for a hike to kick off LA Climate Week! Thank you to Amy Tierney Lillian Lucero Akanksha Mathur for bringing us all together and facilitating an inspiring networking hike! Props to our fearless leader Sara Eve Fuentes (she/her) for her reels skills, and Lisa Ann Pinkerton hiking barefoot!

My LinkedIn feed mostly glossed over #PlasticOvershootDay, which is rather surprising to me. Despite being connected to so many folks working across industries to make #packaging materials more sustainable, I haven't seen a single post about, so thought I'd make my own. Plastic Overshoot Day is "the date when the amount of plastic waste outweighs the world’s ability to manage it, with environmental pollution occurring as a result." While every country has its own overshoot day, September 5th (yesterday) was that day on a global scale. "Each country contributes to a portion of the 117 days of plastic overshoot that will occur in 2024. Countries contribute in different proportions according to the total amount of plastic waste they mismanage, with this amount then translated into a number of days." Thanks to EA - Earth Action for doing all the work to gather this data and turn it into pretty and engaging visuals. Wanna know what to do about it? The organization makes these 5 recommendations to curb plastic production: 1. Global plastic production must be capped and gradually reduced 2. Plastics not designed for circular use must be phased out 3. To ensure global participation, innovative finance and capacity-building are essential for developing and implementing national legislation and action plans 4. Governments and businesses must be held accountable through mandatory disclosure and reporting 5. Global North countries that export their waste to Global South countries must be held accountable for supporting infrastructure development in importing countries by at least the volume they export annually My point for making this post is to call attention to the fact that we're only 3/4 of the way through the calendar year yet have produced more plastic waste than we can manage in a year. What happens to the rest of the waste? Where does it go? I think you know the answer. So what are we gonna do about it? Happy Friday!!

Textile waste is the fastest-growing category in California landfills, and less than 15% of clothing is recycled globally. Will California's pioneering EPR bill for textiles help turn the tide? California's legislators have taken a significant step towards a more sustainable future by passing groundbreaking bills aimed at reducing waste and fostering a circular economy, sending them to the Governor's desk for signature. One of the most notable bills, SB 707, has the potential to establish the nation's first extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for textiles, marking a pivotal moment in the fight against textile waste. Here's were we're at: 🟢 California is poised to become the first state to establish an EPR program for textiles, addressing a waste stream that's been called the fastest-growing category of residential and commercial waste in the state. 🟢 If signed into law, the textile EPR program could be implemented as early as July 1, 2028, with producers required to submit a plan for collection, repair, and recycling of textiles by July 1, 2030. 🟢 This landmark legislation aims to shift the responsibility for the end-of-life management of textiles from consumers and local governments to the producers themselves. 🟢 The bill garnered support from a wide range of stakeholders, including environmental groups, waste management companies, and even the American Apparel & Footwear Association, who acknowledged the progress made in creating a more implementable and supportive framework for the industry. 🟢 The EPR program is expected to incentivize the design of more sustainable textiles, boost the development of textile recycling infrastructure, and create new opportunities for reuse and repair, ultimately reducing the environmental impact of the fashion industry. These bills, combined with updates to the state's landmark organics recycling law, SB 1383, and other waste reduction measures, represent a comprehensive effort to address the growing waste crisis. While some bills addressing issues such as compost facility zoning and packaging EPR updates did not pass this session, the progress made is still really encouraging. California's bold actions demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship and a recognition of the urgent need to transition towards a circular economy. The passage of these bills, particularly SB 707, signals a promising future where producers may soon take greater responsibility for the lifecycle of their products, leading to reduced waste, increased recycling, and a more sustainable California. Read more in Waste Dive here: [https://lnkd.in/g7btzUKG] or check out California Senate Bill No. 707 here: [https://lnkd.in/gXBqAQvp]

Here's what happens when you have women designing products in sustainability (see video below)! Let's take the company Diva Cup for example! The founders are Carinne Chambers-Saini and her mom Francine Chambers. Together, they: 🌍 Created something far more sustainable than traditional tampons or pads. 🚫 Removed toxic chemicals, prioritizing health and safety (this is a big deal given the new studies released on toxins in big-name tampon companies) 💰 Reduced the lifetime cost of feminine products, saving women money in the long run. 💡 Used empathy to truly understand and address the needs of women. 🚀 Challenged and redefined the norms of women’s health. I'd love to hear from my sustainability creative community, what is your favorite product designed by women? Drop your thoughts in the comments so I can make more content like this in the future! #WomenInDesign #EmpathyDriven #Innovation #Sustainability #SustainabilityCreatives

💬 Join Us for a Thought-Provoking Panel on Male Allyship at RE+ Anaheim 💬 WCS is hosting an important discussion on the role of male allyship in advancing gender equality in the workplace. This panel will explore how men can support and advocate for women in the cleantech and sustainability sectors, fostering a more inclusive and equitable industry. 📅 When: Wednesday, September 11th, 3:00 – 4:00 pm 📍 Where: Room 204B, Level 2, Anaheim Convention Center Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with our expert panelists, share your thoughts, and learn actionable steps to drive positive change. Let’s work together to create a more inclusive future! Meet our panelists, Joshua Goldberg, Susan Tanski, Laura Renfroe, Billy W Chapman, Jr., STSC, and Anna Castaneda: https://bit.ly/4dQW3Yo #WCS #REPlus2024 #MaleAllyship #GenderEquality #Inclusion #Cleantech #Sustainability