Earth911 Reader: This Week’s Essential Sustainability News And Actions You Can Take

Start your environmental and sustainability reading with us! We read … The post Earth911 Reader: This Week’s Essential Sustainability News And Actions You Can Take appeared first on Earth 911.

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Earth911 Reader: This Week’s Essential Sustainability News And Actions You Can Take

Rihanna’s new Fenty skincare line leads the industry in sustainability

Fans of Rihanna’s trendy cosmetics line, Fenty Beauty, have a lot to look forward to with the new addition of her latest enterprise, Fenty Skin. The Fenty Skin line, released in July 2020, boasts a clean, vegan and earth-conscious system that incorporates recycled post-consumer materials and refill systems for products that embrace sustainability in all the right ways. Rihanna spent years frustrated and overwhelmed by the vast number of skincare choices available and even had a few bad experiences with a product that discolored her skin. “Fenty Skin is my vision of the new culture of skincare,” Rihanna said . “I wanted to create amazing products that really work, that are easy to use, and everyone can apply it.” Fast forward to 2020, and the talented singer and entrepreneur has created an approachable and simple skincare system that celebrates the valuable lessons she has learned throughout her own skincare journey. Related: Haeckels delivers zero-waste skincare with Bio Restore Membrane Globally sourced, clean ingredients It’s no secret that Rihanna’s successful career has brought her around the world, from her home country of Barbados to New York, Los Angeles and Paris, and the Fenty Skin ingredients certainly reflect that. Everything is clean, vegan , gluten-free and mineral oil-free, combining global ingredients like vitamin C-rich Barbados Cherry with popular skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide (vitamin B3). The affordable products also feature refreshing, tropical fragrances like coconut and wild desert Kalahari Melon, with synthetic fragrance never exceeding 1% of the total formula. Other thoughtful and unique ingredients include Japanese Raisin, a natural and ancient detoxifying botanical; Australian Lemon Myrtle, a healing flowered plant that reduces oil; and Ginkgo Biloba, a tree used in Chinese healing techniques to clarify skin. “I’ve lived and traveled all over the world and I wanted to make sure that Fenty Skin represented the best-of-the-best when it came to our ingredients,” Rihanna said on the company’s website. “I wanted safe, clean, effective formulas that celebrated and respected what our planet has to offer.” You won’t find any harsh ingredients here, either. Fenty Skin’s formulas are free from parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, formaldehydes, thiazolinones, paraffins and sodium lauryl sulfate, to say the least. Even better, the SPF products don’t use any reef-harming or coral-bleaching oxybenzone or octinoxate, and all products are free from the plastic microbeads that have been shown to harm marine life. It’s inclusive, too, with every Fenty Skin product tested on all skin tones, textures and types. Sustainable packaging Fenty Skin is designed to have less of an impact on the environment by striving to reduce, reuse and recycle at every opportunity. “I wanted the packaging to be beautiful, but also functional with an earth-conscious approach,” Rihanna explained on Fenty Skin’s site. “We eliminated boxes where we could, we have refill systems, and we use recycled materials where possible. Nobody is perfect, but I really believe we can try our best to do right and we’ll keep evolving as we go.” The company makes an effort to eliminate excess packaging , and even those products that require protective paper boxes have recyclable elements. Fenty Skin also utilizes refillable systems so that customers can buy a product once and purchase a refill when they run out without having to throw away the entire container. The system requires less packaging and makes the products less expensive in the long run, a win-win. Where possible, the bottles, tubes and jars incorporate post-consumer materials, and all shipping boxes are fully recyclable. Fenty Skin Start’rs Fenty promotes 2-in-1 products with its three main “Fenty Skin Start’rs,” consisting of the Total Cleans’r Remove-It-All Cleanser ($25), the Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum ($28) and the Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen ($35). The regime starts with a gentle makeup remover-cleanser complete with a creamy lather that removes dirt, oil and makeup without drying, then moves into a toner-serum hybrid to target pores, improve dark spots and fight shine, and finishes with a moisturizer-sunscreen combination for hydration and sun protection. One of the most compelling aspects of Rihanna’s new skincare line is that it doesn’t showboat its sustainability (which is hard to come by nowadays, considering the uptick of greenwashing in the beauty industry). Looking at the products themselves, there’s no gaudy green label or wood-capped packaging to make it appear more eco-friendly. Packaging is minimalist and chic, not unlike the Fenty Beauty products that highlight the superior colors and formulas in simple-yet-stylish containers. Instead, the brand is transparent about its goals to become more sustainable and environmentally conscious behind the scenes. As Rihanna herself puts it, Fenty Skin is a “vision of the new culture of skincare.” This earth-conscious business model is a role model for all companies, no matter the industry. + Fenty Skin Images via Bold PR

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Rihanna’s new Fenty skincare line leads the industry in sustainability

Earth911 Inspiration: Paying for the Costs of Dealing With Pollution

Today’s Earth911 inspiration is from economist Ha-Joon Chang: “People ‘over-produce’ … The post Earth911 Inspiration: Paying for the Costs of Dealing With Pollution appeared first on Earth 911.

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Earth911 Inspiration: Paying for the Costs of Dealing With Pollution

World’s first "living coffin" made of mycelium is used in a burial

A “living coffin” has been used in a burial for the first time in the Netherlands. The coffin is made out of mycelium , a complex system of thread-like fibers that form the vegetative part of fungi. The coffin, called Living Cocoon, was developed by a Netherlands-based startup known as Loop to serve as a more sustainable option for burials. Speaking to Metro Newspaper , Bob Hendrikx, the founder of Loop, confirmed the successful burial. “I didn’t actually go, but I talked to a relative beforehand — it was a moving moment, we discussed the cycle of life,” Hendrikx said. “He had lost his mother, but he was happy because thanks to this box, she will return to nature and will soon be living like a tree. It was a hopeful conversation.” Related: The many ways fungi are saving our planet Hendrikx explained that mycelium neutralizes toxins and provides nutrients for plants growing above-ground. But mycelium’s natural properties have made it popular in many applications. “Mycelium is constantly looking for waste products — oil, plastic, metals, other pollutants — and converting them into nutrients for the environment,” Hendrikx said. “For example, mycelium was used in Chernobyl, is utilised in Rotterdam to clean up soil and some farmers also apply it to make the land healthy again.” The coffin presents an opportunity for human bodies to feed the earth after their life span. Wooden caskets can take longer than a decade to decompose . Varnished wood or metal components further slow the process. However, by using caskets made out of mycelium, we can speed up decomposition. The mycelium coffin is absorbed in the soil within 4 to 6 weeks. Further, the coffin contributes effectively to the full decomposition of the body, which then enriches the surrounding soil. The entire process can be completed in less than three years. Currently, Loop is working with researchers to determine the effect of human bodies on the quality of the soil . According to Hendrix, the company hopes the research can persuade policymakers to convert polluted areas into forests by burying bodies in such areas. + Loop Via TU Delft and The Guardian Images via Loop

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World’s first "living coffin" made of mycelium is used in a burial

Good, Better, Best: Leather and Leather Alternatives

Leather has a tremendous environmental impact, not to mention the … The post Good, Better, Best: Leather and Leather Alternatives appeared first on Earth 911.

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Good, Better, Best: Leather and Leather Alternatives

Sustainable Innovation in the Textile Industry

Sustainable Innovation in the Textile Industry As global apparel consumption continues to rise—an expected increase of 60% by 2030—that growth could have a dangerous impact on the environment. Currently, 87% of textiles are landfilled or incinerated and 10% of GHG emissions come from fashion industry. As Earth’s resources become more and more constrained, the global fashion industry is looking toward innovative materials and strategies to reduce its environmental impact and carbon footprint. But bringing consumers and others in the apparel industry value chain along on the sustainability journey can be a challenge. Join Eastman and H&M for a webcast to learn about: Eastman’s recent launch of Naia™ Renew that addresses the need to have more sustainable fibers. Why H&M chose to use Naia™ Renew in their new clothing line How H&M is supporting these types of initiatives through accelerating the use of preferred materials across the global textile industry. Moderator: John Davies, Vice President, GreenBiz Speakers: To be announced soon… If you can’t tune in live, please register and we will email you a link to access the archived webcast footage and resources, available to you on-demand after the webcast. taylor flores Wed, 09/16/2020 – 13:21 John Davies VP, Senior Analyst GreenBiz Group @greenbizjd gbz_webcast_date Tue, 10/13/2020 – 10:00 – Tue, 10/13/2020 – 11:00

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Sustainable Innovation in the Textile Industry

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

People think of the ozone layer as a past-tense environmental … The post International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer appeared first on Earth 911.

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International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

Gaia & Dubos debuts a sustainable fall clothing collection

Do you know where your clothes come from? How they’re made? What impact they have on the environment? When it comes to many clothing manufacturers, the answers are probably all no. But companies like Gaia & Dubos want you to know exactly how their clothing is made and everything they do to provide sustainable fashion for all. This brand’s new collection creates as little impact on the environment as possible without compromising style or comfort. The fashions provided by Gaia & Dubos are so well made that every single seam comes with a lifetime guarantee. The name of the company is inspired by the ancient Greek goddess Gaia, an Earth goddess. Dubos stems from René Dubos, a French environmentalist and the person who coined the phrase “think global, act local.” This sentiment so perfectly sums up the philosophy behind Gaia & Dubos, his name is now part of the brand itself. The company name embodies the mission, which is to “change the fashion industry, one person at a time, one garment at a time.” Related: Cariuma welcomes a new Pantone collection of natural, vegan shoes Begin your change with the gorgeous creations in the Gaia & Dubos fall line, which includes matching hair accessories to complete your outfits. Bold colors, classic silhouettes and comfortable materials make each piece in the collection stand out while also withstanding the test of time. All clothing from Gaia & Dubos is made with eco-friendly materials. The clothing is also handcrafted in Canada under fair and ethical working conditions. You can learn about the origin and the environmental impact of every single clothing item you buy through Gaia & Dubos. These items are made with certified organic cotton jersey for a naturally soft feeling and beautiful draping. This company is setting a standard that hopefully other clothing brands will soon start to follow. Incredibly, the Gaia & Dubos brand began with a young girl named Leonie. She’s the designer and founder of the brand. Leonie started creating made-to-measure clothing at age 12 and went on to get college degrees in Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising and Fashion. She chose to specialize in sustainable fashion . Gaia & Dubos is the result of all that hard work. + Gaia & Dubos Images via Gaia & Dubos

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Gaia & Dubos debuts a sustainable fall clothing collection

Surfing citizen scientists collect important ocean data

A new U.S. nonprofit called Smartfin is enlisting surfers to collect data on warming oceans . Smartfin distributes special surfboard fins, which track location, motion, temperature and other data while surfers ride the waves. “Most people who really call themselves surfers are out there, you know, almost every single day of the week and often for three, four hours at a time,” Smartfin’s senior research engineer Phil Bresnahan told Chemistry World . You could hardly imagine a group that is already more geared toward collecting ocean data than dedicated surfers. Related: High-tech wetsuit protects divers and surfers from toxic elements in the oceans Scientists have determined that since the 1970s, more than 90% of excess heat produced by greenhouses gas emissions has wound up in the oceans. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has posited that the rate of ocean warming has more than doubled since 1993, and that surface acidification is increasing. Researchers at the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography began collaborating with local surfers in 2017 to collect more data about the effects of the greenhouse gases . San Diego is just the pilot project. Smartfin plans to deploy its data collection devices at surf spots worldwide. The genius of Smartfin is its symbiotic relationship between scientists and surfers. Every surfboard needs a fin for stability, and every researcher needs data. But ordinary sensors used for collecting ocean data don’t work well in choppy coastal waters. Once researchers figured out how to install a sensor inside a fin, they soon created a fleet of surfer citizen scientists. “This is enormously beneficial for researchers,” Bresnahan said. The researchers are still tweaking the fins and hope to add optical sensors and pH detectors soon. Smartfin project participants like David Walden of San Diego are happy to help. “If doing what I love and being where I love to be can contribute toward scientific research with the ultimate goal of ocean conservation , then I’m stoked to be doing it,” Walden said. “The Smartfin Project is a joy that gives my surfing meaning. Rad!” + Smartfin Via World Economic Forum Image via Pexels

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Surfing citizen scientists collect important ocean data

Earth911 Podcast: Emerald Packaging CEO Kevin Kelly on Plastic Use and Producer Responsibility

Plastic pollution surged along with COVID-19 as the world’s human … The post Earth911 Podcast: Emerald Packaging CEO Kevin Kelly on Plastic Use and Producer Responsibility appeared first on Earth 911.

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Earth911 Podcast: Emerald Packaging CEO Kevin Kelly on Plastic Use and Producer Responsibility

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