This artist is using tons of plastic garbage to make an urgent point about waste.
Ally Hirschlag
Over the past several years, artist Benjamin Von Wong has been on an amazing journey inspiring people to reconsider what they throw away.
It started with a trip to Guatemala and an up-close photoshoot of a massive trash heap there, and quickly morphed into a series of projects designed to confront people with various aspects of the world's waste problem.
As an artist, however, he wanted to do it in a way that would get people to look first before he unloaded harrowing facts about waste on them. There's so much alarmist news out there about what we're doing to our planet that, frankly, after a while, many of us end up turning off to the problem. Von Wong's method of turning trash into something beautiful to get our attention is a different, perhaps more productive approach.
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Adidas takes a solid step toward sustainability with a new embrace of recycled plastic.
The plan will save 40 tons of plastic each year.
Parker Molloy
Adidas is rolling out a bit of welcome news to people who love sports and care about the environment.
On July 15, Financial Times reported the sports apparel company plans to phase out use of "virgin" plastics (first-use plastic that hasn't been recycled), switching over exclusively to recycled plastics by 2024. This pledge includes the company's products as well as its offices, stores, warehouses, and other facilities. A CNN report puts the amount of plastic saved at 40 tons per year.
Over the past couple of decades, Adidas has made a number of other adjustments to its product lines in the name of sustainability. Its website notes that with a few small exceptions, the company stopped using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in its products in favor of more sustainable and low-impact plastics in the years since.
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Horrified by how much plastic is in the ocean, this girl ramped up her recycling game.
Anyone can be an environmental superhero.
Miranda Legg has always known the recycling basics, but she didn't realize just how harmful plastic can be if not recycled properly until she visited a sea turtle hospital in Florida.
At the time, she was a sophomore in high school, and she recalls seeing helpless sea creatures living with injuries, sometimes permanent ones, that were the result of plastic garbage in the ocean. Miranda has carried the experience with her ever since.
A turtle stuck in the plastic rings that hold soda cans. Photo by Stefan Leijon/Flickr.
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Garnier Beauty Responsibly
Starbucks is ditching straws. Here are 5 other ways to keep plastic out of the ocean.
If you don't think twice about the plastic strap around a package, here's why you should.
This beer's packaging isn't hurting turtles, it's feeding them.
Why some scientists are throwing shade about glitter.
It's fun to make glittery holiday cards with the kids. Or without the kids. I don't know. Don't judge me.
But if you've ever worked with glitter, you know cleanup can be a mess. If it gets on your hands, it can take ages (or some fancy tricks) to wash it all off.
This is just my hand now. Photo from frankieleon/Flickr.
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It sucks, but it's time to ditch plastic straws. Seattle's going to make it happen.
It may sound weird, but Lego is quietly trying to ditch plastics.
An artist saw hundreds of plastic bags stuck on a barbed wire fence. It gave him an idea.
Plastic trash is gross. These hungry caterpillars might be able to help us get rid of it.
Most nurses throw away caps and stoppers. She didn't. What she did instead is remarkable.
These stunning mermaid photos may change how you look at plastic.
The cool reason why these green coins are becoming a currency in Amsterdam.
Because of a plastic bag surcharge, British beaches are suddenly a lot cleaner.
One initiative is sharing their designs for free to help lessen the world's plastic waste.