A New Year For Sustainability
Headed into 2013, there’s a seemingly increased incentive on behalf of some large companies to improve their sustainable policies and pushing harder on recycling materials.
For instance, Starbucks has announced that this coming Thursday, $1 re-usable plastic cups will be available to consumers at their cafe’s. Being largely responsible for unfathomable amounts of paper cup waste, this is most certainly a step in the right direction to encourage sustainable behaviour amongst the organization, and more importantly their consumer base. Looks like Starbucks is taking a page out of our book and making an effort to #gopaperless headed into 2013 in order to earn their keep in the battle against the current climate disaster, which seems to get shakier every day.
NASA has also displayed a heightened interest for similar policies, as they have started a space recycling program wherein old parts are being recycled in space to develop new materials. Another step in the right direction headed into a fresh year.
Construction has taken a step in the right direction already this year with a slight shove from some bright minds. For instance, the following office building was built using predominantly shipping containers…brilliant. Instead of creating a need for new materials, encouraged re-usability of existing resources is where developments need to be aimed in order to prevent a mass exhaustion of resources, while conveniently displacing most likely unused materials and giving them new purpose; a recipe for a brighter future.
© Playz Architects/ Bartosz Kolonko via TreeHugger
Any other inspiring environmental efforts being put forth? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you, so don’t be shy.
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image courtesy of epSos.de
