Biodegradable Phone Case Tackles Plastics Pollution

Good News Notes: “While it might not be the biggest source of plastics showing up in waterways and failing to degrade in landfills, biodegradable phone cases could be a start.   According to Michael Pratt, the founder of Pivet, his company’s smartphone cases utilize a newly developed material that will completely decompose in traditional environments,…

SC Johnson Partners with Brewers and Bucks to Upcycle Arena Cups

Good News Notes: “Racine, WI­–based SC Johnson, the household products company, is taking sustainability in a new direction — upcycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) cups from professional sports events into bottles for Scrubbing Bubbles cleaner. The company has partnered with Milwaukee’s baseball and basketball teams, the Brewers and the Bucks, to implement the program. In partnership with…

Anchorage engineer plans to recycle ocean garbage into plastic lumber

Good News Notes: “The cost of lumber and other building materials is sky-high, and it’s even more expensive when shipped to small coastal communities in Alaska. Patrick Simpson of Anchorage has an idea that might help. He wants to create artificial lumber from an abundant material no one wants: Plastic ocean debris. Simpson, an engineer,…

Design Label ADIFF Reimagines Fashion With Upcycling In New ‘Fashion Cookbook’

Good News Notes: “Design label ADIFF is cooking up innovative solutions to fashion’s waste problem. The woman-founded label’s new book, “The Open Source Fashion Cookbook,” offers recipes and tips for DIY sustainable designs. The recipes provide directions for creating everything from a shirt dress comprised of button-downs to a hat made from an umbrella. The amount of…

Tesla’s Newest Model S Can Go Farther Than Any Electric Car Before

Good News Notes: “It’s a big moment for electric cars. Tesla announced yesterday that it has cracked the 400-mile barrier, a first for a production electric vehicle sold to the public. The company says the EPA will officially rate the new Long Range Plus version of the Model S for a 402-mile range. Elon Musk had accused the EPA of…

Oregon Business – Can the Plastic

Good News Notes: “Portlanders Marcelle and Edward Abel are an active couple who enjoy traveling and hiking with their 11-year-old twins. Like many eco-conscious couples, they fill reusable bottles with water to take with them on trips. But — as is often the case with many of us — when their reusable containers run dry,…

Good, Better, Best — Eliminating Plastic Waste

Good News Notes: “The top three materials filling American garbage bins are paper, food waste, and plastic. Of the three, plastic may be the most problematic. Not only does its production use nonrenewable natural resources and energy, but unlike paper and food waste, it is neither biodegradable nor easily recyclable. Nonexistent a century ago, plastic…