Sustainability News | Breaking Headlines from Week 27, 2020
This week in headlines: Luxiders Magazine brings you the most important sustainability news from across the world. From new beauty product releases, to unconventional magazine covers, Netflix shows and governmental plans to help build a more sustainable future, Luxiders lets you stay informed so you'll never have to miss an update.
Superdrug Releases New Sustainable Initiatives
This week, health and beauty retailer ‘Superdrug’ signed-up to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, to help eliminate the use of unnecessary plastic. Superdrug pledged to promote recyclable packaging to reduce plastic waste, incorporating a minimum of 20% recycled plastic content in regards to its packaging by 2025, and to completely ban its use of PVC plastic by 2030. In addition to this, Superdrug has taken a membership with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to address the unsustainable cultivation of palm oil and will hereafter offer a wider range of sustainable beauty products in stores.
Venus Williams Launches New Eco-friendly Sunscreen For ‘All Skin Types and Skin Tones’
Renowned Tennis player Venus Williams has partnered with Credo Beauty to launch her first line of clean sun-care products: ‘EleVen by Venus’. The line features two mineral sunscreens, infused with zinc oxide: ‘On-The-Defense Sunscreen SPF 30’ and ‘Unrivaled Sun Serum SPF 35’. Both of which blend seamlessly into all types of skin tones, streak-free.
New Report Claims EU’s Progress on Reducing Food Waste is ‘Too Slow’
6 weeks after the European Commission announced a sustainable food strategy for Europe, that aims to halve food loss and waste by 2030 (Target 12.3), a new report by WWF and WRAP has surfaced, arguing more needs to be done. Analysing the EU’s progress in regards to food loss and waste, the report proposes how governments, industry, researchers and NGOs can realistically reach Target 12.3, claiming the EU’s effort to currently address food waste is not enough.
Zac Efron’s New Travel Show On Netflix Teaches About Sustainable Food and Living
New Netflix docuseries ‘Down To Earth’ presented by Zac Efron, teaches all about sustainable food and living through his travels throughout the world. From Peru to Iceland, Puerto Rico to France, Zac Efron speaks with some of the best eco innovators in the field, concluding ‘from our food to our power…maybe it's about time we all changed."
Sustainable Development Goals Advance Food and Nutrition Commitments
Prothom Alo and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) jointly organised a roundtable discussion entitled ‘Sustainable Development Goals: Advancing Food and Nutrition Commitments’ to address key issues such climate change, health and poverty reduction in relation to food and nutrition. Although the convention took place before the outbreak of Covid-19, the summary of this discussion has just been released.
Pharrel Williams Creates New Eco Cutlery Set From Recycled CDs and Food Packaging
In partnership with design studio Pentatonic, Pharrel Williams has created ‘The Pebble’; a portable cutlery set including chopsticks, a knife, a fork, spoon and straw. Made exclusively from recycled CDs and food packaging, the set hopes to inspire people to go waste free.
Vogue Portugal Criticised For Inappropriate Intensive Mental Health Treatment Cover
Vogue Portugal’s ‘Madness Issue’, depicting a scene within a psychiatric hospital of a vulnerable looking woman surrounded by nurses pouring water over her head, has been deemed by critics ‘outdated’, ‘unethical’ and ‘in bad taste’. The company has since deeply apologised by any offence or upset the cover had caused, clarifying ‘the subject of mental health needs a more thoughtful approach.’
Scientists Latest UN sustainability Goals Pose More Harm Than Good
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to build a better and sustainable future for all by addressing key issues such as climate change and poverty. However, the SDGs are currently failing to protect biodiversity and have proven to exacerbate environmental degradation through infrastructural construction in the name of sustainable development. In response to this, experts recommend a revision of certain SDG indicators and to begin prioritising environmental protection over socioeconomic development.
Germany Launches Billion Dollar Plan For A Green Recovery Post Covid-19
In the wake of the outbreak of coronavirus, the German government has allocated $46 billion as part of its $145 billion recovery budget to help fund sustainable investments in regards to renewable power, electric cars, public transport. This aims to ensure rescuing the economy does not come at the expense of the climate.
+ Words: Stephanie Frank, Editorial Intern at Luxiders Magazine
London-based student and journalist Stephanie Frank has become dedicated to repurposing fashion as a force for good and is committed to writing about the interfaces between sustainability, fashion, lifestyle and culture.
