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Loading ...Wal-Mart’s Plastic Bag Reduction Strategy in Central America
Thursday, January 15th, 2009Wal-Mart Central America is pursuing an interesting strategy to achieve its announced target of a 50% reduction in plastic bag use in its more than 500 stores in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua by 2013. Whereas its brethren in Brazil have elected to offer discounts for consumers bringing their own alternatives to […]
Update: Among the World’s Top PET Recyclers
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008Who was #2 in PET recycling in 2006 (the last year for which there are comparable figures among nations)? Did you answer Brazil? In 2006 Brazil recycled 180 kilotons (Kt), representing about 51.3% of the PET sold in the country during that year. This means that Brazil recycles at double the rate that the US […]
Using Crafts to Promote Recycling and Employment
Monday, October 1st, 2007Last week I introduced you to some cool purses made in Rio de Janeiro and Maranhão from recycled materials, such as banana fiber and PET from drink bottles. Here’s more, this time from Curitiba, the capital of Paraná. Curitiba has a longstanding and well-deserved reputation for promoting recycling through environmental education. Thus it is not […]
Street Signs from Recycled Plastic
Sunday, September 23rd, 2007The next time you’re in the city of Rio de Janeiro, take a closer look at that street, metro or park sign you’re passing. Chances are good that you’ll discover that it’s made of recycled plastic, rather than metal like traditional signs are. In August the city mayor issued a decree ordering all organs associated […]
One of the World’s Top PET Recyclers
Monday, January 15th, 2007Take Three Guesses Who does the title above refer to? No peeking ahead! Not a particular recycling firm. I’m talking countries here! Nope. Wrong! Not the US! Not some European country. Okay, you’ve used up your three guesses. The answer is (drumroll please!): Brazil. In 2005 it recycled 174 metric tons, representing about 47% of […]