Thorough research commissioned by Italian bioplastics manufacturer Novamont shows that Mater-Bi, which is produced by the company, will completely biodegrade in the marine environment. Despite the presented evidence of Mater-Bi’s biodegradability, Novamont is, however, keen to stress that this is not an excuse for the improper disposal of Mater-Bi packaging or bioplastics products in general.

The amount of plastic waste in oceans and seas is growing rapidly and causes widespread concern. On 28 May 2018, the European Commission presented a comprehensive set of measures in the new single-use (SUP) directive to address the important issues of littering and marine pollution, with the additional objective to stimulate the circular economy.

Our view

We are happy to share that our pretty little sugarcane bowl Carice was included in the test.

Something you might have experienced before on the beach: just as you plant your feet in the sand, you start to feel little pieces of plastic between your toes. This is actually a substantial part of marine litter; you can’t see it but you can feel it. A recent scientific study found that every kilogram of European sand contained on average 250 microplastics: fragments smaller than 5 mm. There are even traces of significantly smaller plastic fragments, called nanoplastics. Ironically, these tiny bits of plastic cause the greatest problems.  All different types and sizes of plastic form the plastic soup. The world’s ever increasing use of plastics has created large areas of floating plastic waste in rivers and oceans and many of these plastics break down into smaller fragments. Our demand for plastic does not only have devastating consequences for the oceans, but marine wildlife is also affected by plastic pollution. It appears that fish tend to mistake the scent of plastic for food and ingest it on purpose. Because the vast majority of plastics is not biodegradable, let alone (bio)degradable, it will remain in the environment for a long time. Through various ways, for example by eating fish and shellfish, these small fragments of plastic have entered our food chain and our bodies. 

Sometimes it looks like the amount of festivals keeps increasing every year. There is something to do every weekend and we also don’t stop in the winter season anymore. Great for the ones that like to go to a party, but it also has an enormous impact on the environment. More and more festival organisations and event management agencies are aware of this and take measures to make their event more sustainable. Usually this happens with some standard solutions, which has some but little impact on the amount of used energy or the amount of waste. Sometimes, the ideas are a lot more original yet simple and they improve the sustainability and increase the awareness.

Tucked away between some other small businesses and a Hema you find a small shop with a fresh look. The mint green building with the yellow sign stands out between the overall sober building in the street. On the window, it clearly shows what you can expect here. Lunchroom, Food shop and “Brood op de Zaak” (Bread for Businesses). Three different components that form the base of Familie van Rijk, with an extra area where you can buy special beers.

The lunchroom and the food shop are founded in 2016, in an old bakery at the Amsterdamsestraatweg in Utrecht (NL). The owner, Raymond & IJsbrand, have known each other for 15 years and have been working together for quite some time. They have been working with us (Bio Futura) for some years now, time to get to know these hard working guys a bit better.

Photo: www.familievanrijk

We are all aware of the environmental impact of plastic bags, packaging or for instance straws. To explain that these are some of the most polluting products in your house might be a bit too obvious. That is why we created a short list of polluting products that you might never thought about. And they are easily replaceable by an environmentally friendlier option.

Scientists, specialists and a big part of social media have been telling us this for a while
now: It is necessary to eat less meat. For our own health and for the environment. Time
to take a look at an alternative: Insects!

Years ago, this idea was strange, exotic, scary or even repulsive: eating insects. These are
thoughts many people from Europe might still have when it comes to this subject, but times are
changing. There are already numerous catering companies and restaurants that experiment with
insects in their dishes. Also, a lot of edible insects can be purchased online with complementary
cookbooks of course. 

What does circular economy mean and how could you apply this for your own business?

It is an expression that you hear quite often at the moment, on the news, on
political agendas and maybe even during your coffee break: Circular Economy.
An innovative and for many probably a new way of working, which offers a lot
of new opportunities for businesses. But what does such an economy and
circular businesses actually mean? That is why we want to give you a short
introduction and explanation on this sustainable way of doing business.