Field Notes

Solving the plastic pollution problem can seem a daunting task at times, but momentum is steadily building worldwide to do something dramatic. Over the last decade, the massive increase in single-use plastic production has resulted in very real world pollution problems, particularly in the global south, where the vast majority...

Caroline (James) DeLoach is excited about California's new landmark anti-plastic pollution legislation. As the new Sustainability Director for Atlantic Packaging, the largest privately held industrial packaging firm in North America, she will have - at the very least - a front-row seat to the historic discussions of how this very...

As the global search for viable alternatives to single-use plastics heats up, a variety of packaging options are going under the microscope for further scrutiny.In a perfect world, there would be no trace of our single-use packaging materials three to six months after their use, but sadly we're doing the...

Global conferences can be a lot like a round of golf. Fun, informative, and infuriating all at the same time. Fortunately, this year's United Nations' Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal was widely considered fruitful. In the wake of the pandemic, which delayed the conference by a year, the host nations...

On June 30, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a sweeping bill into law that takes aim at plastic pollution and packaging in the Golden State. Senate Bill 54, a.k.a. the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, is arguably the most aggressive legislation in the country aimed at curtailing...

Canada just dropped a bomb on single-use-plastic purveyors. The government just announced they're banning the importation and production of plastic bags and Styrofoam takeout containers by the end of 2022, their sale by the end of 2023, and their export by the end of 2025. "We promised Canadians we would...