Transforming Organic Waste and Generating Economic Benefits
Discovered in 1980 [1], nanocellulose is a nanomaterial derived from cellulose, the most abundant organic polymer on Earth and the major ingredient in organic waste streams. It is composed of nanofibers which are smaller than the width of a human hair, making it extremely lightweight [1]. It is also 4 times stronger than stainless steel […]
Rounding the Corner: Towards a Circular Economy in Canada
Canada repeatedly ranks in the top ten waste-producing countries globally. (1) Much of Canada’s waste piles up in landfills. (2) Ontario is expected to run out of landfill capacity by 2032, and even sooner if the United States prevents Ontario’s waste from crossing the border. (3) Excessive waste is a hallmark of a modern, linear […]
Rollout of the First Major Residential Plastic Film Recycling Program in the U.S. is Kicking off in the Great Lakes Region
WM and Dow announced the launch of a bold new collaboration to improve residential recycling for hard-to-recycle plastic films by allowing consumers in select markets to recycle these materials directly in their curbside recycling. According to The Recycling Partnership, currently, only 1.9% of U.S. households(1) have access to curbside plastic film recycling, which is the […]
Sustainable Construction Practices: One Company’s Focus on the Full Life Cycle of Spaces
Whether in the Great Lakes region or across the globe, there is an opportunity for the real estate sector to address greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts on climate by implementing sustainable construction practices. By using renewable and recyclable building materials, utilizing smart technologies, and designing and operating energy and water efficient buildings, sustainability in […]
Powering a Net-Zero Future for Ontario
Ontario Power Generation and Microsoft collaborate to create a Canada-first strategic partnership to power a net-zero future for Ontario. In September of 2022, OPG and Microsoft announced a Canada-first strategic partnership aimed at tackling climate change and supporting sustainable growth across Ontario. Under this partnership, Microsoft will procure clean energy credits (CECs) sourced from OPG’s […]
Incentives for Scope 3 Supply Chain Decarbonization: Accelerating Implementation
In 2021, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) –the Council of the Great Lakes Region is part of its Global Network – in collaboration with PwC, released the report: “Reaching net zero: incentives for supply chain decarbonization” which summarized a framework of supplier decarbonization levers that companies can use to take action on […]
From ‘Recyclable’ to ‘Recycled’: Process Innovation Makes the Circular Economy Real
You’ve seen the photos. Mountains of plastic trash on land; islands of plastic trash floating on the sea; wildlife encumbered by plastic; protestors calling for bans on plastics—and legislators listening and acting. On the other hand, plastics are incredibly useful polymers—strong, relatively light, and durable, they enable a world of life enhancing and life-saving applications. […]
A Look at the Climate Tech Landscape
As the world sets out to decarbonize, it must do so with ambitious scale and speed. The urgency to avoid climate disaster is unquestionable, and the race to reach carbon neutrality, a necessary step to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius, is reliant on climate tech solutions providing a pathway. Climate technologies and […]
Meet A.L.I.C.E.; Publicis Groupe’s Carbon Calculator
Three years in the making, with one quest in mind, making the world a cleaner place. Zenith Media Canada, as part of the Publicis Group, embarks on a journey with their clients, to support lowering carbon emissions. Climate change has a direct effect on all populations regardless of where they live or where they work. […]
Skilling the Workforce and Leading an Equitable Clean Energy Transition
Manufacturing regions have long been looking for a spark to revitalize communities and bring jobs to areas that have lost workers to automation and market transition. In Normal, Illinois, that spark has been found by way of electric vehicle manufacturing. The Great Lakes region is experiencing a renaissance of sorts in high-tech manufacturing that is […]