Are You Ready to Calculate Your Plastic Footprint?
First there was the carbon footprint. Next came the water footprint . . . and then the forest footprint.
Now, it’s time to get ready for the plastic footprint.
The New York Times is reporting that starting in early October, hundreds of companies and institutions around the world will receive a questionnaire asking them to assess and report their use of plastic.
The goal of this new survey? To build awareness about plastic use and have companies manage and utilize plastic more wisely, according to Doug Woodring, an environmental entrepreneur in Hong Kong who has a background in asset management and is the driving force behind the initiative.
The Plastic Disclosure Project (PDP), which was first introduced in September 2010 at the Clinton Global Initiative, will be re-launched to the public with a new website next month.
The initiative aims to improve transparency in reporting while educating both businesses and the general public about the possible environmental and health impacts of the materials used in production. Researchers estimate that about 90 percent of plastics made today are not recycled. As PDP points out, that represents an enormous opportunity for recycling, re-use, better design and cost savings. (more…)
