Year: 2021

We keep hearing the term CIRCULAR ECONOMY. But what is a circular economy? A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose of) in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them while in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life.   In a circular economy, manufacturers design products to be reusable. For example, electrical devices are designed in such a way that they are easier to repair. Products and raw materials are also reused as much as possible. For example, by recycling plastic into pellets for making new plastic products. How does a circular economy work? It entails gradually decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources and designing waste out of the system. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular model builds economic, natural, and social capital. ... Design out waste and pollution. Keep products and materials in use. What are the benefits of a circular economy? Moving towards a more circular economy could deliver benefits such as reducing pressure on the environment, improving the security of the supply of raw materials, increasing competitiveness, stimulating innovation, boosting economic growth (an additional 0.5% of gross domestic product), creating jobs... What are the key elements of circular economy? Core elements PRIORITISE REGENERATIVE RESOURCES. ... STRETCH THE LIFETIME... USE WASTE AS A RESOURCE. ... RETHINK THE BUSINESS MODEL. ... TEAM UP TO CREATE JOINT VALUE. ... DESIGN FOR THE FUTURE. ... INCORPORATE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. ... STRENGTHEN & ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE. Looking beyond the current take-make-waste extractive industrial model, a circular economy aims to redefine growth, focusing on positive society-wide benefits. It entails gradually decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources and designing waste out of the system. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular model builds economic, natural, and social capital. It is based on three principles: Design out waste and pollution Keep products and materials in use Regenerate natural systems Re-thinking Progress: The Circular Economy There's a world of opportunity to rethink and redesign the way we make stuff. 'Re-Thinking Progress' explores how through a change in perspective we can re-design the way our economy works - designing products that can be 'made to be made again' and powering the system with renewable energy. It questions whether with creativity and innovation we can build a restorative economy. The concept of a circular economy In a circular economy, economic activity builds and rebuilds overall system health. The concept recognizes the importance of the economy needing to work effectively at all scales – for large and small businesses, for organisations and individuals, globally and locally. Transitioning to a circular economy does not only amount to adjustments aimed at reducing the negative impacts of the linear economy. Rather, it represents a systemic shift that builds long-term resilience, generates business and economic opportunities, and provides environmental and societal benefits. Technical and biological cycles The model distinguishes between technical and biological cycles. Consumption happens only in biological cycles, where food and biologically-based materials (such as cotton or wood) are designed to feed back into the system through processes like composting and anaerobic digestion. These cycles regenerate living systems, such as soil, which provide renewable resources for the economy. Technical cycles recover and restore products, components, and materials through strategies like reuse, repair, remanufacture or (in the last resort) recycling. Origins of the concept The notion of circularity has deep historical and philosophical origins. The idea of feedback, of cycles in real-world systems, is ancient and has echoes in various schools of philosophy. It enjoyed a revival in industrialised countries after World War II when the advent of computer-based studies of non-linear systems unambiguously revealed the complex, interrelated, and therefore unpredictable nature of the world we live in – more akin to metabolism than a machine. With current advances, digital technology has the power to support the transition to a circular economy by radically increasing virtualization, de-materialization, transparency, and feedback-driven intelligence. Circular economy schools of thought The circular economy model synthesizes several major schools of thought. They include the functional service economy (performance economy) of Walter Stahel; the Cradle to Cradle design philosophy of William McDonough and Michael Braungart; biomimicry as articulated by Janine Benyus; the industrial ecology of Reid Lifset and Thomas Graedel; natural capitalism by Amory and Hunter Lovins and Paul Hawken; and the blue economy systems approach described by Gunter Pauli. On EcoMauritius.mu we have a wide selection of products that support the circular economy, with plastic and paper as well as glass collected and used to make new trendy, quality items. We also sell items that are recycled, upcycled, sustainable, organic, natural, and nontoxic - and promote NGOs and businesses that make efforts for the environment too.

Reasons people go vegan. Going vegan is a great opportunity to learn more about nutrition and cooking, and improve your diet. Getting your nutrients from plant foods allows more room in your diet for health-promoting options. Examples are whole grains, fruit, nuts, seeds, and vegetables, which are full of beneficial fiber, vitamins, and minerals. There are numerous paths that can lead a person to veganism. It largely depends on their life experiences, interests, outlook on the world, and the timing of when certain issues are brought to their attention. You can ask 10 different vegans and although you may find similarities in their stories, going vegan is a very personal decision. Therefore all attempts to make sweeping generalizations are destined to fail. Everyone (non-vegans included) thinks that they know why people go vegan and what vegans are supposed to be like. Furthermore, there’s no shortage of stereotypes about vegans. But the truth is, we’re a diverse bunch and we all have our own reasons why we decide to take the step to change our lifestyle. No matter how challenging it may have seemed at the time. Here are 5 common reasons people go vegan: 1. Health and Nutrition Many people who turn vegan are first drawn to it because they hear or read about the tremendous long-term health benefits of eliminating artery-clogging and disease-accelerating animal products from their lives. Some specifically turn to a plant-based diet to improve their health and well-being. Then they eventually adopt the vegan lifestyle because of the numerous negative impacts of animal agriculture on animals and the planet. In recent years, the health argument for veganism has gained tremendous traction. As several scientific studies have confirmed what vegans have been saying for years – you don’t need to consume animal products to live a healthy life; in fact, consuming a diet of plant-based whole foods is undoubtedly the healthier choice. 2. Environmental Protection If you haven’t noticed the mainstream rise of the green movement in recent years, you must be living under a rock! As the impacts of accelerating climate change have become more widely known, the need for us to take steps to curb the destruction of our precious planet has become abundantly clear. Industrialized animal farming is a huge factor that is contributing to environmental degradation and the facts are so compelling that anyone seeking to live a more sustainable or eco-friendly lifestyle cannot help but question the impact of their food choices on the environment. Similar to those drawn in by the health argument for veganism, once people learn about industrialized animal farming and the horrific treatment of animals in factory farms, embracing the animal-free lifestyle beyond their plate becomes a logical next step. Long before the highlight of the health and environmental benefits of the argument in support of adopting a vegan lifestyle, people go vegan solely for moral reasons. Anyone who admires or adores animals has probably (at some point in their lives) questioned whether there is any difference between the animals they care for and protect and those that we breed and kill for food. Some of us find a way to justify this clear disconnect, citing physiological, historical, cultural, and other reasons why we eat and use animals. While others realize that these amount to nothing but excuses and that the only sensible first step that anyone who loves animals can take is to not eat them. This easily transitions into the broader realization that no form of animal use is morally justifiable and that we shouldn’t be wearing them or using them when animal-free alternatives exist. 4. Social Justice Anyone who is opposed to injustice in the world, should pause and think about the fact that we breed and kill billions of animals on an annual basis, just so that we can eat them. People who passionately believe that the world would be a much better place if we all learned to look past our differences and embrace the common ties that bind us will eventually have to confront the injustice we inflict on animals for our pleasure, convenience, and entertainment. If you oppose racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination based on class, sexual orientation, physical appearance, or abilities, then veganism is a natural extension of the belief in equality. This doesn’t mean that humans and animals are the same in every way and animals need to enjoy the same rights as human beings. What this means is recognizing that animals do not exist solely for us to use them as a means to an end. 5. Logic We don’t mean to imply that all the other paths to veganism are not logical ones. However, many people turn to veganism because of a combination of all the above factors. They turn to this lifestyle choice as the most meaningful step one can take against institutionalized systems of exploitation of living beings, to do something positive for their health, and the environment and to live in a manner that reflects their ethics. Veganism is a logical choice because it is good for us, animals, and for the planet. If you respect life, you should not directly or indirectly participate in the exploitation of life; if you respect nature, you cannot support industries that contribute to the destruction of our natural world, and lastly, if you value your own existence, you wouldn’t want to consume products that can have a detrimental impact on your health. It’s that simple, and you don’t need elaborate theories, complicated moral reasoning, and a billion scientific facts to help you arrive at veganism as the solution. Ultimately, the path you choose to get to veganism does not matter; what truly matters is you begin the journey and stay the course! https://www.onegreenplanet.org/

PENISES ARE SHRINKING BECAUSE OF POLLUTION, WARNS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST In case you needed another reason to care about the climate crisis. It has been found that pollution is causing human penises to shrink. This blog covers how chemicals in our environment and unhealthy lifestyle practices in our modern world are disrupting our hormonal balance, causing various degrees of reproductive havoc - like babies born with chemicals in their bodies already, and shrinking penis sizes. A leading epidemiologist and environmental scientist have published a book that examines the link between industrial chemicals and penile length. Dr. Shanna Swan's book, Count Down, argues that our modern world is altering humans' reproductive development. Which furthermore threatens the future of our species. The book outlines how pollution is leading to higher rates of erectile dysfunction, fertility decline, and growing numbers of babies born with small penises. Though the headline fact about shrinkage may sound like a laughing matter. The research paints a bleak portrait of humanity's longevity and ability to survive. "In some parts of the world, the average twenty-something today is less fertile than her grandmother was at 35," Dr. Swan writes, dubbing the situation a "global existential crisis" in the book. “Chemicals in our environment and unhealthy lifestyle practices in our modern world are disrupting our hormonal balance. Causing various degrees of reproductive havoc." According to the book, humans meet three of the five possible criteria used to define whether or not a species is endangered. "Only one needs to be met," writes Dr. Swan, "the current state of affairs for humans meets at least three." WHAT IS IT ABOUT POLLUTION THAT'S CAUSING THESE PROBLEMS? According to Dr. Swan's research, this disruption is caused by phthalates, chemicals used in plastic manufacturing, which can impact how the hormone endocrine is produced. This group of chemicals is used to help increase the flexibility of a substance. They can be found in toys, food packaging, detergents, cosmetics, and many more products. But Dr. Swan believes that these substances are radically harming human development. "Babies are now entering the world already contaminated with chemicals because of the substances they absorb in the womb," she says. Much of Dr. Swan's recent work has focused on the effects of phthalates, initially looking at phthalate syndrome in rats. In 2000, however, there was a breakthrough in the field. It became possible to measure low doses of phthalates in humans. Since then Dr. Swan has authored papers on how these chemicals can pass between parents and their offspring. The impact on female sexual desire, and - most recently - on penile length. More Research on Chemical Babies & Shrinking Penises One of her most famous studies examined the intersection between sperm count and pollution in 2017. In ground-breaking research which looked at men's fertility over the last four decades. After studying 185 studies involving almost 45,000 healthy men, Dr. Swan and her team concluded that sperm counts among men in Western countries had dropped by 59 percent between 1973 and 2011. But there is some good news. Since the creation of the European Environment Agency, European citizens are exposed to 41 percent less particulate pollution than we were two decades ago. It's believed that these regulations have gifted Europeans an extra nine months of life expectancy, on average. “A demand for change from citizens and subsequent strong policies have helped to clear the air in parts of Europe before, and can continue to do so to ensure that high pollution today does not need to be tomorrow’s fate," says Michael Greenstone, director of the Energy Politics Institute at the University of Chicago. So if pollution reduction measures can be properly implemented, there is still hope for the future and humanity's fertility. By Marthe de Ferrer 31/03/2021