EarthPeople Joins Clinton Global Initiative, Credit Suisse, Metabolix, and Others Supporting International Effort to Reduce Plastic Waste in Oceans
The PDP offers a tremendous opportunity for companies to benefit from managing their plastic footprints. EarthPeople wholeheartedly supports this initiative.
Dallas, Texas, January 2012 : EarthPeople, a Dallas-based sustainability consulting and communications firm, announced today its status as the first U.S. consultancy to offer companies plastic assessment and reporting services through the Plastic Disclosure Project (PDP). EarthPeople joins the Clinton Global Initiative and other international supporters of the PDP to raise awareness around plastic waste in oceans.
Roughly 33% of plastic is discarded after a single use and approximately 85% of total global plastic used is not recycled. Plastic has the potential to stay in the environment for hundreds of years, negatively impacting over 270 species of animals, waterways, and even human health. The PDP is working with the global business community to create a world in which plastic adds value for consumers and businesses without negatively impacting the environment. Companies participating in the PDP are asked to assess the amount of plastic used in their operations, manufacturing, shipping, and after market waste, and then disclose or report their levels of plastic.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for companies to benefit from managing their plastic footprints,” said Anna Clark, president of EarthPeople. "EarthPeople wholeheartedly supports this initiative." The alliance was initiated by EarthPeople consultant Nancy Schneider, who first contacted PDP founder Doug Woodring. “At the moment I read about this project, I knew we had to take action,” said Ms. Schneider. “As someone who is involved with the beach communities in South Florida and part of the sustainability community in Philadelphia, I see the disturbing impacts of plastic everywhere, particularly along the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. I believe that companies want to do the right thing and don’t imagine their products with their name or logo will end up on the street, in the woods, or in the ocean. That is not the kind of advertising any company wants. By participating in the Plastic Disclosure Project, companies can pro-actively make a difference.”
Annual disclosure requests will be made to major plastic-using companies starting at the end of 2011. The primary focus will be on companies in the consumer goods and technology sectors, as well as other service industries such as airlines and hotels that may use or sell plastic-intensive products on a relatively large scale. The PDP and EarthPeople also encourage small-to-medium sized companies to be involved, as some may have new solutions or best practices that could be applied on a larger scale. Universities, hospitals, and local governments are also invited to disclose their plastic footprint.
The Plastic Disclosure Project is a project of the Hong Kong and California-based Ocean Recovery Alliance (ORA). The Ocean Recovery Alliance is focused on bringing innovation, technologies, creativity and collaborations together to address some of the challenges that face the ocean and our broader environment. The PDP’s lead operating partner is the Association for Sustainable and Responsible Investment in Asia (ASrIA), an operating partner in Asia for the Carbon Disclosure Project. For details, visit http://www.plasticdisclosure.org.
EarthPeople is a consulting and communications firm that transforms organizations through profitable sustainability strategies. Since opening in 2005, EarthPeople has engaged stakeholders in corporate social responsibility initiatives for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Among its services, EarthPeople offers plastic disclosure and reporting services and Life Cycle Assessments, as well as a full range of communications services, to companies, NGOs and local governments. For more information, visit http://www.earthpeopleco.com.
This press release is presented without editing for your information only.
Full Disclosure Statement: The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.
This article is for your information only and the GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW does not (necessarily) approve, endorse or recommend the product, service or company mentioned.
