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☆ Does bottled water go bad? When it's safe to drink expired water and what to do with a contaminated bottle
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Emily Swaim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Bottled water can have an expiration date, though it's legal in the US to sell expired water. Drinking expired water probably won't harm you, especially if the water was stored properly. So while an expired water bottle from the fridge may be safe to drink, the bottle you forgot in your hot car trunk or on a sunny shelf probably isn't. What to do with an expired water bottleIf you suspect your water is bad, boil it to kill off any potential pathogens. Oliver Rossi / Getty ImagesIf you're a frugal or environmentally-conscious person, you may wonder how to salvage your expired bottled water.

☆ A growing plastic smog is choking the world's oceans — and it shows no signs of slowing down
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.N. member states are scheduled to meet this spring with the aim of developing a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. More than 170 trillion plastic particles weighing roughly 2 million metric tons are afloat in the world's oceans, according to new research, and that number could nearly triple by 2040 if no action is taken. The authors of the peer-reviewed research paper, published Wednesday in the PLOS ONE journal, warn that "cleanup is futile," if plastic continues to be produced at the current rate. They say this may reflect an exponential uptick in plastic production, fragmentation of existing plastic pollution or changes to terrestrial waste generation and management. The rate of plastic entering the world's oceans, without immediate action to reverse the current trend, was expected to increase roughly 2.6-fold from 2016 to 2040.

☆ Plastic entering oceans could nearly triple by 2040 if left unchecked -research
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Antonio BronicSINGAPORE, March 8 (Reuters) - Plastics entering the world's oceans have surged by an "unprecedented" amount since 2005 and could nearly triple by 2040 if no further action is taken, according to research published on Wednesday. Marine plastic pollution could rise 2.6 fold by 2040 if legally binding global policies are not introduced, it predicted. "We need a strong legally binding U.N. global treaty on plastic pollution that stops the problem at the source," he added. Experts said the study showed that the level of marine plastic pollution in the oceans has been underestimated. Environmental group Greenpeace said that without a strong global treaty, plastic production could double within the next 10 to 15 years, and triple by 2050.

☆ Plastics Export: How I Keep My Family, Baby Safe From Toxic Microplastics.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Adrienne Matei | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Hardman does research on microplastics — tiny pieces of plastic debris that are broken down from larger plastic items. Microplastics are often too small to pick up or even notice, but they are everywhere: in the air, dust, and rain. Laura HardmanPlastic is a relatively new pollutant, so there's still a lot we don't know about it. In the lab, my team of researchers and I focus on the sources, effects, and fate of plastics in the ocean. The simple answer is we don't know what plastics might be doing to us, but I've started to get really concerned.

☆ Check out the 16-slide pitch deck the sustainable-healthtech startup Cabinet Health used to nab $17 million in new funding
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Samantha Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The sustainable-healthtech startup Cabinet Health just raised $17 million from Global Impact Fund. Check out the pitch deck Cabinet Health used to land its latest round of funding. Cabinet Health just raised millions of dollars in new capital for its mission to make medication refills more earth-friendly. Cabinet Health was founded in 2018 with the goal of eliminating single-use plastics from the pharmaceutical industry. Check out the 16-slide pitch deck Cabinet Health used to raise its most recent round of funding:

Tiny fragments of plastic have been found in blood samples, stools and placentas of unborn babies, recent studies have shown. Scientists are trying to understand the health risks of this new phenomenon, but concerns range from the impact on organs to how some plastic additives might disrupt hormonal systems. Jodie Roussell, public affairs lead for packaging and sustainability at Swiss consumer goods giant Nestle (NESN.S), told the panel she hoped the treaty would help establish global quality controls for plastic, especially recycled plastic. Roussell said in lieu of such standards, Nestle has established its own quality controls and a black list for certain materials. International standards would help with "levelling the playing field and ensuring a fair distribution of responsibility across the value chain," Roussell said.

☆ Exclusive: UN treaty must tackle production of problematic plastics, Japan says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( John Geddie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nov 30 (Reuters) - A proposed United Nations plastic waste treaty must consider putting restrictions on the most problematic plastics, Japan's lead negotiator told Reuters, marking the first time the country has suggested it would support curbs on plastic production. However, on the same panel, Stewart Harris, a lobbyist for the American Chemistry Council, a trade association for some of the world's biggest plastic producers, warned that any move to restrict plastic production could backfire. "There will be tremendous unintended consequences if we were to restrict production." Plastic output is projected to double within 20 years, while the amount of plastic waste flowing into the world's oceans is forecast to triple in that period. The Swiss food and drink giant is among several big brands that have called for a reduction in virgin plastic production to bolster markets for recycled material and catalyse a shift towards reusable packaging.

☆ Prime Day 2022 ends tonight: 80+ best deals to shop ahead of Black Friday
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Zoe Malin | Zoe Malin Is The Associate Updates Editor For Select On Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +17 min

Prime Early Access Sale: The best dealsBelow, we’re sharing the best deals from the Prime Early Access Sale based on our previous coverage and reporting. 4.7-star average rating from 2,378 reviews on AmazonThis indoor gardening system allows you to grow herbs indoors year round. 4.6-star average rating from 72,050 reviews on AmazonThe Keurig K-Mini is one of our favorite single-serve coffee makers. Prime Early Access Sale: The best sales on AmazonHere are the best Prime Day sales on Amazon right now that we think you’ll want to know about. Prime Early Access Sale: The best sales at other retailersIn addition to Amazon, the following retailers are offering Prime Day sales we recommend.

☆ Amazon October Prime Day: 50+ best deals to shop ahead of Black Friday
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Zoe Malin | Zoe Malin Is The Associate Updates Editor For Select On Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +15 min

For the first time in Prime Day’s history, Amazon is hosting two Prime Day-like events in the same year. Prime Early Access Sale: The best dealsBelow, we’re sharing the best deals from the Prime Early Access Sale based on our previous coverage and reporting. 4.7-star average rating from 2,378 reviews on AmazonThis indoor gardening system allows you to grow herbs indoors year round. Prime Early Access Sale: The best sales on AmazonHere are the best Prime Day sales on Amazon right now that we think you’ll want to know about. Prime Early Access Sale: The best sales at other retailersIn addition to Amazon, the following retailers are offering Prime Day sales we recommend.

☆ Plastic pollution may have met its match: The saliva of wax worms
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-05 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Two substances in the saliva of wax worms — moth larvae that eat wax made by bees to build honeycombs — readily break down a common type of plastic, researchers said on Tuesday, in a potential advance in the global fight against plastic pollution. For plastic to degrade, oxygen must penetrate the polymer — or plastic molecule — in an important initial step called oxidation. Wax worms are the larvae of wax moths, a species called Galleria mellonella. The idea would be to produce the worms’ saliva enzymes synthetically, which the researchers succeeded in doing, to break down plastic waste. Bertocchini said the use of billions of wax worms to do the job has drawbacks including generating carbon dioxide as they metabolize the polyethylene.

German company Wasser 3.0, however, thinks it may have found the answer to cleaning up microplastic pollution before it reaches the ocean — using a whirlpool and a specially developed hybrid silica gel. Courtesy Wasser 3.0 gGmbH | Philipp BrüderleThe hybrid silica gel consists of silicone-based chemicals called organosilanes, and is non-toxic, says Schuhen. During a 12-month trial at the Landau site, around 600 pounds of microplastics were removed, says Schuhen. Some scientists have suggested using magnetic fluids to separate microplastics from water or sticky film made of bacteria, but these processes are in their early stages. Schuhen says that Wasser 3.0 is an affordable, scalable and simple solution to the global problem of microplastic pollution.

☆ Over 275 of the most promising startups of 2022 in edtech, fintech, crypto, proptech and more, according to VCs
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Julie Bort | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

We asked hundreds of top venture capitalists to name the most promising startups of 2022. And they were also asked to name startups across all stages, particularly earlier-stage companies that are not widely known. VCs have grown tighter with investments and startups that were not well-prepared to weather the cold have struggled. Below, we list hundreds of the most promising startups of 2022, sorted by industry. Advertising tech:The 19 most promising advertising and marketing tech startups of 2022, according to VCsClimate tech:The 37 most promising climate-tech startups of 2022, from microplastics to toilets, according to top VCsConsumer tech:The 27 most promising consumer startups of 2022, according to VCsCrypto:The 53 most promising crypto startups of 2022, according to VCsEducation tech:23 of the most promising edtech startups of 2022, according to top edtech VCsFintech:The 61 most promising fintechs changing the world of banking, trading, and investing, according to top investorsHealth tech:The 21 most promising healthtech startups of 2022, according to top VCsReal estate/property tech:The 21 most promising proptech startups of 2022, according to VCsRetail tech:24 of the most promising retail startups of 2022, according to top VCs

☆ Over 260 of the most promising startups of 2022 in edtech, fintech, crypto, proptech and more, according to VCs
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Julie Bort | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

We asked hundreds of top venture capitalists to name the most promising startups of 2022. And they were also asked to name startups across all stages, particularly earlier-stage companies that are not widely known. VCs have grown tighter with investments and startups that were not well-prepared to weather the cold have struggled. Below, we list hundreds of the most promising startups of 2022, sorted by industry. Climate tech:The 37 most promising climate-tech startups of 2022, from microplastics to toilets, according to top VCsConsumer tech:The 27 most promising consumer startups of 2022, according to VCsCrypto:The 53 most promising crypto startups of 2022, according to VCsEducation tech:23 of the most promising edtech startups of 2022, according to top edtech VCsFintech:The 61 most promising fintechs changing the world of banking, trading, and investing, according to top investorsHealth tech:The 21 most promising healthtech startups of 2022, according to top VCsReal estate/property tech:The 21 most promising proptech startups of 2022, according to VCsRetail tech:24 of the most promising retail startups of 2022, according to top VCs

☆ Patagonia's CEO gets candid: How sustainability, diversity, and social justice guide the beloved brand
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

As CEO of Patagonia, Ryan Gellert wrestles with a paradox: The outdoor-gear maker's good works, philanthropy, and intentions are still not enough to justify its existence. To Gellert, who took over from the widely respected Rose Marcario, the company could always be doing more. And we need business to step up. Patagonia really struggled in Europe, and that never made sense to me. One of the things that I love more than anything about Patagonia is that we are an unapologetically for-profit business.

☆ Rainwater is no longer safe to drink anywhere on Earth due to 'forever chemicals' linked to cancer, study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-13 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Rainwater around the world contains levels of "forever chemicals" unsafe to drink, a study suggests. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are linked to cancer and pervade homes and environments. That's because rainwater across the planet now contains hazardous chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Both substances' levels in rainwater "often greatly exceed" EPA limits, the study authors concluded. "Although in the industrial world we don't often drink rainwater [directly], many people around the world expect it to be safe to drink, and it supplies many of our drinking water sources," Cousins added.

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