Is recycling a myth? Recycling to reduce waste is like a placebo; it makes you think you are solving a problem when you are not. The green triangle of arrows representing the slogan, “go green” fueled a movement that worked at first but is not efficient or effective. It might feel like we are making a difference when we recycle plastic, glass, aluminum and carboard, but this method simply can’t keep up with the amount of waste we as a society are producing.
Plastic use per capita has grown dramatically in most countries. Over the past 30 -years, the world utilization of plastics has increased rapidly, and we do not have a sustainable way to dispose of it. In fact, our recycling systems are so inadequate, we are forced to transport trash to other countries to be “dealt with.” The trash usually ends up being incinerated, polluting the air with even more carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.
What are shoppers doing? Due to constraints on time, budget, and information, most shoppers fall for greenwashed products that have unwarranted claims of being sustainable, eco-friendly, or environmentally friendly. It’s time to stop “going green” and switch to coral.
At Okeanos we give shoppers an alternative; push for Made From Stone, a fully circular solution. Our Made From Stone technology is made primarily of calcium carbonate which is a natural material harvested from the earth in a sustainable way. It reverts into calcium carbonate when it is disposed properly. Not only does it take less carbon dioxide to produce than paper, but calcium carbonate can even help the ocean reduce its carbon dioxide levels.
The color we know as “coral” – a reddish or pinkish shade of orange – is the color of calcium carbonate in the world’s oceans, usually found in seashells. At Okeanos we identify our degradable products with a coral stripe. Welcome to a new era, where “Coral is the New Green” and we are reinventing what it means to be an eco-conscious company.
Be a smarter shopper by choosing the products with the Made From Stone label or coral stripe, and voila! You’re part of the movement.