Environment

Rights and responsibilities, adults or children, we all have them. Animals also have rights! But nature? This nature, which is plundered and cannot defend itself, is at the heart of the fight of environmentalists to offer it rights and a regulation to protect it. Discovering the rights of nature!

Rights of nature, what are they?

This is a concept to recognize rights to natural entities, give them a status and thus offer them the possibility of having their interests defended in court. These rights can protect living things, ecosystems, or even a river, a glacier. Natural resources will then be recognized and endowed with specific rights. There was an environmental law in which nature was a possession of man. The idea today is to consider the various systems necessary for life ( biodiversity , climate, fresh water) in relation to their link with human society. A new legal field is emerging in which nature and its components will be able to claim the right to exist, develop and evolve, with the notion of the crime "ecocide" if necessary via legal recourse.

What is the principle of these rights?

The Rights of Nature, or Rights of the Earth, are inspired by the Jurisprudence of the Earth, imagined by Thomas Berry. This philosophy is opposed to the biocentric vision which considers nature as the property of Man. The Rights of Nature consider the world as indigenous peoples: a living Whole whose each component is interdependent on the others. An obvious fact that modern societies have erased, considering nature as a tool at their service, and ignoring that without nature, there is no longer Man.

Biocentric thinking and the rights of nature

Thus, these rights are based on a precise notion: each natural entity has a role in the overall functioning of the Earth. Each therefore has an intrinsic value in the same way as other natural entities, equal to the others since each is necessary. This is the idea of ​​the "Greater Whole": a community of which each member is an essential component since they participate in the proper functioning of the system. This biocentric vision is the cornerstone of these rights as opposed to anthropocentrism which considers man as sovereign. With the Rights of Nature, the integrity of natural entities is preserved and defended: nature is no longer protected only for the purposes of exploitation by man, according to the value it represents, but simply for what it is, in a new egalitarian vision where man is no longer at the center.

How does it work?

Each country may or may not recognize rights to Nature through legal entities provided that the living entity can be represented by an organization such as an association, a person recognized as a guardian, or custodian of this entity. These may be lawyers, political figures, associations, etc. The Ganges in India had been recognized as a legal entity and provided with representatives, but this decision was suspended. Providing legal personality to a living entity is the first condition for recognizing its rights. Then, it is necessary to define rights and grant them to it, to exist to allow it to fully play its role. Over the last 20 years, more and more countries have recognized rights of this type to ecosystems, at local or national scale, through legislative or judicial actions.

Which texts define the rights of nature?

In the past, several texts have paved the way for the rights to Nature as they are currently envisaged. Adopted in 2010, during the World Conference on Climate Change, the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth included the definition of the Earth as an "indivisible community of interdependent entities" at the international level. This declaration gives humans and institutions a series of rights and duties towards ecosystems. Since 2009, the United Nations has initiated several discussions to adopt resolutions aligned with Earth Jurisprudence and adopt a global vision of the rights of nature. Then, the World Declaration of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) of 2016 paved the way for a European evolution of environmental law. More recently, the Belgian House of Representatives adopted a resolution to recognize the crime of ecocide, i.e. the irreparable damage to an ecosystem by destruction or exploitation. Most countries share this vision, but none have followed through with this approach. However, it was one of the strongest proposals of the Citizens' Convention for Climate, which ultimately resulted in a simple pollution offence. Many activists persist in integrating ecocide into the Environmental Crime Directive at the European level.

All these changes and battles, led to protect nature in concrete terms, are a tremendous hope. But the urgency is there. Far from being a new fad, the rights of nature, inspired by ancestral philosophies, humbly recognize the dependence on ecosystems and, in fact, the imperative need to preserve them, to preserve oneself. The well-being of Man on earth is inextricably linked to the proper functioning of ecosystems and living entities among themselves.

We all want to get started. Yes, but where to start and how to do it well, while being eco-responsible ? Insight from Aline Gubri, sustainable development consultant, and our selection of the best Insta accounts to follow.

Little by little, the bird is building its nest. If you are reading this article, it means that you have realized that you can do something for the planet, at your humble level. Author of the book full of tips "La récup facile" (Ed. Leduc), the expert Aline Gubri helps us to see clearly the right actions to adopt. Consultant in sustainable development and Instagrammer on the account @ consommons.sainement , Aline reminds us that "we must first tackle the main sources of environmental impact before targeting specific sectors (such as beauty, fashion, etc.)". Why? Because beyond using a bamboo toothbrush or eliminating straws for aperitifs forever, targeting the sources of pollution precisely is more effective. And this, even if the initial intention is laudable. Follow the guide!

1 – Food: the real shift to take

According to Aline Gubri, if one sector should be a priority, it is food. Indeed, the figures are frightening. According to Ademe, the Environment and Energy Management Agency, 20 to 50% of the environmental footprint of a French person is found in their diet. How can such a gap be explained? By the composition of the diet followed by each person. A diet rich in animal proteins or dairy products , for example, requires production that is harmful to the planet.

Strong and easy to implement actions:

Discover two small gestures that don't require so much sacrifice or effort and that have a big impact on the planet.

• Reduce your consumption of red meat. Be careful, this is not about launching an "all or nothing" operation, hop hop hop, I'm becoming a vegetarian overnight. Not everyone can or wants to become a vegetarian . The idea would rather be to eat one less steak per week. That alone is already huge. To counterbalance and fill your protein intake, you can replace this source of protein with plant proteins (like hummus), or choose poultry with a low carbon footprint . With this simple action, you act directly on greenhouse gases.
• Eat seasonal food , at least for fruits and vegetables: it's a classic action but very effective when you know that a tomato sold in December comes either from the southern hemisphere (and therefore with the transport plane, it consumes 10 to 20 times more oil than a tomato produced in France) or from Spain... It's closer certainly, but the tomato is then produced in greenhouses heated and artificially lit with a strong ecological impact. Moral, reserve tomatoes for your spring and summer menus.

Accounts to follow for inspiration:

@deliciouslyella , @loomiparis and @missblemish

Ideas to steal from Instagrammers:

On the account of the pop and vintage second-hand dealer @ Lanabrocante , an explosive post, dated February 26. The bargain hunter shares with her community her " five eco-friendly efforts " that she tries to apply on a daily basis. On the food side, she has opted to carry a stainless steel cup (to avoid tumblers), look for kitchen utensils at flea markets and reuse takeaway boxes.

2 – Purchases: long live second-hand !

Of course, when we look at the failings of the consumer society, we are shocked by the amount of waste linked to this lifestyle. But Aline Gubri is alert to the tons of invisible waste linked to this race for consumption. An example? The purchase of a new table mobilizes no less than 127 kilos of consumed natural resources. This invisible waste (from the extraction of the raw material, to its transformation without forgetting its transport, etc.) has a strong impact on the planet. Another example: for laptops, the figures are even higher. This time, it is 800 kilos of invisible waste. And, the prize by far goes to the microwave oven which alone mobilizes two tons of natural resources.

Strong and easy to implement actions:

• Before buying something new, we try to reuse it in a different way, that is to say repair it, buy second-hand ... Same principle when we want to get rid of an object. Think, before putting it in the dumpster, to offer it for donation! More and more neighborhood apps or mutual aid tabs are emerging (on Le Bon Coin, via the bulky waste service in Paris, etc.) or on neighborhood networks like NextDoor. Giving an object a second life allows us to avoid making a new object, so adopt the right reflex!

Accounts to follow to find nuggets:

@ huguette.shop , @odael_vintage , @ parisfashionvintage …

Ideas to steal from Instagrammers:

On the account @merci_la_rue_ , the Parisian reveals her positive way of giving another life to thrown away objects … including a huge amount of clothes that dress her from head to toe!

3 – Compost: a new way to recycle our waste

Composting is the third strong lever on which we can act. Indeed, in France, each year, each person produces 250 kilos of food waste in their food waste. "It's not easy to start composting, warns our expert, especially in the face of preconceived ideas!" The main ones? It's complicated, and it smells bad. However, by following clear rules for composting properly, this recycling of waste becomes very simple. Water well in the summer, avoid adding meat scraps, remember to mix regularly

Strong and easy to implement actions:

Of course, composting is much easier in a garden, but not impossible in an apartment (thanks to specific composts to slide under the sink or put on the balcony). Finally, let's not forget the shared compost areas provided in most large cities (even if they are still very much in the minority) and the new partners who come to collect biowaste in certain urban areas. Moral: learning to compost allows us to avoid a third of our household waste!

Accounts to follow to learn the art of composting:

@compostturbain , @absolu_compost , @les_alchimsites_compost

Ideas to steal from Instagrammers:

On @gardenplanning , many garden designs to share that can make us want to reinvest the land in all ways.

4 – Other easy actions to adopt:

According to our expert, it is best to act in a targeted manner based on our biggest impact. Now, nothing prevents you from doing as you feel. Just try not to fall into certain pitfalls like Aline Gubri did at the beginning. "During my transition, I could cross all of Paris to find a food sold in bulk on the other side of the city..." A lot of energy wasted for a fairly small gain in the end. To last over the long term, you have to be realistic and above all not want to be "ecologically perfect" at the risk of giving up before having completed your transition.

Strong and easy to implement actions:

• Air transport. We all know that it is very polluting. If it is difficult for you to give up long-distance travel, you can initially decide to stop flying, first in France, then in Europe. And in a while, limit yourself to one long trip every three years. The important thing is to learn to moderate your efforts.
• Another easy action that often falls through the cracks: changing energy supplier. Be careful though, not all green-labelled suppliers are equal. Some buy energy equivalents elsewhere, others develop renewable energies in France, which is better. A little market research is required. More simply, you can opt for a greener subscription with your supplier. The cost will be slightly higher, but you won't have to do any major procedures (they use the same cables, etc.).
• Finally, in your quest for daily cleanliness, you can also change your beauty or fashion routines a little, a lot, passionately according to your natural inclination.
• In the bathroom: ditch the cotton pad for makeup removal . Switch to clean beauty products (once you've used up all your old jars, of course). Opt for a minimalist beauty routine.
• On the dressing side: we can only advise you to do a real intelligent sorting (I give, I sell, etc.) before going shopping again. You will be surprised by the number of pieces buried at the bottom of your drawers that you had simply forgotten about. Do not buy your seventeenth white cotton shirt and also think about second-hand before buying new.

Accounts to follow to find clean ideas or think:

@celestethomas , @ecoloversforever , @vert_le_media

Ideas to steal from Instagrammers:

Marseille fashion-beauty influencer @charlotteaime offers a wealth of outfits “straight out of the closet” to rehabilitate the clothes that are sleeping peacefully at the back of the closet. Lots of ideas and common sense!

Among the "small ecological gestures", there is the one that is to "change banks". Indeed, our investments, our savings often participate, without us knowing it, in the financing of initiatives that contribute to global warming. But new banking establishments allow us to make another choice: "clean" investments. Explanations.

What is the ecological problem with traditional banks?

Most citizens are unaware of this, but the money we deposit in the bank, our savings, does not just sit there sleeping in our accounts. In reality, this money is used by banks to make it grow, in particular by granting loans or holding shares. Banks thus finance projects with our money without us necessarily knowing what. And some companies that banks finance are not always virtuous. Especially when it comes to fossil fuel players, which emit a lot of CO2 and contribute to global warming. Thus, by financing these companies, the bank offers its support. The most ecological of citizens can therefore live soberly , adopt all the most responsible actions on a daily basis, while unknowingly financing fossil fuels. Some algorithms can even evaluate your CO2 emissions based on your bank, on CombienEmetMonAgent.info for example.

What is a neo bank?

Initially, the term neo bank refers to a bank without physical branches, without a counter, accessible only remotely via a website, a mobile application or advisors by telephone. These "modern" banks allow you to have a current account, a payment card, and sometimes savings and credit. More responsive, more accessible, more available, information and current operations are simplified, and many bank fees no longer exist.

Green banks, young banks, have chosen this mode of operation which is less expensive to start up, more flexible and which better meets the needs of their customers, who are often committed and young, used to using apps and dematerialized documents.
This is why the term "green neo-bank" characterizes these green banks. Normally the word "bank" is reserved for credit institutions. Neo-banks that have a banking license are therefore banks without branches.
Those that do not have a banking license should be called a "financial intermediary" because customer funds are held by a bank of which they are a customer.

Ecological bank: what are the differences with a traditional bank?

A "green" bank is committed to putting depositors' money to work in ecological, sustainable and environmentally friendly projects. Unlike traditional banks, green banks adopt policies of total transparency. They choose who they lend money to, but also the assets in which the money is invested. Finally, green banks cannot be green without applying a 360° charter on ethics and sustainable development.

What are green investments and labels?

Most green neo-banks do not offer investments, but it is possible to do so via specialized platforms that only work with responsible companies. These investments can benefit from labels ensuring their carbon neutrality, or their impact on the environment , such as Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) and the Greenfin label (formerly TEEC). With them, there is no fear of financing markets or projects in sectors that you might disapprove of (armament, fossil fuels, tobacco, etc.), but on the contrary companies dedicated to the energy transition, the reduction of CO2 emissions or even ethical, responsible or that promote gender equality. There are even SRI life insurance policies that offer green investments. To obtain the SRI label created by the Ministry of Finance, financial institutions must scrupulously analyze their method of selecting the proposed investments and measure their impact, which comes down to choosing the most virtuous companies in each field of activity based on social and environmental criteria.

What effects on ecology?

By choosing ecological investments, green neo banks promote certain projects and allow responsible initiatives to see the light of day. But even more than supporting these virtuous projects, green banks oust companies that have a negative impact on the environment. By excluding fossil fuel producers, polluting and unethical activities from their financing, green banks play a major role in future societal and ecological changes. In addition, the famous 360° actions implemented within green neo banks make them responsible companies themselves. These actions range from reducing plastic (for example, with plastic-free bank cards), to supporting ecological associations, through internal actions or with customers, to help them calculate their carbon footprint or consume more responsibly by analyzing their account statements.

Ecological banks, a real solution?

Compared to the ecological consequences of the investments of the 4 largest French banks, which are considerable, green banks are much more virtuous. In addition, our wallet has a very powerful impact compared to a ballot paper. If no one buys a harmful product anymore, we will stop producing it and if the consumer demands traceability before buying a product, we will provide it. If we slow down investments in major polluters and fossil fuels, they will have to turn to other solutions. And if, in addition, part of these investments go to other virtuous systems, the benefit will be significant!

For years, citizens have been financing certain polluting sectors through their banks without knowing or wanting to, while they are fighting against them elsewhere. Fortunately, some organizations have a new vision of banking that allows everyone to choose what their money will do! So, are you ready to change banks?

In a consumer society transformed into a society of overconsumption, we use more resources than the Earth can replenish. Well, "we", Westerners, because elsewhere in the world, we know how to do the same things with simpler, more ecological and more artisanal techniques. As environmentalists of all stripes predict, it is urgent to learn to do things differently: go and discover low tech!

Low tech, what is it?

Did you know that you can operate a washing machine by pedaling a bicycle? That's the low tech spirit. We talk about "low tech", "low technology" in French, to designate simple technologies that work very well and that need little to exist and function. These are alternatives to modern systems and technologies, which can meet the needs of energy, food, water for housing and transport. And this as long as the low tech system has no impact, neither ecological nor social. This solution must also have an acceptable lifespan , be local and cheap. From this point of view, a bicycle is "low tech". Low tech is a bit like do it yourself applied to technologies. They are objects but also practices or lifestyles, which respond to the problems of resources that are not infinite thanks to another way of doing things. Low tech must be useful to individuals and/or the community (it can be an installation in a community). Behind the low tech philosophy also lies the idea of ​​mutual aid and autonomy: everyone must be able to appropriate the system in question, use it and even transmit its use and implementation.

Low tech: better to prevent

Prevention rather than cure seems relatively impossible, at the rate things are going. On the other hand, we can prevent certain consequences of global warming and the scarcity of resources and learn to do without current systems by implementing alternative solutions. Society will have to change a large number of its processes, especially with regard to energy. If low-tech adaptations are emerging, timing is against us. Indeed, the entire system needs to be reviewed and certain problems are insoluble, leading for example to restrictions (as is already the case for water in the south of France every summer), or to rationing. Today, high-tech innovations are not really managing to save the planet, on the contrary... while conversely, low tech seems to be emerging everywhere to prevent future shortages, through ecological convictions or necessity. Little by little, these changes in habits towards low tech will become imposed on populations.

Examples of low tech

Low tech, inspired by the famous "system D", is another way of doing the same things, sometimes by yourself, with less. For example, with a few boards and nails, a window (for the greenhouse effect) and aluminum foil, you can make a solar oven that can heat up to 170° (if the weather is nice). This type of rudimentary equipment can also generate drinking water by pasteurization. You can also make mini wind turbines to recharge mobile phones or light a lamp using small motors. All you have to do is recover these small motors from discarded devices and attach small blades to them to get your homemade wind turbine! The famous washing machine that you turn by pedaling, by putting water and detergent in the drum, equipped with a pipe to evacuate the dirty water by gravity, washes without electricity. In Africa, we manufacture with Toyota car spare parts (the brand is very established in the region, no problem of supply to repair), some baby incubators but also terracotta refrigerators and tiny houses. Finally, a low tech is considered "low" compared to another existing technology for the same use: a pencil can for example be considered as a low tech compared to a plastic ballpoint pen which is more complicated, more polluting to manufacture and to dispose of.

Low tech: back to the Middle Ages?

When we talk about solar ovens or dry toilets, some people have difficulty admitting the interest of such installations, not to mention ironic remarks like "going back to candles" or the Amish model. Indeed, low tech means for some the loss of modern comfort, a social regression or even a sacrifice, like "getting by" or survival, without any notion of desirability. However, these "low technologies" could anticipate future shortages today by maintaining a pleasant level of comfort. The development of low tech could explore the last possible avenues of an economic and industrial system that is out of breath. The need for change requires all sectors to look into the development of such alternative solutions. Low tech is indeed one of the paths of the future: it allows us to reduce negative impacts on the environment and gain autonomy. With, as a bonus, a collaborative vision of society.

The ecological interests of low tech

Durable, robust, inexpensive, repairable, recyclable, accessible, functional, low tech is presented as THE possibility to live differently , as opposed to polluting and resource-intensive materials, and this without giving up the functionality of the object. In a difficult economic context accompanied by an environmental crisis, low tech systems can be built by almost anyone, often with recycled materials (Upcycling, i.e. making a new object with an old one, is in itself a kind of low tech), without many resources. They are also easily repairable by those who made them. These concepts of "frugal innovation" allow communities to solve their problems locally independently, with the means at hand, while respecting the principles of resilience and circular economy. Fewer resources, less pollution, less waste...

Low tech business

The low tech ideology is therefore that of sustainability. The idea? to live better with less, and to adopt more sober and collaborative lifestyles, by putting meaning back into everyday life. Low tech absolutely does not exclude trading in it, or mass producing, as long as the object is eco-friendly and meets the criteria of this concept. We can imagine local companies producing low tech systems, marketing them, being profitable with a controlled use of resources and the integration of ecological aspects at all stages of product development. These companies could quite easily distribute solar ovens or install dry toilets in a professional manner and make a lucrative business out of it. On the contrary, for consumers to change (we don't all have DIY skills), the emergence of such micro-enterprises that would work locally would be a virtuous path. To do this, we need to review the concept of technology, rely on collective intelligence and local cooperation. If low tech meets the basic needs of emerging countries, they are inspiring examples for our Western societies in terms of ingenuity, mutual aid and sobriety.

The collective vision of the Low Tech Lab

A system based solely on these techniques offers, as a bonus, a more united and more "reasonable" society. This is the vision of all the actors and founders of the LowTech Lab who have specialized in observing low tech all over the world. These pioneers have identified virtuous solutions combining respect for the environment, community autonomy and effective solutions for humans including an understanding of ecosystems for better cohabitation with them.

Their mission? to list and test all these discoveries to imagine a new world " The pooling of robust services rather than the sale of disposable products; open and free education and knowledge, decentralized, relocated, autonomous and interconnected spaces for creation, research and training; regenerated ecosystems, territories that their inhabitants know like the back of their hand; communities that share a sense of responsibility for their own resources as well as the fruits of their labor. " To discover the many lessons from these low-tech organizations via tutorials and freely accessible content: www.lowtechlab.org/fr .

If today's society can make us believe that current comfort is eternal, the essence of low tech could bring another vision that is more sober, more autonomous, more accessible and more united. These low technologies could be THE answer to the major challenges to come. The development of these technologies would also establish a fairer relationship between humans and nature. A notion of progress revisited for the benefit of all!

A laundry detergent that washes well, doesn't smell like lavender and is eco-friendly... A real headache! All our advice for taking the plunge and choosing an eco-friendly laundry detergent,clean for the planet , and gentle on our laundry and our skin. With our expert, Caroline Vivant, co-founder of the website www.lekaba.fr , the guide to eco-responsible consumption.

It's decided. We're going to ditch the family laundry detergent, which for three generations has smelled divinely clean with ingredients that are not very good for our skin and our planet. Yes, but here it is. It's not easy to choose the one for our drum. "It's true," confirms our expert Caroline Vivant, "it's quite hard to change detergent brands because it's a habit that's ingrained in us. But let's remember that traditional detergents pose two major problems. First, the plastic container and then their composition..." Without forgetting of course the impact of transport, the dumping of wastewater and the use of a lot of water and active ingredients that are singled out (allergens, endocrine disruptors, etc.). In France, according to the planetoscope website, we do an average of 5 loads of laundry per week per household and we use 40 kilos of detergent per year.

Change laundry detergent

If you decide to completely change your way of working, you just have to consciously choose a less polluting detergent. For Caroline Vivant, co-founder of the website www.lekaba.fr , the guide to eco-responsible consumption, "you must then choose at least a detergent labeled Ecocert."

The guarantee? The preferred use of natural ingredients and biodegradable surfactants. Some brands, increasingly numerous, are also making an effort in terms of packaging, for example by using recycled materials. To help you make your choice, some laundry detergent comparison sites exist on Le Kaba, but also La Famille Tortue or Futura Sciences. Then, all you have to do is try.

Please note: eco-friendly detergents can be found in both specialist stores and supermarkets. At the We Are Clean editorial team, we also have our little favourites: the L'Arbre Vert liquid and refillable detergent, the Frais powder detergent and the unscented flake detergent for delicate laundry and skin from 3abeilles Lessive Bio.
Other brands are offering very interesting and original initiatives. This is the case of La Marque en moins, which has opted for hyper-compact active ingredient tablets in hyper-clean packaging.

Do your own laundry

This has not escaped the eco-responsible trend of Do It Yourself, we can also make our own laundry detergent. "Of course, we may have the impression that it is long and tedious to do... but not at all, it takes barely ten minutes" reassures us our green expert Caroline Vivant. Moreover, she even shares her recipe on the Lekaba website .

The basis of a homemade laundry detergent? Soap flakes (you can find them here for example on the site La droguerie éco or in the blog Marius Fabre , water and baking soda! A real child's play. You can add or not a few drops of essential oils for the perfume, but it is not obligatory.

The only precaution: if the little ones' clothes are very stained (for example, when they come back from the park on Saturday), don't hesitate to remove the stain by rubbing with Marseille soap before putting the clothes in the washing machine. In the end, it's a nice gesture for the environment and a huge reduction in expenditure for the household! Indeed, commercially purchased laundry detergent is expensive, by preparing it ourselves, we can save a lot of money. The extra tip: always keep a base of classic laundry detergent on really lazy days, if you don't have any homemade ones on hand.

Adopt the right actions

Whether or not you change your detergent, remember, when you run your machine, that several of your actions have a strong impact on the environment. The cycle time, the temperature used and... the amount of detergent added. Indeed, we all tend to be heavy-handed, while most detergents are "concentrated", so you only need a little. Think about it next time, you will see that your container will go down less quickly too. Especially since it is a technique used by laundry manufacturers to put more detergent in the same amount of packaging. By overdosing detergents, we cancel out this effect!

Water is set to become more precious than black gold. Climate and weather disruptions are increasing heatwaves and droughts, as well as storms and floods, while French regions experience water restrictions every year. Between water stress and shortages, where exactly are we in France?

Water, a resource in danger

When demand exceeds the amount of water available, we speak of water stress: we can no longer afford to waste it, so we must reduce demand otherwise we will run out of water and enter into a shortage. Water is a natural resource (we could even say re-source) that humans use for drinking but also for agriculture (and therefore eating) as well as for industry where many machines and manufacturing processes consume it. In "modern" society, this resource has not always been used consciously. Overconsumption pushes towards more production, more savings on procedures and relocation to countries where ecological regulations, particularly on water pollution, are more flexible or even non-existent. It is this imbalance that today endangers access to fresh water suitable for consumption. In addition to this overexploitation by humans, access to water is threatened by climate change and global warming. Indeed, in some regions of the world where water is supplied from wells, directly from the source. And if the region is affected by drought, if precipitation (rain) does not come to replenish it, the source dries up. Global warming also increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events (floods, hail, intense rain, storms, droughts) which disrupt the water cycle, make it unfit for consumption, transform the subsoil and plants which will no longer be able to retain water well. These mechanisms explain the problems of water resources, particularly in summer.

Water cycle

Natural water resources, as opposed to man-made "sources" (such as a canal or a body of water), consist of underground water tables, rivers and lakes... They are fed by precipitation: rain, hail, snow. In France, there are approximately 480 billion m³ of precipitation per year. 61% evaporates, 23% infiltrates into the ground to replenish underground reserves, 16% feeds watercourses (lakes, rivers, streams). The lack of rain, combined with high temperatures, no longer allows certain reserves to be replenished, hence the regulation of water use. However, it is the late winter and spring rains that infiltrate the most to be absorbed by the plants that emerge in the spring. It is the combination of a drop in precipitation at that time and very high temperatures in summer that determine the lack of water in a region and lead to drought. Heatwave episodes, which are increasing due to global warming caused by GHG emissions (greenhouse gases such as CO2 and methane), have a direct impact on air temperature. The climate and its natural regulators (hot or cold air currents) are completely disrupted, as is the water cycle (evaporation, clouds, precipitation, etc.). These phenomena can cause unusual alternations of drops and rises in temperatures from one day to the next, and therefore lead to a lack of water.

Drought in France

82% of the water used in France comes from surface water because it is easier to extract it here than underground, and it costs less. Except for drinking water, which comes 62% from purer groundwater. Although "stocks" in France remain positive, the resource is not inexhaustible and drought, in the literal sense of the term, appears more and more regularly and sustainably. Indeed, drought almost always refers to a lack of rain in the minds of citizens, but this does not always reflect the reality of dry soils. We also speak of agricultural drought when the soil is no longer moist enough to hydrate crops and of hydrological drought when the water level of the water tables drops abnormally. Thus, when the top of the underground reserve no longer has water, the soil above it loses its moisture, and if it feeds a spring or a river, their flow rates drop. In this case, we are fortunate to have enough numerous and differentiated networks so that the population does not run out of drinking water. On the other hand, in the areas concerned, especially if the shortage is linked to agriculture, the latter will have to reduce its irrigation volumes, a distribution entrusted to a collective management body which issues water abstraction permits.
These mechanisms can lead to curious situations. For example, near the Jura, in the Doubs, part of the river of the same name is dry every summer, forcing the municipalities to supply themselves with water by tanker trucks. However, not far from there, the local ski resort has installed a snow factory that collects water all winter long...

Water restrictions in France

In the French regions, as in the whole world, rainfall varies enormously. In France it is between 0.5 and… 2 meters/year, depending on the region. However, when there is a lack of rain, the soil dries out quickly with direct consequences on the filling of the water tables.

For years, the waters of the so-called "surface waters" have been rather stable, even if many regions have seen watercourses dry up. On the other hand, the levels of groundwater reserves are decreasing in a worrying way. A process that will continue to decrease more and more if these reserves are not renewed, and if they are more withdrawn than filled.

In France, we have about 270,000 kilometers of permanent watercourses and groundwater estimated at 2,000 billion m³ . We are therefore very well provided for. And yet, to date, 36 French departments are affected by drought and are forced to adopt restrictions.

• Vendée, Vienne, Eure-et-Loir and Loiret and Bouches-du-Rhône are on maximum alert
• The island of Groix in Brittany is in a "drought crisis": watering non-vegetable gardens and filling swimming pools are prohibited.
• The same goes for Aquitaine, Charente, Charente-Maritime, Gironde, Deux-Sèvres, Dordogne, Lot and Pyrénées-Atlantiques which are on heightened alert, not forgetting Sarthe, Loir-et-Cher, Rhône, Ain, Alpes-Maritimes, Ardèche and Var which are also affected. Alerts can concern territories, or the entire department as is the case for the island and Vilaine.
• 13 departments are on heightened alert: the agricultural sector sees its water use reduced to defined times, and individuals must not water their gardens, wash their cars, or the roofs or facades of buildings.
• Please note: The non-reinforced alert level allows gardens to be watered before 11 a.m. or after 6 p.m. and also imposes certain limits on farmers. In the last few days of June 2022, in Ardèche, the water level in the Ardèche rivers is so low that the prefect is worried because the drinking water supply could experience disruptions.

Necessary public policies and regulations

Given this observation, it is unfair to place the entire burden on individuals and farmers.

• The industry must also be controlled and subject to regulations both in the volumes of water used and in the treatment of wastewater which causes pollution where it is sometimes not expected. For example, the Comté cheese industry has recently been shown to be very polluting. Indeed, the watercourses in the "AOP Comté" area suffer from the fertilizers spread in the pastures to feed the cows which produce the milk needed to make this cheese. However, the subsoil in Franche-Comté is particularly porous: permeable to fertilizers from manure which saturate the ecosystem with nitrogen and phosphorus. This phenomenon triggers the proliferation of stringy algae which prevent fish from surviving.
• Farm water treatment systems are often insufficient because they have to cope with a sharp increase in their output to meet demand.
• Drinking water can also be of poor quality.
• Beyond restrictions, one could consider limits on the size of livestock farms that drink water and pollute it directly with their droppings. In addition, feeding the animals requires huge productions of cereals that also require mass irrigation and/or imports from far away. If livestock farming can harm water reserves, legislating on the (over)production of meat could be a solution, knowing that part of the meat produced is thrown away when the use-by date is exceeded.

The case of certain multinationals

Finally, it should be noted that some brands of spring water pump directly from the groundwater of a region, for bottling and then being sold. A process that can lead to deprivation for residents when pumping from the groundwater is done disproportionately compared to its renewal. For example, the agri-food giant, Nestlé, officially purchased agricultural land 30 years ago to protect it from pollution via a subsidiary and obtained pumping agreements. Some farmers now have to travel miles to get water while it flows under their land but is "reserved" for bottling (750 million liters exported abroad). Same problem with soda producers who pump water all over the world. This water, which is no longer accessible to local populations, is sold to them in sodas that are sometimes cheaper than water. This is the case in Mexico City, where water, which is not really lacking, is as if it were "privatized" and where the population, which then overconsumes sodas, is experiencing an epidemic of diabetes and obesity.

Solutions for preserving water

industrial and agri-food water. It is urgent to have companies adopt responsible industrial practices and regulate their consumption, which is sometimes very high in sectors that we would not suspect, such as construction. In Paris, the company "Eau de Paris" which manages the drinking water of the capital, has an extremely rare device: a second water network, parallel to that of drinking water. This one carries non-potable water, coming from the Seine and the Canal de l'Ourq, which is roughly filtered but not treated because it is used for watering parks and gardens, cleaning sidewalks, sewers and to replenish the lakes of Vincennes and Boulogne. The reuse of non-potable water but without the need for purification thus has tremendous potential for watering in particular.

© Water of Paris

We must also now stop making economic calculations based on an infinite resource, but take into account the scarcity of water for each project and adopt the associated good practices so that the effort does not rest solely on individuals. The latter can, at their level, set up rainwater recovery systems for the garden, reduce the filling of swimming pools, install pressure regulating systems, reduced flushing, etc. Finally, consumers can take action by turning away from the products of companies that abuse the water trade when it should be a common good.

If water is often used as the symbol of life, and it is not by chance. Without water, life cannot exist. It is therefore vital to moderate our water consumption, including indirect water consumption through our purchases, by avoiding products whose manufacturing is water-intensive, but also which emit a lot of CO2 since global warming contributes to water shortages.
Which brings us to the same conclusions when we talk about ecology : boycott fast fashion , consume second-hand goods , reduce meat , etc. Luckily, in France our reserves are good, so it is very much a question of management, to compensate for the shortage due to increasingly frequent droughts.

Elsewhere in the world, the shortage will be such that no measure will be able to compensate for the drought which will impact populations and agriculture: faced with the famines which will result, these populations will have, and this is already the case, no other choice but to move.

Times are changing, and with them real estate and the construction sector: ecological houses, tiny houses, autonomous houses, bioclimatic houses and ecological houses are revolutionizing the approach to housing. What are their advantages and their impact on ecology? Some tips to help you find your way.

Housing, a sector to be reinvented

The building and construction sector is one of the main emitters of greenhouse gases and thus contributes significantly to global warming . The carbon footprint of construction activities is poor. They emit CO2 but also methane and hydrofluorocarbons which produce GHGs (greenhouse gases) throughout their life cycle. From the extraction of raw materials, their transformation, the production of construction materials such as cement or concrete, through the construction of buildings (transport, machinery on construction sites, etc.) to their end of life and their often poor quality recycling. We call all this "gray energy", that is to say that which is consumed indirectly and invisibly, especially upstream of what is visible to the end consumer.

Finally, excessive urbanization is obviously very harmful to the environment: agricultural and natural areas are sacrificed for the benefit of constructions that destroy local ecosystems . Industrial or commercial zones also transform the soils which are covered with tar to make roads or giant parking lots.

The principle of ecological houses

Eco-construction is now appealing to both individuals and building professionals. The objective is twofold: to save energy and build with the least impact on the environment. An ecological house requires attention at all stages of the life cycle: from the design, which must consider the building in harmony with the natural environment that surrounds it and the construction site, which must reduce waste, to the choice of natural, recyclable and ecological materials (non-toxic), to the developments, which must all go in the direction of energy savings, whether in the choice of equipment or alternative installations such as solar panels, etc. Local suppliers and materials are preferred. The project must be designed to be in synergy with the external elements: creation of shade in relation to the sun, reinforcement and plantations facing the wind, adapted windows, etc.

Heating, energy, lighting, water: ecology at all levels

The first thing that comes to mind is of course the choice of natural materials such as wood, clay bricks or even straw, particularly for thermal insulation with numerous natural insulation solutions such as linen or hemp wool, wood fibres, etc.

The architect and the builder will also think about ventilation to regulate the temperature using as little energy as possible in summer to keep the house cool and in winter to avoid losing heat. Heating systems must be carefully chosen: autonomous heat pumps that operate using air and water, wood stoves especially if they use wood pellets or waste such as sawdust, solar panels to reduce energy consumption by carefully studying the orientation and inclination, to partially heat the home. Indeed, all these solutions are not sufficient given intermittent sunshine. Similarly, an individual wind turbine is unlikely to meet an energy demand, because it is very expensive to purchase and is not very profitable. Low-energy light bulbs are also preferred, the price of which is quickly paid for by an unbeatable lifespan, with a special mention for LEDs, which have very low energy consumption. Finally, a house cannot be ecological without systems to save water, nor without a rainwater collector for watering, cleaning or to provide flushing, which can also be completely done without with dry toilets.

Different types of eco-friendly houses

As the sector is developing rapidly, there are many variations of ecological houses.

• “Bioclimatic houses” must have the High Environmental Quality (HQE) label. In addition to the principles of eco-construction, they are focused on strategies for optimizing the orientation and exposure of the house to reduce lighting and heating needs.
• Low-energy buildings target the reduction of energy consumption and must not exceed 50 kWh per square meter/year to have the BBC label.
• To have the Passivhaus or Passive Energy Building (BEPAS) label, “passive houses” must produce their own energy and be able to do without heating. They require a feasibility study because the specifications are very demanding, particularly in terms of insulation and waterproofing, which explains the high price.
• Finally, positive houses are the most advanced ecological houses because they combine all the characteristics of Passivhaus houses, in addition to installations to produce enough energy to be totally autonomous... or even more than necessary!

Nomadic wooden houses and tiny houses

Be careful, most eco-friendly houses use a lot of wood, but a wooden house is not necessarily eco-friendly! On the other hand, new generations of eco-friendly wooden houses are appearing. They use bio-sourced materials and wood of local or even hyper-local origin. Some are even built with trees from their own land using mobile sawmills. This sustainable approach continues with the choice of untreated wood. A bias that aims to give life to a habitat that is as healthy as possible, free of toxic volatile molecules. These principles are particularly suited to new nomadic habitats such as tiny houses, mobile, scalable, and ecological mini houses. These autonomous nomadic houses go hand in hand with an alternative lifestyle choice guided by the principle of sobriety which implies a certain minimalism. Tiny houses, inexpensive and energy-efficient, perfectly meet this concept.

Be careful, most eco-friendly houses use a lot of wood, but a wooden house is not necessarily eco-friendly! On the other hand, new generations of eco-friendly wooden houses are appearing. They use bio-sourced materials and wood of local or even hyper-local origin. Some are even built with trees from their own land using mobile sawmills. This sustainable approach continues with the choice of untreated wood. A bias that aims to give life to a habitat that is as healthy as possible, free of toxic volatile molecules. These principles are particularly suited to new nomadic habitats such as tiny houses, mobile, scalable, and ecological mini houses. These autonomous nomadic houses go hand in hand with an alternative lifestyle choice guided by the principle of sobriety which implies a certain minimalism. Tiny houses, inexpensive and energy-efficient, perfectly meet this concept.

Faced with the climate emergency, the construction sector must absolutely transform itself, and quickly. Ecological houses, which are still not very widespread, are on the way to becoming the new norm. These houses are constantly developing in order to be able to combine energy savings and comfort in synergy with nature and not by damaging it. It remains to extend these performances to old houses. On this subject, the law requires that owners whose energy consumption exceeds 330 kWh/m²/year must carry out an energy renovation before 2025. In addition, the owner must carry out an energy performance diagnosis when selling his house in order to reduce the number of "thermal sieves".

The IPCC expert group has just published the final part of its ^6th report, which focuses in particular on greenhouse gas emissions and solutions to reduce them. While previous parts concluded that global warming was accelerating and populations were increasingly vulnerable, this latest report alerts us to the urgency of action.

What is the IPCC?

This Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, created in 1988, brings together 195 member states that study the impact of human activity on global warming. It publishes scientific reports whose conclusions are addressed to decision-makers and the general public. While these conclusions are a warning, they also help countries to commit to combating global warming by taking measures. The scientists who make up the IPCC come from various specialties: economics, science, energy, etc. These disciplines are divided into 3 groups, each of which provides a section of each report: WG1, WG2 or WG3 for "working group". Group 1 studies the scientific and physical aspects and analyzes past, present and future data. Group 2 focuses on the vulnerability of our modern societies but also on ecosystems and socio-economic systems in the face of global warming and their consequences in terms of adaptation. Finally, group 3 focuses on techniques and solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for climate change. The ^5th The report showed the disproportionate impact that an increase in temperatures of +1.5° would have.

How are IPCC reports valuable?

The report of group 3, released last April (2022), concerns solutions and recommendations to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and thus limit global warming to +1.5°. A figure that had been set by the various states during the Paris Agreement in 2015.

These IPCC reports are valuable because they come at a time when we are running out of time to address the problem. They report truths that are sometimes inconvenient but underscore the urgency of the situation.

They are read by political decision-makers, which gives them a considerable impact on decisions taken in terms of ecology. The indisputable expertise of these reports explains why governments rely on their data and follow their diagnoses. In addition, these reports are used in the press. Summarized and popularized, they inform citizens and are involved in many awareness-raising events. Part 3 of the latest report presents the solutions needed to avoid the climate, ecological and social catastrophe that is already underway.

Latest IPCC report: urgent!

This final part of the latest IPCC report was written by nearly 300 experts based on the study of approximately 18,000 scientific articles. The report is presented in the form of 3 documents: a summary intended for decision-makers, a technical summary and a full report with 17 chapters: Introduction, Emissions factors, Long-term pathways, Short-term pathways, Social aspects, Energy, Agriculture, Cities, Buildings, Transport, Industry, Intersectoral perspectives, Policies & institutions, International cooperation, Finance, Innovation and Accelerating the transition. This report sounds the alarm by highlighting that we have taken a direction that is not compatible with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. It is therefore imperative to initiate global multi-sectoral policies supported by all possible actors at all possible levels, on a global and regional scale. Only profound changes will make it possible, by reducing GHG emissions , to eventually achieve our objectives. However, each year that passes without reducing climate risks makes them worse and leads to negative (and costly) consequences for society.

Some states are still struggling to really put the brakes on. The proof: 17% of all greenhouse gases emitted since 1850 have been emitted in the last 10 years and continue to increase. It is clear: current policies are not enough to hope to reach the threshold of +1.5°C. To stay below the +2°C threshold, we would have to have reduced our emissions by 37% within 10 years!

How to reduce greenhouse gas emissions ?

GHGs such as CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, are positioned above the Earth like a cloud that acts as a cover. By preventing infrared rays (and their heat) from passing through them to escape into the atmosphere, they are responsible for global warming. However, their emissions continue to increase. The report shows that it is the richest populations who are most responsible because of their very "carbon-intensive" consumption and cites that only 10% of the world's population emits 36-45% of GHGs. In underdeveloped countries, an inhabitant emits on average 1.7 tonnes of CO2 per year, compared to... 13 in developed countries! The experts also stressed the need not to develop the use of fossil resources (gas, oil, coal) responsible for GHG emissions, but also and above all to stop certain current machines and infrastructures which, if we continue to use them without changing anything, will make us exceed the threshold of +1.5°C. And the report specifies that we must reduce our GHG emissions by 43% by 2030 to remain below 1.5°C...

A goal incompatible with our trajectories

To achieve the +1.5°C target, the implementation of global climate policies and the rapid development of low-carbon systems are essential.

Unfortunately, since countries have not changed in time, and the efforts being so disproportionate to change trajectory, it is less and less likely that we will succeed, the report tells us. The latter underlines that we must not give up: even if beyond +1.5°C the damage will be considerable and partly irreparable, limiting warming below 2°C will be preferable anyway. But to stop at +2°, it is 1/3 of our emissions that must be reduced. The report indicates that the carbon tax would be a useful tool insofar as it does not impact employment or GDP. To achieve this, we would also have to stop investing in coal, oil and gas, "decarbonize" electricity production, and use as many electrical activities as possible to reduce CO2 emissions.

How can we change our behavior?

For the first time, the IPCC devotes a chapter to social and societal issues. The experts explain that it is imperative to change consumption patterns because technological progress alone will not be enough to reduce them. And this is all the more so since it is possible to change behaviors without compromising on comfort. The report proposes to adopt the trio: Avoid-Shift-Improve, in French, "avoid - transform - improve". By applying this principle to all sectors, it would be possible to reduce emissions significantly. For individuals, this implies: reducing the use of airplanes and cars in favor of public transport, walking or cycling, reducing meat consumption , modulating the use of heating and air conditioning, and improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Note in the transport sector: while we are increasingly electrifying, particularly cars, the use of fossil fuel in aviation and maritime transport remains a weak point in the ongoing decarbonization. IPCC experts estimate that biofuels and synthetic fuels will still be used too little and kerosene too present in 2050 for emissions from this sector to be reduced sufficiently. On the food side, meat consumption must be reduced because methane (emitted by livestock) has an atmospheric warming power 80 times greater than carbon dioxide!

Necessary sobriety

The report highlights that to change the habits of the population it is necessary to use societal and economic levers. It warns against the boom-bust effect of savings linked to the circular economy, which could be reinvested in products whose production emits GHGs. IPCC experts also highlighted the need to adopt sobriety in everyday life, that is to say to adopt a lifestyle whose energy consumption is as low as possible, both for individuals and businesses , particularly in the construction sector. Indeed, this sector represented 21% of global GHG emissions in 2019, because of the systems used and the production methods of the materials consumed. The report recalls the interest of combined renovation and construction approaches to move towards low-carbon buildings. The report also showed that social justice is a key element in managing the negative impacts of global warming. Finally, thefood sector also represents a large share of global emissions and requires changes to be made at all stages of production, including the end of the life cycle, i.e. waste management.

How to get out of fossil fuels and absorb CO2?

The report shows that we need to transform our energy systems and reduce the use of fossil fuels (gas, coal and oil) as much as possible since they are responsible for GHG emissions, but it highlights the financial aspect. While fossil fuels benefit from strong investments, the sectors that concern the transition much less. The idea is both to tax CO2 emissions, which could be a strong enough measure to drastically reduce emissions, but also to direct capital towards the transition. While the use of electricity from renewable sources is growing, experts warn of the risk of limiting ourselves to them alone. The report also lists the levers for reducing emissions, such as the increase in electric cars and heat pumps, the closure of coal-fired power stations, the use of biomass or even "Carbon Capture and Sequestration". For example, agriculture is a lever sector that can play a balancing role to both reduce its own CO2 emissions, but also and above all deploy CO2 absorption techniques via "carbon sinks" such as reforestation for example. The latter has many ecological advantages to offset emissions but which are not sufficient to achieve the necessary carbon neutrality . The sea is another natural "carbon sink" and developing plankton that can capture CO2 would make it possible to maintain this enormous carbon dioxide reservoir.

Urbanization needs to be rethought

Urbanization is responsible for a large share of GHG emissions, but it continues to increase to the detriment of nature: the transformation and control of urban development are a promising lever to limit global warming. Some techniques aim at resource-efficient development that would reduce GHG emissions, others could increase the density of cohabitation for more compact growth. A total and absolute transformation will nevertheless be necessary to achieve low or zero emissions, and the report recommends 3 axes to achieve this. It will be necessary to reduce energy consumption systemically, to make a transition to more electricity systems and to integrate carbon absorption. Given the concentration of activity and population in cities, these changes have a lot of room for improvement.

This last part of the ^6th IPCC report is undoubtedly the most complete and the most valuable with its clear and precise recommendations. We must change, and quickly. But above all, the report insists on the need for a global, transversal and worldwide action also including the financial aspects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Experts point out that taking action is in the best interests of the world, while placing the principles of equity and social justice at the heart of the discussions. However, for decarbonization to be effective on a global scale, international cooperation and cross-cutting actions are required. Experts are clear: the agreements that have been made are not enough to achieve the necessary change.

Plastic is fantastic or… catastrophic! We know that we consume too much of it and that recycling is not enough to stem the problem of marine and health pollution that it causes. Alternatives and bioplastics, many nuances exist: everything you need to know to reduce your plastic consumption as much as possible.

What is plastic?

Everyone knows what plastic is… or thinks they do. In reality, we should say “plastics” because there are so many of them. However, we can define it as a synthetic material, made from resin and several molecules called “polymers”, which can be worked, formed, deformed, colored and treated to become an object. This treatment with adjuvants and chemical additives, to make it what we want, will give it its properties: resistance, flexibility, transparency, etc. There are several large families classified according to their reactions: flexible and resistant elastomers, very hard “thermo-hardening” (like melamine in children's tableware) and thermoplastics which can deform when heated.

The history of plastic

It was from the 20th century that semi-synthetic plastics, made of chemically transformed natural polymers, gave way to entirely synthetic plastics. Celluloid for tennis balls, viscose for tights, galalith for pens and costume jewelry , bakelite for telephones, then cellophane, the first completely flexible and transparent plastic, and finally PVC, a mixture of salt, oil and additives, in 1926.

At the time, no one was worried about the impact of the dazzling success that this new versatile material would have on the planet. Polystyrene, polyethylene and polyamide, a gifted fiber announced as being as fine as it was strong, followed by the first polyurethanes used as adhesives and foam fillings for mattresses, cushions or car seats.

The 40s welcomed silicone with joy and the explosion of mass consumption in the 50s ended up sanctifying the plastic god that was then found in all everyday objects. Melamine and Formica invaded kitchens and furniture, polyester dressed us, followed by polyamide and lycra. Today, plastics are absolutely everywhere…

The 7 different types of plastic

1. The best known is PET, for Polyethylene terephthalate.
   • It is 100% recyclable and loses little of its fundamental characteristics: it can therefore be reused several times. However, its recycling requires the extreme purity of the collected material.
2. The second is polyethylene called HDPE.
   • It is a recyclable, inflexible, and opaque thermoplastic used for detergent containers and milk bottles, for example, and in the medical field.
3. The 3rd is the famous “PVC” for polyvinyl chloride.
   • This soft and flexible thermoplastic, thanks to the addition of phthalates (considered endocrine disruptors), is rarely recyclable and is used, for example, in cling film, buoys and anything that resembles a bathroom curtain.
4. The 4th is a polyethylene called LDPE.
   • Directly derived from petroleum, this thin, very common material is very difficult to recycle. It is used in shopping bags, small bags that protect items ordered by mail order, and the coating of fruit juice cartons.
5. The fifth is polypropylene or PP.
   • It is the one that gives us yogurt pots, straws, toys, food boxes, etc. We find it a lot in the kitchen because it does not deform if we heat it: it can be used in the microwave and the dishwasher, a gesture that is not recommended. Finally, PP is not very recyclable.
6. The 6th is the terrible polystyrene or PS.
   • Directly derived from oil, its "aerated" form means that it crumbles in nature while it contains toxic substances. It is very harmful and rarely recycled.
7. The 7th is actually… all the others!
   • Including PC or polycarbonate and PLA for polylactic acid, a compostable plant-based plastic which means that it disintegrates in a professional composter with optimal heat. Abandoned in nature, nothing will happen because it is not biodegradable.

Microplastics and marine pollution

Plastic is a great material, but its advantages have turned into (big) disadvantages. Inexpensive, plastic is indeed strong... but not too much. Thus, it offers robust objects but which still end up breaking so much so that you still have to buy new ones eventually or regularly. The problem? When plastic breaks, it fragments and crumbles into smaller and smaller pieces, which disperse without ever disappearing. The "large" plastic waste floating on the surface of the water will degrade and undergo progressive erosion under the action of ultraviolet rays, the heat of the sun, the chemistry of salt water, movements and micro-organisms, then fragment into smaller and smaller pieces until they transform into microparticles invisible to the naked eye. The fragments from denser plastics, such as PVC, sink and settle on the bottom of the water, covering the seabed with a carpet of microplastics. The rest of the waste, a mixture of plastic bags, fishing nets, bottles, synthetic clothing and polystyrene, will form immense soups of microplastics , the famous "plastic continents" or "gyres" which are conducive to the development of new, potentially dangerous bacteria.

But be careful, plastic doesn't just pollute the seas! It is toxic wherever it ends up. Buried underground, it contaminates the soil. Burned with garbage, it releases toxic gases. The ecological problem is also a health problem.

Plastic and health pollution

A WWF study indicates that we eat about 5 grams of plastic per week, the equivalent of a credit card. Indeed, once it becomes micro, plastic sneaks everywhere and enters our food chain, including the water we drink if it is bottled.

If microplastics end up on our plates in this invisible form, they can also migrate into food through storage containers, packaging for reheated meals, or kitchen utensils which, when they wear out, lose some of their material.

Added to these microfragments are additives and other supposed or proven endocrine disruptors, which end up in our stomachs. While all plastic objects release potentially dangerous products, they are not banned. It is the repetition and frequency of use over years that, by causing them to accumulate, can have consequences on health. This is why, for example, we must avoid reusing and refilling plastic bottles that are not made to be reused and which release plastic as they wear out.

Why Recycling Plastics Is Not Enough

Recycling is a fundamental step in dealing with plastic waste, but it has limitations that make it an insufficient measure today in the face of the threat to the environment .

The first limitation of recycling: plastic ends up losing its adaptability over the cycles and it cannot be recycled indefinitely. Second limitation: collection is complicated, sorting instructions vary depending on the region of the world, in some places there is not even a sector. If some plastics can be recycled, they are not because of poor profitability. This is the case of cigarette butts that we know very well how to transform but which are not recycled, just like other packaging used for ham or industrial charcuterie (here manufacturers want to switch to PET packaging for its recyclability, but the latter does not allow optimal preservation of the products). The same goes for objects that are too small such as cosmetic tubes such as lip balm, and objects made of different materials that we do not know how to separate on a large scale. The latter will end up burned or buried. Finally, even when everything is organized to recycle, many people do not do it correctly. However, plastic should be considered a precious material. Indeed, this recycled plastic material has a significant marketing value today, which should add value to plastic waste. Unfortunately, some "virgin" plastics cost less than recycled plastic, which does not encourage recycling.

Bioplastics, the solution of the future?

Yes… and no! Also called “bio-based” or “bioplastic” plastics (even though they are not “bio” at all), they are composed entirely or partly of plant-based raw materials, generally corn, potato or cane sugar starch, instead of being derived from hydrocarbons. If they are presented as biodegradable or compostable, it is not so simple. The term “bioplastic”, used by marketing, is a source of confusion: it includes plastics that can be biodegradable without being bio-based, bio-based without being biodegradable, or both bio-based and biodegradable. First of all, if they are partly plant-based but not entirely, this implies that when they degrade, particles of chemical plastic will be released! Above all, these so-called “compostable” plastics are not “biodegradable”. Indeed, to disintegrate they need to be placed in a domestic or industrial composter, in specific conditions for the process to start (heat and movement). But who is going to put their tube of shower gel or their fruit and vegetable bag in a composter? In reality, these plastics mainly end up in household waste but… they are not recyclable! Mixed with others, they disrupt the functioning of sorting centers which cannot take them into account. We should therefore ideally find 100% plant-based and biodegradable plastics. To put an end to the confusion, those that are biodegradable in natural conditions have had to invent a new label, called “OK Home Compost” to characterize waste that actually disappears into nature. In summary: it is urgent to drastically reduce our use of plastic 360°.

The 10 plastics to avoid

• No. 1 Cigarette butts: don't throw them on the ground, in the street or in nature, otherwise they will end up, with the rain, in a river... Put them aside to throw them in a trash can.
• No. 2 Cotton buds, plastic cups and straws: despite certain laws, we still see them: simply ban them! Replace them immediately with paper cotton buds or an ear cleaner or Oriculi, paper cups and cardboard or stainless steel straws made in Europe.
• No. 3 Plastic bags: reuse the ones you still have but don't accept any more, always have a paper or fabric bag with you!
• #4 Plastic bottles AND caps: no more buying bottled water, sodas, etc. Tap water is generally very good, otherwise in stores, look for glass bottles on the shelves. Opt for cans or make your own drinks! However, if you sometimes buy them, recycle them!

• No. 5 Yogurts and dairy desserts : knowing that yogurt pots cannot be recycled, switch to glass pots or homemade recipes. Children's chocolate creams can be chosen in bricks (organic), and there are also large glass pots of flavored yogurt, in organic stores.
• No. 6 Synthetic clothing : polyester, nylon, viscose, etc. Responsible for a large part of invisible pollution, in the form of microplastics from their fibers, they contaminate water with each machine wash. Switch to natural materials: linen , cotton, etc.
• No. 7 Shower gels and shampoos : go all-in on solid products in the bathroom: solid shampoos, colored and scented soaps, pebble body balm, solid toothpaste and deodorant, cleansing oil bars... everything (or almost) exists in solid form today!
• No. 8 Food packaging : we boycott the supermarket in favor of small businesses, and head for bulk and “zero waste” stores.
• No. 9 Chewing gum : chewing oil, meh… but above all, always throw it in the trash! There are some in natural biodegradable gum.
• #10 Household sprays : thanks to vinegar and bicarbonate, it is very easy to remove at least 2 to 3 industrial products right away. Once you get used to making your own products (including laundry detergent and dishwashing liquid), it seems obvious!

Precious, and even irreplaceable in the medical world, or in industry, plastic, which has undeniable assets, has contaminated all sectors. Today, we must change consumption habits. It is urgent to become aware of the omnipresence of plastic, especially in areas where its lifespan is short, such as small objects, packaging or even cheap clothing. Consuming less, but better, involves boycotting certain products and looking for those who have managed to do without plastic as much as possible, to stop what is now proving to be a real scourge.

This radical environmental movement is distinguished by its non-violent actions and its desire to make citizens and governments aware of the need to change paradigms, to stop the destruction of life. Explanation.

Extinction Rebellion defines itself as "an international civil disobedience movement fighting against ecological collapse and climate change."
Often abbreviated to XR, like its logo, it stands for “Extinction Rebellion”. Social, ecological, international, it advocates the use of non-violent civil disobedience to encourage governments to act to avoid tipping points in the climate system, the loss of biodiversity and the risk of social and ecological collapse.
Its logo symbolizes the ongoing mass extinction, with an hourglass in the middle of the Earth indicating that time is running out for many species, an hourglass which is also the X in XR.

History and mode of action of Extinction Rebellion

The origins

The movement was born in Great Britain in 2016, when a group of British activists created Rising Up! A movement aimed at protecting the environment through direct action and civil disobedience. In 2018, some of its members were looking for more effective means of action than traditional street demonstrations. Extinction Rebellion appeared in May 2018, and counts among its founders Tasmin Osmond and George Barda, participants in the social movement Occupy London, as well as Gail Bragbook, Doctor in biophysics and Roger Hallam, farmer and researcher in civil disobedience. But Extinction Rebellion has no leader or hierarchy. This movement draws its inspiration from the actions of the Occupy London movement, the philosophy of protest through non-violence and civil disobedience advocated by Gandhi, as well as those of the suffragettes. Among the founding principles are also the benevolence between members, the non-blaming of individuals and the autonomy of the troops. This is how the movement unites children, the elderly, students and people from all social categories.

The official birth

On October 26, 2018, the British newspaper The Guardian published an op-ed signed by a hundred academics calling for urgent action in the face of the ecological crisis and affirming their support for the Extinction Rebellion collective.

On 31 October 2018, the movement was officially launched with a declaration of rebellion in London in front of the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the British Parliament. Around a thousand people took part, including two members of the British Green Party and Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. A week of activist actions followed, including "Rebellion Day" (17 November 2018), during which the five main bridges in London were blocked. Since then, Extinction Rebellion has spread to many countries such as India, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Colombia, Brazil, the United States, Quebec, Ireland, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and France.

Extinction Rebellion's mode of action

Its mode of action multiplies spectacular shock actions, such as occupations of urban space in large cities. Its members do not hesitate to attach themselves, using glue, to public buildings, to block road traffic and prevent access to the headquarters of large companies.

Thus, the first "international week of rebellion" was organized from April 15 to 21, 2019. In London, a large number of activists blocked, for about ten days, emblematic places such as the Oxford Circus intersection, Marble Arch and the main shopping street Oxford Street. They organized a "die-in" at the Natural History Museum, where a hundred people lay down under a blue whale skeleton. So many actions that led to more than a thousand arrests and forced the British Parliament, on the proposal of the Labor Party, to declare a "climate emergency". Proof that it can work?

Extinction Rebellion in France

The French branch was born in November 2018 and carried out its first action on March 24, 2019, at Place de la Bourse in Paris, where several hundred activists and sympathizers declared themselves in rebellion. In February 2019, in the columns of the French daily Le Monde and the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, Extinction Rebellion received the support of 260 Swiss, French and Belgian researchers. A die-in in tribute to extinct or disappearing species took place simultaneously in the Grande galerie de l'évolution of the Natural History Museum.

In April 2019, during the "international week of rebellion", French activists, at the initiative of Greenpeace, ANV-COP21 and Friends of the Earth, blocked an antenna of the Ministry of Ecological Transition, and the Total, EDF and Société Générale towers in La Défense. The second "week of international rebellion" began in France on October 5, 2019 with the occupation and blockade of the Italie Deux shopping center in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. The activists then occupied, from October 7, the Place du Châtelet and the Pont au Change in Paris.

In mid-April 2022, between the two rounds of the presidential election, a thousand people took over the Grands Boulevards in Paris at the Porte de St Denis, transforming the place into a large agora where everyone could express their views on climate inaction and the solutions to be provided.

Four major demands of Extinction Rebellion

The movement articulates its actions around four key demands:

1. Recognition of the seriousness of the current ecological crises and honest communication on the subject

The government, elected officials and businesses must recognize the unprecedented threats that weigh today on the entire biosphere, including humanity. They must openly assume their share of responsibility for the destruction of ecosystems, climate change, the depletion of natural resources, and recognize the profound incompatibility between the current mode of economic development based on growth and the pursuit of profit, and the limits of our planet.

2. Immediate reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to achieve carbon neutrality in 2025, through reduced consumption and a planned energy descent.

"Good intentions", "non-binding agreements" and "roadmaps" will not change the situation. The government must be forced to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

3- An immediate halt to the destruction of ocean and land ecosystems, which is causing a mass extinction of the living world.

The ongoing extermination of life on Earth is comparable in scale to the great geological extinctions. The destruction of ecosystems and animal and plant species through overexploitation and pollution are a direct consequence of the development of our modern societies. Compensatory measures do nothing to stop the ongoing mass extermination. Biodiversity must be recognized and respected for its intrinsic value and not only for the “services” it provides. We must fight so that societies humbly recognize their place within the biosphere and undertake an ecological restoration process commensurate with the damage caused.

4- The creation of a citizens' assembly responsible for deciding on the measures to be put in place to achieve these objectives and guaranteeing a fair and equitable transition.

Supported by many well-known people, from the English actress Emma Thompson to Anne Hidalgo, from the Geneva city hall to Nobel Prize winners, and reviled by some politicians, Extinction Rebellion fascinates and divides. In any case, in four years, and despite the pandemic, the movement has succeeded in making itself eminently visible and media-friendly through its hard-hitting actions, to the point of being scrutinized even by other environmental movements. Eco-fascist for some, good-natured for others, an unrealistic utopia that offers no concrete solution for still others... It's up to you to judge.