Environment

It's back to school time! And with it, lots of energy for new projects and resolutions.

At school, teachers are increasingly being asked to raise children's awareness of ecology , but not all of them are doing so in a concrete way yet. Here are some ideas to suggest to them.

A list of eco-friendly school supplies

The lists of supplies are often endless and it is tempting to rush to a hypermarket to find everything. What if this year, for the start of the school year, you tried to find other suppliers? Pencils can come from sustainably managed forests, you can choose refillable or wooden ballpoint pens (instead of the classic disposable plastic models) and "in bulk" individually in stationery (and not in plastic), starch-based solvent-free glues, a calculator that is solar rather than battery-powered and notebooks with the European Ecolabel or NF Environment. When possible, you can cover books and notebooks with kraft paper (and not plastic film), or even use special fluorescent highlighting pencils instead of felt-tip pens that dry at the speed of light... Rulers, set squares and compasses are available in wood or metal: we prefer them over plastic models, and what's more, they last a very long time! Finally, try to start a school book recycling program so that you can exchange them in the middle or high school, or sell and buy them second-hand , like the school bag!

Fight for an eco-friendly canteen!

All over France, parents' groups and associations are mobilizing to improve the quality of meals served to children. But in recent years, parents have also looked into the ecological aspect of school canteens: the Cantine Sans Plastique collective, "Cantine nouvelle" in Montreuil, "Pas d'usine, on Cuisine" in Les Lilas, "Les enfants du 18 mangent ça" and "Sauve ma cantine" in Paris, or Cantines sociaux, a site dedicated to all public collective catering services.

Some target waste , others plastic or even reducing meat with vegetarian meals. Initiatives sometimes carried or supported by town halls, but not always. In all cases, you have to get your hands dirty!

Some actions for an organic and waste-free canteen

To combat waste, simple measures have been put in place: raising children's awareness of quantities, weighing before and at the end of the service to assess the food thrown away, portions on demand and the possibility of helping themselves to seconds to make children responsible for quantities, or even fruit cut into quarters to avoid not finishing it.

Menus must also be looked at closely, during catering committees for example, where parents can come, to promote organic foods, reduce meat in favor of vegetables, and introduce vegetarian menus (as a reminder, farmed meat is responsible for a large number of pollutions and greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming ).

We can also set up meal trays to reduce water consumption when washing dishes, and study suppliers to move towards zero waste via local products. Projects can be launched on the Greenvoice Cantine verte platform, the citizen campaign platform dedicated to ecology or even "Un plus bio", an association that federates and supports hundreds of initiatives, or finally on colibris-lemouvement.org, section "passer à l'action", "Create your project".

Introduction to biodiversity in the classroom

Beyond theoretical lessons, in the early grades in particular, and later in biology classes in primary school but also in middle school, we can easily explain the fundamental role of biodiversity to students. When they start nursery school, we can start a snail or stick insect farm in the class, and monitor their progress throughout the year. We can also suggest and accompany, as a parent, outings to the farm, or for teachers, create a herbarium to show the diversity of plants, seeds , pollen and the role of pollinating insects. For older children, emphasize the concept of the food chain and talk about ecosystems, promote nature, the concepts of mutual aid and the notion of interdependence, etc. Finally, older children can themselves make presentations to illustrate on the theme of biodiversity according to the environments (sea, mountains, forests, etc.).

Eco-friendly consumption workshops with parents

If teachers can place the start of the school year under the banner of ecology and then work on it throughout the year, parents can also be invited to lead practical workshops, on plastic for example: we present different objects in different materials, we talk about the difficulty and limits of recycling, we present alternatives to consumption by showing zero waste objects, such as solid shampoo , glass jar yogurts, water bottles, etc. And we insist on the fact that on the consumption side, today, we always have the choice to go for a more responsible product... by giving the example of school supplies! At the beginning of the year, each student can commit to an action or an effort to be made throughout the year.

Collaborative events in a circular economy style

Finally, parents and elected parents can support the school and families by organizing events at the start of the school year that are themed around the circular economy, raising funds to finance other eco-friendly projects in the school. For example: organizing a clothes swap or a clothing or toy exchange, a "book swap" service, a repair or sewing workshop, or even an organic cake sale. We can also think about creating a booklet with the students for families with ideas for becoming eco-friendly as a family, indicating how to get started with Do It Yourself , how to organize a waste collection or switch to a more plant-based diet at home.

Back to school is a good time to establish new good habits, as an extension of the actions that we were able to launch as a family during the holidays, in contact with nature. Schools are often in demand, because supervisors are short of time, and are always very proud to claim their ecological commitment once made and to renew the "green back to school" project the following year!

Currently, experts from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) are clear: global warming will threaten the human species much faster than we think. What are the mechanisms of this warming and their consequences? An update on a… burning subject!

Global warming, who is to blame?

The Earth has already experienced alternating periods of extreme cold and warming, because the climate changes naturally. But these phenomena that used to take millions of years are now happening much faster, barely more than a hundred years! Who is responsible? Human activities that produce greenhouse gases (GHG) that cause temperature increases. Unfortunately, it takes a century to dissipate them: if we stopped all _CO2 and methane emissions today (the two main GHGs), the atmosphere would still warm by almost 1°C by the end of the century… A small degree that would nevertheless represent a real upheaval for the environment : for example, at 1°C, the ice melts or does not melt and certain forms of life, plants and animals, that will not be able to adapt to this too rapid change, will be largely impacted. However, we are heading towards an increase of +2°C at least…

From global warming to the greenhouse effect

Every second, the sun's rays reach the Earth and warm the ground, which emits infrared rays that, with this heat, return to the atmosphere. However, greenhouse gases (mainly _CO2 , methane or nitrous oxide) and water vapor form a sort of filter that retains part of this heat. Thickened by the accumulating GHGs, this "cloud" lets less and less infrared rays escape and transforms into a "lid" that retains them with the heat they emit: this is the greenhouse effect. And this is why we call these gases "greenhouse gases". They prevent the rays from passing through, block the heat and raise the temperature. Originally, this is a natural phenomenon, which is becoming unbalanced and amplified today because of human activities.

What are greenhouse gases?

These gases come from oil-consuming transport (planes, boats, cars), industrial activities operating by burning coal and gas (electricity production, heating), intensive livestock farming and its consequences (deforestation to grow cereals to feed livestock, fertilizers, fermentation of slurry, use of machines, etc.).

• Excess carbon dioxide, _CO2 , in the atmosphere is mainly produced by human activities such as the use of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and coal consumed for industry, heating and transport), cement manufacturing and land use changes (deforestation, agriculture and urban sprawl). This excess CO2 is the primary cause of the additional greenhouse effect, and therefore of global warming since 1750.
• Methane, which takes about 10 years to disappear compared to 100 years for _CO2 , has a "warming" effect 28 times greater than _CO2 . However, the concentration of methane has increased significantly in the last century due to intensive agriculture and fermentation processes in marshes, ruminants and landfills.
• Nitrous oxide, naturally emitted by soils, comes in particular from the use of nitrogen fertilizers by agriculture.
• Ozone, naturally present at an altitude of 20 km, can also be emitted into the lower layers of the atmosphere due to compounds produced by transport.

Which countries emit the most CO2?

According to a report by the NGO Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in association with the Climate Accountability Institute, dating from July 2017 and based on public figures, 25 countries – out of the 200 in the world – are responsible for more than half of carbon dioxide emissions since 1988. In order, there is China with 10 Giga Tonnes of CO ₂ /year in 2017, the United States (5 GT/year), India (2.5 GT/year), Russia (1.7 GT/year), Japan (1.2 GT/year) and Germany 1.8 GT/year.

This order differs if we look at _CO2 emissions per capita: Qatar is in the lead with 30 tonnes/inhabitant/year, then Curaçao with 23T/inhabitant/year, then Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Gibraltar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Canada, then the United States and Luxembourg. It is the countries that export a lot (like China) that bear the heavy responsibility even though they produce mainly for other countries. Europe boasts of having drastically reduced its _CO2 emissions, while in reality, by relocating factories and industries to Asia, it is only emitting them on another continent... Which changes nothing for the planet!

Fossil fuels, the main culprits of global warming?

Still according to the report of the NGO Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in association with the Climate Accountability Institute, 71% of _CO2 emissions come from some 100 companies, mainly producers of fossil fuels which are the main responsible for global warming. The companies with the greatest ecological impact: China Coal (14.3%) of global greenhouse gas emissions), Saudi Arabian Oil Company (4.5%), Gazprom (3.9%), National Iranian Oil (2.28%) and Exxon Mobil, Suncor, Shell, BP and Total (the only French company on the list with 1% of emissions). Fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and coal) are therefore the major lever for stopping global warming.

The consequences of global warming

The consequences of global warming impact public health with health risks such as epidemics, but also agriculture, production and therefore the economy, as well as the increase in extreme weather phenomena such as cyclones or drought.

The disappearance of fauna and flora

Some animal species will disappear with a domino effect on the food chain, as well as plants, further reducing biodiversity. Furthermore, disruptions can also be chemical: _CO2 partly absorbed by the oceans leads to acidification of the waters and has disastrous consequences for marine ecosystems such as coral reefs.

Ocean disruption

The increase in ocean temperatures prevents phytoplankton from photosynthesizing, i.e. its ability to produce oxygen, which leads to deoxygenation of deep ocean areas. Still on the ocean side, islands and cities by the sea are also in danger, either because they are sinking or because the sea level is rising. We immediately think of Venice, but also Miami or Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, which we know will be partly submerged by 2050 and which will have to… move!

Climate and weather disruptions

Climate change, while not directly causing more hurricanes and cyclones, is however increasing their intensity, frequency or duration: episodes that were once exceptional or seasonal, such as heatwaves, are more frequent. In some regions of the world, temperature and humidity conditions will be such that they will become unlivable: around the equator, by 2050, life will no longer be possible on the one hand because of the heat, and on the other because of the consequences of this warming on the ecosystem, water, the ability to cultivate, etc. In France, warming will reduce the differences between the seasons. In the countries of the South, it will rain even less and the drought will be even greater. As for regions covered in ice or snow, their surface area will decrease so much that they reflect less of the sun's rays and therefore increase the warming of the ground. It's a real vicious circle: the more these cold surfaces disappear, the more warming increases, and the more warming increases...the more they melt!

What are the health effects?

Floods, heat waves, changes in ecosystems linked to rising temperatures will have an impact on the emergence, transmission and spread of viruses. This is already the case for the spread of infectious diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. For example, when a region warms by 1°C to 2°C, the tiger mosquito – native to tropical forests – migrates a little further north. However, this species, one of the most invasive in the world, has acclimatized to the urban and temperate environment. Already in 80 countries – including France since 2004 – this mosquito is spreading across the planet. A vector of many diseases – including yellow fever and dengue fever – and viral diseases – such as Chikungunya and Zika – it wreaks havoc on the most vulnerable and urbanized populations. A few degrees more and malaria will also threaten millions more people, not to mention diarrheal diseases, often caused by water contamination. Closer to home, mild winters may lead to variations in flu epidemics and population immunity, and warming may well, as it has already done in the tropics, extend the length of the flu "season" allowing the virus to mutate and develop more resistant strains.

Global warming is mainly caused by the use of fossil fuels (gas, oil, coal) on which we are all so dependent. In the medium term, we will have to face serious and inevitable consequences. The only solution: modify to slow down these developments in their mad race to limit global warming .

Why, among the many endangered animal species, do bees benefit from such mobilization? Because they play a vital role for humans and the environment . These pollinating insects carry on their shoulders - or rather their wings - the responsibility for a multitude of ecological processes that are vital for ecosystems, agriculture and other animals.

A quick refresher on bees, the masters of pollination. To reproduce, male pollen must reach the female part of the plant or flower, and to do this, the wind is not enough. However, while bees gather their nectar, they load this pollen which they transfer to the next flowers where they land, thus allowing plants - and crops - to reproduce. Pollinating insects pollinate about 80% of flowering plants and cultivated plants. Without them, many crops could not grow. It is estimated that about a third of our food depends on the work of bees: we really need them! It is a total co-dependence: without bees, no flowers, but without flowers, no more bees since they feed on their nectar. This is why preserving biodiversity is so important .

No bees, no fruit, no seeds

Bees are essential in the production of fruits and vegetables . Without their visits, the fruits are atrophied and less numerous. It is the bees that offer our taste buds most of the fruits and vegetables such as zucchini, strawberries, melons, apples, pears, raspberries, grapes, turnips, sweet potatoes, peas and beans but they also provide the seeds of carrots, onions, nuts, salads, cabbages, as well as those of "large crops" such as oilseeds, flax or sunflower.

Bees also optimize the production of plants for fodder for livestock dedicated to meat, such as rapeseed, whose yield is lower when it is only pollinated by the wind. Bees are the great guarantors ofour food . This is even more striking when broadening the spectrum to spices and aromatic herbs, coffee, cotton or even cocoa, crops with high added value. Bees provide almost irreplaceable work for free, which amounts to billions of Euros!

No bees, no habitat for animals

While bees help to produce food for animals, by contributing to the development of plants and trees, from tropical forests to our French forests, they also provide a home for insects, birds and small rodents such as squirrels. Bees allow many species - in addition to ours - to thrive. They guarantee biodiversity because the fewer bees there are, the fewer plants there are, and the more ecosystems become impoverished, depriving small animals of shelter or food. In addition, bees provide food for many birds and insects such as spiders or dragonflies. They are an important link in the food chain.

Honey bees and wild bees, what’s the difference?

While honey bees are excellent pollinators, wild bees are even more effective for certain plants such as cherries, and are sometimes even the only ones able to pollinate certain species. Wild bees are therefore even more valuable, and their declining population unfortunately forces farmers to have to "rent" honey bee colonies to perpetuate their plantations and harvest fruit. Hence the interest in protecting them, while urbanization deprives them (like so many other species) of their natural habitat and their resources to survive.

Bees threatened by pesticides and global warming

The main enemies of bees are first of all neonicotinoid pesticides that kill bees in entire colonies, leaving beekeepers with empty hives. The alert led to the European Union banning three of these products, but there are still many authorized pesticides that wreak havoc, particularly on domestic bees. The second enemy of bees is climate change , which indirectly kills them. By shifting flowering periods, bees find themselves deprived of food for too long periods, so much so that in China, farmers are reduced to pollinating by hand with pollen sent from other regions.

Bees are the pillars of our food supply. Without them, food would be scarce and plant and animal species would be threatened. However, bees are in danger and are dying by the thousands all around the globe. Fortunately, many associations have mobilized, and companies are also investing in the preservation of bees.

Individuals can also take action by sowing honey-producing flowers everywhere, whenever possible, on roadsides and balconies, with ready-made mixtures, sometimes in the form of balls to throw into the countryside.

It is up to us to act and, above all, to educate our children to protect these precious pollinators.

It is not enough to conscientiously sort your waste or stop flying to stop the destruction of the planet . Unlike citizens (who may feel isolated in the action), companies can change the situation more quickly and significantly by changing their practices.

What measures are not green washing?

What is corporate social responsibility?

Called CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility concerns the effects that a company has on society. It takes into account several dimensions related to sustainable development: the social aspect, the economic aspect, but also and above all, the ecological aspect . Although no law obliges companies to encourage CSR actions, most are committed to making improvements. The largest companies have entire departments dedicated to CSR. This mission ranges from verifying that legal obligations in social and environmental matters are respected, to the implementation of virtuous processes including ethics, eco-design, fairness and many subjects affecting all dimensions of the company, from manufacturing to product development. While these are sometimes concerns largely motivated by the need to communicate and show concern, many companies are making real changes to meet consumer demands and create products that are more respectful of the environment and people.

Measuring the impact of companies on the environment

Companies must first and foremost assess the consequences of their activities on the environment. There are environmental reporting obligations and laws involving public policies to which companies' practices must respond. They must also comply with texts concerning water, biodiversity, energy or waste , among others. To initiate cross-cutting environmental measures in a company, step number 1 is the assessment of its 360° impact, taking into account the legislative framework and the spontaneous initiatives taken by this company, whatever its size and sector of activity. A small internal audit corrects certain simple habits while a life cycle analysis, for example, can trigger real transformations: packaging, waste management, water, air and sometimes soil pollution , even biodiversity . But the very first concern is the company's impact on global warming via greenhouse gas emissions.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions: the carbon footprint

To implement CSR actions to limit the company's impact on the climate, it is first necessary to assess this impact via a carbon footprint . Specialized experts certified by "Carbon footprint" carry out this calculation through a study that takes into account all of the company's positions: from energy consumed to design, including all materials. This assessment costs an average of €8,000 (ADEME can cover the cost up to 70%). This assessment identifies the activities that emit the most CO2. The company then has to find solutions to change its practices: change in the use of natural resources, modification of the production process, transfer of personnel.

Reduce energy consumption

The energy used by the company is more or less polluting and therefore generates CO2. Nuclear power plants produce electricity without emitting much CO2, as do renewable energies. In France, most of the "decarbonized" electricity comes from these resources. On the other hand, all the machines, or sometimes the heating , which run on oil or gas, emit a lot of CO2. These factors vary according to the sector of activity. The company will launch its reconversion plan to find its own low-carbon energy solutions, taking into account its activities relocated abroad.

Furthermore, each company can implement a list of "best practices" without changing processes: turning off lights, appliances every evening and store windows, lowering heating and air conditioning. Small gestures that, if practiced by all companies, would bring about a significant change. And as a bonus, significant savings. Especially since it is possible to automate these small gestures with timers to program the appliances.

Reduce waste

A company can produce a lot of waste, ranging from cardboard that could be recycled, to industrial waste, organic waste in the case of livestock farming or even scraps of materials such as leather, fabric or wood that can be reused. Waste reduction is specific to each company. It can be done at the production level but also internally with staff, and in international subsidiaries if necessary, in accordance with the legislation of the country concerned.

To take action, it is necessary to review the production process upstream to initiate a reduced use of resources, downstream to work on the economy of the materials used and at the end of the cycle to study the recycling, reuse or recovery of waste by selling it to others who will use it, in a principle of circular economy.

Internally, review orders with the person responsible for purchasing to ban single-use items such as cups or stirrers, and set up a recycling system. Why isn't employee waste recycled? Because everyone has their own bin in which they mix cans, leaves and apple cores, emptied by cleaning companies at the end of the day, who cannot sort these individual bins. It is up to the company to set up a system with shared bins available, to sort paper, household waste and plastic.

Switch to eco-design

A company can make efforts without its products being completely eco-designed.

The eco-design of a product (or service) involves manufacturing that has the least possible impact on the environment, throughout its life cycle: raw materials, resources used (such as water), until its end of life. These efforts therefore focus on degradability, packaging, transport, etc. from A to Z! There are environmental labels, known as ecolabels, issued by certification bodies to guarantee respect for the environment. While lightening plastic packaging is beneficial and allows less plastic to be used and waste to be reduced, this is not enough to be able to talk about eco-design. Beware of green washing, which allows companies to highlight an ecological aspect of the product and suggests that it is entirely virtuous when the rest of its production has not improved. In this area, the ISO14001 standard and EMAS registration (or SMEA in French) exist. This eco-audit, resulting from a European regulation, takes voluntary initiatives into account and assesses their environmental performance.

Integrating ecological actions into corporate culture

In addition to installing recycling bins, turning off lights and changing suppliers in favor of more environmentally friendly tools and supplies, many actions are launched directly by management with employees. They are included in the internal regulations or shared with employees, via a charter.

Transportation is one of the sectors that emits the most greenhouse gases: the company can, for example, decide to avoid air travel, facilitate carpooling, reimburse public transport. Granting teleworking days and replacing certain trips with video conferences also avoid transport. A charter can inform employees about computer pollution in order to optimize the sending of emails, heavy attachments or signatures with an image. It is also possible to reduce the printing of documents and use these (non-confidential) as drafts.

The company can limit meat in the company restaurant and cooperate with an association to avoid waste, install water-saving devices in the toilets, resell used equipment to employees or have machines repaired instead of replacing them.

She can offer a mug and a water bottle to her employees to avoid cups and water bottles - two easy anti-plastic gestures to implement -, refillable pens instead of single-use ballpoint pens, etc.

These are all messages also sent to customers and suppliers in order to raise their awareness. The cost of these measures is negligible but if all companies committed to this, the result would be significant.

Professionals from all sectors can take this responsibility for the environment - and it is often easier than you think. And to sustain the initiatives, it is necessary to set up objectives, reporting on results and monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of the action plans and the company's commitments.

Ecology includes humans and engages staff in a common project, at home as well as in the workplace. Whether it is an office, a store, a factory or a field, this state of mind creates strong adhesion and a valuable sense of team that also increases efficiency at work.

Global warming will soon have disastrous consequences on living things , including human beings. However, society seems incapable of putting a stop to everything that causes this increase in temperatures via greenhouse gas emissions . How can we act, individually and collectively, to limit the damage?

Can we stop global warming?

There is unfortunately no suspense, the answer is no. In practice, if we stopped emissions completely today, the atmospheric concentration of _CO2 would drop very little, and it would take at least a few thousand years for this concentration to return to its 1850 level. The lifetime of greenhouse gases is unfortunately very long. Depending on the scenario, around 15 to 40% of the _CO2 emitted will remain in the atmosphere for more than 1,000 years.

Unfortunately, society and its industries, but also our daily lives , are extremely dependent on oil, gas and coal: we cannot stop everything at once, we then speak of transition. Unfortunately, as long as certain financial interests weigh more than the interests of life, avoiding climate chaos for future generations will be complicated.

How to mitigate global warming?

Whatever is set in motion will have consequences for a few thousand years, no matter what we do from now on. This does not mean that nothing should be done, but that there is urgency and that only drastic and coercive measures can hope to slow the rise in temperatures. Only a comprehensive and global approach will be able to realize global ecological ambitions .

We need to rely on legislation that requires companies to include global warming in their constraints, regulations on the financial investments of institutional investors, in addition to a change of social and societal direction including providers of goods and services, but also consumers. And above all, an energy transition that takes into account the need for an energy mix that includes nuclear power, the only energy source powerful enough to meet demand and which does not emit (or very little) CO ₂ , in addition to renewable energies which also emit very little CO ₂ .

What can states do about global warming?

Today, more than 80% of the energy consumed in the world of fossil origin therefore emits _CO2 . A figure that has not changed or has barely changed since the year 2000. Worse, between 2002 and 2012, oil consumption increased by almost 15%, gas by more than 30% and coal, the most polluting energy, by 55%!

Despite awareness, economic and demographic growth continues, particularly for countries such as China, India and the countries of the South-East which have accelerated their development. It would indeed be necessary to move to decreasing lifestyles and production… while these countries have not finished their “growth”. Developed countries have also persisted in consuming increasingly without a long-term vision: even more oil for Canada and Australia, even more gas for the United States, Canada, France and Japan, and even much more coal for Poland and Italy. At the same time, to compensate for the intermittent production of renewable energies , fossil fuels have been favored, including coal-fired power plants! Many countries are thus pursuing policies that directly or indirectly support the production/consumption of fossil fuels, when it should be stopped.

Why aren't countries actually taking action?

We are acting, but too little and too slowly. States are wary of imposing drastic measures that do not please citizens and industrialists because of the restrictions they create. These countries seem to spend their time committing to measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in agreements such as the "Earth Summit" or the "Conferences of the Parties", the famous "COPs", which are also attended by non-state actors such as NGOs, local authorities, and scientists.

The problem? The states make commitments, yes, but nothing then obliges them to implement their commitments, because these agreements are not or only slightly "binding", in the legal sense of the term: they do not provide for any sanctions. It seems that only political constraint, applied by certain countries on those who do not keep their commitment, can change things.

Citizens mobilized against global warming

It is through legal channels that citizens are mobilizing today to attack states and force them to act. This type of legal action is multiplying all over the world. In France, in response to the Climate Appeal filed in December 2018 by the municipality of Grande-Synthe and its former mayor Damien Carême, the Council of State ruled for the first time on the state's performance obligations with regard to the objectives set by the European Union and by the law for the energy transition and green growth of 2015, in application of the Paris Agreement. Constraints could well finally see the light of day! In the same vein, there is the case of the century? An appeal brought by four environmental organizations (Notre affaire à tous, the Nicolas Hulot Foundation for Nature and Mankind (FNH), Greenpeace France and Oxfam France), to attack the state for its climate inaction. In February 2021, the state recognized the ecological damage and deemed illegal the failure to comply with the ecological commitments that had been made. Historic!

What individual actions are effective in combating global warming?

• Change banks to an ethical bank that does not finance fossil fuels. Indeed, few people realize it, but our savings can unknowingly finance fossil fuels, which are among the most profitable short-term investments, and therefore very popular with bankers. Head for ecological banks like Onlyone, Banque Française Mutualiste, Hélios, Green-Got which guarantee ethical, ecological or solidarity investments and refuse to finance projects linked to the exploitation of fossil fuels.
• Buy fewer things and favor second-hand , local and small producers and artisans
• Minimize air and car travel. Favor trains and bicycles on a daily basis.
• Drastically reduce your consumption of meat and industrial products

As many specialists have been saying for years, global warming is becoming more inevitable every day. We now know that life on Earth will not be the same in about twenty years. If governments are struggling to slow down, caught up in the economic whirlwind of globalized consumer societies, citizens can change their consumption patterns in favor of a decreasing and sober lifestyle, and if possible "decarbonized", that is to say, not dependent on fossil fuels. A lifestyle that one day our children will have to adopt anyway, but which immediately implies a 180° turn in our habits.

When you align your life with your ecological values , you cannot ignore the problems and aberrations of society. Following this awareness , you want to act and bring others together around you. Some militant actions in favor of ecology within reach.

Do an ecological and zero waste initiation in my company

The company is an ideal place to raise awareness about ecology: it is easy to organize a meeting there, and management can support this idea, and even benefit from it. The idea to propose to your company is to do an audit on a specific point, such as waste or plastic . You review the supplies that employees use, then you present your results with solutions such as setting up paper/plastic sorting bins, to prevent each employee from mixing waste in their personal bin. You can also suggest that the company offers a mug or a flask to everyone to avoid plastic bottles and cups at the fountain and suggest a change of supplier for supplies in order to order refillable pens and not single-use plastic, etc. Finally, you can volunteer to organize internal events without plastic or without waste. Finally, you can offer employees a charter where everyone commits to actions to be respected in the company or even at home.

Install a communal compost with my neighbors

We live every day near people, in our village, our street, our building, who are all people to rally to the ecological cause or to common actions that sometimes just need to be initiated for them to join. Setting up a shared compost is a simple process, which does not require a lot of resources and allows you to reduce waste . All you need is a lidded bin in which you place a base of soil then an alternation of soil and "green waste" such as leaves, petals, grass cuttings, on which you will throw the organic waste. On the other hand, you must ensure that the whole remains aerated and ensure a supply of dry matter such as wood chips or dried leaves so as not to compact the waste and reduce its humidity. The ideal is to be accompanied by a master composter or to follow a methodology such as those easily found online (on the ADEME website for example). This local action strengthens the social bond and of course allows for discussion, in particular on the importance of reducing waste... A virtuous circle!

Launch an anti-cigarette butt campaign with the traders in my neighborhood

For this action, you just need to print flyers to distribute in your neighborhood on which you write a text about cigarette butts and their impact on the cost of cleaning the streets, on the pollution they generate, and explain that even thrown in the gutter, they end up in the sea and rivers (for the record, just 1 cigarette butt pollutes 500 L of water...). Then, you can give another dimension to your action by presenting it to shopkeepers who can join in and offer ashtrays in front of their door with a poster, or even take it to the town hall to initiate a sustainable campaign, part of the life of the village or city with for example the official creation of a "street without cigarette butts". Many associations are concerned and interested in this type of action and you will find support there to organize other events such as collecting cigarette butts or plastic waste.

Offer a workshop on biodiversity in my children's school

Another way to campaign is to initiate and educate. Any parent can offer to run a workshop in their child's school. The easiest topics to address are those related to animals such as biodiversity and plastic. We explain the fundamental role of bees , for example, or the fact that birds eat earthworms that need rich soil, which need micro-organisms, or that whales feed on plankton... And that each animal needs the others to survive, just like us. It is thus easy to explain the concept of ecosystem and co-dependence, of the food chain, from kindergarten onwards .
On the plastic side, a playful approach to different materials by introducing cardboard, wood, metal, soft and hard plastic, makes it possible to make the message concrete. Children are now very informed and know that marine animals suffer from ingesting plastic that decomposes in the sea. After a passage on the fact that recycling is not enough, the ideal is to make the link with consumption by presenting alternatives to plastic: showing children solid shampoos, wooden toothbrushes and metal water bottles next to their plastic counterparts. A seed sown for the citizens of tomorrow.

Organize a loan system in my building

This is probably the easiest measure: just put a list in the hall where everyone writes down the equipment they have and can lend. Raclette machines and drills that haven't been used for 3 years can be used by others and conversely, these loans can avoid unnecessary purchases. It's then easy to organize eco-friendly aperitifs, set up a book box or even exchange skills: English lessons in exchange for repairs. It's a whole chain that is set up with great savings to be made!

Ecology is first and foremost about sobriety and mutual aid, and it only takes one person to bring a group together around a common interest, get ideas across and make progress while feeling supported. These ideas for simple and inexpensive actions to implement can lead to meetings and the creation of a committed ecological network around you.

To campaign is to make known, to share and to make known, and for that, there is no need to look too far: local actions are often the most effective! It's your turn!

The podcast craze, these shows to listen to that give the floor to specialists and anonymous people, to talk about a subject or tell their story, put the environment in the spotlight in their versions dedicated to ecology. At a time when more and more citizens are becoming aware of the seriousness of the situation, there are just as many who want to spread the word, inform and exchange.

Here are, in our opinion, the 10 best podcasts on ecology.

The most cutting-edge eco podcast: “Présages”

The pitch: “Conversations, ideas to nourish the mind and radically question the state of our world.”

This independent podcast by Alexia Soyeux is the result of meetings between scientists, literary figures, artists, and committed people, each of whom is aware of the immensity of the upheavals underway and to come. They all question and challenge the model of our societies, of our planet. They study, alert, act, and build. The content is thematic depending on the guests but definitely committed since they talk about ecology through its most anxiety-provoking angles such as collapse, loss of biodiversity, or the threat of global warming . The feat is to manage to talk about very worrying subjects while remaining a little optimistic, without falling into consensus or ease. The objective of these interviews is to hear from specialists in order to prepare to live differently.

The most curious eco podcast: “From cause to effect”

The pitch: “Every week, we focus on the environment and its challenges for today’s society and that of tomorrow.”

This podcast for France Culture by Aurélie Luneau, a doctor of history and graduate in political science, aims to understand the cause-effect links of all ecological issues in order to imagine how to act. She receives scientists as well as citizens and presents emerging solutions from around the world while raising fundamental questions. Rather intellectual, the tone is intended to be free and enlightened, and the content questions notions such as responsibility , citizenship, the concept of transition and all the reflections that can feed the idea of ​​the world of tomorrow. Alternating optimism and a sense of urgency, the balance is found in the curiosity that is constantly renewed and demonstrated, and the desire to get to the bottom of things, even if there are questions that upset.

The most innovative eco podcast: “2030 Glorieuses”

The pitch: the podcast that highlights the players in the world of tomorrow

Alongside his radio show "Ça commence par moi" on Raje, which answers the big questions of tomorrow's society and which reveals new ways of changing the world on a daily basis, Julien Vidal, author of the book and creator of the site of the same name, offers an eco-friendly podcast in his image. This podcast shows how to take concrete action through the discovery of new professions and activities that will change tomorrow. Optimistic, the content is a "guide to utopian conversations whose objective is to allow you to travel, from today, to the glorious 2030s with your loved ones". When you listen, it's as if it were done, you project yourself with these meetings of citizens and activists committed to innovative ideas and projects.

Most accessible eco podcast: “There’s a fire at the lake”

The pitch: The podcast that dissects what we think we know about ecology

This podcast from Ouest-France hosted by journalist Lucas Scaltritti sorts through the news and deconstructs our beliefs about ecology, while providing advice on all environmental and climate issues. Goodbye preconceived ideas, hello exciting topics and truths to better understand and make daily choices on topics such as 5G, fast fashion , savings or organic . Everything is dissected and when we leave, we feel smarter and more motivated, almost determined to want to change the world! The discussions grab us and we immediately feel concerned by the issues raised.

The most forward-looking eco podcast: “#2050”

The pitch: a unique perspective to imagine the future and thus question our present

This podcast is by Rebecca Armstrong, a host specializing in the subject of "model change." She discusses all the themes necessary to envision an acceptable world in twenty years' time, with a social dimension: the climate, of course. , but also feminism, collective intelligence and culture. Each guest presents their ideas and knowledge, and the interview allows us to glimpse solutions with the ambition of improving things. We like the touch of madness which is expressed in the imagination developed in the episodes, which brings a breath of fresh air and renewed hope.

The most optimistic eco podcast: “Positive Impact”

The pitch: the podcast that takes you to meet those who are changing the world

The LCI podcast hosted by Sylvia Amicone aims to convey the words and actions of "Changemakers", i.e. those who are trying to change the world by being the actors of these changes. The episodes highlight solutions and positive impacts on society or the environment, whether it be the oceans, low tech, the health of the future or food waste, through topics such as the politics of tomorrow, freedom of expression, the digital divide or impact financing. You have to listen carefully to understand everything and realize that everything that is discussed is close to us (even if it seems far from everyday life). This podcast shows that ultimately everything is connected and that together we can change the world.

The most square green podcast: “The ecological revolution”

The Pitch: a 6-part program to examine the relationship between ecology and the contemporary world

Dominique Rousset and Nicolas Hulot question our relationship to the world by confronting ecology and nature, ecology and science , ecology and democracy, ecology and capitalism, ecology and social justice, and ecology and borders through interviews with experts. Sociologists, physicists, economists and other specialists question the world by proposing ecology as the radical perspective that will allow the necessary (r)evolution of our society. A definitely hard-hitting series that does not leave you indifferent!

The most targeted eco podcast: “New Model”

The pitch: The podcast on committed and eco-responsible fashion

Chloé Cohen has chosen to interview only women about fashion to remind us that they are the first workers and victims of this devastating industry in terms of the environment but also human rights and working conditions. To draw their portraits, designers, entrepreneurs, stylists, or models are questioned about their values ​​and their actions to reform the world of fashion. The themes are strong, the women inspiring and this is how each episode reflects on the consequences and the terrible impact of this industry on the planet but also on the changes and solutions to be brought to it so that the textile professions can continue without exploiting, wasting or polluting.

The coolest eco podcast: “Le grand large”

The pitch: Less, but better! A podcast to reconnect with yourself, others and the planet

Blogger Deedee's podcast has decided to tackle overconsumption and delve deeper into the nooks and crannies of sustainable and unsustainable fashion, but not only that. The idea is to provide keys to make more informed choices in the field of consumption. We thus move from an analysis of "plus size" fashion to the behind the scenes of ethical jewelry , via eco-consciousness and deciphering clothing labels . Interviews with inspiring personalities are like discussions between friends who share their experiences, to learn how to do better.

The most intellectual eco podcast: “Seismic”

The pitch: a podcast on the challenges of a changing world

Here Julien Devaureix gets to the bottom of the most complex things and concepts and knows how to make them more accessible during his discussions with experts: geopolitics , nuclear fusion, degrowth, cryptocurrencies but also living together or eco-anxiety. From the broadest to the most personal, the content offers reflections on the world but also on our daily questions by skillfully making the connection so that everyone feels concerned, even by subjects deemed complex.

Ecological podcasts are a royal road to communicating to the greatest number the realities and solutions of today's and tomorrow's world. With enthusiasts behind the microphones, both on the questions and answers side, whatever the tone, the content is of high quality and offers precious freedom, where some media often only offer a repetitive and limited discourse. Real intimate shows, these podcasts not only tell the truth, the whole truth, but also allow us to "meet" a very wide range of guests, whether they are known or not. A refreshing and virtuous insight into the skills, knowledge, ideas and concrete solutions of ecological players.

As you know, overconsumption is an ecological scourge! So this year, perhaps you have decided to spoil your loved ones differently? However, it is not always easy to find good eco-friendly gift ideas for everyone... Follow our Eco-friendly Christmas guide with dozens of ideas that don't hurt the planet!

Why eco-friendly gifts?

Deciding to offer gifts that do not pollute and do not contribute to the destruction of the planet is a strong gesture. It is an opportunity to show your commitment, transmit your values, spark discussion and share your knowledge about ecology. Bonus: it is also economical! We tend to think that a gift must be expensive, new or straight from a well-known store to please. And the ecological situation in which we find ourselves sometimes echoes that of our wallet, which can also be on fire and blood. But times are changing: we may prefer to offer a homemade or second-hand gift and use the money saved to offer a special moment to the person who will receive it. The important thing is to be together! Don't forget to wrap these zero waste or zero plastic gifts with eco-friendly materials too!

The different types of eco-friendly gifts:

– A Do it yourself gift to promote upcycling: a great opportunity to make something with your hands by reusing or transforming materials

– A zero plastic gift to preserve the oceans : to prevent plastics and microplastics from ending up in an unscrupulous recycling channel or in nature, to be traded for the sea

– A zero waste gift to… reduce waste ! That’s so much packaging that society won’t have to manage and so many costs and materials saved

– A second-hand gift to reduce the carbon footprint : the circular economy makes it possible to avoid the manufacture of new objects which is always polluting at one point or another in its development.

– An “exceptional moment” gift (gastronomy,sport , well-being , cultural leisure) to avoid maintaining the accumulation of objects and promote sobriety in our homes.

Digital gifts offer a special moment together, and focus the intention on connection: something that ecology also needs to progress, all without polluting or using resources, or almost.

Eco-friendly gift ideas for Christmas

For the stressed: a massage or treatment in an Institute

Reconnecting with yourself requires getting out of the mad rush of everyday life and taking a moment away from the hubbub. Offering a break dedicated to contact and resting the body is the best way to ensure a gift that only contributes to warming hearts and not the planet!

For the curious: a concert, theater, opera ticket

Offering a beautiful souvenir, to share with yourself by going together, or offering two tickets for a couple, is a gesture that supports the human and the artists. It is also offering a different perspective if we introduce a show that the person would not have thought of going to see. An opening to the world, conducive to exchange. For exhausted parents: an evening/a night/a weekend of babysitting

The most zero waste gift in the world: providing a service! And what a gift! Offering a turnkey evening and the carefree nature that goes with it if the children are supervised. Being able to really enjoy a moment together!

For a friend: a dinner together at a restaurant

Here again, we offer a moment, an evening to discuss, exchange and enjoy. Precious to maintain the link when we no longer take the time to see each other because of exchanging messages remotely! Bet on a vegetarian restaurant because meat production is responsible for many problems. The opportunity to test a good veggie address!

For gourmets: refined condiments

These are products that we often hesitate to treat ourselves to: truffle oil, flavored mustard or pickles. In glass jars, we enjoy tasting them and discovering new flavors. Another idea: ready-made organic preparations (like at Marlette) to make delicious, organic and healthy cakes!

For home lovers: household linen

Beautiful materials, local or at least European design and production, quality finishes... This is what many confidential brands of tea towels, sheets or even towels and beautiful bathrobes in natural materials such as linen or organic cotton offer. Offered to last, they will delight those who like to give their interior a little extra soul without going through globalized productions.

For siblings: A workshop to realize your passion

Today, we can find absolutely every possible discipline in the form of a workshop or introductory course: cooking, painting, oenology, perfume creation, singing or jewelry! Ideal to offer as a joint gift if the price is high, offering a course to reconnect or finally allow yourself to explore a passion is a gift that we remember and that generates a lot of joy.

For craft enthusiasts: an original creation

To make artists and craftsmen work, Christmas is the ideal time: we offer more than a beautiful object. By turning to small series of creators, we are sure to limit pollution linked to transport or manufacturing if it is artisanal. An object such as a vase or plate, in terracotta or ceramic shaped by hand in a family workshop, a painting, a statuette or even a beautiful wooden kitchen tool… those that come out of small workshops are nuggets! This is also valid for fashion accessories!

For parents or grandparents: framed family photos

By sharing our photos digitally, we forget to have them developed! However, it is tiring to look at them on the computer or phone. Taking the time to have them developed and framed, or why not create a photo book, is certainly a thoughtful gesture that will touch the heart!

For eco-friendly friends: a Do It Yourself gift

It is sometimes difficult to offer a homemade gift that can be seen as a lack of consideration by people who are not aware of it. But for loved ones who share your ethical values, a homemade candle, a terracotta object, a wooden frame decorated with shells or even a plant in a pot decorated by you can on the contrary be a token of value. Multiple tutorials are available on the internet to find inspiration.

For fashion fans: a beautiful second-hand piece or a vintage jewel

Don't think that second-hand is synonymous with old-fashioned! There are high-value second-hand clothes and some are even sought-after and more expensive than their current equivalent. You can find wonders in thrift stores that are now online! For a more modern style, offer a designer piece from a small series or an eco-responsible production made from recycled fabrics for example. Many entrepreneurs offer mini-collections precisely to be able to ensure clean production. As for jewelry, it is also easy to offer a beautiful gift since many brands offer old or contemporary second-hand items, not to mention second-hand sites that also offer luxury items or major brands.

For the coquettish: zero waste cosmetics

Often more expensive than others when they are of quality and/or organic, solid cosmetics are an ideal eco-friendly gift idea for Christmas. They are pleasure products, which open an easy door to new habits. Today we find almost everything in a zero waste version like cut soaps with divine scents, shampoos, conditioners or massage bars in vegetable shea or cocoa butter. Another idea: an essential oil kit to get started or organic/clean cosmetics, made in France and eco-responsible.

For children: wooden, cardboard or second-hand toys

A racing car, a stool, a classic game like snakes and ladders, dominoes or chess, always pleases without having to go to toy store chains or buy plastic. Also think about board games that are almost 100% cardboard, card games, and books of course. All of this can easily be found new (or like new) on Vinted, the essential app for buying second-hand.

For garden lovers: wooden objects, plants, flower beds, trees

Bet on wood to choose your object like a birdhouse, an insect hotel or even a small musical instrument that comes to life with the wind. Offer zen and nature! In the same vein, a tree or a beautiful plant grown locally if possible to replant or in a beautiful pot.

For the altruists: an ethical gift

Finally, here is the ultimate dematerialized eco-friendly gift: the gift that we give to the planet directly! Offer the planting of a tree, membership in an association, a solidarity object or even a donation to support a project. For those who never want for anything!

For everyone: a book on ecology!

A book, especially if its pages come from eco-managed forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) which guarantees responsible sourcing, and produced by Imprim'vert certified printers! This is the case - for example - of the title Dis, c'est vrai qu'on peux soigner la Terre written by me, to make as many people as possible understand, and easily, all the aspects of all the challenges of today's ecology from the climate, through biodiversity, pollution, of course linked to consumption. A complete 360° in the form of questions with solutions to implement and answers intended to allow adults to explain everything to children.

…or a zero waste object

To help our loved ones change their habits and thus, surreptitiously, act on their ecological footprint, there is nothing better than equipping them ourselves. On the program, to choose from a specialized store, a water bottle to avoid plastic bottles, bee wrap to say goodbye to stretch film, wooden kitchen utensils, a kit of washable makeup remover pads, jars, etc.

Good or bad ideas?

Offer a good tea: yes if it is organic

Growing tea requires the use of hundreds of pesticides and chemicals that seriously harm biodiversity ... The problem is that the leaves are not washed: they are infused directly in water, including product residues! To avoid swallowing any, it is better to opt for organic. The Ecocert label in France, for example, requires a biannual inspection at each stage of production, from picking to the factory, and producers also require pesticide analyses to guarantee the best quality and safety.

A bottle of wine: yes, but for a very good bottle

Conventional viticulture is among the most polluting agricultural activities because of the often preventive use of pesticides, which can even cause a health risk for citizens living in wine-growing regions. On the organic side, fewer pesticides but copper. Natural at the start, used in the form of "Bordeaux mixture", based on lime, it becomes harmful to the soil and copper being very soluble, it must be spread again in case of rain... We save ourselves for the good vintages!

Here you are, equipped with original ideas for eco-friendly gifts that will have a minimal impact on the environment, while promoting human connection and know-how. Merry Christmas!

Every year at Christmas, 20,000 tons of gift wrapping are sold in France and immediately thrown away. Is it possible to celebrate Christmas without wrapping paper and multi-colored ribbon? Yes, thanks to eco-friendly wrapping tips !

The traditional wrapping to tie: the Furoshiki

This Japanese tradition consists of wrapping the gift in a fabric that is tied using different techniques depending on its shape. It then looks like a small bundle or a package topped with a pretty bow. Once offered, the Furoshiki serves as a scarf, towel or dishcloth!

Reusable gift wrapping

What if the packaging was part of the gift?

A beautiful box: For example, you can use a pretty decorated cardboard stationery box, which the person can keep… Or reuse as packaging! Particularly practical for gifts for little ones because they can open it easily and then keep it as a decorative element in their room.

A fabric bag: This is also valid if you use a cotton bag (tote bag) , which you just need to tie the handles. Perfect for wrapping everything, from a bottle to a small object. They are sometimes offered directly in store. In this case, remember to refuse the packaging at the checkout, as well as the brand bag. With a tote bag, you don't need anything else, apart from a little tissue paper to protect the products, in the case of cosmetics for example. You can then reuse it as you wish, as a sports bag, shoe bag or shopping bag.

A fabric bag: ideal for storing small products or underwear, the advantage of the fabric bag is that it can have multiple uses. Provided it is opaque, it makes a very good gift wrap for jewelry or cosmetics. Beware of transparent versions that squeak under your fingers: they are made of polyester , a synthetic fiber, made of plastic threads! To find cotton ones, turn to organic brands, small designers, natural product stores, or divert bags intended for bulk groceries.

A bee wrap or beeswax cloth: known to be the eco-friendly alternative to stretch film in the kitchen, these coated fabric squares also make pretty gift wrapping, while introducing zero waste !

Recycled gift wrapping

No question of throwing away these papers which will be used to wrap the gifts:

Colorful pages from a magazine: tricky without tape for big gifts, but great for small gifts. Just fold them like envelopes

Newspaper or magazine text pages: obviously, you have to customize it to make it pretty. We work on folding ideas to make pockets, we can embellish them with stamps to decorate them and use office clips or even wooden clothespins to close them.

Kraft paper: sometimes used by stores themselves, it is perfect for all gifts: candle, frame, book… It folds well and is strong enough to wrap game boxes. It can then be decorated.

A decorated egg box or shoe box: choose a white one and decorate it by drawing or sticking magazine pages on it, or why not natural elements like leaves or shells.

A wooden crate: Wine crates are often thrown away by wine merchants after receiving their delivery. Why not ask them to collect them in order to place the gift to be wrapped. Hoping not to give false joy to the person who will receive it by perhaps expecting 6 good bottles!

To close these packages, use fabric ribbons, why not fabric threads cut from scraps or an old t-shirt, or even string or raffia.

To wrap eco-friendly, let's be creative: when you want to do things differently, there's no shortage of ideas . All you need to do is take the time to find some recycled material. A good DIY exercise that enhances gifts and a good opportunity to affirm your ecological commitments.

In the last 20 years, global clothing production has more than doubled. The accelerated renewal of wardrobes and the reduction in the lifespan of products, linked to the advent of Fast Fashion , have produced a growing number of unsold items, often destroyed in more than questionable conditions. The AGEC law, which comes into force in January 2022, prohibits this. Analysis.

Clothing waste, scandals and disorderly management

In 2017, H&M reportedly burned a dozen tons of unsold clothing in Denmark. The brand assured at the time that the incineration concerned items that did not comply with the company's safety regulations. In 2018, Burberry's annual report estimated the cost of physically destroyed finished products at €32.6 million, including €21 million in ready-to-wear and accessories , ensuring in the same report that the incineration process was correlated with energy recovery (energy production). The same year, Celio down jackets, shirts and sweaters were found torn in the trash of the Rouen store, in the middle of a cold snap. Faced with protest actions from associations, Celio declared at the time that the products were importable and that they also supported the ADN (Agence du Don en Nature).

So far, each brand manages according to its choices

One explanation for these many unsold items: brands are caught in a vicious circle. They order large quantities of clothing because the larger the volume, the lower the unit costs, particularly in countries where labor is cheap.

It is then up to them to manage unsold items in their own way : sales, clearance sales, outlets, private sales in stores and on dedicated sites such as Veepee or Showroomprivé . Despite this, the Fast Fashion sector generates 25% of unsold items when Luxury generates around 5%. What remains is therefore incinerated or thrown away, after being rendered unusable, in order to avoid a secondary black market.
When it comes to luxury , brands rarely hold sales or clearance sales so as not to damage their image, protect intellectual freedom and avoid counterfeiting. They therefore destroy prototypes and products worth several thousand euros.

A waste upstream and downstream

Disposing of unsold goods is not just about throwing away a finished product, but about wasting materials, supplies, labor, products that can be worn or repaired/upcycled/recycled. Added to this waste is the environmental cost of producing a useless product, transporting it thousands of kilometers, storing it (in heated and lit warehouses) and finally destroying it. Thus, each year, between 10,000 and 20,000 tons of textile products are destroyed in France.

The AGEC Law, towards a circular anti-waste model

The AGEC (Anti-Waste and for the Circular Economy) law, or law n° 2020-105 of February 10, 2020, was introduced by Brune Poirson, Secretary of State to the Minister of Ecological and Inclusive Transition – Nicolas Hulot – in the second government of Édouard Philippe. The Secretary of State’s desire was to profoundly change the behavior of industrialists to enable France to respect the Paris Agreements, that is to say, to include France in a trajectory of global temperature increases “well below 2 degrees” by 2050.

This law aims to accelerate the change in production and consumption models in order to limit waste and preserve natural resources, biodiversity and the climate .

In this context, there is a ban on destroying new, unsold non-food products, from January 1, 2022. For the fashion and luxury industry, this law means that producers, importers, and distributors will now have to “donate, reuse, repurpose or recycle their unsold goods”, but also encourage and help consumers sort, and include recycled or upcycled materials from production. Once again, it is through constraint that the industry is forced to change in depth.

What does the law say?

Promote production including recycled materials

To move towards saving resources from the product design stage, the law strengthens the “bonus-penalty” system. This mechanism, which already exists for products in the TLC sector (Clothing Textiles, Household Linen & Footwear), consists of applying a modulation of the eco-contributions paid by marketers to eco-organizations. It encourages the production of products towards greater durability and/or recyclability, and encourages the incorporation of recycled materials in manufacturing. In concrete terms, manufacturers who design or import their products in an “ecological” manner (by incorporating recycled materials, for example) will benefit from a bonus on the financial contribution they pay to their eco-organization for the management and treatment of the end of life of their products. Conversely, those who do not subscribe to this approach of products with “high environmental value” will have a contribution increased by a penalty. Consumers are informed of this by the presence of a display as soon as they make a purchase.

Ban the destruction of unsold goods

Today, companies destroy 5 times more than they give away. To put an end to this situation, the law prohibits the destruction (landfilling and incineration) of unsold new products and requires systematic recourse to reuse (in particular by donation), reuse and recycling of unsold new products. The objective is also to combat overproduction. Only certain products will be able to benefit from an exception: those for which recycling would lead to a negative environmental impact, a ban (presenting a risk to the environment or to human health) or for which there is no technical solution for reuse, repurposing or recycling.

Collect used textiles

The aim of the law is to promote the development of second lives for products and materials, either by reusing items in good condition or by recycling textile products that cannot be reused. Thus, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) extends beyond the design and sale of products, and commits it until the end of its products' life. It is therefore up to the consumer to ensure the recovery of its products when they are used and the consumer wishes to part with them. Several distributors already organize a collection of used textiles in their stores; they are identified, with Eco TLC, as holders of voluntary contribution points (PAV), and can be geolocated on www.lafibredutri.fr.

Deploy the Triman icon

Furthermore, to encourage and simplify sorting (to know in which container a product should be placed), the Triman pictogram, which came into force in 2015 but is still little known (a little man with three arrows) must now be accompanied by an explanatory sentence indicating to the consumer, for textile products, the collection point to use: terminals on public roads, boxes in stores, associations, etc.

The favored gift

The AGEC law's timetable is structured – for the management of unsold items – around two dates. The first, January ¹ , 2022, concerns all products already covered by an EPR sector, i.e. clothing and shoes . The second is December 31, 2023 at the latest and concerns all other products (for example for luxury fashion houses, leather goods and accessories). The first principle of the law is to ratify the ban on the destruction of unsold items, whether by landfill or incineration. The second principle requires marketers to explore donation, then – only after 3 refusals of donation – reuse or upcycling and finally recycling. The last authorized route is energy recovery. Each of the routes explored allows the finished product or its material to continue its life. Unsold goods – or their materials – become a resource that feeds a loop economy. With this law, the economy of luxury fashion becomes circular.

Solutions for achieving zero waste?

Faced with this rapid change, brands are multiplying initiatives

Reduce supply upstream

To echo the words of Bea Johnson, a leading figure in the zero waste movement : "The best waste is waste that doesn't exist", the McKinsey firm, in its report The State of Fashion 2021, believes that fashion companies in general must now focus on profitability, simplicity and the reduction of collections, more than on discount and volumes. Luxury houses had already started working on reducing the offer with fewer references, they are now wondering about reducing the number of collections.

Among the 500 fashion house executives surveyed by McKinsey for its 2021 Report, 30% announced that they were abandoning the seasonal calendar of shows. In September 2021 in New York, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Marc Jacobs did so. In Paris, it was Celine and Mugler. Gucci also announced that its collections would now go from 5 to 2 per year. Outside of luxury, some brands have even chosen rarity as their "trademark", like that of skaters Supreme. What is now called the "Drop" model.

In parallel with the reflections on the rhythm of the collections, other avenues are being considered: production on demand, pre-order, and special orders are areas that some brands are developing. But this is especially true for the high end where customers are prepared to wait.

Establish downstream revaluation platforms

It is now necessary to set up circuits and structures capable of absorbing the influx of these unsold items, without them ending up on the markets of certain cities on the African continent, as is often the case, and even more so in 2020, where unsold items were particularly high due to the pandemic and store closures due to lockdowns.

Many luxury brands have turned to associations offering guarantees on the sale of their products, such as the Agence du Don en Nature, and are using ESATs (Établissement et Service d'Aide par le Travail) or associations promoting professional reintegration to anonymize (de-categorize) products. Some have also upcycled their unsold items themselves. An example is Louis Vuitton's "LV trainers upcycling", sneakers disassembled and reassembled according to an eco-responsible philosophy implemented in 2018 by Virgile Abloh; a bag should follow.

There are platforms that allow the recovery of materials, scraps and rolls of unused fabrics post-production from brands (Weturn , UpTrade , Nona Source, etc.), others are being created for post-production revaluation, such as Recycle by Refashion, which facilitates access to materials from recycling and the development of large-scale industrial solutions for the recycling and recovery of textiles and shoes in Europe.

The AGEC Law requires textile and fashion players to review their model in France. Originally decided as a transposition of a 2018 European directive, it actually went further and even prompted the European Union to reformulate its own project. This plan could thus present specific objectives for 2030 in terms of reducing textile waste and establish new community standards. The fact remains that the majority of Fast Fashion textiles are produced and destroyed or reshipped outside Europe...

“Zero waste is not recycling more but recycling less” Béa Johnso n.