By Rick Laezman* To prevent irreversible climate changes and sustainably power the future, a myriad of possible energy sources are being explored. While renewable energy and electric cars grab many of the headlines about reducing carbon emissions, one of the most promising avenues is harnessing “ambient” energy from power-consuming devices themselves. Many forms of ambient energy created by nature are already available for use by humans. In an environment driven by innovation and the determined pursuit of whatever can be done, it should come as no surprise that many efforts are underway to capture even more of this seemingly ubiquitous power source. What is Ambient Energy? The term ambient energy refers to energy that is available in the surrounding environment. This is a very broad definition and includes many different types of ambient energy. To better understand the concept, this power source can be divided into two categories. The first category refers to ambient energy that occurs naturally. The second category refers to power created by humans and their devices. Naturally occurring ambient energy takes many forms and can be harvested in different ways. Naturally occurring ambient energy takes many forms and can be harvested in different ways. For example, sunlight generates heat that can be harnessed as thermal energy. The heat from the Earth's core can also be harnessed as geothermal power. Mechanical energy is another naturally occurring form of ambient power. Waves, wind, and hydropower can all be harnessed to generate electricity. Solar photovoltaic panels capture ambient energy generated by sunlight. Less well-known—but with no less potential—are ambient energies generated by human activity. Some are on a large scale while others are so small as to be undetected by human senses. How Ambient Energy is Captured Capturing plentiful ambient energy in the surrounding environment is a complex process. Dr. Vincenzo Pecunia, professor of sustainable energy engineering at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, has conducted extensive research on the field of ambient energy harvesting and identified five major approaches to the process: Photovoltaics involves capturing energy from light and the sun. Triboelectrics captures electricity from vibrations or friction. (The term “tribo” has its origin in the Greek word tribein, which means to rub). Piezoelectrics refers to materials that create electricity under stress. (The term “piezo” derives from the Greek word piezein, to squeeze or press.) Radiofrequency energy harvesting is the process of capturing energy from radio waves. Thermoelectrics focuses on materials that convert heat into electricity. These broad categories encompass a variety of ambient energy forms. Some forms of ambient power harnessing have a long history of use. An example for thermoelectrics is how combined-cycle power plants capture the excess heat that is generated by gas turbines. That heat is channeled to a second set of turbines that produce power from steam. These turbines generate far more power than traditional plants that only generate power from the first set of turbines. This technology has been in existence for more than sixty years. Another form of mechanical energy harvesting is the regenerative braking in a hybrid-electric car, like the Toyota Prius. It captures the kinetic energy that is generated when the driver applies the brakes and channels a current back into the car's battery. Similarly, researchers at the Virginia Tech Center for Vehicle Systems and Safety (CVeSS) are working on developing technology to harvest energy from the rotating wheels of a train. Even the human body can be harnessed as a source of power. And yes, scientists are working on that, too. Cell phones, tablets, and the myriad of devices we collectively refer to as the Internet of Things (IoT) emit their own energy, which can be harnessed to power other devices. One form of ambient power has emerged recently with the advent and growth of electronic devices. For example, cell phones, tablets, and the myriad of devices we collectively refer to as the Internet of Things (IoT) emit their own energy, which can be harnessed to power other devices. Dr. Peter Spies has been researching the topic at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Germany. Describing ambient energy for the online magazine Fraunhofer, he says that small devices “release an energy that we can hardly feel, but which can be used to power brief moments of activity.” Ironically, this energy is perfectly poised to power other IoT devices. As Dr. Spies explains, “new wireless technologies and microelectronic devices are consuming smaller and smaller amounts of energy, meaning that energy harvesting modules are now a genuine energy self-sufficient alternative to batteries and cables.” “New wireless technologies and microelectronic devices are consuming smaller amounts of energy, meaning that energy harvesting modules are now a genuine energy self-sufficient alternative to batteries and cables.” Due to their remote, disconnected nature, these devices have unique needs for power, which also makes them ideal candidates to rely on these same energy harvesting techniques. The Future of Ambient Energy Harvesting The ability to harness energy from the environment is a remarkable phenomenon. As society fights the existential battle against global warming, this unique human ability has grown in significance, and it continues to shine. The field itself is diverse and highly promising. Various analyses quantify the global market for energy harvesting systems at anywhere from $400 million to $700 million and project the market to almost double in size, averaging a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 7% to 10% over the next ten years (see, for example, ResearchAndMarkets.com’s “Global Energy Harvesting Systems Market Report 2022: Market to Reach $651.5 Million by 2025 - The US and China to Witness Phenomenal Growth.”) The growth of the IoT has accentuated the need for more advanced and microforms of energy harvesting. Ironically, those devices are both ideal providers and consumers of that power. There is little question that ambient energy harvesting in all its forms will be a fixture in the energy industry for many years to come. *Richard Laezman is a freelance writer in Los Angeles, California. He has a passion for energy efficiency and innovation. He has been covering renewable power and other related subjects for more than ten years.

Bloomberg News reports that as nations—such as India—reach the $10,000 annual income threshold, basic air conditioning becomes affordable and sales boom. Entry-level units, however, raise environmental concerns. Bloomberg News cites an estimate that “the world will add 1 billion ACs before the end of the decade”—a doubling of the market. More than 80% of India’s billion-plus population currently lacks access to air conditioning. Oppressive heat slows labor, with productivity decreasing about “2% for every degree Celsius increase,” according to a study that examined thousands of Indian factories, Bloomberg said. The head of the India wing of Daikin Industries Ltd, the world’s largest AC manufacturer, told Bloomberg that “sales have grown more than 15 times” in recent years due to need and increased affordability. Improved standards for AC are important because a common coolant, hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), could have 1,000 times the climate warming potency of carbon dioxide. The US and European Union have set stricter standards and have lowered energy use from appliances by 15% in recent years, according to BloombergNEF. Nations are now pledging to decrease HFC consumption—and the US Senate recently agreed to reduce US consumption by 85% within fifteen years. India’s cooling needs are severe, however. Temperatures reached 50°C (122°F) on the subcontinent last year, killing hundreds of people. Naresh Tatavet, a chauffeur in Delhi, told Bloomberg that when someone in his neighborhood purchases an AC, “we bring them sweets to celebrate.” He added, “I don’t want to wake up drenched in sweat anymore.” Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/billion-air-conditioners-save-lives-000010352.html

Use of Certain Cooking Fuels May Impact Visual Processing Speeds in Infants Air pollution has already been linked to cognitive issues in children, but a new international study published in Epidemiology and Global Health claims to be the first to examine the effects in a child’s first year of life, when, according to the study, “brain growth is at its peak.” The study targeted rural infants in India, focusing on tiny, in-home particulate matter named for its size (PM2.5). Researchers looked at the impact of using “solid cooking fuel,” such as cow dung or wood, in homes with very young children. Visual testing showed lower-than-expected “visual working memory” scores and slower “visual processing speed” scores in children’s first year of life. The authors said their results suggested links between indoor air quality, cooking fuels, and babies’ neurocognitive health. Their recommendations included helping families upgrade their homes to “clean technologies” and receive education on how to prepare meals while reducing cooking emissions. Source: https://elifesciences.org/articles/83876

Biochar is a carbon-rich substance created by burning biomass in low-oxygen conditions. It is a soil amendment that can rejuvenate the soil and promote soil and plant health. Biochar's porous structure also means it retains water and improves soil's ability to hold moisture, keeping beneficial soil microorganisms alive and promoting plant growth. Improving Soil Fertility Biochar improves soil fertility by attracting and holding moisture, nutrients, and agrochemicals, including difficult-to-hold nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. It also reduces soil density and soil hardening, increases soil aeration and cation-exchange capacity, and changes the soil structure and consistency. Biochar can stimulate soil fertility by increasing soil pH, increasing the ability to retain moisture, and increasing the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soil. It also improves soil moisture retention, aggregate stability, nutrient retention, microbial growth, and enzymatic activities. Biochar is a sustainable approach for improving plant growth and soil quality, making it a good way to overcome nutrient deficiency. It can play an important role in developing a sustainable system of agriculture and is considered an effective method to reclaim contaminated soil and achieve high crop yields without harming the natural environment. Biochar made from manure retains a significant amount of nutrients from its source, making it an exception to the rule that biochar does not actually add nutrients. Overall, the use of biochar produced from different organic residues is an effective approach for the long-term improvement of soil fertility and crop productivity. Environmental Benefits Using biochar in agriculture has many environmental benefits. Biochar can sequester carbon, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. It can also improve soil texture, increase soil organic carbon, and reduce the use of fertilizers, which leads to a decrease in pollution through fertilizer run-off. Biochar can improve soil water-holding capacity, reducing drought by increasing the moisture content of the soil, thus reducing soil erosion and nutrient leaching. Biochar can also increase agricultural production, especially in soils with low fertility and soil degradation, where it can be especially beneficial. However, the availability of feedstock, economic merits, energy needs, and environmental risks of large-scale production and use of biochar remain to be investigated. Economic Benefits Using biochar in agriculture has the potential to provide economic benefits. Biochar can improve the agronomic and environmental sustainability of biomass production systems, improving the economic sustainability of bioenergy enterprises by offsetting feedstock purchases with revenue from biochar sales. Biochar can also improve soil texture, sorption for nutrients, and crop production and yield, reducing the use of fertilizers and decreasing pollution through fertilizer run-off. However, there is a wide range of costs for marginally improved yield from biochar additions, which is often economically impracticable. The economic value of biochar as an agricultural technology for the long-term improvement of arable farming remains to be investigated. The development of biochar as a commercial product must establish concrete benefits of the technology and create a market for it. Conclusion Biochar can rejuvenate the soil, promote plant growth, and combat climate change. It can improve soil fertility, enhance crop yields, and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. Biochar can sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and combat climate change. However, there are still uncertainties surrounding the climate benefits of biochar that require further research. Additionally, the selection of biochar and its application should be carefully performed to yield the desired results. While biochar has many potential benefits, more research and investment are needed to fully realize its potential as a commercial product for sustainable agriculture.

As more antibiotics are prescribed for human and animal diseases, the more resistant the targeted, adaptive microbes can become. This phenomenon has led to a rise in deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released data on how the AMR threat was impacted by the COVID-19 response. The CDC explained that “the response to COVID saw a significant increase in antimicrobial use, difficulty in following infection prevention and control guidance, and a resulting increase in healthcare-associated, antimicrobial-resistant infections in U.S. hospitals.” In contrast, between 2012 and 2017, due to prevention strategies, deaths from antimicrobial resistance decreased overall by 18% and by nearly 30% in hospitals. The CDC’s available data during the 2019-2020 COVID-19 timeframe shows at least a 13% to 78% increase in eight types of infections. In 2020, US hospitals saw significantly higher rates for four out of six types of healthcare-associated infections (HAI), many of which are “resistant to antibiotics or antifungals.” From March 2020 to October 2020, according to the CDC report, nearly “80% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 received an antibiotic.” In terms of outpatient settings, antibiotic use significantly dropped in 2020, compared with 2019, due to reductions in outpatient health care. However, outpatient antibiotic use “rebounded” in 2021, the agency said. Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/publications.html https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/covid19-impact-report-508.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/threats-report/2019-ar-threats-report-508.pdf

So-called “disrupters”—political movements, technological developments, and so on—will, by definition, inconvenience or hurt some people, even as they help others. What about cryptocurrencies, lionized by some for their socioeconomic benefits and criticized by others for their associated energy costs via computers and electricity? Here are some of the numbers. The University of Cambridge Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index (CBECI), which regularly updates Bitcoin and Ethereum energy consumption demands, estimates annual energy consumption at 143.6 TWh for Bitcoin and 6.7 GWh for Ethereum. The energy consumption of a single Bitcoin transaction (703.25 kWh) is vastly greater than that of 100,000 VISA credit card transactions (148.63 kWh), Statistica says. In a September 23, 2022, article, EarthJustice stated that “the cryptocurrency mining industry already uses half the electricity of the entire global banking sector.” In a joint study with the Sierra Club, EarthJustice estimated that 38% of Bitcoin is mined in the US. The study also estimated that “in the year prior to July 2022, Bitcoin consumed around 36 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity,” equaling all the electricity consumed in that period by Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island together. Admitting the limitations of relying on “top-down” estimates of the electricity consumption of cryptocurrency mining in the US, EarthJustice says that their results “imply that the industry was responsible for an excess 27.4 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) between mid-2021 and 2022—or three times as much as emitted by the largest coal plant in the U.S. in 2021.” Dell reports that annual Bitcoin mining energy consumption is “equivalent to 0.4%–0.9% of global consumption, according to estimates in a report released by the Biden Administration. Such a range exceeds the global share of countries like Argentina and Australia. Despite efforts by the crypto industry to cut energy consumption, Dell sees these numbers posing a threat to international pledges to get to zero emissions by 2050. Sources: https://ccaf.io/cbnsi/cbeci https://www.statista.com/statistics/881541/bitcoin-energy-consumption-transaction-comparison-visa/ https://www.dell.com/en-us/perspectives/can-cryptocurrency-overcome-its-huge-energy-demands/

The Italian government will host a United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) award presentation ceremony on July 24 at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) International Headquarters in Rome. Livestreamed global coverage via UN WebTV will begin at 18:30 CET and will coincide with opening day of the 2023 UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment. In a buildup to the event, organizers are announcing a panel of judges on a rolling basis, each tasked with assessing about 3,000 applications and nominations from over 150 countries. According to the UN, the judges are looking for standout “initiatives and individuals that make a difference on the ground and Flip the Script” on Earth’s environmental woes. Already announced to join this year’s panel of judges are Sandra Uwera Murasa, Global CEO of Fairtrade International; Pablo Ciano, CEO of DHL eCommerce Solutions; and Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth. Since their inception in 2018, SDG Action Awards have lauded the likes of NextWave Plastics (2021) and The Masungi Story (2022), a youth initiative in the Philippines that is restoring and protecting a rainforest area called the Masungi Georeserve east of Manilla. To date, participants have rescued 2,000 hectares of land, established seventeen ranger stations and 18 kilometers (11 miles) of monitoring trails, and planted and nurtured 68,000 native trees. The project has directly engaged over 20,000 citizens and impacted public watershed policy. Source: SDG Action Awards – SDG Action Awards

A recent study published in Science shows that around half of Earth’s largest lakes are losing water. An international team of scientists looked at three decades of satellite observations to measure global lake water storage and attribute drivers of change. Climate change, human consumption, and sedimentation were listed as probable causes of lower lake water levels. The team used close to 250,000 lake-area snapshots captured by satellites between 1992-2020 to survey the area of 1,972 of Earth's biggest lakes. These 1,972 lakes represented about 96% of natural lake water storage. The researchers found that 53% of those lakes had lost water, with total losses equivalent to losing 17 Lake Meads, the largest reservoir in the US. One lake—the world’s largest inland water body, the Caspian Sea—accounted for 49% of the total decline in lake water storage. On the other hand, 24% of the largest lakes saw “significant” increases in water storage, mainly those near dam-construction hotbeds or underpopulated areas, such as the Inner Tibetan Plateau. The authors cited the example of Lake Sevan in Armenia that saw increases due to conservation measures. Despite these successes, the authors expressed concern that perhaps 2 billion people, or a quarter of humanity, lives around a shrinking lake basin. Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230518172007.htm

In March 2023, the World Resources Institute (WRI) updated its list of top greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting nations. Here are some of the WRI’s findings: According to the WRI report, the top three emitter nations (China, the US, and India) contribute 42.6% of total global GHG emissions. The bottom 100 nations contribute only 2.9%. The energy sector contributed 76% of global GHG emissions in 2019. Though energy emissions have increased by 61.9% since 1990, their increase has slowed to 4.4% over the past five years. Industrial emissions, however—the third largest contributor by sector—have increased by 203% since 1990. Though they have increased their total emissions since 1990, the US, EU, Russia, and Japan have “peaked” their per capita emissions since then. Global carbon dioxide emission growth has slowed from 2013 to 2019 as the global economy grew during the same period, with twenty-one countries proving that decoupling emissions from economic growth is possible. Source: https://www.wri.org/insights/interactive-chart-shows-changes-worlds-top-10-emitters

Eminent scientists gathered at The Third International Conference on Science and God (ICSG 3) and The Twenty-Eighth International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS 28) (convened online, back-to-back, from April 10-13, 2022) to present and discuss solutions to the most pressing environmental issues from the perspectives of post-materialist “New Paradigm” science and empirical science, respectively. The scientists presented the culmination of their works in research and industry, while engaging in interdisciplinary dialogue to reach a deeper and broader understanding regarding potential solutions to environmental issues. For your insight and inspiration, The Earth & I offers four articles based on these scientists’ exceptional work. Lisa Miller, PhD, Professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University, spoke at ICSG 3 and emphasized the need for a post-materialist approach to environmental problems, acknowledging human beings’ innate spiritual awareness of the natural world. See: Spiritual Awareness: A Roadmap for Science. David Blekhman, PhD, Professor of Technology at California State University Los Angeles, spoke at ICUS 28 and explained the tremendous potential of a new hydrogen economy. See: “Net Zero” Strategy: Tapping Hydrogen for Sustainable Electric Power and Transportation. Bruce Johnson, PhD, Professor of Environmental Learning at the University of Arizona, spoke at ICUS 28 and outlined the need for a new, systemic, and consistent approach to environmental education. See: Higher Still, an Environmental Awakening at the Grassroots Level. Michael Shaver, PhD, Professor of Polymer Science at The University of Manchester, UK, spoke at ICUS 28 and introduced a project to bring stakeholders of the plastics supply chain (including waste management) together to formulate ideas for a sustainable system with plastics. See: “One Bin”: Incentivizing Sustainable Plastic Systems. The complete text of these scientists’ presentations will be published in the conferences’ proceedings in the future.

On September 16, 2021, an academic conference was convened in Seoul, Korea, under the title, “The Possibility of New Paradigm Science to Overcome COVID-19.” Hosted by the Hyo Jeong International Foundation for the Unity of the Sciences – Korea (HJIFUS) and chaired by Dr. Jin Choon Kim, Professor Emeritus of SunHak Universal Peace Graduate University, the conference brought together about twenty scholars and scientists to consider and discuss a presentation by the conference’s main speaker, Dr. Won H. Kim, Professor of Biochemistry at Yonsei University’s Wonju College of Medicine. Dr. Kim’s presentation, titled “Pandigm (Pan-paradigm) Science and COVID-19,” was followed by commentaries from distinguished scholars and a roundtable discussion with all participants. Kim’s presentation opened with a challenge to conventional scientific exploration. “The purpose of science is to pursue truth,” Kim stated. He suggested, however, that today’s scientific quest for truth is largely confined within the framework of a materialist paradigm. Kim’s research explores what he coins “Pandigm” (Pan-Paradigm) science, or science that goes beyond materialism. There are many phenomena, he declared, that cannot be explained by a materialist paradigm. Kim proposed that a new scientific paradigm is needed to explain, for instance, the phenomenon of “water memory”—the concept that a substance can be dissolved and diluted by physical stimulation into water, which then acquires properties of the original substance. The practice of homeopathy, which utilizes water memory (through dilution of a substance until none of its molecules remain), has a long history of practitioners but cannot be explained by the current materialist scientific paradigm. According to Kim’s hypothesis, matter consists of a physical aspect and an “imaginary” aspect. Further, all substances emit three-dimensional (3D) waves: a 3D field in physical space which comes from a non-physical superluminal (faster than the speed of light) wave, or information, in “imaginary space.” The 3D wave of the substance can be separated from the original substance by physical stimulation, such as violent shaking or strong pounding in the case of homeopathy, or by electrical stimulation via Schumann waves (the resonant frequency of the Earth). Separated 3D waves, which can be expressed as water memory, still function like the original substance even after separation. According to physicist Paul Dirac, space is full of particles with negative energy and negative mass, which Kim identifies as imaginary space. The imaginary aspect of matter, or 3D wave, that Kim discusses is similar to the concept of Chi found in Asian traditions, which posits that every piece of matter has its own intangible Chi. Kim's theory suggests that interactions between different 3D waves form the basis of every biological reaction. Kim asserts that water memory can also be digitized. The late Dr. Jacques Benveniste claimed that passing white noise through water was one method for digitization. Kim digitized water memory using visual imaging. A visual image is captured by a light sensor as laser light is passed through water containing the 3D waves of a substance. The captured image can be copied and changed into a visual shape in a graphic program. Kim conducted experiments which indicated that digitized 3D waves can be stored in a computer and expressed in a variety of tangible ways. Such digitized 3D waves also function like the original substance. Kim claims that 2D images of digitized 3D waves expressed on a flat surface—such as on a card, in clothes, or even in wallpaper—form a 3D field around the object. These fields, in theory, can produce healing environments with specific properties, depending on the wave being expressed. Kim has already developed what he calls a “UN” card ("yu" from the Korean word "to heal" and "en" from “energy”). A specific healing environment can be provided by harnessing different 3D waves. For example, a UN card that expresses P53, a tumor suppressor protein, functions as a tumor suppressor. Kim goes on to explain that a digitized 3D wave can also be modulated to electricity using an electrical plug called a UL (“healing electricity”) plug. By plugging the UL plug into an electrical outlet, one can, in theory, eliminate the effects of harmful radiation from the Earth and “purify” electricity by making it free of harmful electromagnetic waves. Kim further states that specific digital 3D waves of “medically effective substances” can also be put into the UL so that the space where electricity flows can protect people against specific diseases. Kim claims the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can be suppressed by a specific anti-COVID-19 UN card and an anti-COVID-19 UL plug. They contain specific digital frequencies which are calculated from the amino acid sequence of the proteins of the coronavirus. They also contain digital 3D waves of known remedies for COVID-19 such as remdesivir as well as 3D waves for ivermectin, niclosamide, hydroxychloroquine, and nafamostat. The mechanism of the remedy for COVID-19 is to prevent viral invasion of the cell and replication. Thus, a digital 3D wave of the remedy should, according to Kim, be effective both for preventive and therapeutic purposes. So far, Kim has distributed almost a million anti-COVID UN cards in Korea and is observing the results. Kim’s presentation was followed by a rigorous discussion among the participants. One commentator, Dr. Gun Woong Bahng, Leading Professor of State University of New York – Korea, said that Kim’s viewpoint, with further testing and experimentation, could lead to a new understanding of the fundamental nature of matter. “Existing science based on a materialistic worldview does not have a deep understanding of the information (internal nature) of matter.” Concerning COVID-19, Dr. Wangjae Lee, Professor Emeritus at the Medical College of Seoul National University, pointed out that the function of innate immunity in a person's upper airways could be enhanced by taking high-potency doses of Vitamin C. Dr. Douglas Joo, chairman of HJIFUS, closed the meeting by describing the purpose of the conference and HJIFUS’s vision for future environmental efforts. “Solving today’s myriad of environmental problems requires harnessing the best research and technology of conventional scientific fields and opening the door to the possibility of solutions from new paradigm sciences.” He continued, “In addition to scientific solutions, a global cultural shift towards genuine concern for nature is also critical for overcoming the environmental crisis. If we as the human race can improve our relationship with the natural world through character education, ending the misuse and overuse of natural resources caused by selfishness and greed, and, ultimately, work in alignment with the principles of interdependence, mutual prosperity, and universally shared values to preserve the natural environment, we can build a truly sustainable future for the benefit of the entire planet."

In the following article, The Earth & I covers Professor Michael Shaver's presentation given at the 28th International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS) entitled, “Sustainability, Plastics, Systems—One Bin to Rule Them All.” Prof. Shaver is the Director of Sustainable Futures at The University of Manchester, UK. An official, edited version of Prof. Shaver’s presentation will be published in the ICUS XXVIII Proceedings in the future. Plastics can be seen as the bane of any environmentalist’s existence due to their reputation as the primary source of single-use waste, such as from plastic bottles, cups, and straws. However, plastics (or polymers) are an indispensable part of modern society. They are the building blocks found in appliances, clothing, and electronics, as well as being prevalent in applications such as packaging and sanitation. It may be counterintuitive, but alternatives to plastics often end up producing more waste and carbon dioxide. An example is the use of Styrofoam cups versus ceramic cups. Single-use plastics (including Styrofoam) are notorious for their contribution to waste and water pollution in particular. However, from a resource consumption perspective, over 500 Styrofoam cups could be made, transported, and used before they reach the energy costs of one ceramic cup. In addition, in general, it is estimated that using plastics over alternatives saves 582.6 million gigajoules (GJ) of energy per year, corresponding to 100 million barrels of oil. However, given how long it takes Styrofoam and other plastics to break down once in the environment, their environmental impact could be lowered by them being properly recycled and reused instead. “So, the consequences for a plastics-free world are really significant. And so the argument is that we have to have a waste management system that recovers value from all plastics. Which means we’re not seeking something like a sustainable plastic. We’re seeking a sustainable system in which that plastic exists,” Professor Michael Shaver told the Twenty-Eighth International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS XXVIII). One Bin to Rule Them All Prof. Shaver is a lead researcher of a project at The University of Manchester (UK) called “One bin to rule them all.” The project started in November 2020 and is scheduled to end in October 2023. It is organized by a consortium led by The University of Manchester with cooperation from seventeen companies and UK authorities. The purpose of the project is to “improve compliance with recycling [in the UK] by developing ‘One bin’ to hold all plastic-like items and improving recycling infrastructure to create more usable recycled plastics that can be fed back into a circular economy.” As the project name suggests, consumers would discard all their unwanted plastics into a single bin. Recyclers would sort the plastics later. The automatic sorting process would happen more swiftly if all plastics were created with hidden barcodes, marker molecules, embossed codes or flexible semiconductors that sorting machines could easily identify. This would require cooperation from everyone in the plastic supply chain, including manufacturers, brand owners, and local waste management, in an integrated business model to ensure that plastics are reused, recycled, and disposed of properly in a circular economy. It also requires shared industry standards for tagging plastics. As Prof. Shaver explained: “[A]ll that we’re doing is really identifying decisions that can be made and recognizing the increase in both material value and economic value that is enabled through that. … It requires us to have open data standards on waste management across the system. And it requires us to have shared business models instead of isolated business models. “One Bin” envisions a circular economy in which plastics are reused, recycled, and disposed of properly through cooperation between all relevant stakeholders, including manufacturers, brand owners, and local waste management under a shared business model. “What’s really important is that this exists across the supply chain,” he added. “So, this is not just isolated into a particular silo, but in fact really integrated across that whole system to ensure it works for all actors and all stakeholders who are involved.” As part of the ‘One bin to rule them all’ project, Prof. Shaver and his team focused on developing “an agenda for future research” through twenty-five interviews with senior industrial and commercial management leaders and a cross-sector workshop, with the study published as an open access article. Four Areas of Agreement By the second stage of the study, twenty interviews were completed, and thirteen partners attended a full-day workshop. The workshop participants were able to formulate open-ended questions regarding an ideal circular plastics economy following discussion around 1) standardization of materials, 2) sorting and technology, 3) value creation, and 4) pilot trials. They reached four broad areas of agreement—on standardization, infrastructure investment, collaborative business models, and value creation—although these will require certain systemic changes to be made. Standardization refers not only to a universal manufacturing criterion of the plastics themselves (PET, HDPE, PP, and the like), but other elements pertaining to contamination and disposal. These include the use of adhesives, color pigments, labels, lacquers, and laminates used with plastics, as well as descriptors such as “biodegradable” and “compostable.” Infrastructure investment refers to setting up systems that incentivize recycling and reusing plastics and make them economically feasible. Current deterrents cited in the UK include the lower cost of virgin plastics versus recyclates and increased profitability of Plastic Export Recovery Notes (or exporting plastics for burning) over Plastic Recovery Notes (or plastic recycling after contaminants have been removed). Collaborative business models would include not only the tagging techniques outlined above, but they would also include reporting the volumes of individual plastic products sorted for recycling. This information will reduce disposal burdens based on current legislation (Extended Producer Responsibility) in the UK. Value creation refers to improving the desirability of discarded plastic materials through advanced sorting and higher purity recyclates. Producing cleaner recyclates will encourage the creation of a circular economy in addition to increasing recycling and reuse. Sorting plastic requires numerous factors to be considered, including the following: Multi-materials versus mono-materials Food versus non-food Bottles versus trays Colored versus natural Additives Melt flow indices Mechanical versus chemical recycling Systemic changes (with cooperation from local governments), including standardization, infrastructure investment, collaborative business models, and value creation, need to be implemented to create a circular economy for plastics. In his presentation, Prof. Shaver stressed how the development of tagging will encourage recycling activities as well as help persuade governments to get involved. “What’s important to recognize is that all these tags will enable a decision,” said Prof. Shaver. “[A]s soon as an infrastructure investment is made, you enable another decision. And you can then work with governments to say, ‘Oh, OK, if you invest in this infrastructure, you can now unlock this potential fate,’ because the sorting mechanism is already there. “That doesn’t mean there aren't any risks associated with it, so if something like switching that final pathway from chemical recycling to biodegradation, there’s a lot of other things you need to think about in that system. But it gives you the potential to potentially work,” he said. Recycled, Biodegraded, Composted, and Reused Plastics are an essential part of society, and replacements often require more energy and resources to produce. Instead of focusing on the elimination of plastics as the goal, we can focus on creating a sustainable system in which those plastics exist. This will require cooperation from supply chain businesses, local governments, and the active participation of consumers to ensure that the plastics are recycled in the first place. The ‘One bin to rule them all’ project is an example of a starting point of bringing relevant stakeholders together to discuss how a sustainable system, or circular economy, for plastics can be implemented. Once sustainability is coupled with economic growth, this will provide an incentive for decisions toward a sustainable system. During the session discussion following Prof. Shaver’s presentation, he responded to a question regarding the challenge of plastics in India. “[I]f you show that environmental sustainability is enabled alongside economic growth, because you’re de-risking things, because compliance costs are less, because systems are more efficient—that unlocks change. And tying those two narratives together has been really useful in our work with [the] UK Government, and with some international plastics trade bodies.” As the general populace becomes more educated, more actions can be taken to enable an economy in which the plastics people use are also regularly recycled, biodegraded, composted, and reused. Just thinking of things as recyclable, biodegradable, compostable, or reusable does not matter. Instead, Prof. Shaver said, “The only thing that matters is that things are recycled, biodegraded, [and] reused. We have to focus on enabling an actual fate—not an imagined fate.”