60 million people depend on the Mekong for their livelihoods and food, but there are momentous changes, already in motion, that look certain to create desperate times ahead for some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world.
We Joined the Plastic Pollution Coalition
The Plastic Pollution Coalition is a growing global alliance of organizations, businesses, and thought leaders working toward a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impact on humans, animals, and the environment.
Beach Clean – El Nido, Palawan and Hainan Island
Recently, we have been lucky enough to go exploring. First to Sanya, on the tropical Island of Hainan, located off the South coast of the China. Then, to a small town called El Nino in Palawan, Philippines. These islands, a little over 1000 km’s from
each other, are both nestled in the South China sea. Even, though they share a lot of similarities, there are some very different attitudes about plastic pollution.
Beach Cleaning – Why Bother?
-
- 20 Locations Across Taiwan
- 600+ Volunteers
- 8600kg Trash Collected
Global Fishing Watch Initiative
A new initiative, Global Fishing Watch, has just been announced. Their goal is to bring accountability to the global fishing industries by providing a public monitoring service available to anyone.
Food Waste – What Does It Really Cost
Here’s an interesting fact. In developed Countries, we waste over 1/3 of all our edible food. That’s up to 120kgs of food waste per person, every year. Are we mad?
Food Waste Around the World
Did you know that Australian’s generate 360kgs of food waste every year? This is 8x more than the average Chinese person. The Chinese, however, throw away 61 million tonnes a year! Some incredible facts and figures from this year’s World’s Food Waste Winners!
Beach Cleaning – What’s the Point Actually?
A friend of mine recently made an interesting point, “Why do you still bother beach cleaning? More trash will just get washed up the next day and your efforts don’t make any difference in the big scheme of things!”
DIY Workshops – Rag Rugs for the Homeless (Session 1)
As part of our new Upcycle series, One Brown Planet was proud to host the very first DIY rag rug DIY workshop. So, on Sunday the 26th Feb a group of 20 volunteers gathered at the Red Room in Taipei to help make rugs for the local homeless.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s – Before the Flood
Acadamy award winner Leonardo DiCaprio and Director Fisher Stevens have recently completed a new feature-length documentary examining the impacts of global climate change.
The World’s Largest Crochet Sea Turtle
The world’s largest crochet plastic sea turtle began life as an idea a short time after artist Annie Hsiao-Wen Wang had moved to Thailand, witnessing first hand the destruction of marine habitats
The Taiwan National Cleanup Day – 20th May
I am sure everyone has heard about an amazing group of people known simply as volunteers. In fact, I am sure most of you have probably volunteered for some worthy cause at some point in your lives? Me, well, I couldn’t help but be impressed by the consistent dedication volunteers give to their individual causes.
The Litter Bug – Polluting our Planet
Second in our series of school children guest bloggers is Patrick Rogers from All Hallows High School, close to Preston in the United Kingdom. After reading Patrick’s blog you get the impression that he is pretty upset with the disregard humans are showing the Earth. All this littering and polluting is taking its toil! It is great to hear such passion from someone so young and I hope he continues his fight for a better planet in the future!
What’s So Bad About Plastic?
Plastic has been around in some form since the turn of the last century. Considered a miracle material at the time. Easy and cheap to manufacture, waterproof, mouldable, corrosion-resistant, good electrical resistance, chemically inert and safe. It was quite literally, a revolution.
Bedell Guitars – Seed to Song
I wanted to share a story about a very good friend of mine, Tom Bedell, who I had the pleasure of working for, on board the yacht Major Wager. Starting in 2008, for over 1 year, we cruised around the Pacific ocean’s, on the most incredible adventure.
Beach Cleaning – Keelong, Taiwan
In Taiwan, the 28th February 2017 was designated as Peace Memorial Day (二二八事件). On the 28th February 1947, an anti-government uprising in Taiwan was violently suppressed by the Kuomintang-led Republic of China government, which killed thousands of civilians. What better day then to go clean some beaches and help give something back to the Taiwanese people.
Visit to Taipei Incinerator – The Solution to Waste Management?
Unless you are a devotee of Zero Waste lifestyle, then, like me you will find that there is always some trash that needs disposing of.
Infographic – A Guide to Sustainable Meat
As part of One Brown Planets goal to help people live a more sustainable lifestyle, we have put together a sustainable meat infographic. We hope that this will help you make better choices when trying to decide what to eat.
52 Ways to Reduce Your Environmental Footprint – 5. Takeaway Drinks
Takeaway drinks. If ever there was a poster child for unsustainable choices, I think takeaway drinks would win, hands down.
FAST FASHION TO SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING
Fast fashion today is now the world’s 2nd most polluting industry. Americans on average waste almost 40 kgs of textiles every year. A staggering 400% increase than 20 years ago.
VIDEO RESOURCES – ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTARIES
Below is a curated list of videos and environmental documentaries which we hope will both educate and inspire you to make the change to a more sustainable lifestyle. We plan to grow this collection over time and welcome suggestions for new and interesting videos you want to see added.
THE 50 BEST ECO APPS
There are dozens of Eco Apps out there, each claiming to be the next best thing to save the planet. Trouble is, a lot of them aren’t really that much good. One Brown Planet spent some time reviewing and have put together a list of the best Eco Apps available.
A Plastic Ocean – Taiwanese Premiere
On the 27th May 2017 the Australian documentary, A Plastic Ocean, was premiered in Taipei. Translated into traditional Chinese especially for our event, more than 250 people arrived to watch one of the most powerful stories concerning the global issue of plastic pollution in our oceans.
Unpackaged.U商店 – Zero Waste Shop Review
Back in the good ol’ days, living a life before plastic, it was actually pretty normal to buy your goods in bulk. It was pretty normal to just roll up, weigh out your goods and bag ’em yourself. Rice, pasta, beans, veggies, oils, etc… Everything in bulk and no packaging to have to deal with when you got back home.
Zero Waste – Empowering Women
Every once in a while you come across a project so inspiring, you cannot help but be moved by it. Although this article is about zero waste, it is really a story about empowering women and respecting the struggles they endure everyday.