Groups Representing 1,000 + NGOs Around the World Call to End Single-Use Plastics at International Conference —

We know that plastic bags, straws and microplastics have a deadly reputation when they wind up in the ocean, but there are other everyday items that are killing animals regularly without us noticing.  This story contains images that readers may find distressing.  Recently, a platypus was found dead in Warburton, 2 hours east of Melbourne, with an old hair tie wrapped around its neck.  Geoff Williams from the Australian Platypus Conservancy says platypuses are killed from hair ties more often than you might think.  “We are currently aware of one or two platypus deaths per year in Victoria caused by hair ties. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg,” he says.

As we return to a new normal, industrial innovation is accelerating.  A renewed focus on sustainability, the circular economy, and climate change is sparking innovation and powering transformational and technological change throughout the industrial sector. Resilience has been prioritized in the supply chain and throughout production operations.  Digital leaders have now validated their strategies against the real-world challenges brought on by the pandemic, and are accelerating their innovation and transformation initiatives.  Many companies supported ‘connected’ remote and frontline workers far earlier than they anticipated, and will now do more.  Having seen the power of disruptive technologies to transform business operations and competitive strategies, improve resilience, reduce costs, and better serve customers, it’s full speed ahead.