Proposed integrated management approach to plastic products to prevent waste and pollution

STARTING YOUNG | Young men and women of Mambacayao Island swim a few kilometers off the shore to collect garbage underwater of Tañon Strait every Saturday, leading the way for the fisherfolk community’s campaign against plastic pollution. (Photo courtesy of GOODLAND ASSOCIATION PHILIPPINES) (Last of two parts) Beneath the shimmering emerald green water of Tañon Strait is a seabed of plastic. The kids of Mambacayao Island — a fisherfolk community near the Visayan Sea  —know this best. After all, their fathers and grandfathers fish in these waters and see their daily haul increasingly include not just of fish but plastic. Plastic seems to be everywhere in these waters, including inside the bellies of many of the fish that are caught. So, every Saturday, young men and teeners swim a few kilometers off the shore to collect the garbage underwater that the currents had brought to this marine sanctuary. The plastic waste that is either entangled in the corals or lying on the … [Read more...] about Tañon folk rise against plastic pollution

By Kieron Monks, for CNN Updated 0948 GMT (1748 HKT) May 25, 2016 (CNN) Professor Fritz Vollrath keeps his spiders in luxurious accommodation on the roof of Oxford University. Dozens of plump Golden Orb Weavers cover the ceiling of a converted greenhouse, basking in the tropical humidity and lush foliage, as their intricate webs pluck delicacies from an ever-present swarm of flies. "I don't understand arachnophobia," says Vollrath, as he inspects his brood. After 40 years working with spiders, the German-born zoologist has developed a deep appreciation of their near-miraculous powers. Spiders create webs by spinning liquid protein into silk that is pound-for-pound stronger than steel , yet extremely flexible. The highly efficient process requires little energy, and many spiders recycle by eating and spinning a fresh web each day. Read More Vollrath's mission is to harness the spider's powers for use inside human bodies, and he is creating silk … [Read more...] about Harnessing spider powers to heal human bodies

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Chief Operating Officer Mike Hoffman leads business transformation for scaled growth and client success at SBI Growth . Pent-up demand and accelerated growth expectations are leading many CEOs to take a hard look at whether an acquisition is the most effective way to achieve their goals. For companies that have built and grown effectively on their own, the unknowns of an acquisition can be daunting. However, with a strategic investment of time in finding the right acquisition and approaching the pre- and post-merger steps correctly, the rewards can far outweigh the potential risks. Minimize Risks Before Making An Acquisition The first step is to do your go-to-market diligence. Create a comprehensive view of the target’s revenue engine, its overall health and the levers that will drive measurable improvement and sustainable growth. Your checklist should look like this: • Assess the target’s … [Read more...] about Maximizing Growth Through Acquisitions

Beijing should allow more open debate on the consequences of its zero-Covid policy amid fears the country is “losing more than it gains” from harsh lockdowns that are taking an enormous toll on the economy, Chinese experts say. The recent Omicron wave and corresponding containment measures hammered the world’s No 2 economy harder than expected in April , fuelling worry that China may not achieve economic growth of “around 5.5 per cent” this year. Though Beijing is rolling out support for the economy, it is refusing to budge from its zero-Covid strategy, saying it is putting people and lives first. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge , our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. However, comments from a high-profile economics professor at the weekend have called the government’s approach into question – and … [Read more...] about China’s zero-Covid policy questioned as expert says ‘stabilising the economy will protect lives’

(CNN) Five times stronger than steel , spider silk's unique qualities were recognized by the Ancient Greeks — and more recently, scientists have looked at applications from medicine to engineering. Now, one Japanese startup, Spiber , is exploring how spider webs could transform the textile industry. The biotech company started by making a spider silk replica in the lab and has since spun out its fabric range to include more sustainable alternatives to wool, cashmere and denim, says Kenji Higashi, head of business development at Spiber. The company's trademarked fiber, Brewed Protein, has been used in limited edition collections with brands including Japanese streetwear label Sacai and outdoor apparel specialists The North Face Japan. Currently scaling up production and getting ready for a full commercial launch of its textiles, Spiber hopes its technology will help to "solve some of the big global challenges that we're facing," says Higashi. … [Read more...] about Inspired by spiders, one Japanese startup is inventing a new generation of textiles

Since China began to open up and reform its economy in 1978, growth has averaged almost 10% a year, and more than 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty. There have also been significant improvements in access to health, education and other services, with the mainland now an upper-middle-income country. But rapid development based on resource-intensive manufacturing, exports and low-paid labour has largely reached its limits and has led to economic, social and environmental imbalances. China is also a major influence on other developing economies through trade and investment, and its economy is an important source of global demand. Economic expansion has now moderated in the face of structural constraints, including declining labour force growth, diminishing returns on investment and slowing productivity. Following real gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 8.1% in 2021, expansion of 5% or even lower is projected this year. The forecast reflects rising headwinds as … [Read more...] about Waiting for China

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin With all the channels businesses can use to communicate with their core audience, it's now easier than ever to get feedback from consumers. And whether it’s direct or indirect feedback, many consumers are more than willing to give it. But with so many channels to choose from, how can leaders decide what the most effective ways to stay informed of customer opinions are? Here, nine leaders from Young Entrepreneur Council examine the solutions they use to gather and respond to customer feedback and explain why these solutions work so well. 1. Talk In Person Or Via Video Call If I want to get honest customer feedback, I will always push a video call. A face-to-face meeting is the best, but during Covid a video chat could be even better because you can actually analyze their facial expressions. My basic assumption is that my client will not say what they actually feel like saying, but their body language and tone of … [Read more...] about Nine Solutions For Gathering And Responding To Customer Feedback

This article is from Capital & Main , an award-winning publication that reports from California on economic, political, and social issues. After decades of decline in overtime pay, the Biden administration is considering action to sharply expand access in a time of high inflation. This is the fourth article of a four-part series examining the 40-year effort by big business and elected officials to deny Americans extra pay for extra work. advertisement advertisement With Americans struggling with inflation, workers’ advocates are banking on a White House that has promised to make millions more workers eligible for overtime wages that pay time and a half. Two presidents who made similar promises over the last 45 years failed to deliver, resulting in outdated federal overtime guidelines and underfunded labor enforcement. But during decades in which lawmakers and lobbyists cut away at overtime access, states like Washington and California … [Read more...] about How several states are taking the lead on restoring overtime pay

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin One of the most valuable assets your business has is its brand. Each year, Forbes evaluates the monetary values of the world’s most powerful brands . The top position is currently owned by Apple, and its brand is estimated to be worth $241.2 billion. This valuation reflects more than just the technology company’s products or services. A brand is what customers experience as they interact with each aspect of an organization—from the marketing they encounter before making a purchase, to the actual experience in using the product and even to the customer service whenever they run into issues. Having a positive brand experience is critical across the entire customer journey. With the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), more companies are seeking ways to automate and streamline key parts of the customer journey, which ultimately impacts the overall brand experience. In a recent PWC survey , 52 percent of … [Read more...] about Don’t Let A Misguided AI Strategy Sabotage Your Brand Experience