MARS: from sustainable cocoa to candy wrappers transformed into cellphone holders
Last week, Mars announced a partnership with upcycling company Terracycle, which consist in repurposing surplus and used packaging from more than 20 Mars brands, -including: leading confectionary brands such as M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, MILKY WAY®, TWIX®, STARBURST®, SKITTLES®, 3 MUSKETEERS®, JUICY FRUIT®, to name a few- to produce affordable, high-quality consumer goods.
From the repurpose of waste packaging from Mars U.S. operations, Terracycle will produce cell phone holders and laptop sleeves to messenger bags, significantly reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.
Mars’ goal is to reduce its waste by 3 percent a year. Reducing waste is one of four areas Mars focuses on in its sustainability initiatives, along with reducing its use of energy and water and ensuring the sustainability of raw materials used in its products, such as cocoa.
Talking of which, Mars has been working independently, as well as in collaboration with industry partners, governmental agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), non-governmental organizations (World Cocoa Foundation), and organizations of small cocoa farmers, to establish a variety of programs that seek to ensure the long-term sustainability of the cocoa economy, the communities that produce cocoa, and their environments.
-The standard of living enjoyed by growers, their families and communities.
-The quality and quantity of the product.
Mars’s overall sustainability goal is to minimize its footprint on the planet to help restore the planet for the next generation.
Kudos to Mars, I’ll feel less guilty eating M&M’s knowing the cocoa used to produced them came from sustainable practices.
Watch Go Brown's satirical videos about Terracycle:
Part 1 Compost Incorporated
Part 2 The Waste of Society
For more info visit Mars' website.
Cc license chris.espinoza on flickr.com (M&M's)
Cc license mayme1983 on flickr.com (Mars bar)
Posted by on 05/07 at 03:40 PM