will.i.am “Just Can’t Get Enough” of the Green Movement

by

 Image

Nowadays, musical artist will.i.am is always in the spotlight. (Dare I say it he “Just Can’t Get Enough”). Besides performing at the Superbowl halftime show alongside the “Black Eyed Peas” he has also turned himself into quite the actor, where he has appeared in films such as Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Date Night. However, this entertainment cameleon’s most important contribution to society occurred yesterday when he teamed up with Coca-Cola to launch a green business known as “Ekocycle.”

The new brand will offer high quality products generated from recycled goods. In starting the company, will.i.am is focusing on generating buzz and popularity within the mainstream around sustainable, yet visually-stimulating products. In a recent interview the artist stated that the current market for recycled products are not “cool” and stressed, “You have to bring some art and fashion sensibility into this technology that turns a bottle into something cool.” The company will offer an assortment of goods including Dr. Dre’s “Beats” headphones and a clothing line, all made from recycled goods.

Ekocycle’s other founding partner, Coca-Cola, has been a pioneer in recycling efforts through its “Give It Back” and “Recyclebank” programs. (For more info check out the link below). In order to promote the sustainability movement, the company has vowed to donate a portion of its licensing products (a minimum of $1 million) to charities involved in recycle and community engagement. Such a partnership is a win-win for the green movement as the high-quality and aesthetics of the Ekocycle brand will draw consumers in and engage them in the movement. In addition, having will.i.am as not only a spokesman but founding partner will engage the youth in a movement which requires energy and influence. Despite not being a favorite artist of mine, the key in will.i.am’s  involvement is that he can draw in an audience that is poised to make a difference in the world. His popularity among the youth will inspire others to commit to the green movement via the Ekocycle brand. A celebrity advocate such as will.i.am is a necessary cog in achieving global sustainability, and will help draw the movement closer to a day where we can all live green, and be green.

http://www.livepositively.com/en_us/recycling/#/recycling

 

Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas

by

“Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas”

Such is the name and motto of the Malaysian group who, this Saturday, will be protesting the construction of a rare earth refinery plant being build by Australian based Lynas Corp., Ltd.  While the nation of a little over 28 million residents seems far-flung for such a movement to take root, the truth of the matter is that Malaysians have been active in the movement, and have been so for decades. Yet, as Khoo Kay Peng, a management consultant and policy analyst states, ““The kind of protests, the kind of activism that we see for the Lynas plant is something unprecedented.” Rare earth metals are often found with radioactive contaminants, which during the refining process, must be separated and disposed of properly. While Lynas states that the toxins are well within the legal limit after a parliamentary report, activists are protesting otherwise. 

With this in mind, a specific impact is likely to occur for foreign businesses who wish to enter Malaysia. Firms will begin to think twice about the environmental impact their products have if their items are to be sold in Malaysia. Nayseers will point out that business will decide to move into other competing nations whose restrictions are less prohibitive, once they find out of the Malaysian dissonance toward heavy polluting firms. Sooner or later however, other nations will follow suit, creating a hostile environment for businesses to enter into, unless they change and adapt to policies residents want: in this case, a need for environmental responsibility amongst foreign firms. And while the nearly $800 million project has been approved by government, the implications of such protests are undeniable in the movement to both live green, and be green.