New global database maps more than 800 businesses helping to make reuse mainstream

REUSE Foundation has launched REUSE.IQ, a free global database featuring more than 800 reuse and circular economy businesses helping reduce single-use plastic waste worldwide.

Could reuse, rather than recycling alone, provide one of the most practical answers to the world's growing plastic waste problem?

UK-registered charity REUSE Foundation is hoping to make the organisations working on that solution much easier to discover with the launch of REUSE.IQ, a free, publicly searchable database covering more than 800 reuse and circular-economy businesses around the world.

The database brings together reuse operators, consumer goods innovators and businesses developing alternatives to the familiar "use it once and throw it away" model.

That includes refillable packaging, reusable containers, rental services and take-back schemes – all approaches designed to prevent plastic becoming waste in the first place.

The need for alternatives is clear. According to the OECD, only around 9% of plastic waste was ultimately recycled globally in 2019. With worldwide plastic production continuing to increase, recycling by itself is unlikely to provide the complete answer.

REUSE Foundation argues that greater emphasis needs to be placed on reuse and the circular economy.

REUSE.IQ has therefore been developed to provide researchers, businesses, policymakers, funders and consumers with a clearer picture of what is already happening.

Each database entry includes information such as an organisation's location, business model, main category, year founded and ownership status. Information is drawn from public sources and cross-checked by the Foundation's research team.

Users can search and filter the information, switch between card and table views and explore a map showing where reuse initiatives are operating around the world.

Greg Hewitt, Chair of Action on Plastic UK, believes the database could become particularly useful as Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) develop.

He said it could help businesses find solutions that allow them to reduce their dependence on single-use plastic and embrace circular-economy principles.

Importantly, REUSE.IQ isn't being presented as a finished project.

It has launched in public beta as a living, community-verified resource. Businesses and members of the public can suggest organisations that should be included, report errors or corrections and express an interest in contributing more detailed case studies.

Roger Sharp, Trustee of REUSE Foundation, told That's Green "until now anyone attempting to understand the global reuse movement has effectively had to piece it together from scratch".

By bringing hundreds of initiatives into one searchable resource, REUSE.IQ could help demonstrate just how much innovation is already taking place.

For those of us who want to see less single-use plastic, that's encouraging. Recycling remains important, but perhaps the greener question increasingly needs to be: why throw something away at all when it could be reused?

REUSE.IQ is free to search at the REUSE Foundation website.

https://www.reusefoundation.org

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Beaver Babies Are Back! Glen Affric Welcomes Its First Kits in 400 Years

There's exciting news from the Scottish Highlands, and it's enough to make even the grumpiest nature lover crack a smile. 

For the first time in around 400 years, baby beavers have been born in the spectacular Glen Affric, proving that sometimes the best comeback stories are written by nature itself.

At least two healthy beaver kits have been spotted at Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin, happily exploring the world outside their lodge after being born earlier this spring. 

Wildlife cameras have even captured one of the little adventurers paddling alongside its mum, the sort of family outing that's considerably cuter than a trip to the supermarket!

Because beavers are famously shy and mostly active after dark, seeing them is no easy feat. That made the moment even more special for Trees for Life's Beaver Management Officer, Tobias Leask, who described to That's Green that watching the youngsters as witnessing history in the making.

And he has a point. These aren't just adorable bundles of brown fur. They're the first generation of beavers that will help reshape Glen Affric for decades to come.

Beavers are often called nature's engineers, and with good reason. They instinctively build dams and wetlands that provide homes for countless birds, insects, amphibians and fish. Those same wetlands also help improve water quality, reduce downstream flooding and even make landscapes more resilient during periods of drought. Not bad for an animal armed with nothing more than impressive teeth and an outstanding work ethic!

The kits are the latest chapter in a carefully managed reintroduction programme led by Trees for Life, Forestry and Land Scotland, and Beaver Trust. Eleven beavers were relocated to Glen Affric over the past year after extensive consultation with local communities and land managers, ensuring the return of these remarkable animals benefits both wildlife and people.

Of course, beavers don't always make perfect neighbours. Occasionally they can flood tracks or nibble trees that humans would rather they left alone. That's why the project includes ongoing monitoring, volunteer support and practical measures to resolve any issues quickly if they arise.

The return of beavers is another encouraging reminder that nature can recover when given the opportunity. Glen Affric is already one of Scotland's most breathtaking landscapes, home to precious remnants of the ancient Caledonian Forest. Now, thanks to a few busy new residents, it's becoming even richer in wildlife.

Here's hoping these little kits are just the beginning of a thriving beaver population. After waiting four centuries, Scotland has certainly earned a few happy squeaks from its newest woodland engineers.

https://www.treesforlife.org.uk

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Conservation Body Says Luss Litter Management is Totally Inadequate

Friends of Loch Lomond Chair, John Urquhart, told That's Green: “Luss is once more in a disgraceful state due to inadequate management of litter. 

"This happens every year, yet the two authorities responsible, Argyll & Bute Council and the National Park, still can’t get their act together. 

"It is not good enough for Argyll and Bute to fall back on their “Take your litter home” mantra. Demonstrably it doesn’t work. 

"What is needed are much better facilities and much better management in terms of servicing them. Similarly, it is not good enough for the National Park just to say keeping places like Luss clear of litter is not their responsibility.”

Inviting the two authorities to get in touch, Mr Urquhart said that the Friends had 18 high quality litter bins in storage which could be immediately deployed in and around Luss.

https://www.lochlomondtrossachs.org.uk

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright, Where will You Stay Tonight? Paul Goldstein's 1,000-Mile Tiger Trek Roars Through Norfolk for Conservation

A nine-foot tiger walking across Britain might sound like the plot of an adventure film, but there's no need to panic if you spot one on the Norfolk coast this month. 

It's actually strapped to the back of one of the UK's most passionate wildlife campaigners.

Wildlife photographer, safari guide and conservationist Paul Goldstein has embarked on an extraordinary 1,000-mile charity walk to raise £50,000 for tiger conservation, and next week his remarkable journey brings him through Norfolk.

The challenge, called 2 Legs for 4, is being organised in partnership with conservation charity Explorers Against Extinction (EAE). Paul will walk 500 miles from Anglesey to Southend-on-Sea before continuing another 500 miles from Southend to Land's End over just 42 days.

At 63 years old, Paul describes this as the toughest challenge of his life.

It continues a remarkable fundraising journey that began 16 years ago when he first completed the London Marathon wearing his now-famous tiger costume. 

Since then, he and his oversized feline companion have tackled another 49 marathons, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, conquered the gruelling Everest Marathon and helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for conservation projects around the world.

Those funds have supported everything from anti-poaching patrol vehicles and wildlife transport to schools, boreholes, ambulances and community initiatives in tiger habitats.

Paul says this latest challenge is about far more than endurance.

"This isn't a publicity stunt. It's a protest," he explained to That's Green.

Despite decades of conservation work, Bengal tigers remain endangered, with illegal poaching and the trade in tiger body parts continuing to threaten their future. 

Paul hopes that by quite literally carrying the issue across Britain, he can encourage more people to take notice and support conservation efforts.

The journey has already tested him, with soaring summer temperatures and a chest infection making every mile more demanding.

Norfolk holds special significance for Paul. His family has roots in the county stretching back more than a century, with Carricks Farm at Swanton Morley remaining part of that heritage. He has also introduced countless visitors to Norfolk's spectacular wildlife through his photography and guided experiences, making this one of the places he most wanted the route to include.

Local people are being encouraged to join him for part of the walk. There's no expectation to tackle all 1,000 miles, supporters can simply walk a few miles, complete a day stage or cheer him on along the route.

A generous supporter has also pledged to match the first £10,000 donated, doubling the impact of early fundraising.

Money raised will help fund practical conservation projects in India and Bhutan, including installing solar lighting around communities near Bandhavgarh National Park to reduce dangerous encounters between people and tigers, while also supporting research into how climate change is affecting tiger habitats.

Paul's Norfolk route runs from 19 to 24 July, with a special public evening at Blake Studio in Norwich on 22 July, where he'll share stories from decades spent photographing wildlife and explain why protecting tigers has become his life's mission.

Sometimes raising awareness means making a bold statement. Few statements are quite as memorable as walking 1,000 miles across Britain carrying a tiger on your back.

To learn more and to contribute please visit https://explorersagainstextinction.co.uk