News
Kraft Heinz Faces Shareholder Vote On Its ‘Deceptive’ Recycling Labels
Chemical engineer Jan Dell sees her shareholder proposal as a way to fight greenwashing by the U.S.-based multinational food manufacturer.
By James Bruggers
California chemical engineer Jan Dell knows from her own research when packages lie. She has seen too many containers stamped with “the chasing arrow” crest—a curvy three-arrow stamp meant to indicate an item can be recycled—tossed or refused by reliable recycling centers.
Related Knowledge Center: Climate economics
State of Play
Climate change is now a driver of the world’s economy. The impact is profound:
- Catastrophic weather events — hurricanes, floods, droughts, high temperatures — are more frequent and more extreme. The cost can be measured in both the initial damage caused and the longer-term impact on the economy.
- Vulnerable communities are increasing climate-related investments, hardening infrastructure and taking other protective measures.
- Investment in carbon capture and storage technologies is increasingly rapidly.
- Governments are making investments and crafting regulations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
On top of all of this is the cost of uncertainty. As the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released in 2018 by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, says, “The assumption that current and future climate conditions will resemble the recent past is no longer valid.”