Odd Plant Foundation

12/06/2022

Hello everyone! We're happy to announce that we've released FREE wellness planners! We wanted to make tools like this more accessible since we find them helpful in both our professional and personal lives. Take a gander and let us know what you think.

Also, please feel free to share this resource with anyone that might be interested. https://www.opfoundation.org/wellness-planners

Happy downloading!

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** We’re not sure why your personal information (such as name and address) is required during checkout. We don’t exactly have any use for your personal information either. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving your name and address, please make something up. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to see some creative submissions.

04/22/2022

Happy Earth Day!

Beginning in 1970, the first Earth Day consisted of student-led protests and teach-ins at college campuses, primary and secondary schools, and communities across the country.

An estimated 20 million demonstrators participated in the movement, bringing attention to the growing need for environmental protection. By the end of 1970, the U.S. government created the Environmental Protection Agency.

Now, Earth Day is celebrated by over 140 countries worldwide with events such as tree planting, beach cleanups, and other environmentally minded activities.

While these activities certainly help the environment, sustainable practices can be taken beyond Earth Day and into our everyday lives. What are some actions you take daily to better the Earth?

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opfoundation • Original Audio

04/15/2022

Trees are probably the most well-known oxygen producers, but what about the world’s oceans? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has shared research noting that 50-80% of oxygen production is from the ocean. Astoundingly, a majority of this oxygen is produced by oceanic organisms that can’t even be seen with the naked eye.

Oceanic plankton made of plants, algae, and bacteria are the main players in this oxygen production process. While trees may be flashier, they don’t hold a candle to oceanic plankton. For example, just one planktonic bacteria, the Prochlorococcus species, produces more oxygen for our biosphere than all of Earth’s tropical rainforests combined. This isn’t surprising considering that even before plants started growing on earth, phytoplankton were photosynthesizing.

What does this mean in terms of conservation? Well, it’s key to note that we shouldn’t just drop rainforest conservation and direct all our efforts toward the world’s oceans. Rather, we should work on preserving and restoring both these systems, because the world (and its atmosphere!) relies on them for oxygen.

Saving the seas means working to conserve oxygen levels. The more the oceans heat up due to climate change, the less oxygen they will be able to hold. These changes are happening quickly in the oceans of tropical regions, which have the most biodiversity. Decreasing oxygen levels also threaten bigger fish such as tuna, marlin, and sharks. If we don't act now to reverse the climate change driven loss of oxygen, the world’s oceans may never recover. What everyday steps can we take to ?

04/06/2022

You’ve finally made it to the store and you’re staring at the product from all those targeted ads. The oversized text on the nature-inspired label reads, “Hello, I’m good for the planet.” It’s fine to buy it, right? Well, sorry bestie, you might have just encountered a case of greenwashing.

Greenwashing is when a company markets itself as environmentally friendly based on misleading and unfounded claims. To prevent greenwashing attempts, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a set of “Green Guides.” Although the FTC states that marketers should not make broad, unqualified general environmental benefit claims, “broad claims are difficult to substantiate, if not impossible.” Due to this lack of regulation, we continue to see companies use imagery and/or vague terms (such as green, eco-friendly, biodegradable, sustainable, etc.) that can be easily misinterpreted by the customer, especially without proof or a reliable third-party certification to support their claims.

🚩 One example is the term “natural.” Neither the FDA nor EPA have set criteria for products labeled as “natural.” As clearly stated on the FDA website, “the FDA has not engaged in rulemaking to establish a formal definition for the term ‘natural.’” The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) also states on their site that natural claims do not necessarily mean effective, side effect free, safe in large doses, or toxin free.

🚩 Occasionally, we will see irrelevant or confusing marketing such as labeling a trash bag recyclable when it most likely is destined for the landfill. Claims that a product is “biodegradable” or “compostable” can also result in the customer unknowingly disposing of products in counterproductive ways. See our previous post, “Biodegradable vs. Compostable,” to learn more.
What are some of the most common greenwashing phrases you’ve seen? Let’s compare notes.

03/29/2022

We’re seeing more and more “biodegradable” and “compostable” products replacing traditional packaging and one-time use items. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they don’t actually mean the same thing.

While “biodegradable” describes a material returning to its basic elements (ideally without leaving toxins), use of this term doesn’t specify how long it takes for the substance to break down. Materials can take as little as a few days to thousands of years to decompose.

Compostable products, often made from bioplastics, corn, bamboo, and sugar cane, are also able to completely break down, but when properly disposed of in a controlled environment. When you see “compostable” on a product, it actually means the substance is commercially compostable…in an industrial composting facility. An industrial composting facility is able to create the best environment of heat, moisture, and oxygen for compostable materials to decompose faster than normal and turn into compost. Compost can be used to add beneficial microorganisms and minerals to fertilize, condition, and regenerate soil. This is important to know because compostable materials do not always naturally biodegrade in a landfill.

Greenwashing Alert:

It is important to understand these terms as regulation for "compostable" and "biodegradable" products differ per state. Some companies will exploit this lack of regulation to deceivingly present themselves as eco-friendly businesses.

02/23/2022

Here at Odd Plant, we are firm believers that individuals have the ability to make positive large-scale change. Something our team tries to practice is "mindful consumption." Mindful consumption is a customer-centric approach to sustainability.

02/06/2022

An Odd Plan for an Odd Plan(e)t

POV: You’re tired and saddened by recent environmental news: natural disasters, climate change, pollution, mass extinctions, and the general doom-spiral of recent events. You want to find avenues to help where you can; but it’s so mentally taxing to stay informed that it’s hard to know how to help, where to start.

Enter: Odd Plant. We’ll keep you informed of the latest environmental updates, with a heavy lean towards the positive. We promise it’s not all doom and gloom—we have an Odd Plan, centered around community aid, science-backed solutions, and transparency.

We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit of engineers and creatives working to provide a sustainable future for everyone. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram .

More coming soon.