Environmentally-friendly cleaning products brand Ecover is marshalling “a coalition of shopkeepers, retailers, dispensing technology providers, supply chain specialists, designers, grassroot communities, and behavioural specialists to unlock the potential of refill”. The brand points to the benefits of refills over recycling packaging - “why should we melt a bottle to form a new bottle if we already have a bottle?” It asks. Ecover’s The Refillution Has Begun report – to which URGE’s Sophie Thomas contributed – outlines the case for refilling “help break the endless cycle of wasteful convenience and innovate to make refilling more attractive than single-use”. Download the report here

Pic: Hufton + Crow, courtesy V&A

Sophie will also be taking part in ‘Are temporary exhibitions sustainable?’, a breakfast talk organised by New London Architecture and hosted by Grimshaw Architects on April 14. Sophie will be joined by Sarah Kassam, Sustainability Lead, V&A, Gemma Curtin, Curator, Design Museum and Cat Drew, Chief Design Officer, Design Council, to “challenge the sustainable and circular nature of short-term exhibitions and installations by examining the existing zero waste strategies in use implemented by galleries, museums and festivals in London”. Free tickets can be booked here

To celebrate Earth Day, Pulp Films is organising online screenings of its climate documentary Once You Know. Director Emmanuel Cappellin plus featured climate change experts Susanne Moser, Richard Heinberg, Saleemul Huq, and Pablo Servigne will discuss their current research work, and expand on the science of climate adaptation, eco-anxiety, lessons learned on overpopulation and The Limits to Growth in a related online event on April 22. Links here

Talking of climate-related films, Australia’s Juice Media has been creating huge impact with its Honest Government Ads series – satirical takes on public information films from the Australian government. Its latest film tears into the government’s carbon credits and offsets scheme.

Designer and friend of URGE Michael Marriott examines our throwaway culture in his contribution to the Harewood Biennial. The Yorkshire gallery has asked 16 artists to present a "radical act" of craft for the show, Radical Acts: Why Craft Matters. Marriott has used found and discarded objects to build Kioskö, a tribute to Spanish chiringuito beach bars. His design boasts a sign formed of estate-agent placards, pendant lights made from upturned buckets and a sound system framed by recycled furniture. Read an interview with Marriott on the project in Dezeen here and listen to the Harewood’s podcast featuring him here 

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