No. 107: Plastic Proposal

The international community is getting serious about plastics, and now the U.S. has stepped up with its own national plastics strategy. Begone, single-use plastics! Begone, I say!

Ben & Jerry's graces the featured job of the week, and you'll find a slew of product manager and marketing roles in the job list below. I don't usually draw attention to my own weekly resource usage, but I recently tapped into the ENERGY STAR website with some awesome results as well. If you're lucky like me, you might get a smart thermostat for free. Let's get to it, shall we?

~ Greg

What we're reading

America’s first national strategy to reduce plastic pollution is underway, with a focus on five areas. (Fast Company)

• The strategy addresses plastic production, product design, waste generation, waste management, and plastic capture and removal.
  • You've probably seen an uptick in microplastics awareness over the past year. One of the proposals in the national strategy involves developing federal standards for them. Doing so would help us measure them more consistently and lead to tighter regulations on how much can be present in our food and water.
  • Extended producer responsibility is another key push. This is when the plastics producer has additional responsibility for the end of life of their products, similar to how paint and electronic recycling have additional scrutiny. Some states like Oregon and Colorado have laws for this already, but this would be applied at the federal level.
• The plan includes banning single-use plastics by federal agencies by 2035, which is not insignificant given the government's footprint.
  • That said, the proposal doesn't put a cap on plastic production. This is a relatively new focus area for the government, so I don't fault them too much. It does, however, stand in stark contrast to some of the EPA's recent rules on, say, average fuel economy. In those cases, they have effectively capped automakers' ability to produce vehicles with internal combustion engines in future years.
• One other thing to keep your eye on: international agreement to combat plastic pollution. The next negotiation is scheduled for later this year.

Four reparations bills have advanced from California's Assembly appropriations committee to the full floor for votes. (ABC7 San Francisco)

• The Senate bills aim to address the impacts of historical discrimination. This is contentious to say the least, and I have to give a tip of the hat to California for at least approaching the issue. The first three bills recently advanced:
  • SB 1403 proposes the creation of the California Freedmen Affairs Agency to oversee reparations efforts.
  • SB 1050 would mandate compensation for families affected by racially-motivated eminent domain cases. 
  • SB 1331 aims to establish a state treasury fund dedicated to reparations and reparative justice policies.
• Assembly Bill 3089 advanced out of committee earlier this year and would issue a formal apology to Black Californians for human rights violations and crimes against humanity. 
• Governor Newsom’s budget suggests potential support since his administration allocated $12 million to the reparations effort already.
  • This strikes me as low, so I'm hoping it's just a starting point – I'd be shocked if the price of equity was only $12 million.
• If these bills make it through Congress and into law, I'd be curious how they staff the California Freedmen Affairs Agency and the management of the new treasury fund. Seems like appropriate representation would be crucial to properly serve the people.

Job of the week

Is there any job sweeter than a job at Ben & Jerry's? I've had the pleasure of visiting their factory outside Burlington, VT on multiple occasions, and it just sounds fun.

The original cookie dough ice cream company is looking for a Digital Marketing Manager with social media and SEO experience. This is likely in your wheelhouse even if you consider yourself an early-career hire: the role calls for only a few years of experience. Act now before this opportunity melts!

Community roundup

• The government announced a round of price cuts resulting from Medicare negotiations with pharmaceutical companies. The price cuts are expected to save taxpayers $6 billion dollars, and further negotiations are expected. (Axios)
  • The difference here is that the government negotiated directly with drug manufacturers. Typically there is a broker involved in the transaction that takes a significant cut, and that inflates the price.
• The EPA is being targeted by two lawsuits related to ethylene oxide emissions: one from companies that say the new regulations are too stringent and go into effect too quickly, and one from environmental groups who argue that the EPA needs to proceed urgently. (Grist)
  • This caught my attention because the EPA managed to make everyone angry – perhaps a sign of a solid compromise? Ethylene oxide is used to sterilize medical equipment and can cause cancer, which is why the EPA is trying to get companies to prevent the vast majority of ethylene oxide emissions.
• The FDA has approved a new medical device that helps stop the bleeding from gunshot wounds in seconds. It's called Traumagel, and it essentially replaces gauze; it's expected to help first responders prevent hemorrhaging and help doctors operate more safely on patients. (Fast Company)
• The Supreme Court has blocked new Title IX changes from going into effect while they are being argued in lower courts. (ABC News)
  • The new changes added sex and gender discrimination protections which have become a point of contention in recent years.
• Screening for cervical cancer is getting a much-needed update after new improvements in lab testing: women can now use a self-collection method with a swab, similar to a Covid test, in lieu of a traditional Pap smear. (NYT)
• The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency over a new mpox outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The vast majority of cases affect children, prompting countries like the U.S. and Japan to prepare vaccination shipments. (NPR)
• A statue of the late Senator John Lewis was installed in Georgia, replacing a Confederate monument outside the DeKalb County Courthouse. (NYT)

Hot job opportunities

• Sales & Marketing Manager – Milepost Consulting – Remote
• Senior Associate / Associate Director, Climate Finance – Quantified Ventures – Remote (east coast)
• Senior Product Manager, Humanities – Great Minds – Remote
• Director of Human Resources – Payactiv – Milpitas, CA
• Accounting Associate – Grand Central Bakery – Seattle, WA
• Lead Operator – The Goodkind Co – Round Rock, TX
• Senior Customer Success Manager – Findhelp – Austin, TX; Madison, WI; Denver, CO
• Sales Development Representative – Energage – Exton, PA
• Product Manager, Growth & Retention – Thrive Market – Remote
• Business Development Manager – Plant Prefab – Tejon Ranch, CA

Resource of the week

Few social impact networks are as tight-knit as B Corps: businesses that balance social and environmental impact with profit. They are a frequent feature in the job listings I add to the newsletter, and many cities around the country have "B Local" communities for like-minded individuals.

You can find a full list of them here. Many hold events and are a great way to meet other people working in social impact, although some are restricted to employees of B Corps.

Test your knowledge

Last week, we got an early start on Giving Tuesday – it falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and encourages people to give to their favorite charities.

It has to be the right person, but I've donated in someone's name as a gift in past years. You may remember I highlighted Donors Choose in another newsletter issue, which helps fund teachers' projects Kickstarter style; my mom was over the moon getting the letters back from students given she was a former teacher.

Animal lover? Plenty of charitable options to go around. Gardener? Conservation might be up their alley. I'd love to hear your ideas as well.

Hungry for more trivia? I've got just the thing:

What is the name of the UN program that provides food assistance to people affected by conflict, disasters, and poverty worldwide?

Email me your guess, and I'll send one lucky winner a couple of One Work stickers!

I was perusing the ENERGY STAR website this weekend to see if there were any rebates I can use once I move, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the utility company was offering a rebate of $140 on a smart thermostat. If you've been thinking about getting one, you might want to check out the website – maybe your utility company can save you a chunk of change as well.

You can find me on LinkedIn and Threads.