LA fires: Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke is poorly understood − and a growing risk 
Texas App Store Age Verification Law Blocked by Federal Judge in First Amendment Ruling 
UBS Warns of Short-Term Risks as Precious Metals Rally to Record Highs 
U.S. Stocks Hold Steady After Christmas as Trading Volumes Stay Light 
Lake beds are rich environmental records — studying them reveals much about a place’s history 
Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk Battle for India’s Fast-Growing Obesity Drug Market 
California DMV Proposes New Safety Rules for Autonomous Vehicles After Waymo Incidents 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Holiday-Thinned Trading Persists 
Saks Global Weighs Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Debt Pressures and Luxury Retail Slowdown 
Platinum Surges to Record High as Supply Crunch and Policy Shift Drive Historic Rally 
Lebanon Cabinet Approves Financial Gap Law to Tackle Ongoing Economic Crisis 
Tokyo Core Inflation Stays Above BOJ Target, Strengthening Case for Further Rate Hikes 
Rise of the Zombie Bugs takes readers on a jaw-dropping tour of the parasite world 
Taiwan Stock Market Ends Higher as Semiconductor and Energy Shares Lead Gains 
BOJ Minutes Reveal Growing Debate Over Interest Rate Hikes and Inflation Risks 
Drug pollution in water is making salmon take more risks – new research 
Coca-Cola and eight bottling partners launch a $137.7 million VC fund dedicated to sustainability innovations, managed by Greycroft. The Greycroft Coca-Cola System Sustainability Fund seeks to reduce the carbon footprint within the Coca-Cola system and the broader industry, investing in technologies across packaging, decarbonization, distribution, and supply chain.
The fund's primary objective is to support innovative solutions within the Coca-Cola system and beyond, fostering rapid scalability within the industry. John Murphy, the President and CFO of Coca-Cola expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to pioneer advancements in sustainability.
Under this initiative, investments will be made in companies that have reached the point of commercialization. Coca-Cola and its bottling partners have previously invested in promising packaging tech startups. Noteworthy examples include Ioniqa, which transforms mixed-color, partly contaminated PET waste into clear, food-grade PET, and CuRe Technology, which applies polyester rejuvenation to target non-recyclable plastics.
Furthermore, several Coca-Cola bottlers have taken a proactive stance by issuing green bonds. The company is driven by the goal of ensuring 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 and intends to have 25% of its beverages sold in refillable/returnable bottles or reusable packaging by 2030.
Critics have raised concerns regarding the track record of major beverage companies in meeting their packaging sustainability commitments. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, for instance, previously announced plans to use soda bottles made from 25% recycled PET in 1990 but discontinued them due to high costs.
In the pursuit of sustainability, Coca-Cola currently incorporates 15% recycled material in its PET bottles, while PepsiCo's plastic packaging contains just 7% recycled content. Both companies have set progressive targets to achieve 50% recycled content by 2030.
By uniting industry leaders and investing in cutting-edge sustainable technologies, the Greycroft Coca-Cola System Sustainability Fund aims to drive positive change within the beverage industry and inspire others to follow suit.
Photo: Krisztian Matyas/Unsplash
