Here, at UrthPact we’re all about sustainability and developing compostable bioplastic products made from renewable feedstocks instead of non-renewable, petroleum-based resources.
In the course of promoting environmentally-friendly, plant-based plastic products, UrthPact CEO Paul Boudreau has witnessed the growing sustainability movement around the country and the world. In an effort to shine a brighter light on regional efforts to reduce the human impact on the environment, we’ll be highlighting various sustainability programs we are aware of , starting with the broad, pro-active approach being taken by UMass Amherst.
Sustainable UMASS: A University Striving to Practice What It Preaches
At UMass Amherst, students, faculty and university staff all have opportunities to not only learn about sustainability, but put what they learn into practice as well. UMass students can learn sustainability theory and practice in over 300 courses, 25 undergraduate majors, 15 graduate programs and undergraduate research experiences focused on sustainability.
The campus itself is a sustainable community when it comes to food, energy, and waste. UMass Amherst maintains five demonstration permaculture gardens and has a robust recycling program that includes composting 1,400 tons of food waste every year. The university has even cut its greenhouse gases by 27 percent since 2004 and has adopted strict green building guidelines for construction and renovations.
Here at UrthPact, greenhouse gases are just some of the harmful byproducts that concern our founder, Paul Boudreau. That’s why we’re focused on producing compostable bioplastic products that will completely revert to organic matter in a matter of months, unlike traditional petroleum-based plastics that can sit unchanged for centuries in landfills. Environmental sustainability is what drives us and our research into producing earth-friendly plastic products for everyday use. UrthPact is all about growing and learning how we can reduce our impact on the environment.
UMass Amherst is just one example of how we can all get educated about environmental sustainability and the role we can play in actively promoting it. As Paul Boudreau and our UrthPact family travel around the region, we’ll report back in our blog about other organizations and programs practicing sustainability and helping make the earth a nicer place to live.
