TLMI has announced that two of North America’s most prominent sustainability thought experts will be speaking at the association’s Ecovillage at Labelexpo Americas this September. The association’s Ecovillage will be a designated space on the show floor that will feature a comprehensive directory of exhibitors who are committed to best sustainability practices and environmental stewardship.

Presenting at the Ecovillage the first day of the show, Steve Alexander, President and CEO of the Association of Plastics Recyclers, will be discussing the New Plastics Economy. Led by the prestigious Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the New Plastics Economy is an ambitious initiative to build momentum toward a plastics system that works. The initiative applies the principles of the circular economy and brings together key stakeholders to rethink and redesign the future of plastics, starting with packaging.

On the show’s second day, Anne Johnson, Principal and Vice President of consulting firm RRS, will be at the Ecovillage discussing sustainable materials management (SMM). SMM is a systemic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire life cycles, representing a change in how our society thinks about the use of natural resources and environmental protection. Anne has more than 20 years of multi-disciplinary experience in working with global consumer product brands.

Rosalyn Bandy, TLMI’s Director of Environmental Strategies and Outreach, comments, “Our speakers are on the cutting edge of The New Plastic Economy. We’ve seen the figures: the projected growth in plastics consumption will lead to more plastics than fish in the ocean. Plastics are projected to consume 20% of oil production and 15% of the annual carbon budget by 2050. The New Plastics Economy is all about how the world will turn these challenges into a global opportunity for innovation and capturing value, resulting in stronger economies and better environmental outcomes. TLMI’s Ecovillage is the place to be at Labelexpo to learn how your company can be a part of this groundbreaking leadership.”