5 @ 5: Fast food giants grab federal aid | The main plastic polluters of 2020

Fast food giants gobbled up $ 1 billion in federal small business aid
New paycheck protection program data released by the Small Business Administration shows that relief grants have been largely absorbed by huge deductibles. These conglomerates have also apparently bypassed the $ 10 million loan limit by resorting to subsidiaries. Incredibly, only 1% of restaurants nationwide have received a full quarter of PPP loans. And with thousands of businesses set to go bankrupt in 2021, The counter clearly indicates that financial rewards for small independent operations are required.
Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestlé named top plastic polluters for third year in a row
Break Free From Plastic’s annual audit of the worst environmental offenders in plastic waste has nothing new to say. In other words, the same three companies that topped the list last year haven’t made much progress after three years of the same result. But in 2020, Coca-Cola was worse than PepsiCo and Nestlé combined; its mark has been found on 13,834 pieces of plastic dumped on beaches, rivers, parks and other garbage sites around the world. The Guardian has the scoop.
Kroger enters the top 10 U.S. e-commerce companies
Kroger beat Costco while securing a place for the first time on eMarketer’s Top 10 Ecommerce US Retail List. Kroger is the only pure grocery company on the list – Amazon, Walmart and eBay took the top three spots. Supermarket news lists other companies that are successful in the COVID-led e-commerce revolution.
WoodSpoon Dips In $ 2 Million Seed For Craft Food Market
WoodSpoon offers on-demand artisanal meals prepared by in-home chefs and delivered to diners through an app-based online marketplace. The company supports unemployed local chefs during a time of great need, and has already amassed over 8,000 users and averages $ 15,000 in sales per month. Crunchbase news reports.
Vegetable meats are on the rise. But are they durable?
Plants require far fewer resources to produce than conventional meat, making plant-based meat substitutes easier on the environment. But the problem is perhaps a little more multifaceted than that, especially as soy and pea protein monocultures multiply and companies continue to promote harmful farming practices on a large scale. Mother Jones plunges into nuance.