Cruelty-free brand Lush has opened its first 'naked' shop in Milan, selling products free of packaging to reduce plastic pollution. As governments and organisations make people aware of the negative impact of single-use plastics, brands can provide alternatives to help consumers shape their habits.

Milan’s Four Seasons Garden is raising awareness of climate change, while promoting the need to make cities greener. Italian architects are starting a guerrilla gardening movement to integrate green spaces around urban areas – important as a majority of Italians are concerned about climate change.

Plastic is getting a lot of airtime right now: suddenly, what was once an invisible problem is at the front of people’s minds. Consumers are primed for change, so how can brands take the first by creating alternatives, educating customers and helping them form new habits?

People are keen to recycle, but often don’t because they find it burdensome or inconvenient. As eco action becomes more important to people the world over, how can brands better motivate them to recycle their waste? Canvas8 spoke to Karen Winterich, professor of marketing at PennState, to find out.