Bye-Bye Single Use Plastic

08/15/20 • 28 min

1 Listener

We’re in the middle of a pandemic that’s made us put extra layers of protection between us and everything we come in contact with. That means a lot more plastic overall, and a lot more plastic food and beverage packaging for all the take-out and delivery. We’re starting to drown in plastic just as momentum was starting to build around alternatives to single use plastic packaging. It’s just a pause, I hope.

Pioneers are still forging ahead on the main strategies to reduce our reliance on producing millions of tons of fresh plastic every year; REDUCE, REPLACE, RECYCLE, AND REUSE.

I focus on REUSE in the episode - each of us can make a direct impact when it comes to reusing packaging - with the help of three entrepreneurs and a solutions designer.

Jocelyn Gaudi Quarrell, CEO and owner of GO Box talks to me about this reusable container service that made its start with food trucks in Portland.

Brian Reilly, CEO and Founder of muuse describes how their reusable model works, and shares his vision for how ”reuse” will grow beyond the network of coffee shops muuse started with.

Chris Krohn, Portfolio Lead at IDEO, a global design firm, explains what they’ve learned about how people like and you and I are responding to a Bay Area reusability pilot test across several services. He also shares his thoughts on a “pack free future.”

Brian Bauer, who leads Circular Economy & Alliances at Algramo, talks a bit about their nascent home refill delivery pilot test in Santiago, Chile.

Pioneers are still forging ahead on the main strategies to reduce our reliance on producing millions of tons of fresh plastic every year; REDUCE, REPLACE, RECYCLE, AND REUSE.

I focus on REUSE in the episode - each of us can make a direct impact when it comes to reusing packaging - with the help of three entrepreneurs and a solutions designer.

Jocelyn Gaudi Quarrell, CEO and owner of GO Box talks to me about this reusable container service that made its start with food trucks in Portland.

Brian Reilly, CEO and Founder of muuse describes how their reusable model works, and shares his vision for how ”reuse” will grow beyond the network of coffee shops muuse started with.

Brian Bauer, who leads Circular Economy & Alliances at Algramo, talks a bit about their nascent home refill delivery pilot test in Santiago, Chile.

Previous Episode

Growing Food to Feed those in Need

America's Grow-A-Row began as a weekend daddy daughter project to get a four year-old to want to eat fresh, healthy food by planting and harvesting herself. In the process Chip too has adopted healthier eating habits. And the more he gave away of the overabundance of produce from his oversized plot, first to co-workers and neighbors, then to those who really need much more fresh food in their diet but who don't have access to fresh produce, the clearer it became to him that he had stumbled on a calling to serve in this way.

What also became clear to Chip is that many people want to be more actively involved in addressing hunger and malnourishment. This is why America's Grow-a-Row now has nine thousand volunteers.

Chip talks about the kids who come from urban areas with limited access to healthy food. Many of them have never been to a working farm.

What really makes America's Grow-a-Row work, it seems to me, is this valuable exchange built around food for people who share the same patch of Earth. A willingness to work, learn, and serve others flows into the farms, and fresh, healthier food flows to where it's really needed. Goodwill flows in both directions.

There is more talk of food sovereignty and food security these days. Down-to-earth, grass roots organizations like America's Grow-a-Row can play a needed role in acting on these lofty goals.

Next Episode

Pushing water uphill

Audio blog post reflecting on some of the "winning" new packaged food products of the past 25 years. Our desire to eat healthy or healthier is evident in the splash items like Snackwell's and CarbSmart made when they launched. The culprits (fat, carbs, refined sugar) have changed over time but the underlying emotional needs that drive us to experiment don't.