5 Sustainability Entrepreneurs Helping Consumers Reduce Plastic Waste
Those of you who know me know me can attest that I believe innovation is the key to addressing and reversing climate change. Sustainability entrepreneurs are becoming increasingly common, but need our support. Here are a list of five entrepreneurs who are working to change the environment for the better:
Sarah Paiji Yoo, Founder and CEO of Blueland
If we don’t act now, by 2050, our oceans will be more filled with plastic than fish. Blueland is a New York startup that creates and ships eco-friendly cleaning solutions to eliminate single-use plastic containers. The company is centered on glass “forever bottles” with a variety of tablets that when added to water, become a cleaning solution. Glass bottles eliminate single-use plastic containers and drastically reduce the carbon footprint associated with repeatedly shipping heavy goods. More recently, the company has expanded their product line, which now includes dishwasher and laundry detergent as well as a foaming hand soap — all purchased as tablets with a forever bottle. These “just add water” hand soap tablets are the first of their kind! Yoo has mentioned throughout her journey that tackling this feat was the hardest part of her creating and developing her startup.
Dinesh Tadpali, Founder of incrEDIBLE
Plastic cutlery takes over 1,000 years to decompose. Tapali’s venture, incrEDIBLE, produces 100% vegan, edible cutlery, like chocolate and vanilla spoons, which have been featured on the hit television show, Shark Tank. The Founder recently developed a partnership with Dippin’ Dots to replace plastic spoons served with their ice cream.
Anne Marieke Eveleens, Saskia Studer, and Francis Zoet, Co-Founders of The Great Bubble Barrier
Frustrated by the severe damage to marine and human life associated with micro plastics, a Dutch team of sustainability entrepreneurs created The Great Bubble Barrier, a new technology focused on stopping plastic river waste before it reaches the ocean. Through the manipulation of water flow via bubbles, waste is directed to river banks while fish and vessels travel freely to their destination. In a trial operation, the Great Bubble Barrier prevented the flow of over 85% of trash and plastic waste that would have flowed into the North Sea.
Sören Lex, Raphaela Egger, Boris Rauter, Florian Miki, Co-Founders of PlasticPreneur
This Austrian company produced portable, small-scale plastic recycling machines at the individual and merchant level. The machines allow people to use the recycled plastic with specific extruder machines and molds to create other goods. Their machines are easily assembled, repaired, exchanged, transported and shipped by the company. These sustainability entrepreneurs use a “Circular Design”to create simple and safe access to plastic recycling.
Robert Luo, Founder of Mi Terro
More than one billion tons of food are discarded every single year, leading Luo to develop a company based on creating sustainable packaging via food waste. Mi Terro creates ocean degradable and home compostable packaging materials, including plastic and cotton, made from agricultural byproducts and surplus food. Their first product was manufactured T-shirts and duffle bags created from protein fiber from milk waste.
