Here’s an interesting way to keep plastics out of the ocean—make stuff from it. That’s the idea behind a coalition of companies called NextWave Plastics. Member organizations are establishing ocean-bound plastics as a commodity to decrease plastic waste before it enters the ocean. NextWave is creating the first global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains, and in the process, creating both environmental and social benefits. It’s a tall order, but member companies are trying to raise awareness in the global manufacturing community that ocean-bound plastics carry a commercial value. Think you have a client who would like to tell their customers that promotional products are keeping plastic out of the ocean? That’s a pretty powerful message for your customers promoting corporate social responsibility.
Want a couple of real-life examples to share? How about IKEA and HP? Both companies joined NextWave in the last month. Some of the plastic used in HP ink cartridges is already recycled, coming from bottles collected on streets and canals in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. During the last year, HP has worked with local collectors to stop more than half a million pounds of plastic from getting to the sea and keeping around 12 million plastic bottles out of the Caribbean.
“Everybody needs to step up [to solve the problem of ocean plastic], including business, and I see no reason why business shouldn’t be leading,” says Ellen Jackowski, global head of sustainability strategy and innovation for HP.
IKEA joined NextWave in October, announcing it would produce its first prototypes from ocean-bound plastics by 2019. The company’s sustainability initiatives also include its plan to eliminate sales of all single-use plastic products by 2020. We’ve talked before about the 8 million metric tons of plastic that ends up in the ocean each year—it’s the equivalent of dumping in a full garbage truck of plastic every minute. Companies joining with IKEA to no longer sell single-use plastic is a first step toward stopping plastic pollution. While that’s a good step, we critically need to stop the flow of plastic entering oceans from the countries the Ocean Conservancy reports are the worst offenders, dumping more plastic waste into the sea than the rest of the world combined. These countries include China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Recognize a country where your suppliers are doing manufacturing? I thought so. That’s an exciting opportunity because now you and your clients can be a part of the solution.
There are more companies using reclaimed plastic from Haiti. Timberland just announced a line of products developed with Thread’s Ground to Good™ fabric, harvested from plastic bottles littering the streets and landfills of Haiti. Thread is a group of self-proclaimed “responsibili-geeks” who have set out to make the “most responsible fabric on the planet.” A fabric that not only contributes to a cleaner planet, but also creates thousands of jobs in developing nations. “The key is for us as a society to see plastic as value, not as waste. Today everybody sees it as waste. How do we drive enough demand that people see plastic as value and not something that you want to throw away?” says HP’s Jackowski. “Plastic’s a pretty amazing material. We’ve gotten a little carried away with it. So how do we put the right processes in place in our society so that there’s enough value that we continue to reuse it rather than create more?” Sounds like a great question to ask your clients as we edge ever closer to moving into a new year and start setting goals and making plans: Would you consider a campaign based on using recycled plastics? The power of that messaging cannot be underestimated.
Jeff Jacobs has been an expert in building brands and brand stewardship for 40 years, working in commercial television, Hollywood film and home video, publishing, and promotional brand merchandise. He’s a staunch advocate of consumer product safety and has a deep passion and belief regarding the issues surrounding compliance and corporate social responsibility. He retired as executive director of Quality Certification Alliance, the only non-profit dedicated to helping suppliers provide safe and compliant promotional products. Before that, he was director of brand merchandise for Michelin. You can find him volunteering as a Guardian ad Litem, traveling the world with his lovely wife, or enjoying a cigar at his favorite local cigar shop. Connect with Jeff on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram, or reach out to him at jacobs.jeffreyp@gmail.com.