Topics:

• Customers as part of the solution
• Sustainable business case studies
• Tools and resources for businesses

Good for plate, good for planet

One enterprise, Do Good Foods, upcycles surplus grocery food to create dried feed for poultry. This practice reduces waste and prevents additional carbon emissions from landfill disposal.

The production process results in carbon-reduced chicken, offering consumers an environmentally friendly protein source without compromising on taste.

The company calculates that each chicken bought saves around three pounds of greenhouse gases and four pounds of surplus food waste.

By purchasing Do Good Foods’ products, consumers actively contribute to reducing food waste and carbon emissions without altering their shopping habits or paying extra.

In Justin’s venture, Loliware, sustainable solutions are seamlessly integrated without disrupting existing supply chains.

Loliware turns seaweed into pelletised resin that can go through the existing machinery and equipment of some of the world’s largest plastic manufacturers.

This way, suppliers can offer 100% seaweed-based products without changing their operations or supply chains.

Do Good Foods harnesses technology to validate and quantify the environmental impact of their product.

Justin believes that soon there'll be a “carbon receipt” for every product we consume, making it easier for consumers to understand the environmental impact of their consumption habits.

He recommends New Zealand businesses consider how they can operate more sustainably so they’re at the forefront of a future where sustainability is paramount.

Sustainable tools and resources for business

Justin believes small and medium-sized businesses in New Zealand can leverage what the rest of the world is doing.

Businesses already thinking about solutions that benefit both the business and the environment are more advanced than most.

To supplement this, Justin encourages businesses on their sustainability journey to reach out to experts like himself for guidance and advice.

“There isn’t a ‘Do this' book for sustainability and environmentally progressive solutions,” says Justin.

“We’re on the same team and I think so many people in sustainability are willing to pay it forward to try and help find the right solutions.”

In addition to reaching out to influential industry-specific figures like Justin, there are many sustainable tools and mentorship programmes and companies within New Zealand that businesses can make the most of.