The climate emergency is real. According to the science, emissions are growing at their fastest rate since 2011, making deep, profound change necessary at every level.
However, as the situation worsens, we need more than just personal lifestyle changes. Real change can only take place when businesses, large and small, get involved. Studies estimate that one-fifth of all waste in England is produced by businesses alone. Businesses, therefore, need to wake up and smell the coffee, adapting their products and services for a greener future.
Here are some of the most innovative small businesses who run on a green philosophy, striving to be profitable and creative, all whilst keeping the future of the planet firmly in mind.
1. GreenTomato Cars: Nowadays, we rely on ride-hailing apps such as Uber or Bolt to get around, be it for business or general purposes. The figures say that around 300,000 taxi journeys are made a day in London. Therefore, the more of these journeys that can be taken sustainably, the better. Green Tomato Cars are providing just that, providing quick, cost-effective journeys with sustainability in mind. Their fleet consists entirely of low emission electric or hybrid vehicles for all purposes and sizes. Any carbon emissions that the company can’t avoid, they compensate for by planting trees. To get around quickly and save the planet, it’s worth a download, isn’t it?
2. Stasher: Don’t fancy spending extortionate sums of money on a Posh Cheddar and Pickle sandwich at AW’s nearby Pret A Manger? Many of us choose to save money and take our lunch in with us in Tupperwares. However, sometimes lunchtime storage solutions can do more harm than good. Using single-use plastic bags fills up landfills and pollutes the oceans, severely harming biodiversity. That’s where Stasher has come in. Stasher has created reusable silicone bags that avoid these harmful plastics and can be reused time and time again. Furthermore, they are strong, microwave safe and dishwasher safe, meaning they can last ages and work perfectly alongside our in-house kitchen features at AW.
3. Toast: Bread and beer. Doesn’t strike you as the most likely of combinations, does it?This Yorkshire-based brewery is pairing just that and at the same time, tackling the country’s £20 billion food waste crisis. A massive 44% of bread is wasted in the UK and Toast is using old scraps, crusts and loaves from bakeries to craft delicious ales and lagers.Furthermore, all profit made from sales goes directly to other charities and organisations campaigning to fix the food waste crisis. The beers use wasted resources, spark awareness and importantly, taste great. Cheers!
4. Pip &Nut: This innovative brand has a rather niche, sustainable speciality:peanut butter. Now, peanut butter might seem pretty innocent on face value, however, the palm oil that most manufacturers whisk into it for a creamy texture has devastating consequences in terms of deforestation. Pip& Nut, therefore, work to produce tasty peanut butter by combining a range of more environmentally-friendly oils and butter. The result is a unique and diverse range of flavours, that can be enjoyed guilt-free.
5. GarnishGamer: We love a Friday evening cocktail, after a week’s work, on our roof terrace. Friday evenings are even sweeter if the drinks are homemade, especially when compared with expensive London prices. This small start-up is providing the all-important garnish that London bartenders sprinkle over their drinks to give them that wow factor by using recycled, dehydrated fruit. 25% of the world’s freshwater supply is used to grow food that is never eaten.Therefore, Garnish Gamer are hoovering up business fruit waste to create vibrant cocktail garnish, made-to-order. A premium addition to any after-work drink, all whilst saving the planet.
Any successful small businesses or entrepreneur is naturally creative, looking to spot gaps in a market. Therefore, these small businesses are proving the good that can be done when this creativity is channelled towards saving the planet. We all have a part to play, and the businesses that base themselves upon saving resources help massively to mitigate issues such as deforestation, pollution and carbon emissions. These companies prove how keeping the environment in mind reduces costs, sparks innovation and fills gaps in a market, in a win-win for everyone.
