Power of the Collective

The global movement toward reuse

By BRIAN REILLY

On April 16, 2018, I had a lightbulb moment on an airplane. The year before, I noticed the world beginning to wake up to the issue of plastics and our current models of consumption, which was occurring on an unprecedented global scale. I realized that the collective was ready for change.

We share plates and cups in restaurants, but vendors, consumers, and entrepreneurs are becoming increasingly aware of the need to take more drastic action. Careful coordination between such entities could significantly reduce the amount of waste entering our landfills and oceans.

But let’s back up and rewind to 2001. Then a junior in college and a physics major, I took a class simply titled ‘Climate Change’ by an exceptional human being: Professor Richard Wolfson. We used the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) working report as our textbook, learning about the likely consequences of the massive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions to our atmosphere.

At that moment in time, the term climate change was not widely used, and the phenomenon was commonly referred to as ‘global warming.’ In the U.S., my home country, the administration was blocking the publication of the IPCC’s report due to widespread denial that our environment was at serious risk. The government and industries alike were reticent to change business-as-usual in the interest of sustainability.

Wind energy was priced at around US$200 per megawatt hour (MWh) and solar at roughly $700 per MWh. In comparison, coal and natural gas were levelized around $60 per MWh. The outlook at the time was optimistic.

As an idealistic and perhaps out-of-touch young person, I decided wind energy and climate change was my calling–a bit to the dismay of my parents who had worked so hard to give me an education and set of opportunities they had dreamed about (they are now incredibly proud, and probably always were, as parents are).

As an idealistic and perhaps out of touch young person, I decided wind energy and climate change was my calling–a bit to the dismay of my parents who had worked so hard to give me an education and set of opportunities they had dreamed about.

What I experienced in the next 15 years changed my perception of humanity and left me an eternal optimist about the power of collective action. I participated in and experienced wind going from that $200 per MWh to the current price of $20 per MWh. Then, in 2010, when solar began its exponential decline from $140 per MWh to its current installed cost of $25 per MWh.

I met and worked with many talented people from around the world who helped make this transition possible. Most importantly, I learned that this incredible shift was not because of any one person, but because of every person who got involved. Before my lightbulb moment on that plane, I already knew that great things were about to happen–the signs were there.

That’s when I turned my attention to waste. While I didn’t fully comprehend the level of waste that was being created at that point, I did recognize that the system was not working.

What I have learned since is that bioplastics have an essential role to play, but we must think long and hard about the feedstock materials they use, and what this new system would look like on a global scale. Also, bioplastics are only as good as the backend waste systems that sort them, and if we want them to mimic the plastic qualities we’ve come to know, then we will need specialized equipment to break them down.

Another obstacle is that, while recycling is incredibly important, the volume we are putting toward these systems is overwhelming, which is made worse by the fact that recycling systems differ tremendously depending on where one is in the world. That said, reducing consumption and being more conscientious about how we use materials are simple and obvious answers for allowing the rise of bioplastics and the development of recycling systems.

I am happy to report that a little over a year after that first light bulb moment, I can confidently say the world supports the idea of reuse on a city-wide scale and in an increasing number of closed-loop applications (e.g., festivals, universities, office buildings, and airports). Cities like Berkeley, California, are requiring businesses to pay a fee for single-use items, and offices around the world are searching for solutions to cut down on single-use materials.

The feedback we have received, whether from our growing and dedicated team of believers, investors and advisors, and most importantly, our customers, tells me the world is ready to rethink consumption. I believe, more than ever, in the power of the collective, and I am humbled by the many changemakers who are elevating, establishing, and contributing to this movement.