CleanHub
Every heroic endeavor starts with a vision.
Ours is a fairly simple one: we want to rid the world of plastic waste.
For many parts of the world, waste management systems are either inadequate or don’t exist at all. Local communities don’t always have the tools or financial support to deal with plastic waste sustainably, resulting in this waste finding its way into the ocean.
So, what’s the solution? We’re so glad you asked.
We have developed software that matches conscious brands who want to contribute to a world without plastic pollution with collection partners who run waste management projects in high-impact countries.
Our software enables the large-scale recovery of plastic waste in these regions.
In this process, the local service companies collect and recover all plastics while being funded by brands.
At its core, our concept is simple: a brand brings 1kg of plastic in circulation and our partner network collects 1kg of plastic from the environment - before it makes it to the ocean.
Wonderful idea, right? We think so too. Though we still encounter some skepticism when we present our business to brands occasionally (like obviously a lot of start-ups do.)
So what is holding them back?
We bust the top four ‘myths’ that we get from brands that are still holding back in committing to clean oceans with us:
🦑 WE WANT TO MINIMIZE OUR PLASTIC FOOTPRINT FIRST, AND THEN COMPENSATE FOR IT
We strongly promote plastic responsibility amongst the brands we work with and minimizing the usage of plastic is a first step in taking action. But it’s simply not the silver bullet when it comes to solving the plastic pollution problem. To have an immediate impact, things need to happen simultaneously: reduce the use of plastic as much as possible AND collect it before it can reach our oceans. We realize that it is unrealistic for many businesses to reduce their plastic usage or just stop using plastic altogether overnight, this is a process that requires time. The one thing that our planet doesn’t have. But the good news is you can take positive action by committing to clean oceans with us and neutralize your plastic footprint now.
🐡 THIS FEELS LIKE GREENWASHING
Maybe because it sounds too good to be true?!
A little disclaimer from our side: nobody likes greenwashing, and particularly not us - that’s why we have developed an anti-greenwashing guarantee with our software. All of our collection partners around the world track each step of the plastic recovery chain by uploading proof of work to our platform. We provide digital evidence for every kg of plastic that was recovered in your brand’s name. Which means you’ll also be able to tell your customers about exactly how much plastic you collect, in which locations, and where it ends up after we take care of it.
🐋 WE DON'T SEE WHY THIS IS AN ADDED VALUE TO OUR BRAND
First of all: is there anything more valuable than a healthy planet?
For more and more consumers there isn’t. They are looking to make more responsible buying decisions now, so it’s in the brands’ interests to do ‘the right thing’ and actively care for our environment (CNBC: ‘2020 report by First Insight, 73% of Gen Z consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products. With 54% saying they would pay more than a 10% increase in price for a sustainably made product.’) Show your customers that you are a responsible brand that is committed to changing the world for the better. Certified and verified by us.
🦀 WHY DO YOU COLLECT THE WASTE IN ASIA AND NOT IN THE US? - THAT IS NOT OUR TRASH
We focus on the regions where we can have the greatest impact in preventing plastic pollution. The East Asia and Pacific region is generating most of the world’s waste, at 23% or 468 million tonnes per year. Due to the lack of proper waste management, it is the gateway for more than 80% of the plastic that enters our oceans. (Source: World Bank, ‘What a waste 2.0’). With brands’ contributions, we can reduce the mismanagement of plastic waste in these regions to ultimately stop the environmental crisis at its core.
Regardless of all the myths that might be out there, one thing is for sure: when it comes to saving the oceans now is the time. With our solution, your brand has nothing to lose, but everything to gain - a healthy planet.
We hope we could bust some of the myths that were twirling around in your head - and if you have any other myths for us reach out to annika@cleanhub.com, and we’ll happily bust them.
And in the meantime, you can watch this video on how our tracking technology works:
