Words by Abi Scaife
Each week, we round-up businesses who are doing brilliant things for the world. What if the definition of a successful business was not only one that made profits – but one that supported people and the planet with those profits?
A houseplant company based in the UK, Geb & Green are determined to make caring for your houseplants even greener.
Unfortunately in the UK, most houseplants are imported from the Netherlands meaning that, while owning houseplants in and of itself is good for the environment, they come with a pretty chunky carbon footprint.
Plus, many places that grow houseplants for sale use peat as a growing medium - but Peatlands release more carbon than all of the HGVs on our roads combined.
Geb & Green not only grow houseplants in the UK, but they do so without using peat as a growing medium. So if you’re a houseplant enthusiast, check out the Geb & Green website - and maybe pick up one of their pots made from recycled plastic and wind energy.
The skincare brand that took everyone by storm during the lockdown, The Ordinary, has committed itself to embark on a sustainability journey - beginning with renewable energy.
The Ordinary has collaborated with the DECIEM Good Fund and has purchased enough Renewable Energy Credits to cover their staff’s home energy usage going right back to the beginning of the pandemic when they began to work from home.
Plus, through the DECIEM Good Fund, The Ordinary donated $100,000 to fund the installation of solar panels on buildings in Nain, Nunatsiavut––a remote community in Northern Labrador that relies heavily on diesel for power.
Biophilica is a company with a revolutionary invention - animal-free, plastic-free leather.
That’s right - Biophilica has created a leather alternative out of plants that can be used in very similar ways to traditional leather or ‘pleather’ - it's called Treekind.
Treekind can be recycled or turned into compost. It uses less than 1% of the water in leather production. It is non-toxic, estimated carbon-negative, and contains zero plastic.
While Biophilica and Treekind are still relatively new, they are certainly a company to keep an eye on in the future if you love the look of a classic leather jacket, but just can’t justify making the purchase.
This article aligns with the UN SDG Partnership for the Goals.
