🍃They blame you for the plastic crisis.

Did you know?

We’ve all been given the same advice for years and most of us followed it. We made the swaps. Sorted the bins. Chose paper over plastic. But here’s the problem: Plastic waste is still growing.

In fact, it’s now sitting at 400 million tonnes a year.

Let that sink in.

We’ve been led to believe this is our fault and that we just need to try harder, recycle better, or shop smarter.

But the real problem isn’t your straw or water bottle. It’s the system behind them.

Plastic is designed to be waste. It’s cheap to produce, easy to sell, and built for single use.

And that’s not an accident. It’s a business model.

So while we’re sorting our yoghurt tubs, entire industries are scaling up production, externalising the costs, and shifting the blame.

That’s not just unfair. It’s unsustainable.

Image credit: madevisual. co

The big idea:

We need to stop treating plastic like a personal failure and start treating it like a systems design flaw.

The real solution starts before the product hits the shelf, not at the moment we throw it away.

That means:

1. Stopping unnecessary plastic at the source, especially in packaging, shipping, and marketing.

2. Shifting to reusable, refillable, and circular systems that are designed for durability.

3. Making producers accountable, not just for selling plastic, but for what happens to it after.

And here’s the good news:

This shift isn’t just ethical, it’s strategic.

The businesses leaning into reuse, circularity, and material innovation are already seeing reduced costs, stronger customer loyalty, and regulatory resilience.

Make sustainability a real business advantage

If you’re serious about cutting unnecessary plastic, redesigning your materials, or transitioning toward circular systems, let’s talk.

I’m opening a few slots to speak with leaders who want to move fast, reduce risk, and create visible results over the next 6 to 18 months.

Just hit reply and tell me:

👉What’s the one plastic challenge you’d love to solve? I’ll personally respond to those I can help.

Tip of the week:

How to design plastic out of your business model

1. List every plastic touchpoint.
From packaging to pallet wrap to swag, capture it all.

2. Score them by impact.
Which ones are most visible to customers? Which are the heaviest? Most wasteful?

3. Prioritise reuse over one time swaps.

Switching from plastic to paper still supports single use thinking. A reusable system cuts waste at the root.

4. Talk to procurement.
Find out what you’re locked into and where you actually have flexibility.

5. Start one relevant project.
Choose one high profile product, campaign, or location to redesign with business and impact in mind. Make it visible. Track the results.

Plastic didn’t become a global issue overnight. It crept into every corner of our economy over decades through packaging, supply chains, and products designed for single use.

But now businesses are in the best position to help solve it.

Reply to this email or connect with me on LinkedIn if you want to explore where circular solutions could help you and the planet.

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Best,
Jasper