“Adding Value through Branded Recycling Solutions” – a business model of TerraCycle that OMEGA Global Initiative can adopt

The article was written by Tom Szaky – CEO of TerraCycle.

TerraCycle can provide a branded recycling solution, while most of other companies are struggling for recycling by themselves. Tom Szaky suggested that by integrating this branded recycling solution into the value chain, a company can effectively create more values for itself and even for customers. With a branded solution, the company can communicate their brand more effectively than just doing by themselves.

For instance, that fact that Henkel partnered with TerraCycle in offering a recycling solution for anaerobic adhesive packaging did help Henkel itself communicate to its customers about its brand DNA of supporting responsible practices. Moreover, “Offering a custom, branded recycling solution adds value for current and potential customers by communicating that solving for its difficult-to-recycle anaerobic adhesive containers is part of who they are.”

Tom Szaky also advised that “When companies attempt to integrate sustainable enterprise into their branding strategy, transparency is essential.”

Such way of working with the partners of TerraCycle can be a good example for OMEGA Global Initiative. Because in fact, OGI is offering a sustainable system of water source preservation that other companies who are concerning about sustainability are also struggling for new solutions for recycling their water source. 

Adding Value through Branded Recycling Solutions

Did Trump pursue a responsible marketing strategy for his presidential election?

He may have a strong marketing plan based on the number of popular votes and electoral votes given to him. Or we may say that because his election run had encouraged a considerable number of White working class going to vote, he was successful in influencing his target “customers”. However, is it a responsible marketing strategy?

Looking into how he persuaded his “LRTC”, what he did were that he turned his back on most of the policies of previous presidency, broke the credibility of media in residents, evoked the hatred of a considerable part of American on their own political system. Furthermore, his populist, protectionist approach in his policies, certainly, will have negative influence on other countries. For instance, his viewpoints and policies related to UN climate change programs will have considerable bad impact on the planet, American environment for most. Becoming US president, along with his racist, xenophobic attitudes, he seemingly represents for some negative values which are rising now not only in America, but also around the world, giving them more evidences to believe in the rightness of such approaches, at least in this period. Apparently, Trump with his election run, has contributed much into dividing the society deeply, Republican party itself already showed some signs of separation. He had created a mess, and now when he has become president, how can he improve the situation with most of his policies changed incredibly during his presidential election, or just following the framework of Democrat Party in combining with his protectionist approach and his "unique" personality?

Comparing and contrasting Clinton and Trump http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2016/nov/01/comparing-and-contrasting-clinton-trump-johnson-an/

Trum and Clinton on the economy http://graphics.wsj.com/elections/2016/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-on-the-economy/

 

Changing Consumer Habits for Environmental Change

Saw this Terracycle article regarding environmental change: http://www.edie.net/news/5/We-can-t-recycle-our-way-out-of-the-waste-crisis--says-TerraCycle-founder/

Terracycle argues that the main source of environmental issues is consumerism. Therefore, we have to change the way we consume to avoid having businesses trying to meet our demands which end up exacerbating environmental problems.

This poses a huge challenge for educating consumers for "better" buying choices and also having them participate in closed-loop systems like what Terracycle aims for. I don't know if it would be more effective for consumers to be "forced" to participate in said closed-loop systems or for a very strong incentive program that allows consumers to be willing to make the "extra effort" to think beyond their immediate needs. It seems the majority of campaigns are not so effective where even many of us in class are not willing to give up our current habits for the sake of convenience.

What will it take for consumers to change their poor buying habits and effectively participate in environmental change?

Presidential election

The main intrigue of this week was president election in USA. It was question number one for all countries in the world. It looks like that such election in USA is even more important then all domestics problems. 

Both candidates Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton were untypical for candidate of the president of such huge country as USA. Trump winning was unpredictable for everyone. But Professor Sugai told us that Trump had very strong marketing plan. Very clear and direct messages for the specific categories made it  possible. This case proved democratic principles in USA. When the possibility to capture the majority of minds dominates the rationality.

 For my opinion the election's result is the same as Brexit. Countries with strong economy are trying to isolate from globalization process in oder to safe their magnitude and influence. Different kind of units as Soviet Union and European Union appeared to be ineffective. The history will show us the results in a while.   

Uniqlo's clothing recycling program

I went to Uniqlo this week and found this on my receipt:

Due to my limited Japanese, I guess the meaning of the small paragraph is that, Uniqlo will like to deliver its recycled clothing to refugees,  and if you have any unneeded Uniqlo clothing, please recycle it through the box in its store. It would help Uniqlo fulfill its responsibility.

According to Uniqlo website, it has been doing this recycling program since 2017, and in total have donated 16.32 million pieces to people in need.

I guess this is at least a good way to demo Uniqlo's extended producer responsibility, to retrieve its 'waste' back and reuse it. However, this is still not close-loop. I wonder what would happen after the clothing is worn and refugees throw it away. There is really still a long way to go for real responsibility realization.

http://www.uniqlo.com/en/csr/refugees/recycle/

Tissue Culture Beef

Tissue Culture Beef

High technologies are very interesting for me. I'm sure that it helps us in many industries such as automobile and medicine. It really makes our life easier. But what do you think about such technologies in food.

I read Ketzel Levine about Lab-grown meat.

This article is from 2008 so we can see that this theme interested people since a long period. And not only one company working in this direction. 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90235492

Under progress it'll be possible to grow just meat stakes. Man-made meet will be grow in the laboratory not on the farm. It'll be meat without bones and fat, therefore healthier and diet. Such idea is interesting for vegetarians and animal -friendly people. It's a way to create something new and useful. I think it will be great thing but in some 50 years. Right timing is a very important indicator.

In our century, we prefer hand made things and fresh products from environment friendly farm. In era of high technology people is ready to pay for goods which are natural and have soul. The same thing with meat. Natural way created fresh meat is still delicious because of the fat, bones, muscles and smell. It's traditional wild way to get food. Of course, real man is not hunting on mammoths any more but there is something really attractive to eat grilled steak on bone!

Living Green: Loving Halloween but hating the waste

People celebrate Halloween, but they get haunted by the waste they produce and this has to change. Tesla suggest ways to change this, from changes the types of products sold in terms of packaging etc. However, people need to change their behavior as well. In Tokyo, even the seat of a toilet was found (the washlet technology) in the waste. There are many cities that get haunted by the waste the spirits of Halloween create. Are they evil spirits? Trash or treat! http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20161031/p2a/00m/0na/015000c