Litter-lined trails meandering up mountains, plastic straws washed up on once-pristine beaches, and supermarket bags sitting atop huge mounds of rubbish accumulated from around the globe.
These are all images we have become accustomed to in the battle to clean up our planet and often it feels like an impossible task, but small actions can have a meaningful impact, and organisations such as Empower are helping to turn the tide.
Why was Empower setup?
Based on the idea of using new technology to enable a circular economy, Empower was founded in January 2018 with a vision to empower people to create a cleaner and better world.
How does it work?
Empower is building a global plastic waste ecosystem based on the same philosophy as the Norwegian bottle deposit system. By giving plastic waste a value we can both stop leakage of plastic into the environment and cost-efficiently incentivize collection of leaked waste.
Collection points are setup worldwide together with partners, who then issue financial rewards for the deposit of plastic. All the plastic is registered digitally when deposited, which allows Empower to ensure the plastic ends up where it has the highest value.
Why did VALLON get involved?
We love our natural world. It is our playground for skiing, hiking, surfing, and exploring, and it must be protected from the damaging effects of our human footprint. As a company selling consumer goods we are aware of the unavoidable harm caused to the planet, which is why we partnered with Empower to help offset our impact.
Where are the clean up projects happening?
Empower are now active in more than 15 countries, and projects in places such as Nigeria, Cameroon, India, Nepal and Indonesia support thousands of people who earn their living through these clean up events.
How can I show my support?
There are loads of ways that you can get behind the projects. Not only will you be helping clean up plastic waste with every pair of eyewear you purchase from VALLON, you can support Empower directly and keep up-to-date on their quest to become plastic positive!
Article originally posted November 2020
