Plastic pollution is one of the world's biggest threats – to both the climate and human health.
This also happens to be the problem that my company is trying to solve. The enormity of plastic pollution and the vital importance of solving it inevitably means challenges for me as an entrepreneur. That is why perseverance and the right mindset are especially important for entrepreneurs working to develop sustainable solutions, or on other projects in the cleantech sector.
Let Go Of Perfection
With a global challenge as deep and widespread as plastic pollution, multiple solutions are needed, rather than just one magic cure. For example, in some cases, simply reducing the amount of plastic used in a product, or choosing to not use plastic for packaging, can make a big difference; in other cases, especially for some hard plastics, recycling works pretty well.
Meanwhile, many industries rely on plastic to keep goods clean, dry and safe; they cannot simply use less plastic packaging, or use an alternative like paper. And for many types of plastic, including flexible packaging, recycling does not work. In fact, only 9% of all the world's plastic waste is actually recycled.
My company's approach, making compostable plastic, also does not work in every use-case — at least not for now. But there is no question that replacing much of the flexible plastic packaging used for food, clothing and other products with compostable packaging makes a big difference. This is not a perfect solution for every use-case of plastic, but will continue to be part of the diverse innovation the world must embrace to solve the plastic problem. The question that entrepreneurs should be asking themselves is not whether their product is perfect in all cases, but whether it improves the status quo.
Stay The Course
Another important element to recognize when it comes to solving the world's most pressing problems is that it will take time. If plastic pollution were easy and fast to solve, it would not be a crisis. Changing fundamental aspects of our consumer lifestyle, especially those that are tied to the world's enormous economic growth during the last decades as plastic is, will not happen overnight. Rather, it will be a long road, with lots of failed ideas along the way. But by taking the lessons from failed solutions and putting them all together, the best entrepreneurs stay the course and can succeed, eventually.
In addition to the solutions themselves, the world around the solutions will need to change and adapt in order to overcome humanity's biggest challenges. This is also a long-term journey. At TIPA, this is something we constantly deal with; as the solution to a healthier world is not just compostable plastic alone, but also shifts in consumer practices, policies, and waste management infrastructure.
In recent years, composting has become a more mainstream part of waste management in many places. With more Americans composting, there is more potential for the long-term growth of compostable items, including plastic packaging. But it will no doubt take time.
Don't Give Into, Or Give Up Hope, Based Hype And Trends
Especially because the journey to solving large problems like plastic pollution is so long, it is important for entrepreneurs in the space not to get too distracted by hype and trends. If entrepreneurs know that they are working on a solution that helps solve any particular problem, they should remain dedicated to it, even as other related solutions may attract more media attention (or criticism).
At the same time, entrepreneurs need to engage in regular storytelling and education to provide clarity among the noise, especially in crowded fields like sustainability and clean technology. For me that has meant telling the truth about how recycling, unfortunately, doesn't work for flexible plastic; even if consumers put those items into recycling bins, they mainly end up simply thrown into landfills, incinerated or shipped overseas to landfills in other countries.
In addition, I also spend a lot of time talking about how to compost, how pretty much anyone can start composting on their own, turning their waste into rich agricultural compost they can use on their gardens, or even in their potted plants. Of course on a much larger scale, farmers around the world can benefit from compost, and this is one of the best ways to ensure the earth's soil is healthy enough to produce enough crops for a growing population.
Always Improve And Innovate Along The Way
Another key element to succeeding on a long and complex journey is to accept that as science and tech are changing, a product may also need to change. In fact, I started my quest against plastic pollution with the aim of creating solutions for a compostable water bottle. After extensive research and for many technical reasons, though, I realized the approach was not viable. I could have given up. But, I used that experience and pivoted to compostable packaging as it became evident that it posed a more practical way to effectively reduce waste from conventional plastics.
In addition to having a creative and flexible R&D team, it is also important to continuously test products in the real world and to offer new updated versions to existing clients.
But new tech shouldn't be used just for the sake of the tech alone. Rather, entrepreneurs should listen to their customers and market, and harness new tech or materials to tweak or develop products based on real-world needs. As compostable polymers, the building blocks of compostable plastic, have further developed in recent years, that means we can offer customers more options and meet specific needs, including making packaging's zippers child proof, or with ventilation holes, to keep fruits and vegetables fresh for longer periods of time.
Finally, entrepreneurs should be able to find motivation by zooming out and looking at the big picture. While the enormity of the plastic pollution crisis is the root of many of my challenges, it is also one of my biggest motivators. That is why I am staying the course.
(Daphna Nissenbaum is the CEO & co-founder at TIPA Corp.)
