< PreviousWHAT BETTER MEANS TO YOU Making the world a more accepting and inclusive place than you initially found it. Nicole Yeh Graphic Designer Sparx Publishing Group 30 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEe world a pting and place than ly found it. SEP 2021 • ISSUE 01 31SHAREWARES A company that stays in the environmental loop with closed-loop reuse services Festival cup with ShareWares logo and QR code used to track reusables 32 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEGetting take-out from our favourite restaurants has been a convenient advent of modern dining, especially during the COVID-19 pan- demic. However, environ- mental considerations are often sacrifi ced with the single-use package waste of these take-out meals. ShareWares tackles this problem head-on by taking single-use package waste out of the equation. We chatted with CEO Cody Irwin about ShareWares’ mission and goals, and what makes this company unique. Tell us about ShareWares’ mission. We supply, collect, and sanitize reusable packag- ing for Vancouver businesses. Our closed-loop reuse services help businesses make sustainable buying decisions by replacing single-use products with reusables. We care about the environment and people, and we believe working together as a community is the key to creating an extraordinary positive impact. Our mission is to keep plastic pollution out of our oceans and terrestrial habitats by disrupting the single-use status quo. We are working hard to end the global plastic waste crisis by developing an innovative platform that off ers businesses and cities the most convenient and easily adoptable reusable packaging solution. What inspired you to start ShareWares? ShareWares is a phoenix born out of the “fi res” of the pandemic. Our pre-COVID-19 business, Natural Source, which helped companies manage their in-offi ce kitchen programs, took a nosedive when offi ces closed. We dropped 98% in four days. However, as devastating as this was, it turned out to be an opportunity of a lifetime! We pivoted hard and took a deep dive into the circular economy. Th e “take,” “make,” “waste” linear economy is unsustainable, and a transition to circu- larity is the only way to ensure we don’t deplete all our resources and destroy our planet. With the absolute best team of humans we could ever wish to work with and the support of the Canadian government’s emergency COVID-19 sub- sidies to keep us in business, we were able to create a game-changing business that has the potential for global environmental and social impact. What were some of the challenges you encountered? Th e plastic pollution crisis is very real and very big. We feel privileged to be able to work on one of the most challenging topics the world is facing. Like with any startup carving out a new industry, there are loads of challenges and obstacles, but we think it would be most helpful to highlight just one. Circular economy policies and funding in Canada are not a priority (yet) for the federal government when compared to what’s happening in Northern European countries. Th e awareness and support from all levels of government are critical for new circular businesses to start and scale up, as well as to incentivize exist- ing businesses and the community to make more sustainable choices. Washing coff ee cups in our Vancouver Coastal Health approved washing facility SEP 2021 • ISSUE 01 33What do you consider ShareWares’ big- gest success? Our biggest success to date as an organization was to stay resilient, adapt, see opportunity, and launch an innovative new business during the pandemic. We achieved this with the help of a wonderfully supportive team that we are so grateful for, COVID subsidies (thank you, Canada!), and the amazing team at the Vancouver Mural Festival who were excited to off er ShareWares’ reusable cups at their 30+ events in August. We are very excited for the months to come as we launch reusables for more businesses and industries. What makes your organization unique? What makes ShareWares truly unique is that we didn’t have to start at zero. Since we were pivoting an existing business, we didn’t have to spend years building a team, fi nding a facility, buying vehicles, onboarding software, and pretty much everything else required to build the infrastructure for a scaled business. We were so fortunate to jump right into the fun stuff that will allow us to really accelerate out of the pandemic. What is this “fun stuff ?” It includes sourcing and testing existing reusables, designing new reusable products, developing relationships with other local circular businesses, forming local infrastructure partnerships to help with quick future growth, building out multiple revenue streams, building a washing facility dedicated to reusables, and working with brilliant BCIT students to build a guide for creating high-value, fulfi lling jobs for people with barriers to employment. Th at’s just some of the fun stuff we have been getting up to this past year. How do you feel ShareWares makes the world better? ShareWares, along with many circular businesses, will make the world better through the power of the circular economy. Circularity empowers businesses and communi- ties to achieve truly exceptional environmental and social progress through avenues such as fortifying local economies, infl uencing producers locally and abroad, creating inclusive, high-value, fulfi ll- ing jobs, and creating resilient economies. We are extremely excited to get out there and fi ght in this revolution. One exercise I did that I thought was real- ly insightful was mapping the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on ShareWares’ value chain at a scale. Th rough the power of the circular economy we can address 16 of the 17 SDGs. I think that is pretty darn cool. Right: our reusable coff ee cup with our promo sticker on it. Bottom: fi ll- ing a reusable coff ee cup in an offi ce Our countertop display for coff ee shops to briefl y explain the process and showcase the cup 34 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINETell us about your organization’s goals. Well, circularity is uncharted waters and a virtually untapped market, so my brain goes wild with all the opportunities and areas ShareWares can play in to create impact. Th at being said, our main goal is to build an advanced automated washing facility to act as a new utility for future circular cities. Th is facility will not only wash and sanitize the wares we supply, but will also support other business so we can achieve a capacity of rapidly processing over one million units each day. Growing up, I spent a lot of time hand washing dishes at my dad’s guest ranch, and I would have been shocked to see my future self so excited for a career in dishwashing. It’s funny to say that I don’t think you will ever fi nd someone more pumped to wash your dishes. Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share? We are jazzed to work on several fun projects, but things are quite dynamic now, so we aren’t sure which ones will get the green light. I guess all I can say is that we hope you all “stay tuned,” as there are many exciting projects coming down the pipeline! What do you most want people to know about ShareWares? I believe we are on to something really big, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Th e pandemic has set the stage for a transition to a circular economy, as people are noticing and becoming aware of the excessive single-use garbage generated over the course of the pandemic. Our current trajectory isn’t sustainable, and now is an ideal time to reevaluate and reset. Humanity has all the technology and expertise to make this happen, and ShareWares is so fortunate to be at the cutting edge. We have discussed our plans with numerous experts from dozens of industries, and so far, we haven’t had any doubters. We even got a “you are blowing my mind,” which was super nice to hear. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but in theory, we have modeled the game-changer that could expedite a transition to large-scale citywide reuse programs. Fingers crossed! How can people help or contribute to ShareWares’ mission? Rebel. Rebel against single-use. Rebel with any reuse and circular business you can fi nd. Use your hard-earned cash to make purchasing decisions to infl uence retailers, manufacturers, governments, and the people around you to go reusable. Th e current recycling and compost systems for packaging that have been in development for decades are not getting us close to where we need to be for a sustainable future. A transition to reuse is an immediate and eff ective way to make leaps in waste diversion and climate change. Remember, none of this is your fault. Humanity got caught in a runaway train of convenience. Th e good news is that now we see how bad it has gotten, we know we need to fi x it, and there is a solution. Technology can make reuse convenient so let’s get going! Help your community and your planet by rebelling against the system that is designed to off er you only unsustainable options. Furthermore, we would love your support in get- ting some conversation going with us on Instagram and LinkedIn to build up some groundswell. Social media is a powerful infl uencer, and we need your help to keep the circular chatter growing. We have a robust backend tech platform with a simple user app for convenience fi nding locations that off er reusables, return methods, and for refunding deposits sharewares.ca hello@sharewares.ca facebook.com/ShareWares-103215755307992 linkedin.com/company/sharewares instagram.com/share.wares SEP 2021 • ISSUE 01 35WHAT BETTER MEANS TO YOU Cultivating our time and talent for the purpose of growing, creating, and contributing to humanity. Pauline Macapagal Communications Specialist Sparx Publishing Group 36 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEur time and purpose of ating, and to humanity. SEP 2021 • ISSUE 01 37QMUNITY Improving the lives of queer, trans, and Two-Spirit people in British Columbia 2019 Pride Parade 38 MAKE THE WORLD BETTER MAGAZINEA strong community is a foundational aspect of our society, and having access to communal spac- es can greatly improve our quality of life. But for LGBTQ2SAI+ peo- ple, these spaces can mean survival. QMUNITY is passionate about being the safe, welcoming community that many queer, trans, and Two-Spirit people in British Columbia nev- er had. We chatted with Visual Communications Designer Tamara Touma about QMUNITY’s mission and goals. Tell us about QMUNITY’s mission. Our mission and mandate is to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives through services, connection, leadership, and engagement. What inspired your founders to start QMUNITY? Like many other communities, the need for services and a safe space for LGBTQ2SAI+ people was at the core of the then lesbian, gay, and trans community coming together and creating this space. QMUNITY was founded in 1979 and we celebrated our 40th anniversa- ry just before the COVID-19 pandemic. What were some of the challenges you encountered? Having to go through the global COVID-19 pandemic for over one and a half years was a big challenge. Our organization had to adjust quickly to the new ways of running our pro- grams and services to provide the support our community needs. Our staff were put under a lot of pressure to act fast and cater to growing needs, especially from the most vulnerable populations of youth and seniors. In only a few months, we managed to be running completely online. An important takeaway was to understand the need for online services by LGBTQ2SAI+ community members, many of whom cannot access our physical space. What do you consider QMUNITY’s biggest success? Our most recent success would be our new co-leadership model that was implement- ed earlier this year. QMUNITY adopted a shared leadership model and appointed new Co-Executive Directors in April 2021, which marked a new phase in the organization’s SEP 2021 • ISSUE 01 39Next >