Ep. 32 | Plastic Free July with Jason Hawkins and Lee Malleau

Cleantech Forward

Plastic waste has become ubiquitous in our environments, oceans, and even our bodies. Plastic waste is accumulating in our landfills at an alarming rate, and the question of how we move away from petroleum based plastic products toward less harmful renewables is becoming more and more urgent.

Microplastics in our air, water, and food are causing a number of health concerns in humans, including effects on our reproductive and immune systems, human development, and even causes increased risk of certain cancers.

On this special episode of the Cleantech Forward podcast, Foresight CEO and host Jeanette Jackson is joined by Jason Hawkins, CEO of Reusables.com, and Lee Malleau, CEO and founder of Globalnomics to celebrate Plastic Free July.

Together, the three explore the transition to a plastic-free world, how changes in consumer behaviour can pressure companies to consider eco-friendly alternatives, and what we can do to make more mindful decisions about how and what we all choose to consume.

Jason Hawkins is the CEO and co-founder of Reusables.com, a container sharing platform for zero-waste takeout, and has nearly a decade of experience working in the sustainability space. Prior to founding Reusables, Jason was the director of business development at FoodX Technologies, and the product manager at SPUD.ca (Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery). Jason co-founded Rooted Foods in 2015, a local and sustainable online grocery marketplace for students. He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, and a Master of Finance from Nova School of Business and Economics.

Lee Malleau is the CEO and founder of Globalnomics, where she works closely with public and private partners across multiple sectors from energy to screen media, agriculture, and science and technologies. From a career as an award-winning journalist, she transitioned into economic and business development with a focus on international investment and trade – including developing global best practices on business and investment programs during major events like the Olympics and World Fair when she was CEO of Vancouver’s economic development corporation. Lee has a BA in journalism and economic development, including her Ec.D. from the University of Waterloo, with a focus on communications, marketing and business.

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