This past year we have seen an unprecedented increase in takeout food and beverage purchases, and without any options better than plastic, styrofoam, and cardboard, has created immense waste. ShareWares, a Vancouver-based startup is focused on eliminated this exact problem, by replacing the traditional single-use containers, with reusable cups and containers.
On May 27th, ShareWares announced the launch of its pilot program to support businesses that want to start making this transition. The pilot program focuses on providing reusable cups to local offices. A cup is borrowed, filled, enjoyed, and dropped in the ShareWares collection bin ready for pick-up. ShareWares then collects, sanitizes, and returns fresh batches of clean cups to these sustainability-driven offices.
The unique model created by ShareWares utilizes a central collection and sanitization facility. While this pilot focuses on cups for local offices, the mission is a city-wide reusable container ecosystem. This will allow the service to be easily integrated into current behaviours with restaurants, businesses, and customers.
Traditionally businesses buy containers, give them to the customers, and they are placed in the garbage. Instead, ShareWares partners would receive reusable containers, give them to customers, and customers would be incentivized to place the container in any of ShareWares collection bins instead of the garbage. A slight behaviour modification that would eliminate incredible amounts of waste.
“We are passionate about helping companies and citizens think differently about the products they choose and use every day. Our goal is to help eliminate the stream of 441 million single-use cups and takeout containers that end up in our local landfill each year,” said Cody Irwin, CEO of ShareWares.
The free pilot program is running until June 18, 2021, to find out more information and how to get involved visit https://www.sharewares.ca/
