Sustainable Hospitality with The Earthly Sweet Spot

Betty:

Prior to COVID, we actually had an idea to combine our careers and passions. Scot was working as a full-time performing musician. I've been working as a baker. We've both been in our industries for 10 plus years. Things started really looking like they were getting some traction, we felt it just seemed to make sense for us to combine our creative fields, and create a business together.

We thought we could start a little events business that offers catering with food and live music. What better way to do it than having a mobile business?

We're not limited then to just having it as a venue, we take it to the people, we come to events, we go to markets, we bring it to the street. But we also can be hired out for weddings and birthdays.

It fits with our whole ethos as well of being outside, being healthy, being active.

Scot:

Being holistic, like the music element, and as far as health it goes. It's a part of being human. I think that we need to not lose those elements despite what we've been through. The whole ethos is health, it's a big broad thing, it's not just one little area.

Jo:

I think that's so true. It's not just eating well, it's all those things in life that bring you joy. I think those are the things that everyone has been missing so much through all of this, that chance just to be outside, hear music, hang out, and be a part of the community.

Scot:

Yeah, 100%.

Betty:

Totally. We actually, literally, just prior to COVID happening, we purchased our first little mobile food van. It was just a bit of a shell, but we were like, “We'll get this up and running. We'll start developing our business.” We came up with the idea of The Earthly Sweet Spot because it's all about being grounded and a holistic attitude.

Scot:

Coming back in touch with that human nature, like that earthliness that we lose in our concrete jungles.

Jo:

Yeah. That's definitely what we're all about as well. Actually, one of my goals with this conversation, to share your insights, and Renee's insights, is to hopefully make it a little bit easier for local businesses to make that more sustainable choice which also is about sustainability of your energy, your budget, as well as the environmental picture, ideally, all of those things supporting each other. I might get into some of the questions that I have, that I've heard, and get your insights on them. The first one that I'm really curious about is how do you handle recycling as a mobile business?

Renee Wallace:

I guess, I would probably say that with recycling, the first thing I would consider is, is it necessary to have that product in that package first? Can you actually avoid that? If you can't avoid that, then choose a product that is easily recyclable as well, if not home compostable, and only if you have a home compost for that.

Jo:

Would that be an example like say, it was a raw cake, is this something that we're going to serve in a little plastic container or something that we're going to give to someone on a napkin?

Renee:

Yeah, exactly. The napkin is going to be the best option especially, if you were to choose a napkin where you have the knowledge that it's not bleached, it's come from recycled product or even a waste product such as sugar cane as well, which would normally just be burned. They don't do anything with it once the sugar has been made. If you can actually take that option, that's the better option to do that rather than a plastic container. I think a lot of people are aware of how bad plastic is, but it's just often used for products, and because of the preservative reasons for that, things are a little bit easier. But going back to the actual recycling, going back to the basics of it, separate out your recycling to make it a little bit easier, understand what everything is made out of as well, don't assume that things are recyclable, actually check out what that product is made out of, that where you are disposing out the waste can actually recycle that product as well. I know they can get a little bit complicated, but if you start thinking like that, then you can design out, in a way, you have the need for those products as well.

Scot:

I think Betty has already been doing quite a bit on that. We've sourced this compostable plant-based coffee cup. Because coffee cups are so bizarre, our recycling processes with it, they coat it with something in order that the cardboard doesn't--

Betty: I think it's like a PLA filling, a lining. Again, I've worked as a barista for 10 years. I only found out about it only a few years ago. I always thought they were recyclable, you just assumed it, I guess, you're like, “Oh, but it's paper.” You don't even think of little things like the lining. I spoke to barista friends, they were like, “Oh, I didn't know that either.” It was just a documentary that I happened to come across, it completely changes your mind, then when you do a bit of research, you go, “Oh, all these things that you're marketed,” or you're like, “Oh, but this says it's this,” but then you find out not really all, it is, but we don't actually even have the facilities here to process it, like you said.

Scot:

We're already hyper anti-plastic. [laughter] It's a shame, the KeepCup thing is not going to be—hopefully, who knows what happens in the future?—but maybe, we do get back to having KeepCups again.

Renee:

But you can use KeepCups now.

Scot:

You can?

Renee:

Yeah.

Scot:

Ah, wonderful! That's great, [laughter] because I thought that was like axed from--

Renee:

It had been for a little while, but now every cafe around me, I live in Collingwood are using them again.

By accepting KeepCups, some places will have their own take on it where if you're having a batch brew where they don't have to touch your cup, then they'll do that. But then there's other places that we’re just building it into the way that we operate, that we make sure that we're safe, and you're safe with anything that they do. There are companies that at one point, they weren't clear on the rules so they just stopped accepting them. But you can definitely use them again now.

Betty:

Okay. Awesome.

Scot:

We're set up to wash KeepCups, and do all that…

Betty:

Oh, totally, I know as a barista, if someone gave me a dirty KeepCup, I’d be like, “I would rather wash your KeepCup than use a plastic or paper cup.” Even if it was that sliding convenience of washing it, it's more that mentality as well because you get that into people, if you deny them of that, even just go, “Oh, I'm not going to take your KeepCup or wash it even,” they'll be like, “Oh well, I just won't even bother half the time.” Then at least, maybe, next time, they might go, “Oh, I've washed my KeepCup for you,” [laughter] or something like that which you often found, but I just think it's just that five seconds of washing something.

Scot:

To tick all the boxes, I guess in that area, because coffee cups are such a polluter. The coffee cup that Betty saw is actually one that you can compost in your backyard.

Betty: They’re fully compostable, home compostable, made from sugar cane pulp and they don't have the lining either. They've been really great. Cost wise as well, it's slightly a bit higher, but it's not that much in the grand scheme of everything, really.

Scot:

We're also moving away, this is actually sustainable for both economically for us, as well as just on the planet scale, we're moving away from using stuff like Glad wrap. You can actually use this product called beeswax wraps, Betty used to work at a market store selling them. It works the same if not better, they're washable, reusable, you don't need to keep buying Glad wrap.

Betty:

Like you saw the industrial revolution coming with things like Glad wrap, and stuff. We never had it before that. People used to preserve and keep their food fresh prior to this. It was the convenience thing, then it became the commercial business thing.

Scot:

Probably, a bit of novelty too. I think everyone was like, “Oh, look at this.” No one was aware of it in the 60s, what we're dealing with now, no one was aware of plastic pollution, we were just, “Oh, that's all right what it’s going to do, it wasn't even in the psyche.” Now, stepping back into those old things, now that we are aware of what problem we're causing on the planet, I think is really important, it's really an individual choice that everyone needs to make.

Jo:

I think as well, it comes back to being informed, because I think maybe, some people think disposable is the most hygienic option, because it only gets used once, then there's the recyclable option, the biodegradable option, the compostable option, all of those things mean different things, it might be good now if we just get into, I'll take this one to you, Renee, what is the difference between biodegradable and compostable?

How do we actually choose what is the right product for a mobile business or an office?

Renee:

The thing we have to consider I guess is that compostable is great, but only if it goes into a compost. If it doesn't go into a compost, it's like putting food into a landfill not as extreme, but it's still going to create CO2 when it goes into a landfill.

We have to consider the end consumer I guess in a way, what are they going to be doing with this product?

Do we have the control over what happens to it at the end? Or are they going to be leaving?

If you're in a spot where people are just passing by which is exactly what takeaway cups are, then they're going to put it into a rubbish bin. If it's going to go into a council rubbish bin—which often it is, because they're on the go—then if they're in a council, for example, like Yarra has commingle, it's recycling as well as landfill, and they, hopefully separate it out, then you can go, “Okay, well, the recyclable option is better.” The idea is really, what is your consumer going to do with the product once it leaves you? How much control can you have over that? It sounds like you guys are really keen to educate your customers as well. If you can talk to them, and say, “Look, please hang around, have a chat with us, put it into our compost,” if you're going to have a compost in there. But if you know that they're going to be leaving, then recycling is going to be better than compost, because it will just go into landfill. Unfortunately, we don't live in that ideal world where our councils actually have compost bins in public spaces, that would be great. Then compostable products, the cost of them would come down, then people would become more aware. We were talking about the industrial revolution coming about, at one point, recycling wasn't even something that happened, now, most people do recycle. Composting will come about at one point in time and people will start composting like they do with recycling. But until that time, we just have to consider what the customer is going to be doing with that product. Then that can guide us in that direction of what we use.

Scot:

Yeah, 100%. I didn't actually consider that.

HOW TO BEST HANDLE RECYCLING AS A MOBILE BUSINESS?

Design out as much waste as you can (I consider recycling as waste)

Buy bulk to reduce the amount of packaging waste

What's left, if anything, should be manageable in your domestic council bin, check what your council recycles so you don’t contaminate the recycling stream causing recyclable items to go into landfill

Take unavoidable soft plastics to Redcycle via Woolworths or Coles drop off points

LINKS: www.redcycle.net.au

THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS OUT THERE FOR COMPOSTABLE AND BIODEGRADABLE CUPS, PLATES AND UTENSILS. WHAT IS ACTUALLY SUSTAINABLE AND HOW DO WE CHOOSE THE BEST OPTIONS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS?

Consider the situation. Are the customers likely to be hanging around or leaving the site?

If your customers are staying on-site can you use reusable plates etc?

As there is currently no council options for composting in public recycling is the next best option if you can’t control where the waste is disposed of.

Recycling - opt for post consumer like sugarcane which would normally be burnt

If you are offering a compost bin, look for home compostable items, they don't need commercial treatment to breakdown. Consider using a service such as BioPak where you can hire a compost bin for their packaging and your food scraps to be recycled. If a compostable item goes into landfill it's going to breakdown but it will emit unnecessary CO2

LINKS:
www.biopak.com.au/compost-service

environmentalenterprises.com.au/shop/plates-bowls-trays

www.greenpack.com.au/sugarcane-bamboo-tableware/sugarcane-bamboo-pulp-containers/2oz-57ml-sugarcane-cup-pack-of-50pcs-detail

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS IF A MOBILE FOOD BUSINESS WANTED TO COMPOST THEIR WASTE (INCLUDING COMPOSTABLE UTENSILS).

Coffee Grounds can go to Reground. They turn them into compost and items such as an exfoliating soap.

Darebin (and some other councils) have a home compost scheme but its food only, not packaging.

In an ideal world you would have a food dessicator that quickly creates a nutrient rich soil i.e. almost instant compost

LINKS: https://sharewaste.com/

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE EASY SWAPS/LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT A HOSPITALITY BUSINESS COULD MAKE TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE?

Reusable everything! It takes less energy, water and money to wash something than have it made over and over.

Purchase 100% GreenPower, preferably from Powershop

Follow zero waste accounts on Instagram.

Reuse water from rinsing produce to water gardens.

Don't automatically give serviettes etc.

ZERO WASTE INSPIRATION FROM INSTAGRAM: @joostbakker, @zerowastechef, @zerowastehome, @zerowastevictoria, @mcmasterchef, @silolondon @chooosetoday

You can read more of Renee's advice for sustainability here:

Sustainability & The Workplace

Low Cost Ways to Save Energy

Or on her website

Check The Earthly Sweet Spot Instagram for their opening