A Zero Waste Journey: LIVE On Air Podcast with Sonalie Figueiras & Regina Larko

Episode 5 Zero Waste Fashion & The Circular Economy taping LIVE at 3PM November 21 30 2018


Topics covered include:

  • An overview of the textile waste problem in Hong Kong
  • What are some initiatives that are being developed in the city to deal with the problem
  • Whether a zero waste approach to fashion is possible in Hong Kong
  • Whether a circular economy approach to apparel supply chains is realistic

Episode 5 Panelists

Edwin Keh, Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA)

Mr Keh is the CEO of The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel. He is also on Faculty at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology where he teaches supply chain operations.

Until April 2010 Edwin was the SVP COO of Wal-Mart Global Procurement. Prior to Wal-Mart Edwin managed a consulting group that has done work for companies on supply chain, manufacturing, and product design. The practice also did work for non-profit organizations and charities. Edwin co-founded the Consortium For Operational Excellence in Greater China (COER GC). The Consortium is sponsored by the Wharton School and Tsinghua University.

Edwin had a career as senior executive with several US consumer goods and retail companies. He was the Managing Director of Payless Shoesource International, Donna Karan International, and Country Road Australia. He also worked for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Edwin serves on multiple industry and educational boards. He advises several other social enterprises.

Edwin is the 2011 recipient of the Production and Operations Management Society’s Martin K. Starr Excellence in Production and Operations Management Practice Award, and is on the Debrett’s Hong Kong 100 as one of the most influential people in Technology and Digital sector.

Hanna Hallin, H&M, Sustainability Manager of H&M (Greater China)

Hanna Hallin is Sustainability Manager at H&M Greater China, responsible for the Sales markets of Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan and Macao. She previously served as one of the global Sustainability Business Experts at H&M Group’s Head office in Stockholm. Hanna’s background is in the non-profit sector, and includes roles at Fairtrade Sweden and the Clean Clothes Campaign. Before joining H&M in 2012, she was the Executive Director of a Swedish civil society think tank.

Sarah Garner, Founder Retykle 

Sarah Garner is the Founder of Retykle, Asia’s first online consignment platform for buying and selling secondhand high-end children’s fashion. For over a decade, Sarah worked with some of the best luxury fashion companies in Hong Kong including Lane Crawford, DFS and Shanghai Tang. After her first child was born in 2014, Sarah wanted to apply her experience to a business with purpose and be part of the fashion solution by developing a circular economy benefiting parents, the community and the environment. Retykle was born.

Episode 4 Tackling Food Waste in Asia’s Most Gluttonous City taping LIVE at 3PM May 30 2018


Topics covered include:

    • How big is the food waste problem in Hong Kong?
    • What is in place in terms of government measures to fight food waste?
    • How much of the problem comes from F&B?
    • What can chefs do?
    • What can food retailers do?
    • How much of the problem do NGOs and food banks tackle?
    • What are some ways food waste can be reused/repurposed?
    • What can consumers do to alleviate the problem?

    Episode 4 Panelists

    Dr. Daisy Tam, Assistant Professor & Researcher, Hong Kong Baptist University Department of Humanities

    Daisy is an Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Baptist University where she teaches and does research on ethical food practices and urban food systems.  Her critical engagement with food began in London where she did her PhD in Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths. For five years, she worked in Borough Market as part of her field research, where she learnt from fellow traders about the production, distribution, consumption and disposal of food. Since her return to Hong Kong, Daisy has taken the question to the level of the city and is driven to search for a more ethical, equitable, and sustainable urban food system.

    Daisy’s is the winner of the 2018-19 Fulbright Senior Research Award and will be taking her research to MIT in the fall. Her current project on food waste is a theoretical and technical undertaking that looks at the potential of collective (crowd) food rescue practices. She has lectured internationally, and done countless workshops in Hong Kong with schools, the elderly and community centres. Daisy believes that academic research should benefit society and strives to bring her work to a wider audience. Recent publications include “Towards a Parasitic Ethics” in Theory, Culture and Society London: Sage 2016 (33: 4) p103-126. Part of Daisy’s research is sponsored by the Hung Hin Shiu Charitable Foundation.

    Janice Leung Hayes, Food Writer & Entrepreneur, Founder Honestly Green

    Janice Leung Hayes is a food writer and entrepreneur. Passionate about Hong Kong and its food sources, she has been running farmers’ markets in Hong Kong since 2012, and focuses her media efforts on the cuisine of Asia and its diaspora. Her written work has appeared in such publications as South China Morning Post, New York Times, and Monocle. Find her at @e_ting on Twitter and Instagram.

    Liz Thomas, Co-Founder Food Savior – Update Liz had an emergency and was unable to make it.

    Liz Thomas is co-founder of Food Savior, the app that connects restaurants offering great last minute deals on their surplus dishes with consumers looking for great meals at bargain prices. She is also a journalist with more than 15 years experience reporting and editing for newspapers, magazines and online. She is currently Features and Lifestyle Editor at global newswire Agence France-Presse.

     

    Episode 3 CONSUMPTION: Journeying to Zero Waste


    Topics covered include:

    • Personal stories of each zero waste entrepreneur/acitvist
    • If you were in charge of environmental policy for Hong Kong, what would be the first thing you would implement?
    • Misconceptions about zero waste/recycling
    • The paradox of a consumer economy and a zero waste lifestyle
    • Challenges of running a zero waste business

    Episode 3 Panelists

    Tamsin Thornburrow, Founder Live Zero & Thorn and Burrow

    Entrepreneur and local Hong Konger, Tamsin Thornburrow, is pioneering consumerist culture in Hong Kong. Her passion for design and the environment have culminated into two innovative concepts. In 2015 she opened Thorn and Burrow, a homeware store that brings in unique artisinal products that are difficult to find on the commercial market. In September 2017, Thornburrow was inspired to address another issue: over packaging and environmental degredation caused by plastic. Located on High Street in Sai Ying Pun, Live Zero is Hong Kong’s first zero-waste store, plastic-free grocery store. In the future, Thornburrow hopes to further embolden Hong Konger’s to change their consumerist habits and lead more low impact lifestyles.

    Hannah Chung, Founder, The Zero Waste Challenge

    Hannah Chung is currently on a zero waste challenge; she seeks eco-alternatives and green solutions for everyday living while aiming to achieve zero waste in Hong Kong. Originally from London, she was shocked to see the lack of infrastructures in place for waste management and recycling in this city, and aims to spread the word on the extent of the problem and how the individual can make a difference simply by making a few changes.

    Raphael De Ry, Founder Edgar

    Having witnessed first-hand the massive wastage created by the fashion industry as well as our current lifestyle, Raphaël De Ry, upon becoming a father, decided that there had to be a better way to live healthily and sustainably. An opportunity arose when he was the founder of a natural & organic food products distributor, and Edgar, the first modern-day zero-waste, plastic-free bulk grocery in  Hong Kong was born.

    Fanny Moritz, Founder, NO!W No Waste 

    A previous web designer and developer, Fanny switched gears and become focused on a Zero Waste Lifestyle working towards producing less waste since 2015. Taking part in beach clean-ups, recycling, composting, she has prioritised an eco-friendly life. She discovered that there was really no platform to conveniently buy all of the sustainable products so she decided to build her own. That’s how NO!W No Waste was born.

    Episode 2 Recycling in Hong Kong – What You Need To Know


    Topics covered include:

    • How does recycling work in Hong Kong?
    • Who are the main actors in the Hong Kong recycling industry?
    • What is the government’s attitude towards recycling?
    • What are the economics of the recycling industry in Hong Kong?
    • How would a pay for your own waste system work and should it be implemented?

    Episode 2 Panelists

    Paul Zimmerman, HK Southern District Councillor & CEO of Designing Hong Kong

    Paul Zimmerman is a co-Founder and CEO of Designing Hong Kong. Paul is also an elected District Councillor representing the Pokfulam constituency, and a board member of Civic Exchange, Professional Commons, Hong Kong Democratic Foundation, and the Patient Care Foundation. His Hong Kong Government advisory functions include the Harbourfront Commission. Paul has a Masters in Social Science (Economics) from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, and a Masters of Arts (Transport Policy and Planning) from The University of Hong Kong. He arrived in Hong Kong in 1984 and became a Chinese citizen in 2012.

    Edwin Lau, Founder & Executive Director The Green Earth

    Edwin has been actively engaged in environmental protection work since 1989. He has held senior management positions of green groups, such as director and deputy director. During the period, he placed great concern on various green topics, e.g. waste, air, and energy. Edwin is a member of the Food Wise Hong Kong Steering Committee and its sub-committees and Co-opted member of the Working Group of the Advisory Committee on Water Supplies. Before that, he served on the Advisory Council on the Environment, Task Force on External Lighting, The Country and Marine Parks Board, etc. In 2009, Edwin was awarded the Medal of Honour by the HKSAR Government in recognition of his long-term contribution to environmental protection and education.

    Philippe Li, Business Development Manager HK Recycles

    Philippe is the Business Development Manager for HK Recycles. He is responsible for the acquisition of the customers and the diversification of its clientele. Prior to his role in HK Recycles he worked for SOW Asia as it’s senior associate. His responsibility ranges from management of digital and communication platform to developed strategies and provided support to over 30+ social enterprises.

    Episode 1 Plastic vs Oceans – Why You Should Care

    Topics covered include:
    • Marine pollution overview globally
    • How serious is the problem in Hong Kong
    • What plastic does to marine life
    • The HK Government’s response to plastic pollution
    • The importance of activism
    • What can consumers do to effect real change?

    Episode 1 Panelists

    Dana Winograd, Director-Operations, Plastic Free Seas

    Dana Winograd is the Director-Operations of Plastic Free Seas (PFS), a registered Hong Kong charity focusing on the issue of plastic marine pollution, having joined shortly after its inception in 2013. She has lived in HK for over 20 years and first got involved with environmental issues in 2007 when she helped drive recycling in Discovery Bay where she lives. Seeing that it would take more than recycling to help solve the problem of plastic marine pollution, Dana joined PFS to help promote change in people’s use of plastic through education and action and has delivered talks on waste reduction and personal behaviour change to students from kindergarten through to university as well as to adults within the corporate program.Plastic Free Seas has reached over 29,000 students in more than 110 schools through in-class, beach and sea programmes.

    Samantha Lee, Manager, Oceans Conservation, WWF

    Samantha Lee joined WWF in 2010 as a Senior Marine Conservation Officer. She has led local marine conservation programmes on Chinese white dolphin conservation, sustainable fisheries management, marine protected areas and marine litter and is WWF’s spokesperson for marine-related development work. She holds an M.Phil degree in Biology and is one of Hong Kong’s foremost soft coral and gorgonian experts.

    Gary Stokes, Asia Director, Sea Shepherd Global

    Gary Stokes is the Asia Director for Sea Shepherd Global. Based in Hong Kong, his main focus over the past 10 years has been on documenting, investigating and exposing the shark fin trade. Working with Sea Shepherd to raise awareness and effect change by directly challenging laws and the agencies that are supposed to protect species, but are failing to do so. He is also the founder of Hemingway’s DB, a seaside restaurant & bar in Discovery Bay with a fully vegan menu.

    About The Series

    Hosted by Regina Larko, Host & Producer of #impact Podcast and Sonalie Figueiras, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Green Queen, A Zero Waste Journey LIVE On Air is a brand new audio-interview series about the Zero Waste movement in Hong Kong. Join us for in-depth journalistic interviews with activists, entrepreneurs, government officials and NGO leaders in the Zero Waste movement that is sweeping Hong Kong and the world as we discuss topics like plastic pollution, recycling, fashion waste, paper waster, food waste, waste regulations, zero waste & plastic-free living and more.

    About The Series Hosts

    Regina Larko, Founder, Host & Producer of Hashtagimpact 

    #impact Podcast launched on iTunes in spring 2017 and ranks in the the Top 20 iTunes Hong Kong Career Podcast Charts (Jan. 2018). Working in social impact with NGOs and The Economist Events before launching #impact Podcast, Regina is proud to team up with Sonalie to bring inspirational zero waste stories & issues LIVE to an online audience all over the globe.

    Sonalie Figueiras, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Green Queen, Founder & CEO of Ekowarehouse

    With over a decade of experience in publishing, SEO, digital marketing, organic trade and health journalism, she is a wellness industry veteran with a keen eye for market trends and a regular on the speaking circuit. When she is not working, Sonalie is usually dreaming up new recipes in the kitchen for her family. Sonalie has made a renewed commitment to raise awareness on our global and local waste problem via her media platform Green Queen and is looking forward to showcasing in-depth conversations with experts & industry leaders to a global audience.

    We are grateful for this amazing sponsor who provide our recording location space: Garage Academy is Garage Society‘s platform to showcase & support the startup ecosystem in Hong Kong. From fireside chats, to panels, tech talks, workshops & more, join us and get plugged into the community.