Being earth wise was born out of a need. Not for an individual or a group, but for everyone. Preserving the planet and our environment is necessary for us as a whole to preserve our way of life.
This week, Green Success Stories connected with Ken Loritz, the Chief Sustainability Officer for Earthwise Packaging; this company brings the world into the next generation of packaging with a plant-based, carbon neutral alternative to fossil fuel plastics. The markets include packaging for hair and skin care, outdoor equipment, and even materials used in forensics! From self-care to sports to science, Earthwise Packaging provides an alternative material for every-day items.
As the CSO, Ken’s focus is on maintaining the integrity of Earthwise’s environmental impact. His strategy is embracing technology to keep the earth clean. Let’s get to know more about Ken!
Tell us a little bit about you, your background, and your current role:
I have been in the plastic packaging industry since 1984. I made eco-friendly thin wall light weight jars, vials and hinged lid containers using at least 50 percent less plastic. Most plastic containers have been designed to use natural gas based polyolefine plastic material. Natural gas derived plastic are much greener than oil based plastics. I still run the tooling injection mold making part of our factory. All of our bio-resin polyethylene jars, containers and vials are made in Tustin, California. Currently, I implement automation with robotics and artificial intelligence as a goal.
What is a fun fact about you?
I like listening to 80’s music all day long. (12 hours) Like U2, Duran Duran, Guns and Roses, INXS, REO Speedwagon, The Cars, Journey Like to take community college classes that allow me to see how the next generation functions.
Why do you think climate change and sustainability is such an important topic today?
It might not have a big impact on my generation, but the kids growing up today will need all the forward thinking help to make a positive impact and repair the damage done to the environment. My impression is most people either don’t care, are willing to kick the can (problem) down the road, or think the other person will address the issues.
What do you envision your industry looking like 10 years from now?
All plastic packaging, including oil based or bio-based will be two to three times the cost today. This alone will force all manufacturers using plastic to cut the weight of the amount of plastic used in a plastic packaging product. Robotic factories will be a norm. Quality of life will improve dramatically with robotics and AI. 20 hour work weeks with 2 months vacation. Artificial intelligence can and will help us reach our sustainability goals.
What can the average person do to make a difference?
Buy products that use 50 percent less natural resources, buy products that advertise sustainable features. Cutting the amount of plastic used, we can double the time that we have to get to our goal of 100 percent sustainability. Use products that can be 100 percent recycled. Drive an ebike, escooter, skateboard when possible. Sell or lockup the keys to your car. Try to buy products packaged with packaging that use recycle numbers 1 PETE, 2 HDPE, 5 PP. Let AI do your thinking. People Google just about anything to get thru the day so let the AI machine tell you how to live, work and play.
Green Success Stories is a television show, podcast, social media, and news platform, hosted by Dylan Welch, that highlights climate change scientists, renewable energy experts, and clean tech entrepreneurs by giving them a voice in the mainstream media. The Green podcast highlights leading experts in cleantech, sustainability, media, finance, and real estate. Tune in and subscribe to the podcast on Apple or Spotify to listen to interviews with leading cleantech and sustainable experts. If you are interested in being featured on Green, click HERE.
