Meet our Team: Julia
Meet the people behind the award who work closely with the start-ups, partners and media to turn every step of the process - from the first application to the final pitch – into a great learning and networking experience for all!
Who are the team members? What do they like? Find out in our interviews!
Julia, what do you like about working for the Green Alley Award?
I think it is so rewarding to wake up each day and do a job that is really meaningful. Working for the Green Alley Award is just that: With my work I can contribute to change the way we produce and consume and help build a truly circular economy.
One of my biggest challenges is to connect the topic of pollution from packaging waste, e-waste or single-use plastics, which we read about in the news each day, to our work at Landbell Group. I try to show that, with the Green Alley Award, we are doing something to tackle these problems by fostering and promoting innovation in the circular economy. This is our corporate social engagement, if you like, what we give back to society. How we help the next generation do things much better than they were done in the past.
Which startup that ever applied for the Green Alley Award is your favorite and why?
To pick just one startup is really a hard choice. Of course, all startups are great because they dedicate all their effort into a business that could help to create a greener and more sustainable future. But if I had to pick one idea, I would go for MIWA because I think the system they are developing is something we should have in all our supermarkets:
The Czech startup created a circular system of smart reusable packaging that allows selling goods while minimizing packaging waste. The packaging-free shopping experience starts right at the manufacturer. Here, re-usable capsules are filled with goods, transported to the supermarket and installed in a special shelf. Consumers can now use a smart re-usable food container and fill it with whatever they want to buy – without creating any packaging waste at all! And the best: This system can easily be integrated in every traditional supermarket.
I think this solution is really smart since I really try to reduce my packaging waste from grocery shopping but often do not have the time to go the extra mile to the special shops offering unpackaged food. Moreover, there are many groceries you cannot buy in unpackaged form like cheese or frozen goods. If all supermarkets would offer this system created by MIWA I could do my shopping at one place and still reduce packaging waste. Sustainable shopping has to be as convenient as possible to win over many people, not only the enthusiasts. And I think MIWA can contribute to that.
How do you live the circular economy?
I try to be a conscious consumer: I’m a vegetarian, I try to buy organic, local and seasonal food, and I try to consume less or only choose goods such as clothes from sustainable sources. I did not have a car until last year, when it became too complicated to do everything by train or bus with two children, but I really reduce our “car time” to a minimum. To work I am coming by bike in all weathers. I use green power at home and support several charities in their fight against climate change.