Will corporations help us enjoy beer and pizza on Mars?
For better or worse, corporations can be very powerful. When they use their might for progress toward sustainability, good things happen. Here’s some names you know, and some of their recent good news.
MillerCoors learns how to brew with less water
This summer the second largest brewer in the U.S. announced it saved 15 billion gallons of water in the past year, compared to the previous year. This brings MillerCoors closer to its goal of a 3-to-1 ratio of water required to produce beer. To get there, the corporation is attempting to teach barley farmers precision irrigation and the use of companion crops.
Crafting beer is a thirsty process — and an opportunity for brewers to encourage best farming practices for all grain-based products.
Next up: Pizza Hut.
In June 2017 Pizza Hut reached the point of having donated 100 million pounds of food — or, 100 million meals—over the past 25 years.
Making it possible is the Food Donation Connection, linking restaurants to hunger relief projects. A former Pizza Hut executive began the connection, with Pizza Hut as the first contributor. Today, 17,000 restaurants contribute food to 10,000 hunger relief projects in the U.S. and abroad.
Pizza Hut also participates in the Food Waste Reduction Alliance, a coalition of restaurants and grocery manufacturers.
Good deeds don’t reduce the calories in pizza, but maybe some of the guilt.
And from how we eat to how we live:
Ikea takes a lesson from life on Mars
Known for its sustainability initiatives, Ikea is expanding beyond its love of design for earth dwellings, all the way to Mars! During the company’s “Democratic Design Days,” Ikea designers spent 3 days isolated with NASA architects at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah.
Limited space, air and water are challenges that denizens of future cities will confront — but space travel has ever had to cope with these concerns. Maybe it’s a fine line between Danish Modern and Space Station style?
Do you know what your favorite brands have done lately to help the planet?_________________________
If sustainability is your style, meet us at Net Impact’s 2017 conference in Atlanta. Thousands will gather to consider our Paths to Purpose at the Georgia World Conference Center, October 26 to 28.
Solutions in Sustainability is the text version of radioBANG, Bringing Awareness to a New Generation through brief podcasts available on SoundCloud and iTunes.
