I’m just a tech entrepreneur that likes to travel and live simply.  I build digital technology products like Beer2Buds and PromoBomb, and create digital and social campaigns for the social good.

I gave a talk last year at Gnomedex (Seattle Interactive Conference) in Seattle, Washington, USA on plastics in the ocean, particularly the Pacific Garbage Patch.

3 years ago I wasn’t even aware that we had a problem.  Manufacturers produce plastics, stores sell them, we drink them.  Seems logical.

Then, when KK told me at Gnomedex a few years ago that plastics were actually causing major environmental problems, killing marine life, why didn’t anyone know about it?

To me the answer was obvious – PROFITS.  An over-$10 billion-per-year industry in the US, plastic water bottles in the hands of US consumers appears to be more important than saving oceans.

Or is it?

The lifecycle of a plastic bottles begins and ends with destruction.  Toxins leaking out into us, bottles breaking down turning into fish food, leaking toxins into fish, digested by humans….

Rather than a silent fight, changing only my personal consumption habits, in order for real change to occur, we have to move top down, starting with profits.

I’m attempting to help bars and restaurants run promotions through PromoBomb that have a triple win – consumer gets a deal, bars/restaurants get more customers, the manufacturer (of biodegradable product) gets additional revenues.

We tend to ignore a problem until it’s too late…. unless we can “unplastic” our products on consumer shelves.

This is just a side project.  If you agree, want to learn more, or want to take part, please contact me libtuck+unplastic at g m a i l.