Eco-friendly business practices promoted

PINESLOPES – This month's networking with a difference event, hosted by the Fourways Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Hirsch's, focused on the environment.

September 18, 2019

Robyn Kirk 2 minutes read

Jutta Dudley and Maries Bron at the meeting which was held at Hirsch's Fourways this month.

Usually the focus is business, but this month the focus was on green business.

On 3 September, the Fourways Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) dedicated their monthly ‘networking with a difference’ event to protecting the environment. The event was hosted at Hirsch’s Fourways in Pineslopes and saw Richard Lyon of the FCCI emphasise the need for more effort from all of us, including businesses, to take better care of the planet. Clem Angus, who owns Green Stationery in Fourways Gardens, which provides eco-friendly stationery, also addressed attendees and showed them some cooking tricks with recyclable items.

“I did some research [on environmental issues] before this event and I was horrified,” Lyon explained during his talk. “Did you know that South Africans use between 30kg and 50kg of plastic per person per year?

Hanneke van Linge of Nosh Food Rescue enjoys one of the coffees in a recyclable container during the networking meeting. Photo: Robyn Kirk

“Today’s networking with a purpose event is about how essential it is to go green. More generally, the FCCI assists business in Fourways, both big and small, to succeed.”

Attendees started their environmentalism from the get-go – all refreshments served during the meeting came in ‘butterfly’ cups made by Chilla, which can be recycled. Each attendee then had the chance to introduce themselves and their businesses to the group.

A few of the attendees had a special interest in green business, including Hanneke van Linge of Nosh Food Rescue, a non-profit company that focuses on distributing waste food that would otherwise have been thrown away, to the hungry.

“Thirty per cent of the world’s food does not get eaten,” she explained. “[Nosh] collects food from catering companies, restaurants etc and redistributes it.”

Richard Lyon of the FCCI watches as Clem Angus of Green Stationery shows off how to cook using environmentally-friendly crockery. Photo: Robyn Kirk

Another green business owner is Winnie McHenry, who runs Upcycle.

“We teach people how to use waste to create corporate gifts,” McHenry said. “We work with people who might otherwise never have access to a job, such as the disabled or those with criminal records.”

A third company was Unwrapped Co which was started by Marlies Bron.

“I started this company because I was on the zero-waste journey myself, and I kept struggling to buy things that were plastic-free,” Bron explained. “So my friends suggested that I be the change myself.

“Unwrapped is an online store where you can buy pantry staples package-free. I buy in bulk and sell in glass jars, and then when you return the jar you get your deposit back.”

To wind up the event, Angus showed attendees a few environmentally-friendly alternatives to plastic stationery and packaging, and even showed how you can cook eggs and bacon in packaging made from biodegradable substances without burning the materials or releasing dangerous fumes.

The FCCI networking with a difference event takes place on the first Tuesday of each month. To find out more about October’s event, contact Richard Lyon at

richard.lyons@fcci.org.za;

086 101 9218; 083 625 7721.