Innovation

Overconsumption is one of the largest culprits of the climate crisis. In an environment where goods and services are constantly available and new trends take precedence over longevity, a pattern of overconsumption has arisen. Clothing, furniture, construction materials, and other items are consistently disposed of despite having life left in them. Junk Run has discovered a way to improve this cycle of consumption by delaying the disposal of these items before they enter the last stage of their life in the landfill. Instead of calling a typical waste management company, homes and businesses have the option to employ Junk Run.

The initial service is the same, where two or more employees will arrive at a location and remove the items relieving the customer of any stressors; however, the proceeding methodology is the differentiating factor. Once collected, the items are carefully sorted and assessed to determine what can be re-homed or recycled; these items include furniture, clothing, electronics, toys, whiteware, raw materials, etc. Certain goods are recycled, while others are redirected back into society. Junk Run goes the extra mile in its sustainable approach by directing these items to organizations that will benefit others, or to individuals who otherwise may not have the resources to purchase these goods. This includes social enterprises, community groups, charities, and so forth. In cases where the goods are not used, they may be sold to raise funds for the charitable cause in which they are supporting. This philanthropic approach to the consumption cycle results in not only a reduction of pollution from landfills but additionally an improvement in the welfare of many people.

Inspiration

In its infancy, this innovation was an anomaly in the waste management industry. In fact, Ruth Boyes, the General Manager of Junk Run, said they were considered to some as a collection of “green hippies”; now, it is clear that this was a group of individuals who were simply ahead of the curve. In the last few decades, the importance and the frequency of sustainable innovations has exponentially increased. In 2005, the urgency of the environment’s health was low; however, a passionate individual saw the opportunity to make an improvement. Ruth relayed the information that the founder of Junk Run hated seeing what was ending up in the landfill and the “lack of thought that was going into the way things were being done”.

While the importance of a sustainable approach in the production stage of a good may be widely agreed upon, it was an exceptional idea to observe the impact of an item further down the line. Little thought was being put into the efficiency of the waste management industry, and the previous owner decided the whole industry was due for a “shake up and wakeup call.” Entering a market with such strong competition and a long history of doing things a certain way was not for the faint-hearted, but the “passion about doing the right thing for the environment” was enough inspiration for an individual to establish this innovative process. Finding like-minded people and creating a community at work has been an essential aspect of making this dream a reality, it was true at its foundation and is true today in Junk Run’s mission.

Overall impact

The overall long-term impact of this innovation is the incredible influence it has had on the waste management industry. Since its creation, Ruth Boyes stated that Junk Run has “flipped the waste industry on its head;” an industry that was rarely accountable for its environmental impact now has a new standard to follow. The Auckland market is saturated with multinational corporations with “massively deep pockets and unlimited budgets” who are now being challenged by this small yet powerful competition. Government and private organizations have realized the massive impact that small companies like Junk Run have and are now seeking guidance for proceeding with a sustainable lens. Carbon footprints and sustainable reporting are only recently becoming a requirement for New Zealand businesses, yet Junk Run has been providing Commercial Sustainability and Innovation Reports for years. Now, other businesses in Auckland are looking to Junk Run for direction on how to complete these.

The short-term impacts of this innovation are the benefits that the environment and society are reaping. Ruth estimates that “thousands and thousands of tons worth of materials from household and construction items that would otherwise have ended up in landfill, instead go back to these charities.” In different circumstances, this material would add to the overwhelming amount of rubbish in landfills but is instead actively bettering the lives of New Zealanders. These small, short-term impacts end up making a significant difference when looking at the big picture, in ways that cannot be measured.

Business benefit

While the intentions of Junk Run’s business philosophy have been genuine, they undoubtedly come with benefits for the company. By building a business based on environmental and social responsibility, they have accessed a new segment of the market that is not available to the typical waste management organization. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often cannot compete with multinational corporations that are already established, so Junk Run’s process innovation has given them a competitive advantage. This allows them to compete in a market where they may have otherwise been disregarded.

As sustainability continues to become a national priority, the government is beginning to mandate that certain projects are zero waste. Ruth noted that organizations such as “universities and district health boards are all trying to reduce their waste footprint”. Once again, these groups are looking to Junk Run for the services they provide. Junk Run “tracks and measures everything that they move and relays the information back to clientele, where they can feed these numbers into their carbon calculations." These collaborations are an essential part of Junk Run’s success and will only continue to expand and thrive as society becomes more environmentally conscious.

Because Junk Run has been open and transparent about its values, they have attracted a group of like-minded employees who are equally as passionate about helping people and the environment. Ruth and these employees “genuinely love what they do every day,” which is an important aspect of employee retention in a volatile economy. Each of these benefits manifests the reality that businesses that act in a socially and environmentally responsible manner can thrive in a for-profit manner on a large scale.

Social and environmental benefit

The first benefit this innovation creates is the reduction of items and materials that are entering landfills; this results in a number of environmental improvements. Firstly, there are fewer emissions from the trucks used to haul rubbish from the initial location, to transfer stations, and to the ultimate landfill. Secondly, it reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced from landfills; concurrently, it also reduces the amount of pollution entering soil and water streams. Landfills are direct contributors to climate change and a cutback of material entering them is a considerable success. Furthermore, by reusing the items that have been collected by Junk Run, the need for the production of new materials is reduced or eliminated. Overconsumption is also one of the most detrimental causes of climate change, while Junk Run may not have the ability to change the consumption habits of individuals or organizations, they are creating the opportunity for a more responsible form of consumption at a fraction of the price.

While there may be environmental requirements for other businesses to comply with, Junk Run is still raising the bar by embedding social philanthropy as a foundational characteristic of the business. There is a monetary value associated with the donated items which charities can generate from sales. Junk Run does not charge for the service of dropping off the goods at these locations, so the charity receives the entire benefit, and then this money is re-entered into the cause that is being supported. Likewise, Ruth states there is an even more tangible impact being made when items such as furniture or toys are donated to “church groups, schools, sports teams, or social enterprises that are really struggling.” This innovation truly changes people’s lives, which is not often the narrative of profitable businesses.

Interview

Ruth Boyes, General Manager