Sustainability
The Sustainable Duo on Zero-Waste Living, Planet Protein, and Christening a Brand-New Studio | Ep 010 | SoFlo Vegans Podcast
SoFlo Vegans kicks off a new season in a brand-new studio at HGA Studios in Wynwood with Brendan and Carly, better known as The Sustainable Duo, for a conversation on zero-waste living, the wrapper-recycling program behind Brendan's company Planet Protein, and how the couple turns simple swaps -- bamboo utensils, DIY deodorant, dyed sustainability bags -- into an accessible on-ramp to veganism.
Topics Covered
- How Carly's 2018 eco-travel trip to Nicaragua and a small bag of one month's trash inspired her recurring "Futuristic February" zero-waste challenge
- Planet Protein's TerraCycle-based wrapper recycling program, which turns used protein-bar wrappers into desks, tables, and benches instead of new material
- The couple's philosophy of prepare, then refuse, then reduce, then recycle -- carrying reusable utensils, bowls, and stasher bags everywhere they go
- How to politely push vegan restaurants and vendors to drop single-use plastic, including the story of a juice bar that switched an entire chain to coconut bowls after one conversation
- Launching Planet Protein's first protein powder: organic pea, chia, and fermented quinoa sprout protein with reishi mushroom, packaged in an 80%-bamboo bag with a compostable wooden scoop
- Why the natural-flavor label can hide up to 100 undisclosed ingredients, and the couple's decision to never use natural flavors or sugar alcohols
- Using zero waste as a lower-barrier entry point that leads non-vegans toward animal rights and veganism over time
- Advice for aspiring lifestyle entrepreneurs: find your purpose first, then let the hustle follow, and be patient because meaningful change can take years
About the Guest
Brendan and Carly are the founders of The Sustainable Duo and Planet Protein, a South Florida-based zero-waste lifestyle brand and organic plant-based protein company built around a wrapper take-back recycling program.