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Canceling Plastic | Troy Swope

Canceling Plastic | Troy Swope

Salad. Meat. Sliced watermelon. Frozen veggies. What do all these supermarket products have in common? They’re all wrapped in some sort of plastic packaging. Not only is this plastic destroying our planet, but the toxic chemicals it’s made from is soaking into our food. It’s time to make some big changes, people.

WELCOME TO THE DARIN OLIEN SHOW.

Troy Swope has a problem with plastic.

There are 9.2 billion metric tons of plastic on our planet. If that sounds massive to you, it’s because every piece of plastic ever made still exists today. It doesn’t go anywhere, guys. It doesn’t break down.

Troy Swope’s company Footprint was created after Troy realized that not only were these plastics destroying our planet, but they were harming his family as well. Before Footprint, Troy ran a materials company. After lab testing revealed that plastic containers were contaminating a product it was storing, Troy had a lightbulb moment. So, when his wife brought home a bunch of fresh sliced fruit packaged in plastic from the supermarket one day, his curiosity got the better of him. Sure enough, testing proved this fresh sliced, healthy fruit was covered in toxic chemicals from their storage containers.

Now,

Troy and his business partner/ best friend Yoke Chung are supplying some of the big boys of food brands with sustainable, safe packaging. It started with a microwavable bowl used for frozen meals and expanded to a plethora of sustainable packaging. Footprint manufactures frozen food trays, six-pack rings, yogurt containers, coffee cups, and just about any sort of food container you can imagine, with more to come. Troy and Yoke envision a future where supermarkets and grocery stores are completely plastic-free. And I believe they are the ones to make it happen.

In this episode, Troy breaks down the absolute nastiness of traditional food packaging. He explains the endocrine-disrupting chemicals that have free access to our bodies thanks to plastic food containers. This is something I’ve been bitching about for years and years now, so I can’t even tell you how exciting it is to partner with this guy and his amazing company to make real change. Have a listen, and make a conscious effort to avoid plastic food packaging. This is important, guys. 

In this episode
  • Why Troy reached out to me
  • Troy’s background with plastics
  • Why the word “recyclable” makes Troy’s blood boil
  • How Conagra has been years ahead of the game
  • Troy’s lightbulb moment
  • Why he thinks Millenials are smarter than him
  • All the amazing “Big Boy” brands Footprint is working with
  • The “turning off the tap” analogy to explain plastic waste
  • How Moms are the leaders for big changes
  • The big Taylor Farms news
  • Winning the Cup Challenge
Links & Resources:

Footprint

Troy on LinkedIn

Cup Challenge Winners

Conagra Brands

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2 Comments
  • Pingback:Why You Should Always Avoid Plastic Food Storage Containers - Darin Olien
    Posted at 02:30h, 03 November

    […] hear more of this awesome conversation with Troy, tune into Episode 34 of The Darin Olien Show, Troy Swope on Canceling Plastic: Saving the Planet One Food Package at a […]

  • Jane Dulaney
    Posted at 06:04h, 06 November

    Thank you. SO pleased to be on this wave!