IF CHANGE HAS TO OCCUR THEN LET’S LEAD THE WORLD IN CHANGE
There was once a time when all we
had to do was: “Be a tidy Kiwi”.
Those times are gone. Well, these
times are different, anyway. ‘Tidy’
just doesn’t cut it.
As I pen this, there is a lot of change
going on in the world of food and
beverage. In the world, full-stop. It’s
being demanded; screamed for and,
for some, screamed at. We now live
in a world where often those that
speak loudest are heard not only
more, but also as having a seeming
sounder knowledge base. Maybe
loudest isn’t most appropriate; ‘like’-
able, better.
As we start (for some, continue for
others) the inevitable journey that
we all must walk together – that
towards a carbon free New Zealand
– industry is in the firing line.
I call it like it I see it – and in some
cases, it’s a Witch Hunt. The way
the dairy industry and farming
sectors are being looked at and
condemned –it just makes me want
to travel a generation-or-two back
in time with the ‘hunters’ when ‘PC’
was an emerging wonderment of
personal technology, not an unheard
of abbreviation for the right way to
operate. Yes, it makes you want to
tap some ‘taringas’ and explain how
some respect needs to be given to
industries that played a massive role
in building this great country.
But you can’t get angry. And I’m
not so sure the dairy and farming
industries have any angst towards
those that challenge them… dairy,
meat, produce… industry is getting
on with it. They are looking at
themselves and making internal
changes for the good of the
environment; and betterment of their
sector.
Plastics also… facing a firing squad
or irate environmentalist, of whom
most have used these products
quite contently for years. The
images we all see though, are very
real. Something needs to be done –
from both sides of the fence - and is
being done, by some.
Today’s world is direct. People have
access to companies. Issues are
now exposed in front of all. And
commentary is often varied in views
and knowledge base – though
likeability often overrides the latter
in how and if that commentary is
positively absorbed. ‘Who’ says
it, too, is important to carrying a
message sometimes, and often
proffers the greatest weighted
argument; sometimes beyond
accuracy of such content.
Consumerism has strange animal
traits. In today’s open market
(globalisation perhaps the spark
to the current state-of-play
environmentally), the dog forgets
that it now wags its own tail. But
the dog is definitely changing in
attitude, and now it must truly
change its habits. I’m not talking of
token changes – big changes. This
is no longer a take, make and waste
landscape. ‘Circular’ is about to
have big rise in consumerism.
There is no doubt, industry is taking
this seriously: the need for green;
the eco-way, meatless, vegan,
greater acreage productivity… that
‘industry’ is built and operated
by real people, by the way. Dairy
farmers are families. They are often
true-blue, fair dinkum Kiwi families.
Frequently, generational. I think
the haze between a keyboard and
farmer often shrouds that thought
process as abuse gets hurled from
many corners.
But it’s as people we must all
address the environment. We all live
on this earth and we all have jobs
and families and responsibilities to
things, and each other. We all have
to still make a living.
I implore all to get to these dairy
farms as Fonterra opens up its
gates to the public. Go and see,
what people are doing. What a
brilliant initiative it is, too. Opening
its books in this manner is not only
an ingenious move in the public eye
but also an honest one.
Education is absolutely critical in
this area. That’s the underlying
theme that NZ Food Technology is
hearing back from industries and
from its suppliers. Consumers, too,
some massive habits to change,
as mentioned. Is it the right thing
to do to race out and buy a brand
new Tesla… is that the way to save
the planet? Or is it better to convert
an existing car to electric? I don’t
know… but Tesla buyer, do you? Or,
is price shopping saving the planet?
Those savings you make on your
grocery bill each week are crucial to
the family budget, right? And that’s
why the whitebait fritters come from
Thailand at $8 for 500g rather than
sourced locally, at $15+ per 100g.
Or the $5.99 dress shoes off Wish
(including delivery) plus a host of
other bits and bobs at bargain-cut
prices… what’s the carbon footprint
on those multi purchases and
shipments from China, then, that
you often just didn’t need?
We all, must, change.
In fact, there is a school of thought
where – given New Zealand’s great
test-case size – we could lead
the world in such change. There
is an opportunity to build another
industry while creating clean. New
Zealand could show off revolutionary
technologies and partner with big
and burgeoning companies – locally
and internationally - to implement
new ideas and fresh approaches to
making this change.
In this inaugural CreateClean feature
we are providing a platform to those
that are wanting change and are
contributing to the way we do things
in food and beverage processing
and manufacturing. We have key
people offering their opinions
by industry as well as a host of
suppliers to the industry who believe
they have products, services and
solutions that can help contribute to
making a difference.
There will be no shouting at anyone
through here… the time is ripe to
listen, learn, instigate and evolve. We
are all changing together.
My worm farm is going great.
Greg Robertson
Publisher/editor
SPECIAL FEATURE
CREATE
NEWS C L E A N
10 NOVEMBER 2019