Guest Post: Why The Maltese Gen Z Should Discover The World Of Green Start-Ups
From the TV ads to the billboards with catchy slogans we see while driving, sustainability is becoming increasingly important to societies across the globe. The words “green”, “environment” and “climate change” seem to be increasingly popping up. However, Malta, compared to other European countries, still has a long way to go in achieving sustainability goals set by the UN, with the country dropping 5 places in 2021, now placing 33rd out of 163 countries and making us one of the lowest ranked EU countries.
It seems that for many, sustainability is not a priority and, in most businesses, being sustainable is just a bonus, not a mandatory box to tick. However, Malta has the potential for green businesses to prosper and the younger generations have the power to strive for change by discovering the world of sustainable start-ups.
I recently interviewed Chris Mercieca who, with his friend Ġorġ Vella, founded Happy Pot, a sustainable and customisable pot business. I discovered them through Shark Tank after they secured €135,000. Clearly, there is potential for sustainable business in Malta, and I was curious into finding more about Happy Pot and the ways in which it ensured sustainability throughout the whole production process.
Happy Pot is a sustainable pot company which makes pots made out of biodegradable elements and recycled plastics. Chris said that although they will never beat the price of the run-of-the-mill brown pots found in most shops, in terms of durability and sustainability, Happy Pot takes the lead. Happy Pot ensures sustainability in all steps of the production process: from production to delivery and “what makes Happy Pot happy is the fact that we make the world happy too.”
Chris also discussed the challenges that come with being a green start-up. There are many ways of making production cheaper and ensuring sustainability ups the price tag of the product. But this is a price Happy Pot is willing to pay. It is through the value creation that the sustainable pot company stands out – through planting a tree for every pot sold, monthly beach cleanups and zero waste packaging, Happy Pot proves that sustainability can become the new norm in the business world and hopes to prove the importance of nature and biodiversity with every company they work with.
When asked about Gen Z’s willingness to develop green businesses, Chris emphasized the importance of three factors – education, investing in oneself and creativity. Green businesses must resonate with your own personal values: “find a movement that you think you have the power and passion to make a genuine difference in and then create a realistic action with goals and ensure you work towards them every step of the way”.
Photos: Happy Pot
Hopefully, the younger generation sees Happy Pot’s journey as a means of pursuing their creativity and developing their ideas. Furthermore, green businesses are increasingly well funded through grants such as The Smart and Sustainable Investment Grant and new legislation proving that sustainability is slowly becoming mandatory in Malta and beyond.
In fact, from 2024, large companies will need to publicly disclose information on the way they operate and manage social and environmental risks. It is green startups like Happy Pot which are proving the importance of accountability and transparency in their supply chains. Gen Z has the power to make change and use their unique creativity and ideas for the benefit of the environment and become The Sustainability Generation through a melting pot of ideas, values and goals that benefit the only planet we have.
Following my discussion with Chris, there is no doubt that green startups have major potential in the Maltese business world.
With the younger generation passionate about fighting climate change and becoming more aware about transparency and accountability, those interested in starting a new business should merge their interests in the environment and the world of entrepreneurship to push Malta into a more sustainable business scene and should not be discouraged by the lack of demand they think is present, as this is proving to not be the case through the shift in consumer behaviour we are increasingly seeing.
Cover photos: Shark Tank Malta
Juliette is a student at the University of Warwick in the UK studying Global Sustainable Development with a passion for sustainability and grasping a better understanding of consumer behaviour.
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