Be-Generative News #6: Local Movements, Global Shifts, Powerful Outcomes

Be-Generative News is a weekly newsletter that explores innovative regenerative solutions, shares updates on Our Kinds' journey to end single-use coffee culture and offers actionable insights for sustainability leaders.?

Local Movements, Global Shifts, Powerful Outcomes

The Our Kinds team is filled with visionaries, experts, and doers who share one mission: creating a reuse habit for the world. As today's date marks the International Day of Climate Action for 2024, this mission takes on even greater importance.

Molly Harriss Olson , is one of those key voices who checks in, offers support, and gives us perspective when we need it most.

Her encouragement keeps us grounded and focused:

• "You’ve got this."
• "You’re on the right track."
• "Look at how much you’ve achieved already."

These aren’t just words—they're a lifeline for a team that's pushing against the tide of consumerism and waste.

At Our Kinds, we are grateful for the global leaders who stand with us, especially Molly. With her as a trusted advisor, we feel more connected to our mission than ever before. Together, we are disrupting the status quo and proving that solutions exist. By starting small, thinking globally, and acting as a collective, we can make massive change happen.

This Week at Our Kinds

When you're building a movement with global relevance, it’s essential to be surrounded by mentors and champions like Molly, who offer insights and guidance.

I wanted the team to hear Molly's perspective on Our Kinds’ hyper-local, supply chain redesign model. She spoke directly to the magnitude of the climate crisis and the grim trajectory if nothing changes—a reality that can lead to eco-grief and paralysis.

Yet Molly emphasized that change happens through the small, everyday actions of individuals. Organizations like Our Kinds enable these actions through role modeling, system redesigns, and new connections. Political will and policy change come faster when backed by community support.

Molly’s advice to the team was clear: Act local. Start small. Connect people and systems. Think global.

This is how global recovery begins—from the community up.

Simple everyday steps that, at scale, will stop single-use cup production:

• Dine in at your local café
• Work from your café instead of rushing away with a takeaway cup
• Borrow a cup and #justbringitback
• BYO cup if that’s not an option.

Resources

A Draft Plan for Survival by Julian Cribb

During her conversation, Molly introduced us to Julian Cribb's "A Draft Plan for Survival." Cribb outlines 10 mega threats to our environment, from the 6th extinction to resource scarcity, nuclear weapons, global heating, and more. The message is clear: all these issues must be addressed, and the solutions must be comprehensive, not piecemeal. But there's hope — Cribb and Molly stress that these threats can be solved with global action and behavioral change.

For us at Our Kinds, the circular economy stands out as a key solution, one that aligns with our core focus. Molly's consistent advocacy for this approach reinforces our mission to reshape consumer habits—starting with the simple act of reusing a cup.

Thank you, Molly, for inspiring us to push forward in eliminating single-use cups and fostering a culture of reuse. With leaders like you by our side, we know: we can do this.

When you're part of a foundation team in a start-up—changing global habits, redesigning supply chains to eliminate 500 billion single-use cups per year—it can feel overwhelming.

Many will question why you put yourself through it, and sometimes, you might question it yourself. That’s why checking in with people who support and understand your vision is so crucial

Golden words from Molly and others:

• “It’s okay—start small and grow.”
• “This change must come from the community first—you’re on the right track.”
• “Look at how much you’ve achieved so far.”
• “You’ve got this.”
• “What can I do to help?”
• “Karen, this is an amazing team. How do you attract them?”

The Our Kinds team is made up of passionate visionaries, skilled experts, and relentless doers. We support one another and grow together—constantly learning and building trust.

We’ve attracted global leaders in sustainability, and Molly is one of those critical advisors. We seek her counsel, listen to her insights, and act on them. Together, we’re reshaping our thinking, our actions, and the world.

Community Member Profile – Molly Harris Olsen

Here’s how easily powerful connections can be made.

I organized a dinner to introduce some of my friends. One friend invited Meg Jones, a global trade expert in the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals. Meg loved the approach I was leading with Our Kinds. She said, “You have to meet Molly Harris Olsen from Fairtrade—coffee is their largest commodity.” At 10 p.m. that night, Meg connected Molly and me on WhatsApp, and by 10 a.m. the next morning, we were chatting over coffee.

That’s where it all started, and we’ve been building connections ever since. Molly's expertise in global business sustainability spans leadership, economic system redesign, green building innovation, fair trade, and environmental issues.

Molly's Legacy

Molly expertise in global business sustainability including leadership and systematic economic redesign, green building innovation, fair trade, environment and development issues, can be shared to CEOs, Senior business, government and civic leadership groups.?

Just a few of Molly’s career highlights:

• Founder of the President's (Bill Clinton) Council on Sustainable Development.
• Co-developed a national strategy for sustainable development, submitting the 1996 report Sustainable America: A New Consensus to President Clinton.
• Strengthened Asia-Pacific Fairtrade markets and supply chains while embedding sustainable practices.
• Assisted in creating a new Fairtrade constitution, granting half-ownership to producers and workers, and improving governance globally.
• Regularly introduces international leaders to Australia, including Dr. Jane Goodall, Ray Anderson, and Al Gore.
• In 2003, brought Al Gore to Australia as the keynote speaker for the National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT?

We’re not just talking about change—we’re making it happen together. Join us as we continue to build this movement and BE the change we want to see.?

Three ways to get involved and support us:?

1. Comment on this weekly newsletter, tag someone who might want to read it and share it with others.?

2. Follow Karen Monaghan for daily posts.?

3. Subscribe to our monthly Our Kinds investor update newsletter (launching soon).?