Creating CaliWoods – Reusable straws working towards a waste free world

A surfer and world traveler, Shay Lawrence has been to remote and beautiful places all over the globe. But standing on the pristine sands of far-flung tropical islands with soft breezes blowing and the waves shushing at her feet, or admiring Mayan pyramids in the jungle, she saw first-hand how our plastic refuse taints even the most uninhabited places of the world; and resolved to do something to help.

“Traveling to isolated places really allowed me to see the scale of what is happening to our planet and the impact our consumption has. I was in places that made me wonder how many people had stood on the same patch of tropical sand, yet all around were tiny pieces of plastic, bottle caps and straws. They had all floated there via ocean currents and, worst of all, they were there to stay.”

Working on a super yacht created a conflict between Shay’s beliefs and her daily actions and seeing the magnitude of the problem drove her to quit yachting and commit to a new path. Following a surf trip to California, Shay decided to create her own business and named it CaliWoods to evoke a combination of the Californian lifestyle and an Eco ethic.

Passionate about challenging and changing the way that we think about single-use items, Shay wants people to think about different ways they can live that harm the environment less.

“Waste-free living is such a powerful grass roots movement! We just need to rethink what resources we are using on a daily basis. If we don’t do something now to shift our perspective as a whole, the world will face some pretty massive issues.

The crispy, hot black sand of New Zealand’s West Coast beaches, coupled with native bush and enchanting bird song of Tui can really mould what a kid learns to value, but CaliWoods has deep roots in the time that Shay spent overseas. All the global travelling drove Shay’s commitment to bring useful, more sustainable products to the forefront, to create awareness and educate about environmental issues – and to inspire positive change.

The CaliWoods Reusable Straw Range is designed to solve a problem for customers. People love to use straws, but so many of us really hate the waste that traditionally comes with them! The design of the reusable straws means you can choose different sizes of fun and playful straws, ensuring there’s a straw for every drink from sip to slurp. CaliWoods packaging gets a big thumbs up from the Oh Natural team too – it is completely plastic-free, from the packaging right down to every shipping material they use.

“It is amazing to see people use CaliStraws over and over, I always think about all the plastic straws that have been saved thus far.”

Shay’s lifestyle tips on reusing and reducing

In her own life Shay is very cautious of the resources that she uses, particularly when it comes to packaging and waste. Here are her top tips for living lighter:

1. Bulk shop!

Thank goodness GoodFor opened, that’s all I can say. I love going in and refilling containers with all my staple dry goods. You save so much waste buying nuts, seeds, cereal all without the plastic. I love that I can get Little Bird Macaroons there without the packaging as well! Bin Inn is also great, and they have stores all over New Zealand. And of course you can bring your own reusable bags.

2. Plan for takeaways.

We live in a busy world and it seems that takeaway food has become something of a daily thing if you live in an urban area. I always plan for takeaways, having a reusable cup and containers in my car, and keeping a straw and cutlery in my bag.

3. Don’t to be afraid to ask businesses to refill for you.

It’s amazing how many places are open to it when you bring your own container… and this has a double impact of maybe educating the person on the other side a little bit as well!

4. Keep a coffee cup handy.

We can reduce the amount of waste being generated by our love for caffeine (an estimated 500 billion cups per year) so easily – cafes are very relaxed about using your reusable coffee cup as it saves them money. Some even offer a discount for customers who bring their own cup!

5. Always refuse the straw!

It’s a hard habit to get into but I always order my drinks straw-free “May I please have a Berry Smoothie – with no straw thanks” I then whip one out of my bag!

 Make the switch to reusable straws

Shay loves using a CaliStraw in cafés and restaurants and finds it a great conversation starter in social situations! People are always very interested and it’s a great way to share new ideas and get people thinking about ways to change their consumption as well. She says that straws are “one of those things that go unnoticed in terms of waste but once people are aware they get on board with refusing really quickly!”

Some of Shay’s favourite stories are from customers that were using plastic straws daily but made the switch, and now prefer reusable straws. She says that it’s very satisfying seeing children growing up with a different norm, where being sustainable involves eliminating waste rather than recycling, and knowing that viewpoint will have a huge flow-on effect. One client wrote:

“Love, love, love these straws! They are the best! Such a great eco-friendly alternative to the plastic straws that are part of polluting our beautiful New Zealand! They are easy to clean and look cool too!”

Shay and Jenna agree that the CaliWoods and Oh Natural businesses were driven by a similar desire – to create more sustainable products and give customers alternatives that are better for both their health and the planet. “It is so important that we use our spending dollar wisely” says Shay; “it is effectively a vote for what kind of planet we want to live on.”