Better Know A Barcelona Startup: Common Folk (@WeareCofo)

Look at these pictures and tell me what you see…

If you see common folks, sitting in their homes, surrounded by the accumulation of their plastic consumption in just 1 week, then you are seeing what I am seeing. Now, take a quick moment to think about what your picture would look like if this was your accumulation of plastic waste from last week.

What if you did this exercise for 52 weeks of the year?  Crazy right!!!?

These picture’s came from one of the “project’s” Common Folk, a local Barcelona startup has started in their quest to raise awareness about plastic waste and inspire change in the common folk (you and I), to use less plastic and demand safer packaging for today’s products.

Common Folk or CO/FO aims to inspire and support a change in the current throw-away society. To make being waste-free an attractive and desirable way of life. CO/FO products are designed to replace plastic bags and plastic packaging, that is why their bags are created with bulk buy shopping in mind.  

Common Folk’s 3 Primary Goals

#1  To offer natural and stylish alternatives to the plastic items we use everyday, starting with the plastic bag. So their first collection consists of various 100% Organic GOTS certified cotton to replace all plastic bags while shopping.

#2  To be a platform to educate individuals about the global plastic problem and pollution in the marine environment, while connecting people with the various organization’s working in this area.

#3 To inspire change

“We must lead by example. So as a brand we are working on a local level to create change, projects include working with the local government of Poble Sec (area of Barcelona) to ban all petroleum based plastic bags in 2014-2015..” – Tina Ziegler (Founder of CO/FO)

Common Folk is the type of startup I love to hear about and also write about. They did not build the next fancy mobile application or the next version of the iPad, but what they did create was a simple, practical reusable tool that represents hope, to change our lazy, wasteful, selfish behavior. If we simply take time to look at the alarming statistics and the environmental damage we are inflicting to our planet through plastic waste, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out change in our behavior is a necessity not an option.

Now, I am just as guilty as the next person, which I am not proud of. I have purchased plastic water bottles and I have thrown away plastic bags but I am conscious of these problems and I do my best to recycle and waste less. Most likely this is not going to be an overnight success story, but I do believe that if we common folk as a group, make conscious decisions to avoid using unneeded plastics and support organizations like Common Folk, we will be able to make a positive, necessary change for our future.

You want to help?  Visit Common Folk Projects and get involved!