Hello! My name is Neil Platt and I am the owner of Earth-Cycle Corporation.
After years of working in the food and consumer products industries, I decided to use the knowledge I’ve gained and take a meaningful leap. Into what? I always wanted to be a magician but that didn’t seem practical. But I did sense some magic when I listened to my heart. It asked… How could I use my love for the hospitality industry and combine it with what’s most important in life? How could I help my kids? My community? The world?
The answer… It was time to do my part in creating a sustainable future. Around this time, I saw a paper straw being used at a local coffee spot. I thought “Wow. Environmentally friendly drinking straws. There’s an idea I can get on board with.” And then, of course, the paper straw I decided to sample disintegrated in my drink. Oh boy. The concept was still intriguing but there had to be a better way that was still earth friendly.
So I took that leap into the world of straws. I sampled sugarcane, avocado, cassava, bamboo, hay, banana and agave…If you saw my list of samples you would think I was feeding a pet monkey. The results… Hay straws cracked, Avocado and Banana had an aftertaste, Bamboo was expensive and contributed to deforestation. But then… the Agave straw arrived. It had a lot of character; organic color and texture, very durable and lo and behold… it did not disintegrate! It also had a cool back story – made from the leftover fibers of the agave after the plant is used for tequila and nectar production. And you could see the agave fibers in the straw! I found the magic I was looking for! So I took my savings and then some and… started selling straws. The response to my straws has been amazing! Even more satisfying… the look on my customers faces when they realize that a durable environmentally friendly alternative actually exists! Business keeps growing, so now I have two distribution centers located in New Jersey and Los Angeles. I sincerely love doing this, my customers are wonderful, and together we are all doing something better for our children. I hope you’ll join us!
Peace and Happiness Always,
Neil