Tons of  apples go to waste every year in  orchards around London. It was this fact that caused Simon Wright, founder of drinks company Hawkes, to launch Urban Orchard Cider. Hawkes allows anyone to trade their unwanted apples for cider at their company base in Forest gate. This is then mixed with regular fruit to give a consistent taste.  More than 100 apple donors contribute to the process, and as an added advantage, they each spread the word about the product via word of mouth.

Why bother? Well The 2015 Neilsen Global Sustainability Report found that two thirds of consumers were prepared to pay more for sustainable brands. So not only is it environmentally friendly, it makes sound economic sense as well.

This ‘trash to cash’ trend is one that’s set to continue. Time to get your thinking cap on. What waste products can you turn into cash? Over the next few days, I’ll be giving you some more examples of companies and individuals cashing in on this trend.  Hopefully there will be something to inspire you.