Claire Moore, Sweet Justice (2021 winner) & Manon Beauchamp-Tardieu, Little Green Panda (2022 Commendation)
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMENDATION AWARD 2021-22
Awarded to
Manon Beauchamp-Tardieu
The Rotary Club of Melbourne Environmental Sustainability Commendation Award recognizes the distinguished service of Manon Beauchamp-Tardieu towards Rotary International’s Seventh Area of Focus, Supporting the Environment.
Through this Award, Rotary Melbourne recognises and applauds Manon Beauchamp- Tardieu’s willingness to put service above self with her important focus on creating and designing products that eliminate environmentally unfriendly single-use plastics that cause immense harm to the world’s oceans and waterways and also generate toxic greenhouse gases when sent to landfill.
Manon Beauchamp Tardieu is the Founder and Managing Director of Little Green Panda, a start-up social enterprise which was established a little under 4 years ago. Of special concern to Manon was the pollution of the world’s oceans and waterways from waste micro-plastics and Manon wished to find a solution that would assist in reducing this adverse environmental footprint. With this in mind, Manon’s first idea was to make straws purposed in a way that is kind to the oceans and waterways, be kept from landfill and meet growing consumer preferences. Little Green Panda was born as a forward-thinking plant-based straw company committed to solving the single-use plastics problem, by designing ethically sourced and sustainably produced plant-based reusable straws made from agricultural waste specifically wheat, bamboo and sugar cane that are 100% natural and have a low carbon footprint. The straws are fully compostable, 100% biodegradable, non-toxic, plastic free and ocean friendly.
In a short period of time, Little Green Panda has made substantial progress, so far keeping 10 million plastic straws from oceans and landfills and supporting farmers and female artisans in international locations who are sourcing the agricultural products with a second source of income for their families. Little Green Panda has also developed a most successful marketing campaign into wholesale and retail networks in Australia.
Manon is always looking for new opportunities to develop more environmentally friendly products and in October 2021 launched cutlery made from recycled coffee beans, an emitter of methane gas – the cutlery is fully home compostable, can be put in any bin and will decompose in a matter of months. The next step is to make recycled coffee cups. Manon Beauchamp-Tardieu is a most worthy recipient of the Rotary Melbourne Environmental Sustainability Commendation Award.
Presented on behalf of the Club by Professor John Thwaites AM
Signed Reg N Smith OAM, President
2nd June 2022
