PepsiCo is launching a bold Greenhouse Accelerator program to fuel sustainability and innovation in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

FoodNavigator Asia reported that 10 startups are currently finalists for the program. Their work spans waste management solutions and green hydrogen systems.

It can be difficult for people who haven't thought about the environment before to fight for change now. The Greenhouse Accelerator program wants to change that. It wants to make it easier for others to act sustainably.

One strategy the program is considering is hybrid proteins. These foods will combine animal and plant protein sources, and they aim to address nutrition gaps.

"It was always considered one of the next generation of meatlike substances after plant-based meat, a category which suffered in Asia due to price, taste, and digestibility factors," said the head of nutrition for the Singapore Institute for Food and Biotechnology Innovation to FoodNavigator Asia.

They continued, "But now if we recognise those weaknesses and hybridise ingredients to complement one another, the potential to move beyond this is quite clear."

FROM OUR PARTNER

Save $10,000 on solar panels without even sharing your phone number

Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.

To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.

Watch now: Does clean energy really cause blackouts?

This hybrid food could also make it easier for someone to embrace plant-based eating, which costs and pollutes less. FoodNavigator Asia also noted that these foods could help people meet their fiber intake, especially in China.

Initiatives like what PepsiCo is working on open up a lot of possibilities. When companies readjust their practices and become more sustainable, that makes it easier for people to make more sustainable choices.

That being said, PepsiCo still has a lot of work to do to change its ways. The company has done other promising things like pivoting to reusable packaging and investing in regenerative agriculture. But PepsiCo was one of the world's worst polluters in 2023 and has misled consumers about its packaging recyclability before.

An individual person can only do so much. One of the best things you can do in the meantime, however, is learn about greenwashing. Not all corporate eco-friendly changes are considered greenwashing, but learning about it can help us advocate for better change.