For the Robinson family, living consciously is about more than just switching off lights and separating their recyclables. We spent 12 hours with them in the all-electric EQB to learn more about how one question – ‘how are we going to un-trash the planet?’ – became their life’s work.

As the creative minds behind eyewear brand Good Citizens, husband-and-wife duo Nik Robinson and Jocelyne Simpson have uncovered an innovative way to help reduce pollution and preserve our planet: by crafting eyewear from recycled plastic bottles.

They didn’t have to look far for inspiration – it came to them in the form of their then-eight-year-old son Harry and his younger brother Archie. After returning from school one day feeling anxious about the state of our planet, they pleaded with their parents to help them do something about it.

“Harry was really upset. He was worried that the world was going to break,” says Jocelyne. “He just said ‘Dad, we've got to do something about this. You’re really clever. You come up with great ideas. Can you think of something that can help?’”

For Nik, this heartfelt appeal from his son was impossible to ignore. “When I was a kid, I was scared of the dark. Our kids are scared of the planet drowning in plastic trash,” he says.

Though they had no experience in recycling or waste management at the time, Nik and Jocelyne began brainstorming ways of ‘un-trashing’ the earth. As frequent beachgoers, the issue of plastic pollution was practically on their doorstep, and finding a solution felt close to their hearts.

“A few days after learning about the plastic problem, we started collecting rubbish on the beach.”

It was there that they discovered one of their biggest adversaries: plastic bottles. The United Nations estimates that around one million plastic bottles are purchased around the world every minute. Just 9 per cent of all plastic waste is recycled globally, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development figures released in 2022.

“We don’t know where the rest goes – into the ocean or landfill,” Nik says.

Armed with this knowledge, the Robinsons found a way of turning the plastic of one 600mL single-use bottle into a pair of recycled and repairable sunglass frames. “We wanted to show that this undesirable object that you see lying around on the pavement or on the beach can be taken and transformed into something that's useful.”

It took more than 2,500 attempts to perfect the process, but in 2020, they succeeded. “The manufacturing process came after 752 days of trying different things. It was a lot of trial and error,” says Nik. “We’re not from the eyewear industry, we're not from the recycling industry and we're not from the manufacturing industry, but we did what we thought was the right thing… we found a great solution.”

Since developing this ground-breaking new recycling method, Good Citizens has repurposed more than 75,000 discarded single-use plastic bottles before they reach our oceans or landfill. So it seemed only fitting that our day with the Robinsons began with a trip from their home in Avalon Beach, New South Wales to the Good Citizens factory in Warriewood.

The EQB emits a soft hum as we pull out of the Robinsons’ driveway. A sleek, compact SUV fitted with comfort-enhancing equipment – including heated driver’s and front passenger’s seats, ambient lighting and an advanced sound system – it delivers a smooth, leisurely driving experience. Plus, the spacious interiors give young Harry and Archie plenty of room to spread out.

The journey is a familiar one. Not long after Good Citizens was launched, Nik taught Harry and Archie how to make and dispatch a pair of eyewear frames. Now the boys enjoy visiting the factory with their dad and getting involved in the product manufacturing process.

Local manufacturing is an important part of Good Citizens’ business practices. Not only does it ensure supply chain transparency, but it also allows them to control the process from start to finish and remain true to their promise: that no person, nor the planet, will be exploited.

Next stop, Good Citizens’ headquarters in Balmain. The kids help to load up the car with boxes of sunglass frames – there’s plenty of room in the EQB’s generous boot – to take with them for packaging.

“All our materials have had a previous life – the boxes, bags and cleaning cloths – we take them and find them a new home,” says Nik. “That’s our version of sustainability, taking undesirable trash and turning it into something useful and good.”

The Robinsons finish up their day at Clareville Beach. Whether they’re collecting rubbish or playing in the sand, spending an afternoon by the sea is a comforting reminder of the work they are doing to help clean up the environment – as is their mode of transport for the day.

The EQB 250 made for a reliable travel companion. At full charge, its 66.5kWh battery has up to 507km of driving range, which was more than enough for a day spent traversing Sydney’s idyllic northern beaches. Not that topping up would have been difficult – the EQB can go from 10 per cent to 80 per cent charge in just over 30 minutes under rapid charging conditions.

Since its inception, Good Citizens has collected accolades from the Australian Good Design Awards, The Design Files and Marie Claire (UK) and secured a prime position in the window of London department store Selfridges. But the Robinson’s eyes remain firmly fixed on the real prize. “It’s about playing your part in creating a greener future,” says Jocelyne. “We’re trying to bring our children up to understand that they are the future and that they can make a big difference if they just think about things differently.”

EVeryday is a series offering a window into a day in the life of Australia and New Zealand’s changemakers. Stay tuned for more stories powered by electric intelligence.

The vehicle featured in the video and article may include optional equipment that does not come as standard in the EQB.

Discover the all-electric EQB and book an online consultation in the Digital Showroom today.

By Gabby O’Hagan