Sustainability Champions

Latest Episodes:

Eliminating Microplastics In Pesticides Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

Shockingly, microplastics are an ingredient used in a wide variety of industries - ranging from agriculture to cleaning to pharma. They’re called “intentionally added microplastics” and they make products more effective.

At the same time, pesticides are a hot topic in farming: while they protect crops from weeds, fungi and insects, long-term exposure to these chemicals can damage the environment. Considering pesticides sometimes use microplastics in their formula, this is a product that is ripe for a Sustainability Champion to disrupt and create an environmentally-friendly alternative!

That’s exactly what today’s guest offers: a biodegradable pesticide that avoids microplastics in order to make agriculture and other industries more sustainable.

In this Episode of Sustainability Champions, I speak with Sean Smith, CEO of Eden Research and Champion of Sustainable Biochemistry.

Eden Research is a publicly-listed company that develops and supplies breakthrough bio-based chemicals and natural microencapsulation technologies for the crop protection, animal health and consumer products industries. Using natural, plastic-free and sustainable ingredients in their agricultural products, they’re supporting green agriculture by protecting high-value crops, improving crop yields and their marketability.

If you’re interested in learning about new technologies that harness the power of nature instead of fighting against it, check out this conversation.

If you enjoyed this episode, please give the Sustainability Champions podcast a 5-star review in the Apple Podcast app and subscribe so you’ll know when the next episode is released!

Resources:
Website: edenresearch.com
Twitter: twitter.com/EdenResearch
Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/eden-research-plc

Plastic Made of Potatoes Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

Yes, plastic made of potatoes is a thing. And that’s what we’re talking about in this episode of the Sustainability Champions podcast!

All sectors within the design industry are under growing pressure to find ways to become more sustainable with the products they produce. As consumers demand companies to shift to more sustainable practices, companies are looking for better options, especially around the way plastics are used and recycled. Today’s guest presents another solution that fits perfectly into the circular economy and involves some interesting source materials.

In this episode of Sustainability Champions, I speak with Rob Nicoll, Co-Founder and CMO at Chip[s] Board and Champion of Potato Plastics.

Chip[s] Board creates bio-plastics out of waste from the potato industry. They make durable plastic that is biodegradable and recyclable post-use. Currently, their plastic is used to produce glasses and other fashion items. The name of their game really is sustainability because they’re aiming to become Cradle to Cradle Certified, which means their production is truly 100% circular economy.

Listen to the episode if you’d like to learn about how Chip[s] Board turns literally tons of potato peels into plastic that other companies use to create sustainable products.

If you’d like to support us, please give the Sustainability Champions podcast a 5-star review in the Apple Podcast app and subscribe so you’ll know when the next episode is released!

Resources:

Website: https://www.chipsboard.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chips_board

Accelerating Worldwide Sustainability Jul 16, 2020

Show notes

Startup Accelerators mentor and provide some funding to new companies, with the goal of helping startups reach success. Benefiting from experienced mentors, funding and access to contacts and a strong network, participants have a higher chance of seeing their company grow. As we’re witnessing a shift towards businesses focusing on solving some of our biggest environmental challenges, we’re thrilled to see investors and mentors focusing in that direction.

In this Episode of Sustainability Champions, I speak with Hannah Davis, Program Manager at Techstars Sustainability Accelerator and Champion of Accelerating Sustainability. Techstars is a worldwide Accelerator Program that recently started a partnership with The Nature Conservancy. Their Sustainability Program works with companies that are building a world where people and nature can thrive together. That includes anything from regenerative agriculture to carbon sequestration to green energy. Techstars have stepped up their impact game with this program and it’s so inspiring to see the positive changes they’re funding and supporting.

Check out this episode if you’re interested in learning about the amazing companies and projects Techstars supports and the trends they’ve been seeing in the sustainability startup space.

If you enjoyed what you heard, please leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcast and subscribe to the podcast!

Techstars: https://www.techstars.com

Techstars Sustainability: https://www.techstars.com/accelerators/sustainability

Twitter: https://twitter.com/techstars

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techstars/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/techstars/

Making Fashion Sustainable Jul 14, 2020

Show notes

The clothing industry has massive opportunities to become both resource-efficient and good for the environment.

Although fast-fashion results in tons of out-of-season clothes to be thrown away and producing clothing sustainably is currently costly, consumer demand and behavior is evolving.

Today’s guest says that change is coming to the industry as big industry players begin making the shift to eco-friendly products and practices. Innovations in recycling and circular production are the necessary catalysts to spur and create an environmentally-friendly fashion industry.

In this Episode of Sustainability Champions, I speak with Isaac Nicholson, Co-Founder and CEO of Circular Systems and Champion of Recycled Textiles. Circular Systems turns a variety of waste into high-quality fibers and yarns, which textile producers and apparel manufacturers then use to make clothes. These circular technologies include their Agraloop fiber, which uses food-crop waste to make BioFibre and their Texloop Recycling, which recycles consumer and industrial textile waste into yarn.

Apart from their own breakthroughs in technology, Isaac Nicholson believes the industry is responding to the ever-growing consumer demand for more sustainable production. We can’t wait to see fashion made with Circular Systems Technology hitting retail-shelves soon!

If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a 5-star review in the Apple Podcast app and subscribe to catch the next episode!

Resources:

Website: https://www.circular-systems.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/circular-systems-spc/

Satisfying The World's Appetite For Meat Jul 09, 2020

Show notes

This may be a bit taboo, but I’ll say it anyway: we love meat.

What we don’t love is the industrial farming methods used to produce meat. It’s bad for the planet, requires a huge amount of resources, and it’s cruel to animals. That’s why we love seeing bold solutions to our food challenges that deliver positive change, without compromise.

Today’s guest makes a great point: “Meat is here to stay.”

Taking into account the growing middle-class around the world and meat’s significance in different cultures, eating meat isn’t just here to stay, it’s a growing trend: more and more people are eating meat.

In this Episode of Sustainability Champions, I speak with Krijn de Nood, Co-Founder and CEO of Meatable and Champion of Pioneering the New Natural. Meatable is developing cultivated meat, which is created using the cells of an unharmed cow or pig, putting them in a vat that looks similar to those found in beer breweries, and growing these cells into meat.

Taking just three weeks to produce, their meat uses significantly less water and land, releases just a fraction of the greenhouse gas, and doesn’t harm any animals. A great plan for a cleaner conscience and a greener planet! Meatable plans to go to market in 2025.

Check out this episode if you’re interested in learning about the future of food and how we can feed ourselves more sustainably.

If you enjoy the episode, please make sure to leave a 5-star review in the Apple Podcast app and subscribe to catch the next episode!

Resources:

Website: https://www.meatable.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/itsmeatable/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsmeatable

A Global Government To Protect The Environment Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

Reversing climate change is a daunting task. Governments have too many interests to follow and the climate change discussion is politicised. To make big changes, we need a new and revolutionary idea that supports protecting the environment for us and future generations. A global government that has one goal: protecting the planet.

In this episode of Sustainability Champions, I speak with Angus Forbes, author and international environmentalist and Champion of Global Climate Solutions.

The current government structures we have do not fully support our fight against climate change and other environmental challenges. In true visionary fashion, Angus created the idea of the Global Planet Authority (GPA), a governing body that sits above national governments and has the power of taxation and regulation to protect and heal the planet in the ultra long-term.

In this conversation, Angus outlines his ideas and explains why he thinks a global government is not as radical as it may first seem. In his words: “We need no one’s permission to vote a Global Planet Authority into existence. This will be our first act of global self-determination.”

Listen to this episode to learn about a new way of thinking about how we, the people, can govern ourselves with the environment at the front and center.

I hope you enjoy the episode! Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review if you did!

Resources:

Website: https://www.globalplanetauthority.com

Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Global-Planet-Authority-about-biosphere/dp/1912555301

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalplanetauthority/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXXegMQH7CKL9AEWHCkUaNA

Stop Wasting Energy Jul 02, 2020

Show notes

Many buildings today are broken. Frustrated with the way even newly-built offices and skyscrapers waste energy and cause people discomfort, today’s guest set out to find a solution. Mismanaged properties tend to display weird behaviours - like the air conditioning or heating running unnecessarily, using energy and emitting carbon and costing money. In comes Demand Logic’s Building Management System, which can save property managers 10-30% of energy costs!

In this Episode of Sustainability Champions, I speak with Mike Darby, Co-Founder and CEO of Demand Logic and Champion of Sustainable Energy Management. Demand Logic provides facility managers of large-scale office buildings with a real-time data tracking system that offers insight into Heating, Ventilation & Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems, utility meters and internal environmental sensors for temperature, CO2, air-quality, humidity and occupancy, all of which allow for office building optimization that can save lots of carbon emissions and money.

Listen to the episode to find out exactly how modern buildings can end up wasting energy and Demand Logic’s solution to solve these challenges.

Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed it!

Resources:

Website: https://www.demandlogic.co.uk/index.html
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/demand-logic-limited/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/demandlogicuk

Highlighting The Sustainability Solutions We Need Jun 30, 2020

Show notes

At Sustainability Champions, we believe many - if not all - of the solutions to reversing climate change and healing the planet are already available. From global energy needs to better insulated housing to planting trees, there are experts and companies all over the world offering remedies to earth’s biggest headache. Local councils and cities can take advantage of these amazing businesses and technologies today; however, with so many solutions, it’s easy to sometimes get lost. Today’s guest focuses on highlighting and supporting the most revolutionary businesses to make it easier for others to work with the best of the best.

In this Episode of Sustainability Champions, I speak with Harriet Lamb, CEO of Ashden and Champion of Rewarding Sustainability. Ashden, a London-based charity, rewards and promotes sustainable projects based in Europe and the developing world through its annual Ashden Awards. This year's award ceremony will take place online this Thursday, July 2nd 2020!

They’ve scoured the globe to find the front runners in the race to halt the climate crisis and create a fairer world - and the winners will be presented on Thursday. Listen to the episode to find out more about Ashden’s work of supporting sustainable innovations, the solutions that inspire them, and how they’re putting efforts into practice.

Resources:

Ashden: https://www.ashden.org
Ashden Awards 2020 - Online Registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2020-ashden-awards-virtual-celebration-tickets-107799346748
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ashden_Org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashden_org/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ashdenawards.org/

Eliminating Single-Use Plastics Jun 25, 2020

Show notes

The average American uses up to 500 single-use plastic bags per year. Unfortunately, most of the bags that are put in the recycling bin aren’t recycled and end up in landfills. Dissolved plastic particles accumulate in oceans, float in the air, and contaminate our food supply. To solve our plastic waste crisis, we need to find reusable options that reduce the amount of plastic we produce and use. Today’s guest offers exactly that.

In this Episode of Sustainability Champions, I speak with Andy Keller, CEO of ChicoBag and To-Go Ware and Champion of Reusable Plastic Alternatives. ChicoBag offers a number of reusable and easily storable tote shopping bags, while To-Go Ware produces reusable containers and utensils, like bamboo fork and knife sets and steel containers.

Following their mission of eliminating single-use plastics and being sustainable, ChicoBag is a certified B Corporation, they have set themselves Zero-Waste Goals and they pledge 1% of their revenue to environmental charities. To raise awareness on the detrimental effects of plastic usage, Andy even invented and occasionally dresses up as the “Bagmonster”, a costume made of 500 single-use plastic bags, the yearly consumption of an average American.

I hope you enjoy the episode! If you did, please subscribe and leave a review to support us!

Resources:

Website: https://chicobag.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Chicobag/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChicoBag/

From Crisis To Change Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

How do we use a crisis to spur change? The Coronavirus epidemic has slashed economic growth and unemployment has risen to never-before seen levels. Crises like these are often a gateway to change, whether political reforms, overthrowing dictators or healing the planet.

Today’s guest is an expert on changing our society - and in particular our mindset - where profit has been the ultimate goal. Social and environmental effects can be at the forefront of every investment opportunity and everyone plays an important role in changing our culture.

In this episode of Sustainability Champions, I speak with Indranil Ghosh, Author of “Powering Prosperity: A Citizen's Guide to Shaping the 21st Century”, CEO and Founder of investment firm Tiger Hill Capital and Champion of Sustainable Investing.

In his recently-released book, Indranil sets out the necessary functions of society that are needed to ultimately achieve change. From the need for inclusive institutions to empowering communities, he provides an in-depth guide to planning for a better future. As an investor, he puts his theories into practice, supporting developing companies that have a positive environmental and social impact.

Listen to this episode to learn Idranil’s vision for a better future and the individual’s power in helping make the required changes.

If you like what you hear, please be sure to subscribe and leave a review!

Resources:

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