Sustainability Now - Exploring Technologies And Paradigms To Shape A World That Works

Did you know that cork can absorb 55 times its own weight in carbon from the atmosphere? Join us for an interview with Paul Maughan-Brown, content manager for the wine cork recycling program ReCORK and it’s parent company Canadian orthopedic footwear brand SOLE. ReCORK, North America’s largest natural wine cork recycling program was launched in 2008 by Canadian footwear company SOLE. ReCORK is an alliance of businesses and individuals who work together to collect and repurpose natural wine corks. The corks are used to innovate and create natural, sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based foams and plastics so common in the footwear industry. ReCORK has generated a truly innovative supply chain solution, collected more than 110 million corks for recycling, and planted over 8000 cork oak trees. And they’re just getting started!

"Vegangelical" Paul Shapiro's activism led him to start The Better Meat Co. in 2018 with a mission to build a more sustainable food system by replacing meat from animals with a next-generation, plant-based mycoprotein superfood. Paul is a four-time TEDx speaker and his book Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World, is a national bestseller. Additionally, Paul has a podcast called Business for Good which highlights entrepreneurs who use their businesses to solve the world’s most pressing problems. Resources and links are available at https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2021/10/26/057-better-meat-for-a-better-world/

In an eye-opening conversation with professional archeologist and herbalist, Lauren Lembo connects us to the world of traditional plant medicine and wakes us up to the social and environmental costs of many personal care products we assume to be green and wholesome. Lauren is the owner and founder of Blue Fox Botanicals, a New Jersey-based company producing vegan skin care solutions and herbal formulas that are sustainably cultivated, fair trade, locally produced, ethically packaged, and palm-oil free.

If the children are our future, it's in good hands with the kids of MUN Impact. Beyond the rich academic training provided by Model United Nations, MUN Impact provides the tools, ideas, networks and inspiration for these kids to translate their knowledge, skills and vision into real world projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. A true global citizen, Cody Eckert shares his undaunted optimism for the future as he guides and supports these remarkable young people in his role as MUN Impact Director of Global Operations.  Links and other resources can be found at https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2021/09/13/054-mun-impact-the-kids-who-will-save-the-world/

As Jack Herrera once said, “I don’t know if hemp is going to save the world, but it’s the only thing that can.” Bruce Dietzen, creator of the Renew Sports Car, Founder of Carbon Negative Fiber is about to quantify that with his Drawdown Hemp Project. In a bid to win the Musk Foundation’s $100 Million X Prize for Carbon Removal, Bruce has built a coalition of entrepreneurs from all disciplines of the hemp industry to develop a consensus on the carbon sequestering power of hemp. An acre of hemp can sequester tons of carbon. Couple that with the carbon being avoided by not producing materials with conventional methods and the potential for drawdown is huge.

Still very much misunderstood, the effectiveness and importance of cannabis as a plant medicine has everything to do with our endocannabinoid receptors. Tammi Sweet explains the nuances and mechanisms of our biological interactions with this miraculous master plant and teaches us how we can benefit from its medicinal properties.

Visionary, film producer, and activist, Ryland Engelhart is guided by the fundamental question, “How can I use my life to awaken more love?” After years as "Mission Fulfillment Officer" and co-owner of the legendary, family owned, plant-based Café Gratitude and Gracias Madre restaurants, Ryland co-founded Kiss the Ground and is now engaged in full time advocacy of regenerative agriculture.   Join us for this deeply spiritual interview about bringing the sacred to commerce and cultivating a culture of gratitude.   Resources and links at https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2021/06/27/051-heart-centered-entrepreneurship-with-ryland-engelhart-of-kiss-the-ground/

If we're going to stop fracking and pipelines, we need future-thinking energy policy. Tom Gilbert of ReThink Energy NJ joins us to discuss how his organization informs and empowers citizens and decision-makers to support sensible policies to bring about a swift transition to clean, efficient, renewable energy. They advocate reducing the use of dirty fossil fuels and stopping unnecessary pipelines that threaten our land, air, water, health, and safety. Resources and links: https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2021/05/02/048-rethinking-energy-policy/

Co-founders of Possible Planet, Jonathan Cloud and Victoria Zelin are on a mission to finance the transition to a regenerative future by creating strategies to attract capital and investment in clean energy.   Today's conversation is about PACE, (Property Assessed Clean Energy) — a source of financing that: 1) requires no money out of pocket to make clean energy property improvements, 2) pays for itself with clean energy savings and 3) attaches the cost to the property rather than the property owner.   Join us to learn more about this game-changing innovation in financing that can help fund the transition not only to net zero buildings, but to buildings that capture more carbon than they emit.

What if we could use open-source software development principles to reverse climate change?   That is exactly what Chris Neidl and The Open Air Collective has done through their Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) projects and their leadership in crafting the New York State Low Embodied Carbon Concrete Leadership Act (LECCLA). LECCLA is new legislation that would require all of the state’s agencies to include climate impact in their selection criteria for concrete procurement. The more sustainable a concrete provider’s bid is, the more likely it will be to win the business.   This is a big deal. As the single largest purchaser of concrete in NY, the state’s collective buying power could kickstart a market transformation, creating significant demand for low carbon concrete while broadening its availability in the private sector.   Resources and links from the interview: https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2021/03/21/46-concrete-solutions-to-climate-change/

Featuring Tim Paganos, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of microshare.io Smart buildings are good right? Adjusting room temperature and lighting based on patterns of use is more efficient, uses less resources and is therefore more sustainable. Collecting more detailed data enables greater refinement of systems and environments. But when is enough, enough? Join us for this provocative conversation about data collection, sustainability and privacy. More info and links at https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2021/03/06/45-sustainability-through-it-a-double-edged-sword/

Starting with the reinstatement of the 1942 Articles of Incorporation for the Kentucky Hemp Growers Association and then inspiring the planting of three feral hemp seeds by Woody Harrelson in the 90's, Joe Hickey has been a primary force behind the legalization of industrial hemp. Despite being a nearly magical plant with over 25,00 uses that include food, fuel, fiber, housing, health, and so much more, industrial hemp has been hindered in its adoption because of its close association to cannabis — which is known for its psychoactive properties. Industrial hemp contains less than .3% THC, the mind-altering substance present in marijuana. In addition to its multitude of uses, hemp also nutrifies the soil and is thought by many to be the salvation for struggling farmers. Links and more info at https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2021/02/13/44-joe-hickey-godfather-of-industrial-hemp/

Director of the documentary film “At War with the Dinosaurs,” John Michael Parkan is a hydrogen energy evangelist extolling the virtues and promise of a burgeoning hydrogen economy. Hydrogen is the third most abundant element on earth and is a sustainable green-energy alternative to fossil fuels that has been around since the early 1800’s. All the major car manufacturers have produced a hydrogen fuel cell car and the technology is more planet-friendly than battery-powered electric vehicles.   So why is it that, when so many of us think of hydrogen, our primary reference point is images of the fire-engulfed Hindenburg, an image rife with the misappropriation of danger, while hydrogen fuel is actually so much safer than gasoline?   Join us for this VERY illuminating interview and hear the true story of hydrogen and learn how this technology may be the solution for a transition away from a fossil fuel economy to a truly sustainable future. John Michael addresses the perceptions and prejudices rela

Jason Schramm has focused his passion for the vegan lifestyle along with his tech skills on developing global directories for vegan events, vegan-friendly movies, and plant-based meal delivery. When Jason embraced veganism 5 years ago, it started him on the path of evaluating his own life. He saw how difficult it was for folks interested in a plant-forward lifestyle to find one another and connect. Jason’s solution: VegEvents.com, the largest listing of vegan events throughout the world. VegMovies.com came next, replete with movie descriptions and warnings about potentially disturbing content. His most recent venture, VegMealDelivery.com was a creative response to the COVID lockdown. Attention to the environmental impact of his food choices brought with it a desire to further minimize his carbon footprint. Thus, Jason’s veganism became a gateway to a life of minimalism, mindfulness, and purpose. It’s his minimalist lifestyle that has afforded Jason the luxury of providing his resource websites at no charge. J

Anne-Marie Bonneau, the Zero-Waste Chef, is an author, blogger, fermenter, sourdough-er and zero waste evangelist. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation about consumerism, cooking and composting; sourdough, fermenting, and starting a movement. With tips & tricks as well as recipes & resources, Anne-Marie’s passion and enthusiasm for sustainability has spilled over to social media where she is spreading the word to over 200,000 loyal followers.Anne-Marie’s first book: The Zero-Waste Chef: Plant-Forward Recipes and Tips for a Sustainable Kitchen and Planet is due out in April, 2021. Mindfulness is the heartbeat of the transition to zero waste; awareness of our behaviors, values, and choices mixed with a solid measure of commitment and creativity. Anne-Marie embodies it all and shows us how we can make that journey one step at a time. More resources at https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2020/12/19/41-tips-tricks-from-the-zero-waste-chef/

Raz Razgaitis is on a mission to eliminate single-use packaging and put bottled water out of business by making tap water safe and tasty again. Co-founder and CEO of FloWater, Raz sees the bottled water industry as our contemporary "Big Tobacco," capitalizing on a manufactured need while wreaking untold public health consequences due to plastic pollution. FloWater's technology is currently keeping 5.5 plastic Water bottles every second from reaching our landfills and oceans and this is just the beginning. Using the newest filter technology in their touchless hygienic water Refill Stations, FloWater creates public access to drinking water that tastes and hydrates better than anything in a single-use plastic bottle and is free of pathogens, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and micro-plastics. We talk about business, the challenges of taking on Goliath, changing prevailing perceptions and following one's heartfelt sense of mission.

Eden Green is helping establish food safety, food independence, and sustainable farming. Its turnkey greenhouse and vertical farming technology gives you the ability to locally grow large amounts of produce safely and efficiently, while using exponentially less land, energy and water than traditional farming and other indoor solutions. Their 1.5 acre greenhouse produces 900,000 pounds of leafy greens each year (a yield that is equal to 33 traditional acres) No diesel or other fuel on the farm Dramatically reduces fuel in transportation Utilizes natural pest control Uses the same amount of water as two houses Just in time food supply reduces food waste Employs 30 people making a living wage with benefits Learn more at https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2020/11/14/39-eden-green/

Meet Colin McIntosh, Founder and irreverent CEO of Sheets & Giggles, a fast-growing brand in the $12B US bedding space. Colin's motto is, "Do good, have fun, make money — in that order. And he does! Colin shares his entrepreneurial insights: the business criteria that lead him to the bed linen space, marketing strategies that set S&G apart, and most importantly, how he built S&G around his underlying commitment to sustainability. With their simply sublime bed sheets and duvet covers made of sustainably grown eucalyptus, Sheets & Giggles is a perfect example of truly green entrepreneurship. From environmentally conscious products and production to business practices built around philanthropy and social justice, S&G does it all, with a sense of humor to boot. Join us for a great conversation about building a new paradigm for business with a guy who is changing the world one sheet at a time. Resources related to this episode can be found at https://www.sustainabilitynow.global/2020/11/08/38-b

Eco-visionary Brian Hicks couldn’t stand sending the hundreds of thousands of pounds of spent coffee grounds from his and other restaurants to landfill, so he started a business called GroundSteam to collect and convert them to compost instead. Building on his success, Brian has since expanded his service to divert millions of pounds of coffee waste from restaurants in the Edmonton area.

Tim Tan of Affordable Abodes is tackling the low-cost housing crisis in Indonesia and Malaysia with modular, kenafcrete houses. Kenaf is a plant much like hemp in its versatility with thousands of uses, one of which is as the primary ingredient in an eco-concrete-style construction material called kenafcrete. Affordable Abodes streamlines the construction process by using lightweight, 2ft x 10ft steel reinforced kenafcrete panels to build better homes faster and more affordably than conventionally possible.