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Innovation & Technology

The latest products, services, design approaches and business models that are helping organizations of all sizes deliver on their sustainability ambitions and establish a new business as usual

Chilean Startup Eliminating Packaging Waste, ‘Poverty Tax’ in Latin American Product Market

Cross-Posted from Circular Economy. Algramo’s unique, refillable packaging system allows customers to buy as much or as little of a product as they want, in reusable containers, with no difference in the price per gram — then recycles all packaging at the end of its life.

Foolproofing Sustainability, Part 3: Value Cycling

The model we use to teach MBAs about production is the value chain. But there's a problem: It imagines a linear world in which materials can be constantly pushed through an assembly line with no consequence.

While Climate Policy Catches Up, Here’s Some Groundbreaking Cleantech to Be Excited About

The remaining barriers to a climate-resilient future are political, rather than technological. Much of the tech required to transition to a low-carbon economy already exists — here are just a few to look out for.

NETs Offering New Opportunities for Negative Emissions

A suite of negative-emissions technologies (NETs) have emerged and continue to improve. While carbon capture and storage systems can lead to carbon-neutral processes, NETs can lead to true carbon negativity.

SB’19 Madrid Offers Tasting Menu of ‘Moonshot Thinking’ for the Future of Humankind

Cross-Posted from Circular Economy. At SB’19 Madrid last week, a diverse array of innovators in various fields demonstrated the notion that asking the right questions and being willing to use imagination to find solutions to the climate crisis and other pressing global issues can turn a Moonshot into reality.

Foolproofing Sustainability, Part 2: Materials Parsimony

The amazing diversity of life is founded on dramatic materials parsimony; almost everything in nature is built out of just four elements. Whereas, what we humans have gotten since the Industrial Revolution is materials proliferation.

How Kohler Has 'Tapped' an Internal Flow of Entrepreneurial Ideas

Cross-Posted from Organizational Governance. To help address the need to provide access to clean water and sanitation around the world, Kohler launched an internal “Shark Tank”-style social innovation competition — and many of its 38,000 employees are loving the chance to share their big ideas.

Could Air-Based Foods Be the Alternative Diet Trend That Saves the Planet?

“We are already seeing a shift from animal-based to plant-based protein. The next evolution — from land-based to air-based protein — will allow us to [feed] a growing population without needing to remove rainforests or natural habitats.” — Air Protein CEO Dr. Lisa Dyson

BASF Collaboration to Develop Closed-Loop Process for Recycling EV Batteries

The ReLieVe project will develop and scale the process and structuring of an integrated industrial sector — from collection and recycling of end-of-life batteries, to the manufacturing of new electrode materials.

Beyond Global Thinking: NASA’s Jim Adams on Ensuring Humanity’s Future

Ahead of his upcoming keynote at SB’19 Madrid and 50 years after the Moon landing, we spoke with Jim Adams — recently retired Deputy Chief Technologist at NASA — about the moonshot thinking humanity now needs.

Evolving Consumer Palates Demanding Better-Made Beverages

As we see greater attention to the growing climate crisis, plastic pollution and other global sustainability challenges, beverage makers who do more to reduce their impact stand to gain, while those stuck in a tone-deaf, business-as-usual model will be left behind.

Sea Change: How to Spark Sustainable Innovation in an Old-School Industry

Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. Many people and organizations, as well as broad market and social trends, contributed to sustainable seafood’s arrival at this place. Everyone who engaged helped build the network; and because they did, our oceans and plates are going to be healthier.

With New Absolute-Reduction Strategy, Unilever 'Gets Drastic on Plastic’

Cross-Posted from Circular Economy. By 2025, the CPG giant says it will eliminate more than 100K tonnes of plastic packaging, and collect and process more plastic packaging than it sells. This makes Unilever the first global CPG company to commit to an absolute plastics reduction across its portfolio.

Trending: Collaborations Fostering Next-Gen Solutions for Coffee Cups, Paper Packaging

Cross-Posted from Materials & Packaging. Environmental NGO Canopy rallies apparel brands around better paper packaging; and six graduates of the NextGen Circular Business Accelerator prepare to bring their their sustainable coffee cup solutions to market.

Ask First, Give Second: The One-for-One Giving Model Gets a Revamp

Ideally, Western companies should adopt an attitude of Ask First, Give Second. We’d all benefit if we empowered those who will receive the donations to determine what they need most, rather than making that decision for them.

New Chocolate, Ingredients from Barry Callebaut Utilize Whole Cacao Fruit

‘Cacaofruit Experience’ eliminates 70% of waste in cacao processing while addressing consumer demand for tasty, nutritious, whole foods; WholeFruit chocolate is a fresh, fruity chocolate made from 100% pure cacao fruit, is available for chefs and artisans.

There Is No ‘Silver Bullet’ For Resource Management in the Climate Crisis

People have opinions about the ways we should address the climate crisis. There are many possible solutions, but however we decide to change, we have to do it now.

UPDATE: Salesforce’s Sustainability Cloud Empowers Business to Drive Impactful Climate Action

Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. Salesforce reinforces sustainability commitments at UNGA and Climate Week NYC with stakeholder engagement, STEM investments, and a new carbon accounting product.

Blockchain and the Climate Crisis: Beyond the Hype

Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. Blockchain’s full potential cannot be forecast with certainty. Yet, in a messy world where various parties struggle to gain enough good faith to work together on solutions, systems that engender trust will lay the foundation for progress.

50 Leading Mobile Operators Now Disclosing Climate Impacts Through CDP

The commitments are part of a GSMA-led climate initiative to develop a decarbonization pathway for mobile sector.