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
As DOE Invests $1.2B in Direct Air Capture, Climate Justice Groups Decry Business as Usual
Many see DAC as a necessary, if imperfect, tool for achieving needed carbon reductions; but climate justice groups oppose anything that perpetuates petrochemical operation, which often disproportionately harms communities where they are built. ... View More
Nike Unveils Fully Circular Shoe Designed for Disassembly, Recyclability
Nike’s ISPA (Improvise, Scavenge, Protect, Adapt) design philosophy challenges creators to experiment, break molds and reimagine products. The ISPA Link Axis uses interlocking components, as few materials as possible and zero glue. ... View More
Reports Lay Out the True Cost of Frequent Flyer Programs, Private Jets
Frequent flyer reward programs encourage flyers to emit up to 34x their lifetime carbon budget; while flying private can pollute up to 30x more than a standard flight. ... View More
New Insulating Paints Reduce Energy, Costs, Emissions, Discomfort in Extreme Temperatures
The paints, developed by Stanford researchers, can reduce the need for both heating and air conditioning in buildings, as well as refrigerated cargo spaces such as trains and trucks. ... View More
We Can Eat Our Way Out of the Climate Crisis
Applied to food supply chains, ambient IoT allows farmers, distributors, grocers, regulators and consumers to know where food came from, how far it traveled, how it was transported and stored, and what condition it’s in — in real time. ... View More
No More Styrofoam: 2 Startups Creating Viable, Sustainable Alternatives with Ag Waste
By upcycling coconut husks and shrimp shells, Fortuna Cools and Cruz Foam are diverting agricultural waste from landfill and offering circular polystyrene alternatives that match its performance. ... View More
Becoming a Regenerative Enterprise: Stories from the Field
At Biomimicry 3.8’s third annual Project Positive Summit, participants shared progress and groundbreaking new tools for raising the bar on ‘sustainability’ and demonstrating what regenerative design looks like in practice. ... View More
In Current Regulatory Climate, Alt Proteins Can’t Cut It in Race to Reduce Impact of Food
Phasing out animal agriculture over the next 15 years could reduce GHGs 68% by the year 2100. Yet, ongoing lobbying and subsidies in the US and EU are not giving alternatives the chance to fully compete. ... View More
Salesforce, Deloitte, WEF Calling on Startups Ready to Fuel Sustainable Aviation
The challenge seeks next-generation aviation solutions including alternative fuels and propulsion technologies; and innovations in feedstock, engineering, and physical and market infrastructure. ... View More
Tourism Shaped by 'Unseen' Communities Surfaces Unheard Stories, Infuses Capital Into Destinations
Instead of the traditional approach of shielding tourists from places' 'messy' parts, more travel-focused social enterprises are working with marginalized communities to introduce tourists to their destination’s complex fabric. ... View More
Waste Is Only Waste If We Waste It: Demystifying Anaerobic Digestion
The benefits of anaerobic digestion for recycling various kinds of organic farm waste are far-reaching — including waste management, renewable energy generation, GHG reduction, economic advantages and agricultural sustainability. ... View More
Increasing Accessibility and Revitalizing Forgotten Devices: Shouldn’t We Be Able to Upgrade Our Laptops?
Those who regularly partake in upgrade programs will have access to the best possible devices, while partaking in a sustainable business practice that enhances the wellbeing of people and the planet. ... View More
Researchers Upcycling Kale, Plastic Waste Into Personal Care, Pharmaceutical Ingredients
Savvy scientists from Scotland and Singapore have developed sustainable ways to breathe new life into vegetable and plastic waste, as well as local manufacturing. ... View More
Why a Circular Dress Code Will Always Be in Style
Technology is the magic thread weaving the circular textile narrative together to ensure that fashion isn’t just a statement — but a sustainable, end-to-end lifecycle that respects our planet. ... View More
Starbucks Expands ‘100% Reusables’ Tests in Bid to Sink Disposable Cup Waste
Since 2021, Starbucks has been testing the 100% reusables model across more than 25 markets. With most of its beverages enjoyed on the go, the company continues to test and learn how to best encourage customers to embrace reusables. ... View More
Free, Open-Source Recycling Ecosystem Is Making Plastic ‘Precious’
Precious Plastic is all about democratizing circularity. And it’s enabling a new form of craftsmanship: One in which anyone, anywhere, can start a small business recycling and making new products from plastic waste. ... View More
Could Coastal Carbon Capture Clean Up Atmospheric Carbon at Gigaton Scale?
Vesta is accelerating natural processes using carbon-removing olivine sand to promote coastal resilience, advance ocean uptake and storage of carbon dioxide, and reduce ocean acidity. ... View More
‘Big Build’ Brings Mars Closer to Goal of Restoring 1M Corals Worldwide by End of 2023
The massive coral-restoration project took place in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia — in the world’s most biologically complex marine ecosystem in the Coral Triangle — alongside Indonesian community partners. ... View More
Advanced Livestock Genetics Are Making Protein Production More Sustainable
Historically, corporate carbon-reduction strategies haven't looked to genetic innovations as a viable Scope 3 reduction opportunity; but it is one of the most important considerations for improving the sustainability of livestock production. ... View More
