Product, Service & Design Innovation
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.
Designing for Humanity: New Possibilities for Plastic
Cross-Posted from From Purpose to Action: Building a Sustainable Future Together. Ensuring recyclability starts with putting people at the forefront to develop new systems and materials to create a continuous lifecycle for plastics. We need to design systems for humanity. By harnessing design thinking, it’s possible to make human-centered recycling systems a reality.
HSBC, WRI, WWF Partner to Scale Next-Generation Climate Solutions
Cross-Posted from Cleantech. The US$100M initiative builds on the organizations’ individual efforts to accelerate a shift to a net-zero global economy.
As Travel Resumes, So Does Focus on Decarbonization of Aviation
After a lengthy pause, tourism stands on the precipice of restarting again. But even as many travelers prepare to take to the open skies, aviation continues to grapple with its oversized carbon footprint compared with the rest of the industry.
Amidst Industry Boom, Brands Find More Sustainable Solutions to eCommerce Logistics
From rethinking sourcing to shipping, here are some of the key carbon- and waste-reducing strategies brands big and small are using to better balance sustainability and business goals.
10 Nature-Inspired Innovations Compete for 2021 Ray of Hope Prize
Sustainable building materials, textiles, cooling systems and water-filtration technologies are among the top 10 nature-inspired solutions participating in the Biomimicry Institute’s 10-week accelerator program and in the running for the annual $100K prize.
Trending: Fashion, Beverage Industries Continue to Advance Solutions to Plastic Waste
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. The $1.2M Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize seeks scalable, alternative solutions for thin-film plastic; while Paboco has eliminated plastic from Absolut’s bio-based beverage bottle, making it fully recyclable.
Are 3D-Printed Buildings the Sustainable Future of Construction?
The construction industry must adopt technologies that increase productivity while mitigating the impact of our growing housing needs on the climate crisis. Mighty Buildings’ technology may be ‘one of the only in existence’ that could unlock the needed productivity alongside reduced emissions.
How to Empower the Next, Diverse Generation of Inventors
Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. For those who cultivate innovation and invention, it is our responsibility to provide opportunity for those historically marginalized. Our society must take the harsh realizations uncovered by the pandemic and use them to fuel ambition and drive, to ensure access and opportunity for every student.
Atlanta’s Food Forest Pioneering Potential Solution to Urban Food Deserts
The Urban Food Forest at Browns Mill caters to one of 35 food-insecure communities in Georgia’s capital — and provides a scalable model for other cities to begin to address this all-too-common systemic inequity in US cities.
Mattel PlayBack to Give Old Toys New Life
Cross-Posted from Waste Not. With new takeback program, families can now send old toys back to Mattel, which will recover and reuse materials for use in future Mattel products.
Trending: Fashion Industry Advancing Transparency, Circularity – Thread by Thread
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Two new initiatives leveraging connected products and scaling recycled polyester aim to accelerate industry transparency and circular materials and business models.
Pandora Nixes Mined Diamonds for Lab-Grown
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. The world’s largest jewelry company aims to make diamond jewelry accessible to a wider audience. Its new Pandora Brilliance collection marks its first collection without mined diamonds.
2021’s 'World-Changing Ideas' Cutting Waste and Emissions, Correcting Societal Imbalances
It’s that time of year again, when Fast Company calls out its favorite World-Changing Ideas. Here are a few of that we’re especially keen to keep an eye on.
How Able Made’s Circular Products Are Fueling Healthier Communities
Able Made is a purpose-driven lifestyle brand created to help empower city youth and support nonprofits with its sustainably made apparel and accessories, and programming aimed at a creating healthier communities through the power of design and sport.
How the Washington Nationals Will Avoid Using 5M Ketchup Packets This Season
Cross-Posted from Waste Not. A smart, win-win, local partnership will enable the team to provide a combination of sustainable tech and healthier condiment options for a sustainable and COVID-safe solution.
Does Waste Have an Image Problem?
Cross-Posted from Waste Not. For circularity to become mainstream, where nothing is wasted and everything is fed back into the system, it requires businesses to find value in resources already in circulation — and reframe how they perceive waste in the first place.
Co|Lab is a HITT: Innovative Facility Serves as Hub for R&D of Emerging Materials
HITT Contracting’s demo facility was designed to highlight circular design; focus on healthy material selection; and meet the most rigorous, sustainable standards for the construction industry.
How Sustainable Choices for Pet Parents Can Drive Industry Transformation
Progress in pet care sustainability will require industry-wide alignment on key challenges and opportunities. While Petco’s sustainable products commitment is a solid first step, our aim is to make ESG an industry-wide priority to meet the expectations of our savvy, sustainability-minded consumers.
Breakthrough: 7 Unlocks to Scaling Healthy and Sustainable Living
Cross-Posted from Behavior Change. So, what’s still preventing consumers from living more in line with their values? GlobeScan has identified seven critical “unlocks” to help consumers to change their behaviors, and start aligning their lifestyles with their values and aspirations.
Anheuser-Busch Revitalizes St. Louis Community, Spent Barley with New Production Facility
Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. As part of a recently announced $1B planned investment across the US, a new production facility that repurposes spent grain will create jobs and further the brewer’s commitments to sustainability and the St. Louis Community.
