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Tag: innovation

From Waste To Wealth: How One Pet Product Innovator Is Shaping A Sustainable Future

Posted on by dishanth
From Waste To Wealth: How One Pet Product Innovator Is Shaping A Sustainable Future

Founded in 2009 on the humble yet profound idea to make life with dogs simpler and better, Canadian company Earth Rated has evolved from being known just as a company that sells dog waste bags to now offering a diverse range of products that address the needs of dog owners worldwide.

The company now has a presence in over 40 countries, and is focused on product innovation and using business as a force for good. I recently caught up with Earth Rated CEO, Abby Gnanendran, to delve into these topics and how the company, which is also a certified B Corp, is shaping what it means to be sustainable in the pet product industry.

Abby Gnanendran: Back in 2009, we recognized a common issue faced by dog owners – the inconvenience of using large, flimsy, and wasteful grocery store bags to pick up after their dogs. That’s when we set out to create affordable, leak-proof, and high-quality poop bags, along with a handy dispenser. Since then, we’ve continued to innovate and launch new products to make life with dogs simpler and better. Today, Earth Rated bags are used by over 4.5 million people daily and can be found in over 20,000 stores in 40+ countries. We now have a new toy collection, a line of wipes and even more exciting things in the pipeline. We couldn’t be prouder of our humble beginnings and we’re grateful for what we’ve been able to achieve to date.

 

Marquis: It seems a big focus of Earth Rated is on innovation, in a product category that is not known for innovation. Can you say more about your innovation process?

Gnanendran: Our sharp focus on innovation is largely due to our community of loyal customers. Their keen observation of the details that our Innovation Team works tirelessly to bring to life, motivates us to continue creating thoughtfully designed products. For instance, their reaction to the convenient ‘3-bags-left’ sticker on our poop bag rolls, as well as our new toy line, has been nothing short of amazing. Innovation is so important for our company that in 2023, we unveiled our new Innovation Centre. This creative and inspiring space is on an entirely new floor at our Headquarters in Montreal, Canada, and serves as the primary hub for our Innovation Team to bring new products to life. We strive to make sure every detail of our products are carefully thought out, reliable and beautifully designed with our customers in mind. This centre’s open-plan layout, and flexible workspaces, create an environment that fosters innovative thinking. The space is intentionally designed to inspire and facilitate the flow of ideas, enabling the Innovation Team to push the boundaries of what’s possible in dog product development. Whether it’s the thickness of our poop bags, the signature hook on our dispenser, or the durability of our plant-based grooming wipes, we’re always evolving in order to tackle the most pressing consumer pain points from our valuable Earth Rated community so that we can offer the products pet owners wish they had.

 

Marquis: How do you think this approach to innovation and new products will affect the overall dog product industry?

Gnanendran: We began with a humble foundation, primarily centred around providing an essential dog product: poop bags. We’ve since evolved towards an approach steeped in innovation, recognizing that incorporating customer feedback into our daily operations is really our way of helping to propel the industry forward. We believe our company stands out in the pet industry because we actively listen to consumer feedback. By soliciting and valuing input from our community of dog owners worldwide, we ensure that our products not only meet their needs but exceed their expectations.

 

Marquis: How does your B Corp certification play into that impact? Why is B Corp certification important to Earth Rated?

Gnanendran: We’re incredibly proud to be a certified B Corp. For us, transparency is key. At the end of the day, anyone can claim to be sustainable, but having a third-party certification that can actually back it up, makes your brand more trustworthy. We also joined GreenCircle’s #BrandsYouCanTrust initiative by undergoing their Recycled Content Certification. By participating in initiatives that promote ethical business conduct, we’re not only elevating our own standards but also encouraging a collective industry-wide commitment to integrity and responsibility.

 

Marquis: What is the next set of innovations and plans you have in store for consumers?

Gnanendran: Overall, 2023 was such a pivotal year for our company as we revealed a new brand identity, a new innovation centre, a better poop bag, and a new collection of toys. It’s hard to believe we could ever top it, but 2024 is gearing up to be an exciting year! Looking ahead, we plan on continuing to push boundaries, challenge the status quo, and innovate for a brighter, more responsible future, for us and for our dogs. Stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source    Forbes

Vegan handbags made of pineapple, cactus and cork could help save the planet

Posted on by dishanth
Vegan handbags made of pineapple, cactus and cork could help save the planet

LOS ANGELES – Pineapples aren’t just for piña coladas anymore.

As fashion looks to become more sustainable, designers are trying unusual materials – such as pineapple, cactus and cork – to create handbags and other apparel traditionally made of vinyl or leather.

Instead of relying on petroleum-based synthetic fabrics that dominate fashion, Remington Reble and other designers use vegan textiles intended to help heal the environment.

“Concern for the environment is increasing. And so with that comes those conscious choices to change how you live and consume,” said Reble, an Arizona State University fashion graduate who makes handbags from cactus.

Purveyors of plant-based leather alternatives tout their products as good for the environment because they don’t have toxic chemicals and, of course, don’t involve animal cruelty.

The trend delights animal-rights activists.

Plant-based leather is a “better option because it doesn’t involve factory farming, which is what animal leather is coming out of,” said Ashley Byrne, spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA.

Helga Douglas shows off one of her handbags made from leather substitutes. She uses such materials as pineapple and cork for her Los Angeles fashion brand Svala. (Photo courtesy of Helga Douglas)

Helga Douglas, creator of the Los Angeles fashion brand Svala, makes handbags out of pineapple and cork.

“I was always looking for handbags and accessories that were made from more sustainable, animal-friendly fabric,” said Douglas, who sells her bags online. “And I couldn’t really find exactly what I was looking for. So that’s why I created Svala.”

Her handbags are made of a leatherlike material called Piñatex, which is derived from pineapple leaf fibers collected by farming cooperatives in the Philippines. The processing is finished in Spain.

Because Piñatex is a byproduct of pineapple harvest and doesn’t require any extra land water or fertilizer, its manufacturer says on its website that it is one of the most sustainable textiles on the market.

She said customers are always curious about Piñatex, but she assures them they won’t smell like a tropical cocktail. The product holds up if taken care of properly, Douglas said.

 

Helga Douglas shows off one of her handbags made from leather substitutes. She uses such materials as pineapple and cork for her Los Angeles fashion brand Svala. (Photo courtesy of Helga Douglas

 

“It really does require some maintenance in the same way that you would care for leather,” like occasional waxing and buffing, she said.

Svala’s cork bags also are popular, Douglas said. In contrast to the stoppers in wine bottles, the cork is finished in a way that makes it smooth to the touch with a glossy finish.

Adding to its sustainability, cork bark can be harvested without killing the tree; the bark just grows back. Douglas said Svala has associated itself with a nonprofit organization that helps plant trees.

In Arizona, Reble recently started his brand Ribellè to market his cactus handbags. The project ties into his upbringing as a native Arizonan.

“My mom … sent me an article about cactus leather,” he said. “And then that combined with living my entire life in Arizona. It just immediately clicked.”

He obtains his cactus leather from a company called Desserto, based in the Mexican state of Jalisco. On its website, Desserto says the material is made with the pads of nopal cactus.

Desserto says it grows its cactus without irrigation. The pads are harvested every six to eight months, then cleaned, mashed and dried for three days. Non-toxic chemicals are mixed with the organic raw material to produce a leather substitute. Because the spines are removed during processing, wearers needn’t worry about being pricked.

Reble said the cactus leather substitute feels the same as traditional leather. Other businesses are using cactus for jackets and automobile seats.

For instance, Mercedes-Benz says its new Vision EQXX electric car “is made with animal-free textiles – like cactus fibers, mushrooms and vegan silk – that provide a luxurious finish from upholstery to door handles.”

Vegan leather substitutes are somewhat less durable than animal leather because they’re thinner and more sensitive to cracks and tears. However, careful use can extend a product’s lifespan up to 10 years, Reble said.

Like Reble, Douglas is enthusiastic about these materials.

“I think that it’s really great to have a fabric that is very sustainable and eco-friendly,” Douglas said.

Source – Cronkite News

Denmark to build ‘first energy island’ in North Sea

Posted on by dishanth
Denmark to build ‘first energy island’ in North Sea

A project to build a giant island providing enough energy for three million households has been given the green light by Denmark’s politicians.

The world’s first energy island will be as big as 18 football pitches (120,000sq m), but there are hopes to make it three times that size.

It will serve as a hub for 200 giant offshore wind turbines.

It is the biggest construction project in Danish history, costing an estimated 210bn kroner (£24bn; €28bn: $34bn).

Situated 80km (50 miles) out to sea, the artificial island would be at least half-owned by the state but partly by the private sector.

It will not just supply electricity for Danes but for other, neighbouring countries’ electricity grids too. Although those countries have not yet been detailed, Prof Jacob Ostergaard of the Technical University of Denmark told the BBC that the UK could benefit, as well as Germany or the Netherlands. Green hydrogen would also be provided for use in shipping, aviation, industry and heavy transport.

Under Denmark’s Climate Act, the country has committed to an ambitious 70% reduction in 1990 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and to becoming CO2 neutral by 2050. Last December it announced it was ending all new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea.

Energy Minister Dan Jorgensen said the country was simply “changing the map”.

“This is gigantic,” Prof Ostergaard told the BBC. “It’s the next big step for the Danish wind turbine industry. We were leading on land, then we took the step offshore and now we are taking the step with energy islands, so it’ll keep the Danish industry in a pioneering position.”

 

The plan is for the island to grow from an initial 120,000 sq m in size to 460,000 sq m Source: DANISH ENERGY AGENCY

 

Green group Dansk Energi said that while the “dream was on the way to becoming a reality” it doubted the North Sea island would be up and running by the planned 2033 start date.

But Danish politicians across the spectrum have given their backing to the plan. Former energy minister Rasmus Helveg Petersen of the Social Liberal party said energy islands had begun “as a radical vision” but there was now a broad agreement to turn it into a reality.

A smaller energy island is already being planned off Bornholm in the Baltic Sea, to the east of mainland Denmark. Agreements have already been signed for electricity to be provided from there to Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Last November the European Union announced plans for a 25-fold increase in offshore wind capacity by 2050, with a five-fold increase by 2030. Renewable energy provides around a third of the bloc’s current electricity needs:

  • According to the EU, offshore wind supplies a current level of 12 gigawatts
  • Denmark supplies 1.7 gigawatts
  • The new island would supply an initial 3 gigawatts, rising to 10 over time
  • The smaller Bornholm energy island would provide 2 gigawatts

While there is some secrecy over where the new island will be built, it is known that it will be 80km into the North Sea. Danish TV said that a Danish Energy Agency study last year had marked two areas west of the Jutland coast and that both had a relatively shallow sea depth of 26-27m.

 

 

Find out more about Denmark’s wind power:

 

 

 

Source BBC

YY Nation’s new footwear collection aims to create “the world’s most sustainable shoe

Posted on by dishanth
YY Nation’s new footwear collection aims to create “the world’s most sustainable shoe

 

“Inspired by nature and powered by curiosity, we want to discover the limits of natural materials and create sneakers that are wonder, made wearable.”

 

YY Nation’s sustainable sneaker collection has launched on Kickstarter and is contributing to the global clean-up of our land, oceans and waterways, with every step they take.  Aiming to be the most sustainable shoe in the world YY Nation has used innovation and co-laborative partnerships to redefine sustainable footwear.

Designed in New Zealand and influenced by the wonder of nature, the high-fashion, incredibly comfortable sustainable footwear range uses natural fibers, waste and plant material in every component. Each pair is produced using innovative materials such as fishing net retrieved from the ocean, bamboo, sugar cane, recycled rubber and super-soft New Zealand merino wool.

The Wellington-based start-up company, which places the principle of environmental stewardship at its core, launched the Legacy collection on a Kickstarter campaign featuring four edgy styles in 10 colours.

 

 

Founder Jeremy Bank says the company set out to redefine sustainable footwear. “Using natural materials in a purposeful design, we believe we have developed the ultimate sneakers for everyday adventures,” he says. “Using materials gathered and grown, we have created high-performance sneakers with a positive impact. The Legacy Collection marks the beginning of our quest to design out waste.”

YY Nation shoes are stylish, odour-resistant, temperature-regulating, long-lasting, durable and, most importantly, comfortable enough to be worn in the workplace, or on outdoor adventures.

YY Nation delivers worldwide and all companies it partners with are ethical and either Fairtrade or B Corp-certified.  It sources materials from New Zealand and across the world, including ocean plastics for shoelaces; sustainably-sourced bamboo and nylon thread from recycled plastic for the shoe’s second upper; and algae bloom from waterways for the insole.

“We use merino wool from Kiwi farms that are focused on producing the highest-quality merino that is ethical and traceable, with the greatest regard for animal welfare,” Jeremy says. “And, we are currently going through the process of carbon footprint assessment. We are using renewable, natural resources, like bamboo, sugarcane and algae, that capture greenhouse gases and release O2.”   YY Nation also uses an eco-friendly water-based adhesive, and the shoeboxes are made with FSC-certified recycled material.

 

Did you know that our laces are crafted from recycled ocean plastic? With this recycled material, we’ve crafted laces that are strong, long-lasting and durable. Check it out: fb.go2.fund/yynation

Posted by YY Nation on Monday, October 5, 2020

 

The journey to launch an eco-friendly footwear company started when Jeremy was on a family beach holiday in Maui, and his daughter noticed mesmerising blue colours in the sand. On closer inspection, he and his daughter discovered they were pieces of coloured plastic. “It wasn’t there 20 years ago when I was last there, so where did it come from? ” he says.  He then saw an old shoe washed up on the beach and thought there must be a better way. “This moment sparked my curiosity and eventually inspired me to form YY Nation, a collective of individuals who understand the urgency of creating sustainable alternatives. We don’t have all the answers, but at our core is the principle of stewardship and the belief that the enduring pursuit of innovation begins with asking questions.”

To view the full collection, visit yynation.com

To get on board and join the Kickstarter campaign, head to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1591732839/legacy-footwear-collection-wear-today-for-a-better-tomorrow?ref=discovery&term=yy%20nation

Instagram: #yynationofficial

Facebook: yynation

 

 

Source: Eco Voice

This is a smart solution to water scarcity in Africa.

Posted on by dishanth
This is a smart solution to water scarcity in Africa.
  • Solar pumps collect data to monitor underground reserves of fresh water.
  • The pumps’ sensors record real-time data such as energy usage and pump speed, which is used to calculate groundwater extraction rates and levels.
  • The technology could help tackle water scarcity and monitor water usage across the continent.

High-tech solar pumps mapping underground freshwater reservoirs across Africa are collecting data that can help prevent them running dry, according to the project’s developers.

Manufactured by British social enterprise Futurepump, the solar pumps are being used by thousands of small-scale farmers in 15 African nations, including Kenya and Uganda, as a cleaner, cheaper option to diesel and gasoline-powered ones.

The pumps’ sensors record real-time data such as energy usage and pump speed in each location, which is shared with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) to calculate groundwater extraction rates and levels.

“We fitted remote monitoring sensors on to our pumps for our own in-house reasons – for looking at their technical performance – and we’ve collected tens of millions of data points,” said Toby Hammond, Futurepump’s managing director.

“So this project is a really exciting opportunity to do something far richer with the data. We want to make it available for the good of the sector – for those advocating solar irrigation and those working to ensure sustainable water use.”

Many of the world’s major aquifers are stressed because too much water is being taken out for household, agricultural and industrial use and not enough surface water is seeping in to replenish the underground rock formations.

 

A Kenyan farmer sets up her solar irrigation pump in Busia county, Kenya on February, 2019.
Image: Futurepump

 

While more than 90% of Africa’s agriculture is rain-fed, farmers are facing increasing rainfall variability due to climate change, say environmental experts.

To ensure food security for the continent’s 1.3 billion – and growing – population, countries need to manage their water resources more efficiently, from harvesting rainwater to maintaining aquifers, or underground water basins.

Studies by the Sri Lanka-based IWMI suggest that in many regions of Africa there is still much untapped and sustainable groundwater potential – particularly if recharge from the surface is managed.

But there is a shortage of local data to develop policies.

IWMI plans to use the data from Futurepump’s 4,000 pumps to calculate how much water is being extracted at any given time, which can help governments ensure it is used sustainably, with limits on extraction or a shift to less water-intensive crops.

“People often see solar pumps as ‘free energy’ … They feel since it’s not going to cost extra to extract more water, it can be taken,” said IWMI’s David Wiberg, who uses tech to make water use more efficient.

“But once you put in place an information system like this, farmers will be able to see that pumping extra amounts of water is not helping them or their neighbours grow extra crops.”

 

 

Written by

Nita Bhalla, Journalist, Thomson Reuters Foundation

This article is published in collaboration with This is place.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.