CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
In 2020, the team at the Formosa Agricultural and Environmental Research Center, located at the site of the company’s Texas plant, began concurrent production of honeybees, native flowering plants and native trees as part of an effort to enrich the area’s biodiversity.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
The Index ranks 144 countries based on their ICT infrastructures and ecosystems, including how well they are utilizing ICT to create more sustainable economies. For Tau Institute founder Roger Strukhoff, what sets the nations that will succeed apart is “a certain willingness to think beyond their front door.”
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Many people are becoming more aware of their environmental footprint and the impact they have on people and the planet. This awareness can be harnessed by the tourism industry to shift passive sea-and-sun tourists into more conscientious, actively engaged travelers.
FROM PURPOSE TO ACTION: BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE TOGETHER -
While the use of green chemistry is critical to mitigating adverse
environmental impacts, there remains a gap in education of chemists and an overall lack of awareness in the industry. We sat down with John Warner, one of the founders of the field, to better understand how green chemistry is helping to enable a more sustainable future through science.
WASTE NOT -
Whether it’s using the carrot of incentives or the stick of regulations, change is possible — and strongly desired. So, what can brands do? Be proactive and make the extra effort to find and choose recycled plastic whenever possible.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Whether in our personal lives or in business, doing only what is required or expected is generally unsatisfying. If your plan of action means doing the bare minimum, the status quo is the likely result.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Aidia Studio’s pre-Hispanic Mayan-inspired design is a much-needed evolutionary twist on current architecture that will help ensure the survival of the Mexican city’s transport links during increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
As the global chip shortage drags on and demand for electronics exceeds supply, we hope that the market for refurbished electronic devices and a circular economy will gain more traction.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
New data from the IPCC shows that more frequent, intense droughts could squeeze the food sector with too little water. This year, we are getting a glimpse of what that might look like.
WASTE NOT -
Ray Onovwigun and his startup, Romco Metals, have seized the opportunity to build the capacity and infrastructure Africa needs to become a global player in the recovery and recycling of valuable metals.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
The first consumer electronics company to provide detailed carbon-impact data on all of its products, Logitech says all of its products and operations will be carbon neutral by the end of 2021.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Nestlé hopes that a new interactive platform, Beneath the Surface, will give viewers better insight into the complexity of palm oil supply chains and insight into how choices they make under different scenarios can lead to a range of outcomes and consequences.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
lululemon’s latest partnership aims to replace conventional nylon in its products with bio-based; while two new blends from Pangaia are the brand’s latest step to delivering sustainable alternatives to overproduced materials such as cotton.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Taking advantage of the forced pandemic pause and building off the momentum of a less extractive tourism model already taking shape in the country’s Bay of
Plenty, the online program provided a foundation for shaping thriving host communities rooted in local context and culture.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Japan’s idyllic Shirakawa Village has worked to mitigate overtourism and preserve the integrity of the local traditions and landscape by limiting visitors to those who respect the town’s heritage and embrace the spirit of mutual assistance that drives the local culture.
CLEANTECH -
As we race to achieve net zero, let’s ensure we aren’t making the same mistakes that got us here. Tech solutions do not deliver the same co-benefits as nature — and clearly cannot substitute for the loss of ecosystems. Nature-based solutions are cost-effective and can make an immediate difference.
WASTE NOT -
A recent study analyzes agricultural waste streams in Asia and charts a roadmap for establishing alternative textile value streams at scale; while Lenzing puts this into practice with a lyocell fiber made from orange pulp and wood
fibers.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
BHP will now supply some of the world’s lowest-carbon nickel to Tesla, while BASF will supply Porsche with high-energy HED™ cathode active materials and recycle battery-production waste to close the loop.
WASTE NOT -
Asking Westerners “Would you eat bugs to save the planet?” makes for great headlines — but it only scratches the surface of how bugs can help solve global challenges. Essentially, insects such as black soldier flies are a quintessential addition to a circular economy.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
A partnership with biotech company Arzeda will see the companies computer designing new enzymes with superior benefits to help clean up the cleaning
industry.