17 Ideas To Tackle The 2 Billion Tons Of Trash We Make Every Year | World Wide Waste Marathon
What this covers
In a world filled with garbage, power plants run on rotten vegetables, plastic is made from avocado pits, and computer parts are a gold mine. These are the big ideas on how to tackle the 2 billion tons of trash people produce every year.
00:00:00 - Introduction 00:00:26 - Chopstick Furniture 00:06:05 - Incense Flowers 00:10:58 - Avocado Bioplastic 00:15:43 - Algae Flip-Flops 00:22:55 - Vegetable Biogas 00:28:16 - Mushroom Styrofoam And Bacon 00:35:12 - Banana Textiles 00:40:30 - Bread Crumbler 00:45:44 - E-Waste Gold 00:54:49 - Pineapple Plates 00:58:49 - Mushroom Coffin 01:04:34 - Bottletop Handbags 01:09:28 - H&M Recycling 01:18:09 - Artificial Reefs 01:24:18 - Ikea Furniture Waste 01:32:31 - Recycling Mall 01:40:12 - Algae Blooms 01:48:08 - Credits
MORE WORLD WIDE WASTE VIDEOS: How H&M’s Recycling Machines Make New Clothes From Used Apparel | World Wide Waste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obO1PKfXGpQ How To Mine Gold From Electronics | World Wide Waste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yGPm1U7U6s How Mushrooms Are Turned Into Bacon And Styrofoam | World Wide Waste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uznXI8wrdag
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17 Ideas To Tackle The 2 Billion Tons Of Trash We Make Every Year | World Wide Waste Marathon
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This documentary series demonstrates that waste can be transformed into valuable resources through innovative technologies and business models, suggesting a path toward circular economy solutions for major waste streams including food, textiles, electronics, and consumer goods.
- Multiple companies profitably convert waste streams (chopsticks, flowers, avocado pits, algae, food scraps) into marketable products
- Circular models create economic incentives for waste reduction while generating employment and environmental benefits
- Scalability and consumer demand remain the primary barriers, not technological feasibility
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Jim Puckett remains skeptical that any form of recycling is the answer to e-waste, arguing that the real solution is to 'turn off the tap'—manufacturers must stop producing electronics with poor recyclability by designing for disassembly and material recovery.
“as for solving the global e-waste problem jim puckett remains skeptical that any form of recycling is the answer i'm not saying don't go ahead with these techniques we're certainly going to have old circuit boards around for a long time and we're going to have to deal with them so let's move on it but we've got to turn off the tap that tap is controlled by the companies who manufacture electronics most of whom have no legal or financial incentive to design products that can be recycled it's an overflowing bathtub you can't run around with mops and say oh my god we got to mop this up we got to mop that up and we have a better mop here and a better mop there when the tap is pouring water into the bathtub it's overflowing down the stairs this is the problem we have is the tap of our waste is not being turned back”
Aside from energy, Bon Pali's biogas plant creates a valuable by-product: fertilizer that farmers buy back and spread on the same fields where their vegetables grow, which improves soil health, increases crop yields, and allows farmers to sell crops at higher prices as organic vegetables.
“aside from energy the plant creates another valuable by-product fertilizer farmers who sell their wares at the market buy it back and spread it on the same fields where their vegetables grow by using this fertilizer their soils are also getting better their crops yields are better and their crops are being sold at higher cost because organic vegetables are very costly nowadays”
Replacing bodily fluids with preservatives started during the American Civil War when fallen soldiers needed to be transported long distances for burial, and embalming made it possible for President Lincoln's open casket to remain on display for a three-week train trip from Washington to Illinois.
“replacing bodily fluids with preservatives started during the american civil war the bodies of fallen soldiers needed to be transported long distances for burial embalming made it possible for president lincoln's open casket to remain on display for a three-week train trip from washington to illinois and it has been standard practice ever since”
Experts argue that the textile waste problem cannot be solved through recycling technology alone; companies must address root causes by stopping overproduction, as 'the waste problem exists because we produce too much, not because we lack recycling technology.'
“experts say that recycling can never solve the problem of textile waste brands have basically convinced citizens that we have a waste problem because we don't have recycling technology that is not that is not why we have a waste problem it's only going to be solvable if we confront growth and if companies stop over producing”
IKEA's low-cost furniture model depends on keeping prices low, which requires cutting corners on durability and sustainability; this creates an inherent trade-off between affordable accessibility and environmental responsibility.
“when you produce this many goods for this many people at a relatively low price and one of your focuses is always keeping the price as low as possible you inevitably gonna cut corners which of course they do”
Sweden's waste management success is so efficient that the country has imported trash from other nations to keep its waste-to-energy facilities operating at capacity, illustrating both the effectiveness of infrastructure and the paradox of exporting waste globally.
“the swedes have one of the best recycling programs in the world... the country's gotten so good at recycling it's had to buy trash from other countries to keep its waste to energy facilities humming”
The ultimate solution to furniture waste doesn't cost a penny: buy less, throw away less, and make do/mend more.
“the easiest solution to furniture waste doesn't cost a penny ultimately you need to buy less right now you need to buy less people need to buy less need to throw away less and they need to make do amend more”
A mushroom coffin made from mycelium can be grown in a lab in seven days and absorbs into the soil in under two months, eliminating the need for massive amounts of wood, steel, and concrete used in conventional burials.
“this coffin is alive it's made from mushrooms that soak up the toxins human bodies leave behind and it eliminates the need for massive amounts of wood steel and concrete used to bury the dead the loop coffin grows in a lab in seven days and absorbs into the soil in under two months”
Sheila Moravati's cutlery campaign pressured major delivery apps to opt out of sending cutlery by default, which she estimates saved over 200 million utensils from going to landfill.
“sheila moravati is the woman behind the cut out cutlery campaign her organization pressured major delivery apps to opt out of sending cutlery by default she estimates that saved well over 200 million utensils from going to landfill”
India produces tons of flower waste every day, and more than 1,000 tons of flowers end up in the Ganges River daily because flowers used in Hindu temple rituals are considered sacred and can't be thrown into garbage.
“because these flowers are used in rituals they're considered sacred and can't be thrown into the garbage every day more than a thousand tons of flowers end up in the ganges river”
Manufacturers are learning to build gadgets with less precious metal content, which makes e-waste economically less valuable as a commodity over time, threatening the long-term viability of e-waste recycling as a business model.
“unfortunately electronic waste generally is getting less and less valuable over time as a commodity manufacturers are learning to build gadgets with less precious metal”
Bottle Top opened the world's first 3D-printed retail store made from recycled plastic in central London; the store itself is made from recycled truck tires (70 tires on the floor) and 3,000 recycled cans in the walls, demonstrating the material expression of its sustainability commitment.
“the bottle top bags end up in london in the world's first 3d printed store made from recycled plastic we are smack bang in the middle of central london on regent street what you're standing on right now is the equivalent of 70 recycled truck tires above us you can see 3 000 recycled cans and the walls you can see this kind of rib structure is actually 3d printed waste plastic”
Sheila says that upcycling is important because there are opportunities to use things that were going to the trash or headed to landfill, and the planet is at its limit and can't take anymore trash.
“if there are opportunities like that to to use something that was going in the trash or headed to landfill why not we have so much trash right now and it's just we're at the limit the planet can't take it anymore”
For the last 15 years, private investors and the US government poured billions of dollars into algae biofuel research, but despite those efforts, no one has yet figured out how to make algae biofuel cheaper than fossil fuels.
“for the last 15 years private investors and the us government poured billions of dollars into this research but despite those efforts no one has yet figured out how to make algae biofuel cheaper than fossil fuels we're always going to be five years away from making algae biofuels economically viable”
Steve Mayfield challenges consumers not to underestimate their power and to demand that the world change by pushing companies to make environmentally friendly products available rather than waiting passively for them.
“too many people sit back and say oh well i you know i would love to have biodegradable plastics but they're not available to me well they're not available to you because you don't demand companies make those i would say the last challenge that i want to put out to consumers is don't underestimate your power and demand that the world change”
In most countries biogas still costs nearly five times more than natural gas, so it's not economically competitive with fossil fuels unless energy prices change or policy support makes up the cost difference.
“in most countries it's still cheaper to keep burning fossil fuels in north america biogas costs nearly five times more than natural gas”
Banana textiles have been around for centuries in countries like the Philippines, Nepal, and Japan, but Texfad is one of the first companies to bring it to Uganda where 9 million tons of bananas are produced annually.
“banana textiles have been around for centuries in countries like the philippines nepal and japan but texfad is one of the first companies to bring it to uganda and the potential is huge because the country produces more bananas than any other in east africa about 9 million tons every year”
Environmentalists argue that composting banana stems into fertilizers would be a more immediate solution than making textiles, as it prevents dehydration, prevents deforestation, and improves soil, though it requires tough manual labor.
“environmentalists say that composting the stems into fertilizers would be a more immediate solution it prevents dehydration it prevents deforestation and it gets a richer soil and richest oil is a more healthy banana many farms do that but chopping the stems requires tough manual labor so for most farmers in uganda getting rid of them is easier and faster”
On the Aldabra Atoll (off Africa's east coast), researchers collected 25 tons of trash last year, with nearly 25% of it being flip-flops, illustrating the concentration of this specific waste type in isolated marine ecosystems.
“the problem becomes apparent in places surrounded by water like the aldabra atoll off the east coast of africa last year researchers collected 25 tons of trash there they found that nearly a quarter of it was flip flops”
Polyester (a synthetic fiber made from petroleum) became the most popular fiber globally by 2000, overtaking cotton, because it costs half as much; most people today unknowingly wear plastic without realizing polyester is a petroleum-based synthetic.
“fast fashion really took off in the 1990s thanks to polyester the synthetic fiber made from petroleum costs half as much as cotton i think very few people realize that most of the time today they're wearing plastic by the year 2000 polyester overtook cotton as the most popular fiber in the world”
Accra, Ghana hosts one of the world's largest second-hand clothing markets (Kantamanto), where 15 million garments pass through weekly; nearly half end up in landfills, are burned, or swept into waterways, illustrating how wealthy countries export textile waste to developing nations.
“in places like accra ghana which has one of the world's largest second-hand clothing markets every week 15 million garments pass through the contamanto market and nearly half of that goes to landfill is burned or gets swept into waterways”
Consumers can reduce textile waste by buying less and holding onto their current wardrobe longer; experts recommend taking a year off from buying new clothes to shift consumption norms.
“consumers can do their part by buying less and holding on to their current wardrobe longer we always recommend that people take a year off of buying anything new”
Sweden has one of the world's best recycling programs, with residents trained from childhood to separate waste into five colorful bins, and Eskastuna extends this to seven-bag separation, facilitating automated sorting and recycling.
“anybody raised in sweden knows how to separate trash into five colorful bins the city of eskasuna takes it to the next level most households separate their waste into seven different colored bags it's a system that makes it easier for automated sorting machines to do their job at the waste plant”
Activist Jim Puckett has spent over 25 years tracking how e-waste ends up in toxic environments, documenting that thousands of people worldwide make a living extracting copper from e-waste primarily by burning it, which damages workers' lungs and increases cancer risk.
“activist jim puckett has spent over 25 years tracking how e-waste ends up in these toxic environments the entire life cycle of electronics unfortunately disproportionately burdens the global south with the real environmental harm and pollution thousands of people worldwide make a living extracting copper from e-waste primarily by burning it inhaling the fumes damages workers lungs and increases their risk for cancer”
ChopValue's manufacturing process involves sorting chopsticks on a shaker table, dipping them in water-based resin, roasting them at 200 degrees for five hours to kill germs, and using a hydraulic machine to compress them with hundreds of pounds of pressure to create uniform engineered tiles.
“first they sort the chopsticks on the custom-built shaker table these neat stacks are easier to work with then they dip the sticks into a water-based resin that provides a protective coating before they roast in a massive oven for five hours the 200 degree heat kills all the germs”
Researcher John Bennemann points out that algae farming would need to increase by 100 times to support mass production of items like shoes, suggesting this may not be practical and making biodegradable shoes from widely available crops like soybeans could be more practical and profitable.
“researcher john bennemann point out that algae farming will have to increase dramatically in order to support mass production of items like shoes really need 100 times more to be able to hold our hands up for that reason it could be more practical and profitable to make biodegradable shoes out of widely available crops like soybeans”
Petroleum itself is biodegradable, but it becomes non-biodegradable when it goes through a refinery and a chemical company converts it to plastic, so algae-based approaches simply replace digging algae oil out of the ground with growing algae oil in ponds.
“petroleum itself is biodegradable they become not biodegradable when they go through a refinery and then a chemical company converts them to a plastic that is not biodegradable so all we're doing is instead of digging algae oil out of the ground we're growing algae oil and ponds”
FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification does not guarantee sustainable sourcing or absence of illegal logging; critics argue that FSC certification can be abused and does not trigger fundamental producer behavior change.
“not only does fsc certification not guarantee that your wood is sustainably sourced it doesn't even guarantee that it's devoid of connections to illegal logging and much worse a spokesperson for ikea wood supply and forestry told insider that independent investigations showed no illegally logged wood entered the ikea supply chain from ukraine infsc did another greenwash investigation of one particular supply chain ukraine they didn't look at other supply chains in ukraine that didn't look at other supply chains in russia”
Steve Mayfield argues that algae is better than soybeans because growing it requires less land and water than plants, and he contends that the argument that algae has a specific competitive advantage still needs to be developed.
“but steve argues that algae is better because growing it requires less land and water than plants for now algenysis materials is working with oils from non-edible plants we choose not to use soybean or canola because those are food oils so we don't want to compete with food ultimately growing more algae and using it to make stuff is a step in the right direction”
Steve Mayfield states that 'perfect is the enemy of good enough,' arguing that consumers shouldn't wait for perfect solutions because meanwhile, they should use imperfect but improving alternatives.
“perfect is the enemy of good enough right meaning that if you always look for the perfect solution you'll never do anything you'll just sit around”
Up to one-fifth of all e-waste moves across borders, likely ending up in developing countries where workers process it by hand at illegal dump sites, creating health and environmental hazards.
“up to a fifth of all e-waste moves across borders likely ending up in developing countries where workers process it by hand at illegal dump sites”
Lifepak plates retail at about $2.50 per dozen, which is more than double the price of plastic plates from a big box store, yet the company has capitalized on growing demand for sustainable packaging that increased by 40 percent since the company started.
“the life pack plates retail at about two and a half dollars per dozen that's more than double the price of plastic plates from a big box store despite their higher price point lifepak has been able to capitalize on growing demand for sustainable packaging which has increased by 40 since the company started”
People in Brazil have a long-standing tradition of crocheting with pop tabs, which Bottle Top's co-founders encountered on a trip there in 2007, leading them to create their own atelier helping people from disenfranchised communities.
“people in brazil have a long-standing tradition of crocheting with pop tabs it's a craft that the co-founders of bottle top encountered on a trip there in 2007 we just started looking into into more as to how we can produce these products and eventually we created our own atelier in salvador helping people from two disenfranchised communities and giving them skills and livelihood to um to be able to create these products and support the people”
People throw out 100,000 pairs of chopsticks every day in Vancouver, and ChopValue has upcycled 33 million chopsticks since 2016 that would have otherwise ended up in landfills.
“people throw out 100,000 chopsticks every day here in vancouver”
Biogas is a huge missed opportunity in the United States, which throws out between 30 and 40 percent of all food, and farmers who lose money when they can't sell their produce believe biogas is better than just throwing it away.
“biogas will never replace natural gas there's just not enough waste to keep up with the demand for electricity but it does something that natural gas can it helps reduce landfill waste and it's a huge missed opportunity in the united states which throws out between 30 and 40 percent of all food even the farmers who lose money when they can't sell their produce believe biogas is better than just throwing it away”
The market for meat substitutes is worth about 4 billion dollars and is set to double over the next five years, and My Bacon might have an easier time catching on because bacon is one of the number one reasons people say they won't stop eating meat.
“my bacon might have an easier time catching on the market for meat substitutes is worth about four billion dollars and is set to double over the next five years bacon is a really important leverage point in the market it's one of the number one reasons people say they won't stop eating meat”
Bananas are one of the world's most wasteful crops, with farmers typically burning banana stems which pollutes the air, and for every ton of fruit plantations produce, they generate two tons of debris.
“bananas are one of the world's most wasteful crops and these giant stems are a part of the problem farmers typically burn them but that pollutes the air so instead one company in uganda has figured out how to pulverize them into fiber”
Kimani Maturi founded Texfad in 2013 after discovering his love for hand weaving in college, and the company extracts fibers from banana stems to make rugs, placemats, and hair extensions.
“kimani maturi saw potential he founded texfad in 2013 after discovering his love for hand weaving in college”
Texfad employs 23 people and offers an internship program for students, addressing local employment needs in Uganda where people study and get degrees but don't have opportunities.
“texfad employs 23 people and even offers an internship program for students the problem that we have here in our country we study we get our degrees but we don't have opportunities”
Mint Innovation's founders argue their work is worth the effort because big gold mines recover only 3-5 grams of gold per ton of rock, while e-waste offers much higher metal concentrations.
“is it really worth the trouble mint's founders say yes because it's getting harder to mine precious metals from the earth the big gold mines are recovering literally grams three four five grams of gold from a ton of rock”
Lifepak caps its own carbon footprint by working with local suppliers and sourcing pineapple waste from a nearby processing plant, where owners charge nothing for pineapple crowns because they're happy someone is turning their waste into a resource.
“lifepack caps its own carbon footprint by working with local suppliers yes he says it sources pineapple waste from a nearby processing plant the plant's owners charge nothing for the pineapple crowns they're happy that someone is willing to turn their waste into a resource”
Johannes Penheisen, an 82-year-old doctor, became one of the first people buried in a Loop coffin last year in a special area designated by the Dutch government for natural burials, and he found it a beautiful thing.
“johannes penheisen the 82 year old doctor became one of the first people buried in a loop coffin last year this is his final resting place in a special area designated by the dutch government for natural burials it became something like like like a beautiful thing you know because it was a special coffin and they really liked it”
Loop sold about 100 coffins last year priced at 1,500 euros ($1,800 USD), which is cheaper than even the most basic wooden caskets and a fraction of the $7,500 that Americans pay for a mid-priced funeral.
“the company sold about 100 coffins last year priced at 1500 euros apiece about 1800 us dollars that's cheaper than even the most basic wooden caskets and a fraction of the 7 500 that americans pay for a mid-priced funeral”
Globally, green funerals are becoming more popular, and two in three American consumers say they'd consider a green burial with a growing list of over 300 providers to choose from.
“globally green funerals are becoming more popular people are really interested in new things in the funeral business and our members are asking if they can use the loop coffin for their burial today they make up a small proportion of overall funerals but two in three american consumers say they'd consider a green burial and they have a growing list of over 300 providers to choose from”
Luciano Rodriguez, who collects recycled materials for Bottle Top, buys pop tabs from the city's waste pickers or goes directly to dump sites where they are sorted and sold.
“luciano rodriguez is in charge of collecting the recycled materials used in bottle top bags he buys them from the city's waste pickers or goes directly to dump sites where they are sorted and sold”
H&M's first textile recycling facility in Hong Kong allows customers to recycle used clothing into new garments in one integrated location, but achieving full-scale recycling requires factory infrastructure capable of processing thousands of tons of clothes per day, which does not yet exist.
“most recycled textiles are turned into mattress stuffing or insulation and the original materials are scraps from the factory floor not used clothing but this facility inside a hong kong shopping mall is the first in the world to turn used clothes into new clothes all in one place”
IKEA has implemented a buyback program in 30 countries allowing customers to return used furniture for resale; last year this program gave 39 million products a second life, reducing waste though not addressing underlying overproduction.
“ikea plans to make all of its 10 000 products from renewable or recycled materials and they launched a buyback program in 30 countries can ikea really solve the furniture waste problem it helped create... last year it helped give 39 million products a second life”
Goodwill and Salvation Army donation surges in the U.S. (2020) overwhelmed stores and created $1 million trash bills to dispose of excess items, illustrating that even charitable second-hand channels can become saturated by donation volume.
“drop-off donations to goodwill and salvation army were up in 2020. it overwhelmed some goodwill stores so much they had to pay a million dollar trash bill to get rid of overflow items”
Ecovative recently announced it has raised a total of 100 million dollars in capital, compared to Impossible Foods, a more established meat alternative brand, which has raised 700 million dollars to date.
“the company recently announced it's raised a total of 100 million dollars in capital compare that with impossible foods a more established brand which has raised 700 million dollars to date”
The main bottleneck for expanding Texfad's business is the cost of the extractor machine, which ranges from $1,000 for a used one to $10,000 brand new, presenting an obstacle for expanding operations.
“this is a crucial step and the only part of the process that requires machinery and it's not cheap this unit costs anywhere from one thousand dollars for a used one to ten thousand dollars brand new that price presents an obstacle for expanding this business”
H&M is a 'growth company' with no plans to reduce production of new clothing; the company's sustainability strategy focuses on 'making growth meaningful' through recycling initiatives, illustrating how corporations frame circular economy as compatible with continued expansion.
“h m has no plans to reduce production of new clothing we are a gross company our ambition is how do we make that growth being meaningful”
Banana fiber absorbs dyes better than cotton, which means it needs less water and less land to produce, making it a more sustainable alternative to conventional textiles.
“banana fiber absorbs dyes better than cotton which means it needs less water and less land to produce”
Mint Innovation, a New Zealand startup, uses microorganisms to selectively concentrate precious metals from e-waste, identifying bacterial and fungal species in abandoned mines and rusty equipment fields that evolved to bond with specific metals.
“mint's team identified these tiny helpers in 2017 through a series of research trips to places like abandoned mines or fields with rusty equipment given enough pressure and time microbes seem to find a way to thrive in any environment they collected species of bacteria and fungi that evolved to bond with specific metals microorganisms recover gold they also recover palladium”
Pineapple crowns (tops) are shredded, mixed with recycled paper, and turned into sheets that are left to dry under the sun to create plates, and if these plates end up in soil and water, tiny seeds inside will blossom in a few days.
“these plates are made from the tops of pineapples that are shredded mixed with some recycled paper and turned into sheets that are left out to dry under the sun a machine presses the sheets into form and if these disposable plates end up in a place with soil and water tiny seeds inside will blossom in a few days”
Harmful algal blooms form in waterways when excess nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus) from agricultural runoff overstimulate algae growth, removing oxygen and blocking light, which can kill fish, dolphins, and whales, and contaminate seafood with toxins.
“algae has become a major issue thanks mainly to waste water pollution from farms fertilizers are full of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus which make algae grow faster runoff creates overgrown algae that removes oxygen from the water and blocks light to creatures living below this is called a harmful algal bloom it can kill fish whales and dolphins and make seafood unsafe to eat”
43 states in the U.S. have documented illnesses or deaths in humans or animals caused by freshwater harmful algal blooms, and satellite imagery shows bloom intensity increasing on lakes on four continents since the 1980s.
“43 states have documented illnesses or death of humans or animals caused by fresh water blooms and satellite images show bloom intensity on the rise in lakes on four continents since the 1980s”
Bioplastics require less fossil fuels to produce than traditional plastics, contain fewer toxic chemicals, and decompose faster, but they require special industrial facilities to properly compost and can contaminate the regular recycling stream.
“studies have shown that bioplastics are an improvement over traditional plastics it takes less fossil fuels to produce them they contain fewer toxic chemicals and they decompose faster”
Algae are the most efficient photosynthetic organisms on the planet and are easy to grow and harvest in man-made ponds using less land than plants.
“they are the most efficient photosynthetic organisms on the planet and they're easy to grow and harvest in man-made ponds using less land than plants”
Mycelium is the living root structure of mushrooms and is described as 'the recyclers of nature' that feed on decaying plants and animals and can expand at a rate of half an inch per day.
“mycelium is the root structure of mushrooms and simply said they're just the recyclers of nature so everything that turns into death they turn it into life it feeds on decaying plants and animals expanding at a rate of half an inch per day”
Even if every 3.4 million Americans who died last year had been buried in reef balls, it would still only replace about one square mile of Florida's shrinking reefs, illustrating the massive scale gap between individual green burial adoption and environmental restoration.
“it's going to take all of us and now is the time this is our decade for now reef burials haven't reached the mainstream even if every one of the 3.4 million americans who died last year ended up in their own reef ball it would still only replace about one square mile of florida's shrinking reefs if we did that around the world it probably would help but we just we aren't you know so i feel good about what we are doing”
Anaerobic digesters contain bacteria that operate in the absence of oxygen and eat food waste to produce methane and carbon dioxide, allowing the capture of gases that would otherwise be released during landfill decomposition.
“anaerobic digesters basically have bacteria which are operated in the absence of oxygen or anaerobic bacteria and they actually eat essentially the food waste that we are putting in there and give out methane and carbon dioxide”
ChopValue has grown from making only coasters when it first started to having franchises in three cities in North America with more expected later this year, with a collection of over 30 products.
“when shop value first started it was only making coasters now it has franchises in three cities in north america with more expected later this year coasters are still the number one selling item but the collection has grown to more than 30 products”
BioFossa produces about 130 tons of bioplastics each month, which is equivalent to the conventional plastic waste produced by 13,000 Americans, showing modest current output while the company has expanded to three locations across Mexico and internationally.
“bio fossa produces about 130 tons of bioplastics each month that's equivalent to the conventional plastic waste produced by 13 000 americans”
Any organic material emits methane and carbon dioxide as it decomposes, and the massive amount of food waste in landfills makes them the third largest source of human-caused methane emissions, just behind fossil fuels and agriculture.
“any organic materials emit these planet warming gases as they decompose but the massive amount of food waste makes landfills the third largest source of human-caused methane emissions just behind fossil fuels and agriculture”
Dr. Rao, a scientist on the Bon Pali project, is already building five more biogas plants around Hyderabad city, and biogas can be produced from any organic material including animal and human feces.
“dr rao a scientist on the project is already building five more plants around the city and it isn't limited to vegetables biogas can be produced from any organic material including animal and human feces”
Many state governments in Asia were considering setting up biogas projects after understanding that indigenous technologies built in India could work for them, suggesting policy support is driving adoption.
“a lot of people a lot of state governments who were thinking about setting up these projects have suddenly of understood that yes it's possible to do it yes there are technologies which are indigenous which are built in india that can work for them”
The world's biggest biogas plant was recently built in Denmark, and new facilities are being built in Europe and Africa, showing that biogas is scaling globally even though it will never replace natural gas due to insufficient waste volume.
“the world's biggest biogas plant was recently built in denmark and new facilities are being built elsewhere in europe and africa”
Major brands are collaborating with younger brands and artists using upcycling to create capsule collections or one-off pieces, showing a trend toward incorporating sustainability into mainstream fashion.
“we're seeing a really big shift in consumer behavior towards more responsible production within the fashion industry we're seeing even kind of big corporate fashion brands collaborating with maybe younger brands or artists whose core part of their work is to use upcycling and together they have been creating capsule collections or maybe one off pieces”
Ethical fashion is a movement towards fair practices in every step of the supply chain from sustainably sourcing raw materials to paying employees fair wages, and it's a growing market where demand for ethically produced fashion products could grow to 8 billion dollars by 2023.
“ethical fashion is a movement towards fair practices in every step of the supply chain from sustainably sourcing raw materials to paying employees fair wages and it's a growing market the demand for ethically produced fashion products could grow to eight billion dollars by 2023”
Latest research reveals plastic pollution is ubiquitous—found at the deepest ocean depths—and if current trends continue, the amount of plastic entering the environment annually will nearly triple over the next two decades.
“the latest research reveals that plastic pollution is everywhere even at the lowest depths of the ocean if current trends continue the amount of plastic entering the environment annually will nearly triple over the next two decades”
Texfad prices rugs at $500+ (high-end pieces), which is premium pricing that requires several weeks to a month of hand-weaving labor, making the product accessible only to high-income consumers.
“it can take up to a month to weave a rug the price varies but many start at around five hundred dollars”
IKEA doubled furniture sales during the COVID-19 pandemic as people working from home invested in home furnishings, growing the company to a $50 billion behemoth; this pandemic-driven growth illustrates how external crises can accelerate consumption.
“the pandemic was great for business ikea sales increased by nearly half as people stuck at home looked to make their life more comfortable the company grew to a 50 billion dollar behemoth”
H&M's first U.S. store opened in 2000; since then, global clothing production has doubled, and if current trends continue, production will nearly double again by 2030, driven by the fast-fashion business model that H&M pioneered.
“that's the same year h m opened its first u.s store in new york city since then global clothing production has doubled and if nothing changes it will nearly double again by 2030.”
The average American spends over $1,800 annually on new clothing and throws away 200 t-shirt equivalents per year in textile waste, making Americans major contributors to global textile waste despite representing a small fraction of the global population.
“the average american spends over 1800 a year on new clothes and throws away 200 t-shirts worth of textiles every year”
In 2017, activists in China sued their country's biggest food delivery apps trying to force them to stop giving cutlery by default, but there was public outcry and since the pandemic, food delivery with single-use items is higher than ever.
“activists in china tried a similar strategy in 2017 they sued their country's biggest food delivery apps trying to force them to stop giving cutlery by default there was a public outcry at the time but since the pandemic food delivery with single-use items is higher than ever”
IKEA is the world's largest consumer of wood, responsible for cutting down a tree every second; the company claims to use nearly 100% FSC-certified (sustainably harvested) wood, but investigations by Earth Site alleged that nearly half of IKEA's wood from Eastern Europe is logged illegally.
“ikea is the single largest consumer of wood in the world responsible for cutting down a tree every second ikea says that's not true but it does use about as much wood as the entire russian federation exports in one year the company claims that nearly 100 of its wood bears the seal of the forest stewardship council... last year an investigation by the environmental organization earth site alleged that nearly half of the wood ikea sources from eastern europe is logged illegally”
Styrofoam takes up a third of the space in all landfills, making mycelium-based alternatives particularly important for addressing space and volume challenges in waste management.
“it's actually a mushroom slice it and you get crispy vegan bacon or a convincing alternative to leather and this lab grows an eco-friendly replacement to styrofoam that light but bulky material taking up a third of the space in all landfills”
Ecovative has a different process to make vegan meat and leather that consumes far fewer resources than the real thing, using vertical farms and growth chambers that mimic natural soil conditions.
“ecovative has a different process to make vegan meat and leather which it claims consumes far fewer resources than the real thing then we're going to take this substrate which will inoculate this sawdust workers still start with agricultural waste and spores but these mixtures are placed in vertical farms growth chambers that mimic the conditions of natural soil”
My Bacon is high in fiber, has the same protein content as regular bacon with one-fifth of the fat, and fries up to get crispy just like bacon.
“my bacon is definitely a healthier option it's high in fiber and has the same protein content as a regular slice of bacon with one-fifth of fat the company projects that as it scales up my bacon can eventually be grown for a dollar per pound a fifth of the market price of pork bacon”
It takes nearly 600 gallons of water to produce one pound of pork, but just over one gallon of water to grow a pound of mycelium bacon, showing massive water savings from mycelium-based protein.
“it takes nearly 600 gallons of water to produce one pound of pork but just over one gallon of water to grow a pound of mycelium bacon”
About 10 percent of each bakery's production goes to the trash, and while bakeries estimate this, baguettes are one of the most wasted foods around the world.
“while it estimates that about 10 of each bakery's production goes to the trash baguettes bread is one of the most wasted foods around the world”
Bob Hendricks searches for specific mushroom species to use in Loop coffins and harvests samples from forests, testing them because some mushrooms are edible while others can be poisonous.
“bob hendricks searches for the building blocks for a loop coffin in delphi haute forest in the netherlands it's easy to find mushrooms but it's hard to find the specific one you need some are edible but some might kill you as well he harvests samples to bring back to the lab”
Funerals in the US use enough wood, steel, and concrete every year to build a tower of caskets the size of the Empire State Building, showing the massive material footprint of conventional burial practices.
“funerals in the u.s use enough of these materials every year to build a tower of caskets the size of the empire state building”
Colombia introduced a tax on single-use plastics in 2017 that increases each year, and in some cities informal pickers are now paid as municipal workers, showing policy attempts to address plastic waste through taxation and labor formalization.
“colombia like nearly every country in the world is trying to reduce plastic waste in 2017 the country introduced a tax on single-use plastics that increases each year and in some cities informal pickers are now paid as municipal workers”
Lifepak's plates are sold in three large supermarket chains domestically and the company handles dozens of orders through its website each week with a handful of customers in the US.
“the company also handles dozens of orders through its website each week with a handful of customers in the u.s”
Flip-flops are the world's most popular shoe, and plastic foam flip-flops take decades or centuries to break down naturally, piling up on beaches and in the ocean.
“flip flops they're the world's most popular shoe and they're piling up on beaches and in the ocean most are made from plastic foam which takes decades or centuries to break down naturally”
The average person in the US still uses 75 foam coffee cups per year, adding up to 25 billion cups annually, while in 2020 Ecovative produced over 6 million pounds of its foam alternative, which is just half a percent of the cups Americans consumed.
“the average person still uses 75 foam coffee cups per year adding up to 25 billion in 2020 ecovative produced over 6 million pounds of its foam alternative but that's just half a percent of the cups americans consumed”
Aluminum can pop tabs are being washed and will be turned into designer handbags as part of Bottle Top's effort to highlight excessive waste in the garment industry, where over 8% of global greenhouse emissions are caused by the fashion industry.
“these aluminum can pop tabs are being washed and will eventually be turned into designer handbags bottle top bags aim to highlight excessive waste in the garment industry there's over i think eight percent of global greenhouse emissions are caused by the fashion industry and bottle top is responding to that”
A desk made from 10,000 chopsticks sells for just under $1,000 USD, which is about three times the price of comparable IKEA furniture but comparable to the price of a desk made from solid wood.
“this desk sells for just under a thousand us dollars that's about three times what you'd pay at ikea but comparable to the price of a desk made from solid wood this piece is made from about ten thousand chopsticks”
Ankit founded Phool after realizing that temple flower waste was a source of pollution, and the company collects waste from temples throughout Kanpur, making around 19 stops a day.
“ankit founded phool which is the hindi word for flower the company's employees pick up the waste from temples throughout kanpur making around 19 stops a day”
The Ecovative company's best-selling product is myco composite, which has similar properties to styrofoam but is completely biodegradable, and has been used for packaging by major companies like Dell Computers to ship servers.
“the company's best selling product is called mico composite it has similar properties to styrofoam but it's completely biodegradable we've worked with a variety of companies some of them huge companies like dell computers where they've used our earth friendly packaging to ship servers”
In vertical farms, mycelium is grown to form a large marshmallow-like structure called 'aerial mycelium' over about 10 days, and the largest chamber can produce up to 200,000 pounds of mycelium per year.
“their largest chamber can produce up to 200 000 pounds of mycelium per year we end up with these large industrial slabs which can be like 50 feet long and 5 feet wide and a couple inches thick”
Floral waste makes up only about 16 percent of pollution that runs into the Ganges, with harmful chemicals, open sewer drainage, and garbage running directly into the river, which is a growing danger for the more than 400 million people that rely on the river for drinking water.
“floral waste makes up only about 16 percent of pollution that runs into the ganges harmful chemicals open sewer drainage and garbage run directly into the river that's a growing danger for the more than 400 million people that rely on the river for drinking water”
Americans consumed more than 6 billion avocados last year, which produces a lot of inedible waste, and the avocado pit presents a particular challenge because it contains oils that make composting difficult.
“last year americans consumed more than 6 billion avocados and that produces a lot of inedible waste”
BioFossa processes avocado seeds into bioplastic resin that can be molded and cut into different shapes, offering an alternative to petroleum-based plastics.
“as the seed is going through the machine it's turned into a bioplastic resin that's ready to withstand a lot of heat what comes out the other end is a malleable sheet that can be molded and cut into different shapes”
To make algae foam flip-flops, researchers mix compounds created from algae oil using an industrial machine, pour the mixture into molds, apply heat, and the foam expands into the shape of a shoe in about 10 minutes.
“to make the foam pieces the researchers use an industrial machine to mix together compounds created from algae oil this is the same machine you'd see if you went into any one of the shoe manufacturers in the world the machine pours the mixture into molds the team then applies heat and the foam expands into the shape of a shoe they wait about 10 minutes for the foam to cure then peel the pieces out and assemble”
Algenesis Materials is currently making flip-flops primarily from plants rather than algae, getting as much algae as they can and filling in the rest with plant oils because they can't actually buy enough algae to support their supply chain.
“the startup faces another big challenge it can't actually buy enough algae to support its supply chain for now it's making flip-flops primarily from plants not algae we get as much as we can from algae and then we fill in the rest of that using plant oils”
At the Bon Pali market in Hyderabad, India, 10 tons of food waste goes unsold every day, which is converted into electricity that powers street lights, buildings, and a kitchen that preps meals for 800 people.
“10 tons of food goes unsold every day at this market but instead of going to a landfill it's turned into electricity that will power street lights buildings and a kitchen that preps meals for 800 people”
Texfad's production process involves cutting banana stems into celery-shaped chunks, drying them, feeding them into an extractor, and then hand-drying the fibers until they feel like silky yarn that is as strong as rope.
“first workers cut the stems into celery shaped chunks and leave them out to dry in the sun then they feed those strands into an extractor like this one... the extracted fibers dry again until they feel like a silky yarn but one that is as strong as rope”
France throws out more than 150,000 metric tons of bread every year, which is nine loaves for every citizen, and an inventor named Frank Wallet created a machine called the crumbler that grinds stale baguettes into breadcrumbs fine enough to replace flour.
“this dough is made with old bread that would have gone to the trash france throws out more than 150 000 metric tons of bread every year that's nine loaves for every citizen this machine could help close the loop the crumbler grinds stale baguettes into breadcrumbs”
Electronic waste is the world's fastest growing waste stream, with circuit boards containing valuable metals like gold, palladium, copper, and tin, making landfills potentially more valuable than mines.
“this liquid gold came from a pile of circuit boards and these days there could be more gold in a landfill than in a mine but extracting it is an expensive and polluting process”
Mint Innovation's process takes one week to extract 150 grams of gold from one ton of circuit boards, and the extracted gold ends up as gold-rich ash that goes to a refiner to be turned into 99.99% pure gold.
“it takes one week to extract 150 grams of gold from one ton of circuit boards the founders carry around this solid gold coin to show what that looks like is it pure gold that's pure gold super heavy”
By 2050, if current trends continue, 110 million metric tons of e-waste will be generated globally every year, equivalent to every person in the world throwing away a microwave, creating a massive processing challenge.
“if those trends continue by 2050 we'll have to deal with 110 million metric tons of e-waste every year that's like every person in the world throwing away a countertop microwave”
Larger Mint plants will be almost entirely automated with only 3 people on the shop floor at any time running 24/7, keeping workers safe from exposure to toxic e-waste compounds through minimal human contact.
“the planned larger facilities will be almost entirely automated it's pretty light touch from a personnel perspective might have three people on the shop floor any one time running 24 7 the small number of employees would have limited contact with e-waste keeping them safe from exposure to toxic compounds”
Lifepak, on busy days, produces 10,000 eco-friendly plates, and the company also makes sandwich containers and coffee cup sleeves that contain seeds from edible plants like cilantro, amaranth, and strawberry.
“on a busy day workers at lifepak can churn out ten thousand eco-friendly plates transfer in addition to plates the company also makes sandwich containers and coffee cup sleeves that contain seeds from edible plants like cilantro amaranth and strawberry”
It can take up to 12 years for an embalmed body to fully turn into a skeleton, but soft tissues release toxic chemicals and microbes after only a few months, and traditional coffins contain preservatives, paint, and metal handles that can leach into soil and water.
“it can take up to 12 years for an embalmed body to turn into a skeleton but soft tissues release toxic chemicals and microbes after only a few months and traditional coffins contain preservatives paint and have metal handles all of these substances can leach into soil and water making it unhealthy for the living”
Every year Bottle Top upcycles close to 1,500 pounds of pop tabs, about the same weight as a smart car, though this may not seem like a lot considering people worldwide drink and throw away about 180 billion soda cans annually.
“every year bottletop upcycles close to fifteen hundred pounds of pop tabs about the same weight as a smart car that may not seem like a lot considering people worldwide drink and throw away about 180 billion soda cans annually”
Ecovative launched My Eats, a line of mushroom-based meat alternatives in 2020, with My Bacon as the first product, made from aerial mycelium that is cut into slices, compressed, and seasoned.
“in 2020 the company launched a line of mushroom-based meat alternatives called my eats the mai is short for mycelium the first product is called my bacon it's made from ariel mycelium that's cut into slices compressed and seasoned”
Anna is working on a bag called the Balani that will take her about 8 hours to make using exactly 1,152 pop tabs.
“today anna is working on the balani this bag will take her about eight hours to make using exactly 1152 pop tabs”
In the Netherlands, a company called Met Destad collects discarded loaves from the streets around Rotterdam to turn into natural gas, and in Italy, Biova brewery makes old bread into beer, showing different approaches to bread waste processing.
“other companies have found fresh ideas of what to do with it in the netherlands met destad collects discarded loaves from the streets around rotterdam to turn into natural gas biova an italian brewery makes old bread into beer”
HK Rita's CEO recognizes that recycling alone cannot solve the textile waste problem; he states: 'My nightmare scenario in the industry is that we are satisfied we're happy with very modest goals but that doesn't really do anything for anybody and then we'll be accused of greenwashing and by and large it'll be true.'
“my nightmare my nightmare scenario in the industry is that we are satisfied we're happy with very modest goals but that doesn't really do anything for anybody and then we'll be accused of green washing and by and large it'll be true”
Eben Bayer and Gavin McIntyre founded Ecovative Design in 2007 and debuted their myco composite packaging in 2011, and since then a growing number of cities and states have banned the use of styrofoam.
“eben bayer and gavin mcintyre founded ecovative design in 2007 and debuted their myco composite packaging in 2011 since then a growing number of cities and states have banned the use of styrofoam”
Researchers shifted from algae biofuel to biopolymers because the economics work better: biopolymers are about 10 times more expensive than fuel, which is worth paying for plastic and ocean plastic pollution is an enormous problem that needs addressing.
“they shifted their focus to biopolymers or plastic alternatives made from plants they sell at a higher price than fuel number one they're about 10 times more expensive than fuel so the economics works out better but but number two plastic and ocean plastic pollution is an enormous problem and we need to address that”
When Ankit decided to quit his job as an automation scientist to work with temple flowers, people close to him thought he had gone bonkers, and he had to convince temples to give his business their sacred flower waste using religious arguments.
“when i decided to quit my job and come back to kanpur the reaction uh the immediate people i knew was i have gone bonkers that i want to leave a job as automation scientist and work with temple flowers”
Kimani says he will never get worried that he won't have materials tomorrow as long as Ugandans are eating bananas on a daily basis, expressing confidence in the sustainability of his feedstock supply.
“i will never get worried that i won't have materials tomorrow as long as we ugandans are eating bananas on a daily basis”
Bloom harvests harmful algae from waterways to convert into bioplastic pellets; the company monetizes algae to incentivize cleanup, creating a business case for environmental remediation.
“bloom made a machine that can do that on the spot engineering firm aecom rents the harvester and has used it to clean up harmful blooms in new york and florida bloom buys algae from around the world and turns it into plastic pellets”
Eternal Reefs has dropped almost 2,500 memorial reef balls over the past 20 years, created from families who have lost loved ones and had them cremated; families mix cremated remains with concrete to create a pearl centerpiece for the reef ball.
“eternal reefs uses larry's creations for their memorials they've dropped almost 2500 of them over the past 20 years we work with families who have lost somebody and had their their loved one cremated they will come to one of our project sites the families mix cremated remains with concrete to make a separate centerpiece for the reef ball they call it a pearl”
Riatuna is the world's first second-hand shopping mall in Eskastuna, Sweden, with 14 shops selling refurbished and donated items; it diverted tons of waste since opening 6 years ago while generating millions in revenue for small businesses.
“riya tuna is the first second-hand mall in the world here shop owners profit from what other people don't want... riya tuna has diverted tons of potential waste since it opened six years ago while generating millions in revenue for small businesses even sweden's most famous company ikea refurbishes its furniture here”
My Bacon is only available in one grocery store in Albany, New York, and Ecovative plans on branching out to more stores in 2021 while building farms with capacity to produce 1 million pounds of mycelium per year.
“right now my bacon is only available in one grocery store in albany new york ecovative plans on branching out to more stores in 2021 and it's currently building farms with the capacity to produce 1 million pounds of mycelium per year”
Mexico exports about half of the world's avocados, and a single worker at a plantation in Michoacan can cut over 800 pounds of fruit per day.
“mexico exports about half of the world's avocados a single worker at this plantation in michoacan can cut over 800 pounds of the fruit per day”
LifePak founder couple Claudia Barona and Andres Benevides established the company 12 years ago in Cali, Colombia, have won several small business awards, and appeared on the Colombian version of Shark Tank.
“important husband and wife team claudia barona and andres benevides founded lifepak 12 years ago in the city of cali the couple has won several small business awards and they even appeared on the colombian version of shark tank”
Steve Mayfield's startup Algensis Materials aims to 'force' competitors to pivot to sustainable shoes by making algae-based flip-flops so cool and sustainable that other companies are compelled to follow, illustrating a strategy of market leadership through product excellence.
“mayfield founded a company algensis materials to start to figure that out the best discovery in the world that stays in the lab doesn't really impact the world what impacts the world is products our plan in our startup company was to build the shoe so cool and so sustainable that we forced all of the other companies to pivot and become sustainable shoe brands”
Felix Bach hopes his ChopValue invention will show people that reducing waste could start with something in everyone's fingertips, using the example that consumers can point to their wall with 1,800 chopsticks and start conversations about sustainability and recycling.
“you put a few tiles and a few hexagon shelves on your wall and you can point to your friends to your wall and say hey guess what i have 1 800 chopsticks on my wall and you start a conversation about sustainability or about recycling”
Baker Guillaume Devenant says the crumbler was worth the investment because he can create a variety of recipes based on the breadcrumbs and customers feel positive about buying daily bread made from previous day's leftovers when marketed as 'escape recipes' rather than as recycled goods.
“he's created a variety of recipes based on the crumbs so how do customers feel about buying their daily bread from yesterday still instead of recycled while it prefers to call the items made with breadcrumbs escaped recipes”
Loop coffins are lined with a layer of moss sourced from a local farm that serves two functions: it helps decompose the body faster and is rich in biodiversity, giving humans the experience of becoming part of the cycle of life.
“each coffin is lined with a layer of moss sourced from a local farm the moss has two functions that it helps to decompose the body faster and rich in biodiversity and the other one is to give humans the experience of becoming part of the cycle of life”
Algensis Materials deliberately avoids soybean and canola oils (food crops) to prevent competing with food security, opting instead for non-edible plant oils.
“algenysis material is working with oils from non-edible plants we choose not to use soybean or canola because those are food oils so we don't want to compete with food”
Ecovative's mycelium-based leather alternative called Milo has been used in clothing and handbags since 2018 when the company licensed its leather-making process to Bolt Threads.
“in 2018 the company licensed its leather making process to bolt threads they make milo a leather alternative that has been used in clothing and handbags”
Artificial reef balls are designed to be bottom-heavy to withstand violent sea currents and can weigh up to five tons; they use pH-neutralized marine-grade concrete (important for coral growth) with fiberglass panels forming the shape and an inflated buoy keeping the center hollow to create holes that fish like to swim through.
“larry begs and his team at reef innovations designed this bottom heavy reef ball to withstand violent sea currents they can weigh up to five tons the chemicals in conventional concrete can harm sea creatures so reef innovations has to use a special mix the concrete is a ph neutralized marine grade concrete that is very important for coral growth oysters corals invertebrates and stuff that will grow on the reef can attach to the reef ball very easily the company uses fiberglass panels to form the basic shape of the ball they insert an inflated buoy to keep the center hollow creating the holes that fish like to swim through”
People throw out millions of tons of furniture every year in America; the amount of furniture sent to landfill has nearly doubled from 35 years ago, which is about the same time IKEA opened its first US store.
“people throw out millions of tons of furniture every year in america the amount of furniture sent to landfill has nearly doubled from 35 years ago that's about the same time ikea opened its first us store”
Bob Hendricks wants people to return to natural practices that existed for most of history rather than being part of the problem through pollution, arguing that we can enable people to feed the earth instead of pollute it.
“bob wants people to return to the natural practices that existed for most of history as humans why are we not part of the cycle then we can actually enable people to feed the earth instead of polluted the”
The US has over 2,600 overflowing landfills and hundreds of declining malls, suggesting that a solution could be to locate second-hand retail centers (like Riatuna) next to landfills and recycling centers in declining mall locations.
“with over 2 600 overflowing landfills and hundreds of declining malls maybe the solution is just a matter of building both a little closer together”
Mint Innovation is planning full-scale facilities in Australia and the United Kingdom; the smaller plant in Auckland, New Zealand processes about one metric ton of circuit boards per week, while larger plants being built will process 10 metric tons per day.
“the company is planning full-scale facilities in australia and the united kingdom this smaller plant in auckland new zealand was built to demonstrate how mints process works it processes about one metric ton of circuit boards per week but larger plants like the one they're building in australia will process 10 metric tons per day”
Phool's flower cycling process transforms flower petals into incense sticks, and Ankit claims his product is cleaner than other incense sticks because normally incense sticks are made from charcoal, which when burned releases poisonous sulfur dioxide and xylene chemicals.
“ankit calls this transformation flower cycling and he says his product is cleaner than others normally insane sticks are made from charcoal burning charcoal releases the poisonous sulphur dioxide and gives out a lot of xylene chemicals”
Lifepak's next challenge is to modernize equipment to boost production, and the founders plan to franchise the business and expand into new countries to help people cut back on plastic one plate at a time.
“lifepak's next challenge is to modernize its equipment so it can boost production andres and claudia also plan to franchise the business and expand into new countries to help more people cut back on plastic one plate at a time”
Mint Innovation's long-term goal is to make it easy and profitable for cities to process their e-waste locally, with a 20-year vision to get the technology working throughout the world.
“mint's long-term goal is to make it easy and profitable for cities to process their e-waste locally we need to kind of get this you know really really cranking throughout the world and that's probably a 20-year vision”