Start-ups Key Role in Slashing Carbon Emissions from Buildings

Walk past a construction site, office building, home or factory and it might not seem like they’re spewing out any carbon dioxide at all. In reality, those buildings account for nearly 40 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions and more than a third of energy usage. To reduce their impact on climate change, leading-edge startups in Southeast Asia and globally are at the forefront of developing innovative solutions to reduce emissions from buildings.

Looqal Makes Shopping for Exquisite Sustainable Products Easy

Solving the pain point for consumers who want to shop for products from small sustainability-oriented companies was the reason for founding Looqal, said founder Joyce Teh. The problem consumers have, Joyce added, is that “Supply is fragmented. They chance upon them. The quality and authenticity are not verified. It’s made worse with greenwashing.” Looqal offers a single site for consumers to find quality products from small impactful businesses that support their communities and the environment.

Wear a T-Shirt & Reduce Climate Change - Xinterra Sucks Carbon Dioxide from the Air

To help solve one of the most pressing problems humanity faces, said Xinterra CEO Patrick Teyssonneyre, Xinterra focuses on developing materials such as textiles to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. “We know materials can help solve the problem. We started with textiles to make an impact,” he said. “Textiles can be bedding, tablecloths, towels or even national day flags.” The same concept can also be used in paint and other materials.

Alternatives to Desert and Cropland offer Promising Solar Farm Sites

While development of solar power in Washington state continues to grow, the biggest need for electricity is in the more populous western half of the state and much of the development is on large solar farms in the sunnier eastern half. Solar farms are becoming increasingly difficult to site. Highly attractive locations can be home to endangered species and critical habitat, or they can be very attractive for farming, residential development or recreation. It turns out that there are a variety of alternatives to deserts or croplands.

Solving the Plastic Crisis – A Bioplastic that Actually Dissolves in Water

A Start-up Story: Invisible Company, Hong Kong When Invisible Company co-founder Devana Ng started hiking regularly in 2018, she was startled by the amount of plastic she saw along the trails - packaging, food wrapping, plastic bottles, energy bar wrappers and more. She realised she needed to do more to solve the plastic crisis and started looking for alternative packaging. “I set up Invisible with a bag that is biodegradable,” she said

From Container Ships to Climate Leadership

After inheriting X-Press Feeders from his father, Tim Hartnoll transformed the company into the world’s largest feeder ship operator. Now, as the next generation rises within the firm, he’s noticing a shift in values. “The younger generation, when they go to work for a company, they feel the company has a social responsibility and should be giving back,” he observes. Embracing this perspective, X-Press Feeders is taking a leading role in decarbonizing the shipping industry and supporting social

Building a Brand to get rid of Plastics made with Fossil Fuels A Start-up Story: EQUO, Vietnam EQUO’s goal is to get rid of plastics made with fossil fuels and replace them with naturally- derived alt

EQUO’s goal is to get rid of plastics made with fossil fuels and replace them with naturally-derived alternatives. “You use a piece of plastic for less than 15 minutes,” said EQUO founder Marina Tran-Vu, and “it lasts up to a thousand years. It boggles my mind.” EQUO takes a different approach to solving the issue than many companies by working to create a brand, Marina explained, rather than by producing alternative plastics itself.
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