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.

A Family Jewel: Inspiring Change with B.P. de Silva Jewelers

B.P. de Silva’s narrative begins in 1869 with the arrival of Balage Porolis de Silva from Ceylon. This intrepid founder birthed a small jewelry business in 1872 by selling Sri Lankan gemstones door to door, gradually nurturing it into a thriving shophouse storefront. He leveraged his design acumen and access to Sri Lanka’s finest gemstones to create masterpieces for the world, from royals to commoners, alongside adding the trading of quality tea to the business and serving tea in the shop.

Swapping E-Motorbike Batteries Delivers Power and Swaps Out Emissions

The fundamental goal for Mo Batteries is reducing carbon emissions, said co-founder Tom Streitberg, and “one of the easiest ways is electrification of vehicles.” When he and his partners looked at electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe and North America, however, they realised that the electrification model in those markets would not work in Southeast Asia. "The model must be tailored to the needs of Southeast Asia. That’s where we can make a difference.”
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