Introducing Regenerative Insights

Sep 06, 2024

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Regenerative Insights! Today marks the beginning of a journey dedicated to exploring the forefront of regenerative practices across various industries and geographies.

When working on the prior Social Innovation newsletter, many of the most innovative companies I came across were increasingly focused on new and unique practices that can be broadly characterized as “regenerative,” and aim to redefine the future of business, sustainability, and technology. So I am reorienting this newsletter to put those strategies front and center.

Whether you're a business leader, researcher, or simply passionate about sustainability, I'm thrilled to have you with me on this journey.

If you every have any comments or questions, please do be in touch!

Essential Reads:

This is issue is focused broadly on how regeneration is not just a concept but a number of domains in which companies are reimagining their business models to align with regenerative principles, creating a more sustainable and resilient future.

Materials Development:

Researchers have engineered a chitosan-copper porous material derived from crab shells, revolutionizing the way we preserve food. This material not only absorbs harmful pesticides but also extends the shelf life of produce. By utilizing waste crab shells, this innovation enhances sustainability and offers a scalable, consumer-friendly solution for food safety.

Biodiversity:

In the Amazon, researchers have discovered three new plant species closely related to cacao. These species could play a pivotal role in developing climate-resilient cacao, potentially leading to drought-tolerant or disease-resistant trees. This discovery underscores the importance of preserving biodiversity to ensure agricultural resilience in a changing climate.

Circularity:

The marine industry is taking a sustainable turn with the repurposing of waste sails into high-value chemicals. The Sustainable Sailing initiative breaks down PET sailcloth into chemical building blocks, reducing reliance on virgin fossil fuels. This project, in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, explores upcycling PET into food-safe chemicals and aims to scale globally, transforming technical textile recycling.

Recycling Partnerships:

Walmart is collaborating with Denali to improve food waste recycling by using depackaging technology, which separates food from packaging to create compost, animal feed, or energy. This partnership boosts reusable organic content recovery by over 60% and reduces trash by 12%, helping Walmart achieve its goal of zero operational waste by 2025, with plans to expand across 1,400 locations.

Waste-to-Resources:

Shah Hemp Innoventures (SHIV), a Nepal-based B Corp, transforms wild-grown hemp and bamboo into sustainable products while promoting fair employment and environmental stewardship. By partnering with local communities, SHIV ensures fair labor practices, zero waste operations, and social development. Their innovative approach to utilizing natural resources supports economic growth and climate-change mitigation, contributing to a more equitable and sustainable future.

Research Corner:

How Regeneration Is Redefining Business

Explore how regenerative business models are gaining traction and the profound impact they can have on both the economy and the environment. This in-depth analysis from Stanford Social Innovation Review delves into the strategies and benefits of adopting a regenerative approach.

Quick Tips / Takeaways:

Here are some practical, actionable tips to implement regenerative principles in your work:

Leverage Waste: Identify and repurpose waste materials in your operations, turning them into valuable resources.
Enhance Biodiversity: Support and integrate biodiversity in your supply chain to build resilience against climate change.
Invest in Regenerative Models: Explore and adopt business models that focus on regeneration to ensure long-term sustainability and profitability.
Depackaging Technology: Boost food waste recycling efficiency by separating materials, achieving significant reductions in waste and improving sustainability.
Sustainable Innovation: Transform natural resources into eco-friendly products while promoting fair labor and environmental stewardship.

Regenerative Insights