Talk Green to Me Talk Green to Me

Bacteria have answers to alternatives to fossil fuels and cellulose from trees. In this episode we talk Isabel Alvarez-Martos, CEO and co-founder of Cellugy on how their company started as an idea in grad school turned into a company making biodegradable and compostable materials in things such as shampoos. She tells us why bacterial cellulose is such a unique, beneficial, but also challenging material to use. We discuss why this cellulose source may be better than trees in this new developing industry and how they navigated the start-up company space with this nanotechnology.

Have you heard of cellulose nanomaterials? From the bacteria in your kitchen to the trees in your backyard, we discuss the history and discoveries of this new class of materials. Learn why these renewable alternative to plastics are taking the world by storm and where you might seem in the future in the products you use everyday.

In the face of plastic bag bans, how do you ensure your family business adapts? We interview Trent Romer, former co-owner of a plastic bag converter, on his remarkable sustainability journey. We discuss what inspired him to change, what he learned, and how he lead his business to make dramatic sustainability improvements for themselves and for the planet. He describes his books “This is Our Home” to help you start your own eco-friendly journey and “Finding Sustainability” to help you learn how your organization can apply sustainability practices.

Where do plastic bags come from? How are they made? How are they recycled and are the bag bans effective? In this episode we discuss the life of a plastic bag from fossil fuels to recycled decking material or to the ocean....and the steps in between!

You asked, we answered. What is greenwashing? For this year's winter bonus episode, we answered our listeners' questions about greenwashing. Listen in as we give examples of companies that have been caught greenwashing and what you can look out for. Are those strawless Starbucks lids better, what's up with those laundry sheets, should I get bamboo toilet paper, what's the FSC and B corp labels mean and more!

Graphene is a Nobel Prize winning material. How can you use this nanotechnology to improve the sustainability and performance of packaging? We talk with Gaute Juliussen, CEO of Toraphene, on how they developed a green way to manufacture graphene and include it in compostable, biodegradable, and recycled plastic bags, cups, and more. Gaute discusses how graphene and nanotech help make natural materials more competitive with virgin fossil fuel plastics in packaging. We discuss the difference between biodegradable and compostable materials, what to look out for, and what we all can do to make more informed sustainable choices.