RENEWables A Sustainability Podcast with David Smart BioStar Renewables

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, using nutrient-rich water as the growing medium instead. These controlled environments provide the plants with all the essential nutrients they need directly through their roots. This highly sustainable technology has gained popularity in recent years due to its ability to produce high yields of crops while using significantly less water than traditional soil-based agriculture. 

Using a combination of sensors, software, and LED lighting to create an optimal growing environment for plants, Babylon Micro Farms is revolutionizing the hydroponics industry and forever changing the way we grow and consume food. The Virginia-based startup manufactures indoor hydroponic farming systems designed to minimize waste and maximize energy-efficiency by providing customers with everything they need to grow their own fresh produce, including the hydroponic equipment, seeds, nutrients, and software to monitor and manage the system from a smartphone app. 

Join this episode of RENEWables and meet Alexander Olesen, Co-founder and CEO of Babylon Micro Farms to discover more about his remarkable team of entrepreneurs and engineers, who are committed to making fresh and healthy food easily accessible to everyone, regardless of gardening experience or available space. 

Tune in and subscribe.



Show Notes:

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/company/babylon-micro-farms/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BabylonMicroFarms/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/babylonmicrofarms

Website https://babylonmicrofarms.com/

According to a report by the Urban Institute, about one-third of Americans have a credit score below 620, which is considered to be a subprime credit score. The same report found that low-income individuals are more likely to have subprime credit scores than those with higher incomes. In fact, about 52% of households earning less than $30,000 per year have subprime credit scores.

These statistics show that low-income communities are more likely to have subprime credit scores and other negative credit events, which can make it difficult for them to access credit and financial services. This highlights the importance of organizations like Capital Good Fund that focus on serving underserved communities and providing access to affordable loans and financial coaching.

Capital Good Fund is a non-profit financial institution that provides affordable loans and financial coaching to individuals and families who might not have access to traditional banking services. They offer a variety of loan products, including personal loans, emergency loans, and small business loans. These loans are designed to help people meet their financial needs and improve their financial stability. Capital Good Fund also offers financial coaching services to help borrowers develop good financial habits and achieve their financial goals.

Join us on this episode of RENEWables and meet the Founder and CEO of Capital Good Fund, Andy Posner, to learn more about how the organization focuses on serving low-income and underserved communities, and their work to promote financial inclusion and economic empowerment for communities in need.Tune in and subscribe.

Show Notes:
Linked In
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Email Andy Posner

As the world’s utilization of renewable energy increases, so does the waste that is created by manufacturing the materials needed to generate the power. Most solar panels have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years and 75 million metric tons of solar waste are projected to be landfilled by 2050. However, solar panels should not be disposed of in landfills as they contain potentially hazardous materials and other toxic substances that can leach into the soil and contaminate groundwater if not properly handled. In addition, solar panels contain valuable materials such as silicon, aluminum, copper, and silver that can be recycled and reused in new products, so it is important to properly recycle them at the end of their life cycle. Although the amount of waste generated by solar panels is relatively low, recycling programs are increasingly being developed to address this issue.

The Coldharbour Institute have taken the idea of recycling to a whole other level with their Equitable Solar Solutions (ESS) program. ESS focuses on providing affordable solar energy solutions to underserved communities, particularly low-income households and communities of color, through the acquisition of surplus solar panels from solar companies or individuals that are looking to upgrade their current solar system. While these panels are not new, they are still able to produce energy and thus still have immense value. ​By acquiring older panels, costs are drastically reduced, making financial feasibility far more achievable.

Join us on this episode of RENEWables and meet the Co-Founders of Equitable Solar Solutions, Rich Stromberg, CJ Gooderham and Maria Agazio, to learn more about how the 501.3C non-profit program finds and repurposes these usable solar panels and their plans for ensuring the sustainability of the solar industry while minimizing its environmental impact for the future generations.  

Show Notes:
Linked In
Website: EquibableSolarSolutions.com
Email: ess@coldharbourinstitute.org

Heartland Industriesis a material science company that engineers hemp fibers to replace and augment traditional materials like fiberglass, talc, and calcium carbonate. With its renewable sources and eco-friendly biodegradability, Hemp is a revolutionary material that's making waves in the sustainability movement. Crafted from lipids and cellulose found naturally within Cannabis plants, this composite bioplastic is fully bio-degradable - providing an innovative solution for reducing our impact on the environment.

By working with brands and their suppliers, Heartland helps to embed Carbon negative additives into everyday products without any re-tooling costs. This helps drive down the cost, weight, and carbon footprint of these raw materials which are found in a variety of industries from automotive to consumer packaged goods. Moreover, Heartland is exploring ways to increase performance in rubber, foam, asphalt, cement, concrete and paper supply chains while continuing to reduce the carbon footprint of these industries.

Join us on this episode of RENEWables and meet the CEO and Co-founder of Heartland Industries, Jesse Henry, to learn more about how the Michigan-based hemp engineers are driving their mission to integrate hemp fiber into every industry, how they have positioned themselves as a sustainability partner and the necessary sacrifice required to saving the planet for future generations.  Tune in and subscribe.

Show Notes:
Linked In
Heartland.io
Email hello@heartland.io

Across the U.S., 15% of households are food insecure, meaning they don’t have reliable access to affordable, nutritious food. In Missouri alone, there are more than 600,000 people living in food deserts—an area without a grocery store or other source of fresh, healthy food, making it even harder to get the meals they need.

Kanbe’s Market is a non-profit working to build a more equitable food system for these residents of inner city food deserts. One way they’re doing this is through their Healthy Corner Store Program which partners with smaller convince stores and “mom-and-pop” businesses who are often the only source of groceries in a food desert, but lack the resources to provide healthy and affordable options. Kanbe’s Market provides them with the equipment, training and support they need to offer nutritious foods at prices that their customers can afford—which, on average, is about 25% less than the grocery store.

Kanbe’s Market is changing lives by working to dismantle the barriers that stand in the way of equitable access to nutritious food. Through their Healthy Corner Store Program and partnerships with small businesses, they are ensuring that everyone has access to fresh, healthy, affordable food—regardless of their zip code.

Show Notes:
Kanbe's Markets Website

Scientists have long suspected a link between industrialization and climate change, but serious study of the issue did not begin until the second half of the twentieth century when the first predictions that changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels could substantially alter Earth’s surface temperature through the greenhouse effect.  It would be another 100 years before carbon credits are introduced as a mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating the $2 billion carbon credit market in which companies can offset their emissions by investing in environment-positive projects, such as planting trees in the tropics.

Join this episode of RENEWables, where we sat down with Robin Saluoks, CEO of eAgronom, to learn more about their carbon market program, what organic farming looks like in Estonia, and the short- and long-term benefits they are bringing to farmers all over the world.  Tune in and subscribe.

Show Notes:
eAgronom website
eAgronom Linked In