REV On Air - Sustainable Stories by Rêve En Vert Rêve En Vert

It is currently the middle of July, or as we at REV like to celebrate, Plastic Free July, where we look for solutions and alternatives to this highly polluting material. I could not think of a better or more inspiring guest to bring on to speak to us about how we rid ourselves of fossil fuel derived plastics and into a much more beautiful, cleaner world, than Julia Marsh, co-founder of Sway, which harnesses the power of seaweed to create home compostable replacements for plastic. 

We cannot wait to get into this conversation that spans plastic free innovation, community and creativity with Julia who is truly one of the most articulate speakers on the subject we’ve ever been privileged to chat to, but first I want to say a quick merci to today’s sponsor - Seed. 

Since our collaboration with Zach Bush and Farmer’s Footprint, I have been focusing a lot on the connection of a healthy microbiome as it relates to the food we eat and time spent connecting to the earth, but for extra support in my routine I turn to Seed.

Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic is a broad-spectrum probiotic and prebiotic for whole-body benefits including gut, skin, and heart health. As I am really focused on my gut health through eating as close to the source and soil as possible, Seed’s additional benefits for digestive and whole body health really complete my routine for a thriving body from the inside out. - Cora Hilts

Learn more about seed’s probiotics and get 25% off your first order with the code REVE25 below:



https://seed.com/daily-synbiotic?utm_source=reveenvert&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=25p&promo_code=REVE25&utm_source=Discount+Email+Feb+2020&utm_campaign=c20baa78e0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_02_26_01_45_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9758eff4c2-c20baa78e0-107229021&mc_cid=c20baa78e0&mc_eid=198ddb6d27



So now a bit more about our guest today, Julia Marsh of Sway. 

Seaweed is the foundation of all Sway products, which mimic the compelling qualities of plastic without the downsides. Utilizing the natural polymers abundant in seaweed, they are able to optimize and scale the solutions nature has already given us. While traditional plastics contribute to climate change at every step of their toxic existence, Sway materials are made with process in mind.

Sway sources responsibly cultivated, ocean-farmed seaweed grown in harmony with the ocean. They use a diverse set of red and brown seaweeds from around the world as the base of their packaging technology. Sway works exclusively with suppliers who provide dignified employment to farmers, meaning fair wages and good treatment. They are hard at work to support and help scale up suppliers for whom impact is the number one priority, such as supporting the transition to climate-resilient coastal economies with indigenous communities around the world and lobster fishermen here in Maine.

We actually learned of Sway through their work with Atlantic Sea Farms, an incredible female owned cooperative that is helping to mainstream kelp farming as a sustainable solution to food, packaging and beauty issues whilst preserving our oceans and drawing carbon down. More on them to come but for now, I can’t wait to get into this deep dive with Julia in honour of Plastic Free July and we hope you are all as inspired as I am to know that we do have solutions in the world, solutions that can even be regenerative in their nature, if we just believe in our own creativity and have faith in our ideas.

Our co-founder Cora Hilts speaks in person with Lauren Singer, Managing Partner at Overview Capital where she invests in the mitigation of methane and other super pollutants at the pre-seed and seed stages. Lauren shares her purpose of getting to the core of the climate crisis by responding to the biggest issues that often go unnoticed. Lauren is a powerhouse of knowledge when it comes to the climate crisis and aims to uplift others who are also on the forefront of creating genuine change that lasts.



Most recently, Lauren has co-founded and become Managing Partner of Overview, where they invest in businesses mitigating methane and other super pollutants at the earliest stages. Overview is driven by the “overview effect,” coined by author Frank White, which is a profound experience that astronauts have when they see the Earth from space, feeling a sense of awe and interconnectedness with our planet. It inspires a deeper appreciation for the Earth and a desire to protect it. To put it simply, it’s the realization that this is all we’ve got. Overview invest in companies that are creating solutions to address climate change. Their mission is to support and partner with entrepreneurs at the earliest stages who can unlock innovations that have the potential to transform industries, making our future more resilient and equitable for generations to come.



Merci To Our Sponsor For This Episode!



Brightmark



Brightmark is a business that is using cutting-edge technology to create solutions for waste through circular innovations, so they could not be more in synergy with a woman who started her career in pursuit of bringing a zero waste lifestyle to consumers.

Brightmark is now providing further technological solutions to some of the world’s most pressing waste challenges, including turning organic waste into clean, renewable energy and closing the loop on plastic waste.They also are tackling the food waste issue, which Lauren and I will discuss a bit more in detail today.

A staggering 54 million tons of food is wasted annually in the U.S.* Food waste globally accounts for approximately 8% of greenhouse gas emissions. However Brightmark are working to divert this waste, break it down sustainably to capture methane and other biogases, then re-distribute it into compost.

Brightmark’s Circularity Centers™ deploy circular solutions for some of the world’s most pressing waste challenges—unlocking the value in waste by transforming them into new products.

Reimagining Waste is more than a mission; it’s a way of life at Brightmark. We encourage you to learn more and explore their resources for participating in a more sustainable and less wasteful lifestyle at brightmark.com!

As we continue our Earth Month conversations, we are so pleased to bring you today’s episode on a topic that has confusion and interest in equal measures around it - that would be the EV industry. Today, Cora Hilts discusses electric cars with a man we truly admire when it comes to his approach to them - Rob Howard, founder of Kindred Motor Works. We get into all the questions we have heard around the topic, and also what makes Kindred so incredibly unique in the automotive space as they are also upcycling vintage cars.

We all know that we need to change the way we drive. Cars and other forms of transportation are the biggest source of planet warming emissions generated within the United States and many other countries, and whilst there are a lot of concerns around the environmental impact of batteries and mining, which Rob and Cora discuss in-depth today, the science is quite clear that EVs are going to be our best option for now as we go into a green energy future.

But this is a discussion that is about much more than just cars, however. It’s about a company that is founded on a dream and made into a reality. A company that truly values the people that work there and is creating good jobs for them. A company that sees the value of technology, but also embraces the best of the old style ways of doing things. And maybe most interesting of all to anyone in the sustainability space, a company that believes that the most ethical option is simply the best one when it comes to the product that they produce.



Learn more here: https://kindredmotorworks.com

Merci To Our Sponsor For This Episode!

 

Homecourt

Homecourt was created by Courtney Cox in the belief that the household products we use each day should not only look and smell beautiful, but also should be safe for people, pets, and the planet.

Homecourt works with all Non-toxic formulas with skincare-grade ingredients that are always vegan and cruelty-free. They use sustainable, plant-derived, and upcycled ingredients across their collection. They develop formulas with responsibly sourced raw materials and skincare-grade ingredients that meet strict industry standards for clean beauty. We love their “absolutely not” list of chemicals and ingredients they do not work with that are listed on their site – they are all things we at REV would never work with either!

And when it comes to packaging, everything from their bottles to their boxes are made with 100% post-consumer recycled materials.

Learn more about this amazing line that has everything from hand creams to candles, and has just launched eco-friendly refills to boot on their site –  homecourt.co!

Today we speak to Leah Thomas, also well-known as @greengirlleah on instagram. Leah is a warrior for all things green and works tirelessly to influence positive change in the world. She recently released her new book ‘The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet’. In this podcast episode we cover topics such as government intervention in climate change & discrimination matters, personal identity, climate anxiety & self care.



Leah founded and launched the non-profit Intersectional Environmentalist, a platform and resource hub that aims to advocate for environmental justice, provide educational resources surrounding intersectional environmentalism, and promote inclusivity and accessibility within environmental education and movements in 2020 - which has since become a leading resource for diverse and accessible climate education.



Merci To Our Sponsor For This Episode!

 

Grass Roots Co-op

Off the back of our collaboration with Zach Bush and Farmer’s Footprint, we have been speaking a lot about regenerative agriculture and healthy, nourishing food systems. Grass Roots co-op fits right into this theme with their incredibly thoughtful approach to farming. Grass Roots is a co-op of farmers in rural America practicing regenerative farming that’s better for the animals, the soil, the environment, and everyone’s health.

One of the ranchers in the Grass Roots co-op describes her greatest title and role as “land-steward.” She’s talking about her work to help heal the ecosystem on the ranch; to foster healthy grasslands and soil that’s alive with roots and microbes continually drawing carbon out of the atmosphere. Like all Grass Roots partners, she  manages the ranch based on principles of regenerative farming.

They have also joined Land to Market, an esteemed organization that verifies raw material production for its positive ecological impacts that is bridging the gap between regeneratively farmed land and consumers.

If you are interested in learning more and sourcing humane and climate positive meats, head to grassrootscoop.com to discover their incredible efforts and products!

In this episode we speak to Willow Defebaugh, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Atmos and author of The Overview. We love this episode as Willow brings a fresh perfective on the climate crisis and the roles we all play in our own personal lives and in the larger collective. Opening us up to ideas of; imperfection over perfection, revolutionising our own fields of work, the importance of storytelling, and the role outdated hierarchies play in preventing change that desperately needs to happen. With the mindset of openness over fear, Willow gives us the hope that we will all be enough to transform our futures for the better.



Atmos is an exploration of climate and culture, a nonprofit biannual magazine and digital platform curated by a global ecosystem of artists, activists, and writers devoted to ecological and social justice through creative storytelling.

Their mission is to re-enchant people with nature and our shared humanity. They inspire cultural transformation and illuminate solutions to heal and protect the planet–now, and for generations to come.



Merci To Our Sponsor For This Episode!

 

Toups & Co

With our skin being our largest organ and the gateway right into our body, our skincare products should be made with wholesome, clean and recognizable ingredients.

Toups & Co’s entire skincare and makeup line is 100% natural and uses only organic ingredients like 100% grass-fed tallow, cold-pressed organic olive oil, and organic essential oils. Each product has been formulated to maximize skin-nourishing benefits and your safety. They never use synthetic chemicals, GMOs, toxins, fillers, artificial colors or fragrances.

They are a husband and wife team that believes it’s not good enough for you until it’s good enough for their own family. They also support small, family owned farms who are sustainable, fair trade, transparent and ethical.

Get 10% off your first order with the discount code: ‘reve+toups10′!

 

Our co-founder, Cora Hilts, visits Camilla Marcus, founder of the regenerative, carbon-neutral provisions brand west~bourne, at her home in LA to chat all things regenerative food, farming, and finance. The chef, entrepreneur, activist, and mother of three challenges conventional ideas about our food systems and environmental stewardship.

This Podcast episode is brought to you by our friends at ⁠Obakki Skincare⁠!

Camilla brings her wisdom of a lifetime in the restaurant business and growing up in LA surrounded by sustainable living and organic eating influences. Her driven nature comes out in how she runs west~bourne as a business, and her keen understanding of what it means to finance the regenerative movement can inspire us all to consider how we can do our part. She reminds us not to forget to look into the truth of how the world is set up to favour what is easy and what has always been done and to, instead, do differently.

Named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business, Camilla Marcus is a chef, entrepreneur, activist, and mother of three who is challenging conventional ideas about our food systems and environmental stewardship. Drawing from her Californian roots, she started west~bourne as New York City’s first zero-waste certified restaurant and has now expanded its mission of eating well and doing better into a collection of regenerative, carbon neutral provisions for the modern home.

Committed to cross-industry innovation, Camilla’s endeavors range from championing regenerative farming to reshaping the hospitality landscape. She co-founded ROAR (Restaurants Organizing Advocating Rebuilding) and is a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC). In addition, her passion extends to crafting a more equitable childcare system for working mothers. Camilla is also a member of the Fast Company Impact Council and part of the invitation-only Google Food Lab think tank.

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We know you want the best for your skin. We trace the origin of each ingredient to ensure that every Obakki Skincare formulation is natural, plant-based and of the highest quality. And, our products will never contain palm oil, artificial fragrances, artificial colourants, parabens, sulfates or animal products.

Single-ingredient concentrations mean that you can personalize your skincare results by hand-selecting and layering a unique combination of formulations that will best nourish your skin, for a simple daily ritual. Obakki Skincare’s full range of products are created with hand-cultivated and wild-harvested ingredients.