When the industrial revolution began, humans still thought of nature as "boundless" AND with infinite capacity to absorb and neutralise toxins and waste. Today we're increasingly aware that "there is no away" - for wastes ranging from microplastics to PFAS to hormones.

Since the 1990s, innovators and entrepreneurs have been developing materials and products and processes and design principles that are regenerative and beneficial (not just less bad).

Today, there are growing opportunities to apply 21st century 3D safety developments to innovate and grow businesses - once you learn to see beyond compliance and "less harm".

In this episode, host Leigh Baker of Think Act Regenerate discusses how 3D safety principles and commercial resources can be combined to uncover smart regenerative business opportunities.

CREDITS

Original music composed for the show by Ian Hopkinson of ⁠HopkinsonCreative.com⁠ – used with permission.LINKS

Stories

Interface Flooring - 1) Captured landfill gas to power their manufacturing plant, removing toxic emissions from the air of their local community. 2) Developed glueless fastening system for carpet tiles. (Book: BUSINESS LESSONS FROM A RADICAL INDUSTRIALIST)

Zeoform - replacing extractive building products with materials made from plant fibre and water. zeoform.com

H2o vortex - water purification without chemicals. h2ovortex.com

PlntMatter - plant cellulose transformation: ⁠www.plntmatter.com⁠

Sparxell ⁠⁠ - colorants made from cellulose instead of mica, titanium and chemicals. ⁠⁠https://sparxell.com/

Bobcat T7X -the world’s first all-electric compact track loader - electrified hydraulics to remove toxic fluids ⁠https://www.fastcompany.com/90878768/bobcat-t7x-all-electric-compact-track-loader⁠

Certifications and catalogues

Green Seal: greenseal.org

Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute: c2ccertified.org/certified-products and c2ccertified.org/resources

Good Environmental Choices Australia: www.geca.eco

Global GreenTag: globalgreentag.com

SpotMaterial: spotmaterial.com

Approaches

Biomimicry 3.8: biomimicry.net

Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute Resources: c2ccertified.org/resources

The Doughnut Design for Business: ⁠https://doughnuteconomics.org/tools/doughnut-design-for-business-core-tool⁠

Green Chemistry Introduction: https://www.beyondbenign.org/about-green-chemistry/

Humans have been copying nature for millenia - but we gave it a back seat at the start of the Industrial Revolution. Now it's back - and offering a wealth of regenerative innovation opportunities for products, processes and systems design.

Nature's "superpower" is to create solutions at room temperature, using renewable resources and renewable energy.

In this episode, host Leigh Baker of Think Act Regenerate discusses how Biomimicry-based design can be used to uncover smart regenerative business opportunities.

FULL TEXT: https://thinkactregenerate.com/insight-using-biomimicry-to-find-regenerative-business-opportunities/#text

CREDITS

Original music composed for the show by Ian Hopkinson of HopkinsonCreative.com – used with permission.

LINKS

Resources

AskNature solutions library: asknature.org

Bioneers Action Hub: bioneers.org Biomimicry Toolbox: https://toolbox.biomimicry.org/methods/define/

Economics of Biomimicry: https://infomineo.com/sustainable-development/bioinspired-innovation-harnessing-natures-wisdom/

ThinkActRegenerate INSIGHTS: https://thinkactregenerate.com/INSIGHTS/

Regenerative Thinking in Action: https://thinkactregenerate.com/program/

Examples

Bardee (black soldier fly): https://www.bardee.com/collections/all

Fungi Solutions: https://www.fungisolutions.com.au/

Interface Factory as Forest: https://trellis.net/article/inside-interfaces-bold-new-mission-achieve-climate-take-back/

Kalundborg Symbiosis Industrial Estate: https://www.symbiosis.dk/en/ Mycellium (mushroom) products: https://myceliuminspired.com/products

Samsara (enzymatic plastic recycling): https://www.samsaraeco.com/

SugarCrete: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/innovative-thinking/researchers-transform-sugarcane-by-product-into-slabs-and-bricks-22-03-2024/

Zeoform: https://zeoform.com/zeoboard

Andy McCarthy - founder of Gippsland Solar in 2010 - has told his renewable energy business story (so far) in his recent autobiography HERE COMES THE SUN.

I caught up with Andy at the start of October to discuss what he’s learned and where he sees the next big openings in renewable energy opportunity.

FULL TRANSCRIPT: https://thinkactregenerate.com/interview-solar-entrepreneur-andy-mccarthy-on-the-next-big-renewable-energy-opportunity/#text

LINKS:

Books

HERE COMES THE SUN: https://affirmpress.com.au/browse/book/Andy-McCarthy-Here-Comes-the-Sun-9781923046337

CROSSING THE CHASM: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers https://www.harpercollins.com/products/crossing-the-chasm-3rd-edition-geoffrey-a-moore?variant=32130444066850

Other links

Recent Think Act Regenerate PODCAST interview on battery as a service: https://thinkactregenerate.com/interview-exploring-battery-as-a-service-opportunities-with-eliot-energy/

FREE Think Act Regenerate INSIGHTS email series: https://thinkactregenerate.com/insights