Start-ups see sustainable future in seaweed farming

The Denmark-based startup LastObject manufactures reusable menstrual products that produce less waste than the typical throw-away versions. Its reusable pad is made of polyester and bamboo and can be washed and reused for up to 10 years.

Vivian Kide learned to build fuel-efficient stoves in a Ugandan refugee camp to use less charcoal and prevent deforestation. When she returned home to South Sudan, she began building stoves for other women in her community and teaching them how to do so themselves.

Landscaping businesses in California are trading in the typical tools and chemicals for goat herds. The practice of bringing in goats to munch on unwanted vegetation, called targeted grazing, is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than traditional landscaping.

When organic materials like wood chips and manure are heated in the absence of oxygen they create a black powdery substance called biochar. This material prevents the release of carbon into the atmosphere from the natural decaying process. And it has other beneficial uses like improving soil fertility, too.

A junk removal service in Athens, Georgia, is slowing the growth of the local landfill by recycling, donating, and giving away the items it can before taking the rest to the landfill.

The Kenyan start-up Gjenge Makers creates pavers that are stronger and cheaper than typical concrete by heating a mixture of shredded plastic waste and sand and then compressing it to form the blocks.

Planet 3R is putting a dent in the amount of waste on the streets of Ibadan, Nigeria, by collecting waste from residents and turning it into usable products like clothes, accessories, and home decor. After collection, the waste is sorted, washed, dried, shredded, and woven together to create something similar to fabric.

The United Kingdom is finding creative ways to simultaneously address renewable energy needs and waste disposal. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants are utilizing chicken manure from farms and coffee grounds to create electricity. The initiatives have the added benefit of improving standards for the treatment of poultry, as well as reducing the distribution of harmful toxins from the waste.

The Otuabagi Women Farmers Association's initiative to replant 7,200 raffia palm trees has not only begun restoring their oil-damaged swamp forest but also created a cooperative financial safety net for members and sparked community-wide conversations about environmental protection.

Joebliss Enterprise purchases and collects paper waste from homes, businesses, and collection agents in Abuja, Nigeria, and processes it for recycling, reducing the amount that produces methane emissions in landfills.