RENEWables A Sustainability Podcast with David Smart

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that plastic and other packaging waste makes up around 30% of total U.S. waste annually. That’s only in the U.S., so imagine what that looks like worldwide.  Creating more sustainable practices within your business is essential for the health of the planet and as more companies start to enhance their sustainability efforts, updating product packag...

Two of the biggest obstacles that make community-wide composting accessible and easy are a lack of infrastructure and lack of education. That is why Kristan Chamberlain, Executive Director at KC Can Compost, spent the better part of two years researching ways to break down these barriers and created a system that promotes green jobs, a healthy environment and manages the mess!  The program of...

As the buzz around the hydrogen energy market continues, one company is breaking barriers in hydrogen storage technology and using high-density hydrogen for zero-emission transportation. On this episode of RENEWables, we sat down with Breakthrough Energy Fellows, Ted McKlveen and Bav Roy, co-founders of Verne H2 who believe new energy solutions like hydrogen storage are required to accelerate the...

Concerned with the planet’s plastic pollution problem, Anne Marie Bonneau, a Senior Editor at a San Francisco based publishing company realized how much food was being wasted in her own kitchen and decided to go plastic-free in 2011.  “I have always been obsessed with food and cooking and when I became aware of how much unnecessary waste was making it to the oceans, I decided I wanted to brea...

You have probably seen moss growing on rocks or trees in your backyard, but have you ever seen it covering the interior walls of an office building? If not, you will soon because these “vertical gardens'' are becoming increasingly popular and for good reason. They are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they also have soundproofing, odor absorbing and air purifying qualities that can help improve...

With inflation on the rise, the price of fertilizers is up a staggering 260% post-pandemic, causing farmers to cut back on the amount of fertilizers they can use on their crops and risking smaller yields. This problem comes at a time when food production is critical and finding solutions isn’t always easy, especially for farmers facing challenges that could pose serious threat to the future of the...

As the climate crisis continues, more and more companies are jumping on the sustainability bandwagon and finding innovative ways to help mitigate or offset carbon emissions. While this is becoming common practice among corporations, what about individuals who want to make a difference?  Join us on this special Earth Day episode of RENEWables , where we sit down with James Regulinski, Co-Found...

Several years ago, while researching oil spills in the ocean, scientists discovered something truly amazing—Microorganisms were using the greenhouse gas, methane as a food source and producing an energy storage material within their cells called Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a naturally occurring polymer that resembles polypropylene, which is one of the most commonly produced plastics in the world. N...

Organic agriculture has grown from a cultural movement to a multi-billion dollar industry within the span of a few decades. This meteoric rise showcases the importance of quality food sourcing and environmental stewardship in consumer choices. But the value of organic agriculture does not just lie in personal preference. As the industry grows, so too does our understanding of the relationships bet...

Every industry consumes water. The process from sourcing to disposal often leads to unsustainable and polluting practices. And as the world’s supply of fresh water continues to dwindle, it becomes even more urgent to find solutions for treating and recycling the water we do consume. Phil Millett, VP of Manufacturing at Purestream joins RENEWables to talk about their technology’s influence on the f...

There is a lot of work that goes into establishing a vineyard, from raising capital down to harvesting the last bunch. This process becomes even more difficult when you are working in a region without a long and fruitful history. Mason Moreland, Managing Partner at Texas Vine Country , hopes to place Texas firmly on the map as an autonomous wine region. Through proper investing, sustainable practi...

Solar PV cells, industrial battery storage, investment tax credits, megawatts... Industry terminology can be intimidating, and the movement towards renewable energy certainly seems confusing. But the transition is much simpler than it appears to be. Tim Montague, Head of Business Development at Continental Energy Solutions , joins this episode of RENEWables to break down renewable energy fuel sour...

The world has a waste problem. Landfills around the planet are reaching capacity, and in many countries those barriers have already been breached. There are various systems in place to address food waste, but what about the rest? A century-old technology is being revitalized to convert waste into energy through a process called plasma gasification. Bill Smith from XcelPlus International joins RENE...

BioStar concluded another successful year of field trials and we invite you to join us as we dive into the exciting information driving these studies and discuss how a systematic approach is critical to the future of agriculture. From nutrient inputs down to the complex chemical interactions of the microbiome, agronomy offers a unique opportunity to pioneer research as we continue to transform the...

Soil health is foundational to successful crop yields and a systematic approach considers the importance of all details. From nutrient inputs down to the complex chemical interactions of the microbiome, agronomy offers a unique opportunity to pioneer research as we continue to transform the concept of sustainability. BioStar's patented SuperSix™ Organic Liquid Fertilizer offers natural solutions t...

A new generation of both institutional and retail investors are increasingly incorporating sustainability into their investment decisions. But where does this information come from and how can you determine whether or not companies are meeting the criteria?  Stefania Di Bartolomeo  from Physis Investment  joins  RENEWables  to discuss how her company uses big data to bring...

One of the biggest challenges the post-pandemic business world will face is navigating a shaken labor market. What are the tools for successful hiring? How can you leverage the unique skillsets of each team member? John B. Conger from Culture Index helps organizations answer these tough questions by using analytics instead of instincts. Tune in to the first episode of Season 2 of RENEWables to hea...

The Farm Babe Talks Sustainable Agriculture Today on RENEWables we meet social media influencer and agriculture industry champion, Michelle Miller of The Farm Babe . She explains how sustainability is at the forefront of U.S. farmer and ranchers' minds and how the industry continues to transform by way of data and new technologies. Michelle celebrates the true “Ag story” by giving scientists and t...

Did you know, commonly used HFC refrigerants are super climate pollutants and are growing faster than any other greenhouse gas on the planet? RENEWables talks to Morgan Smith to understand how the NASRC (North American Sustainable Refrigerant Council) is partnering across the industry with a goal to make climate-friendly, natural refrigerants a feasible business choice for the nearly 38K U.S. supe...

RENEWables welcomes back Mark Riedy of Kilpatrick Townsend , an international project finance lawyer with over 45+ years in the energy, chemical and infrastructure space. His leadership across the renewables industry has proven to be instrumental in making impactful legislative changes to USDA and DOE programs that have helped bioeconomy developers secure federal funding needed to support new and...

As one of the largest Third-Party Logistics (3PL) companies in the country, NFI Industries values the use of clean technology — aiming to not only decrease its own carbon emissions but its customers' as well. Energy and Sustainability Manager David Crist explains how the company’s growing solar portfolio and electrification program to transition fleet vehicles to EV are just some of the important...

In this episode of RENEWables, we talk shop with Sean Andrews, CPO and Head of Sustainability at E-Volve Energy , and learn how his team strives to help commercial and industrial clients strategically manage risk and reduce the amount of energy being used from the grid. As technology costs continue to come down, the opportunity for better economics and wide spread adoption of renewable energy goes...

Extreme Texas Cold Causes Grid Failure | What Happened & Planning For the Future In this RENEWables episode, local Texan and Amperon CEO, Sean Kelly, shares his industry expertise (along with his personal experience) surrounding the days of the February cold snap. He explains how this wasn’t a black swan event and data scientists predicted the extreme conditions. Kelly believes mandatory winte...

On this episode of RENEWables , we conclude our four-part series with a science lesson from Dr. Jerry Hatfield, an agricultural research plant physiologist with a 45+-year industry career. He explains why carefully evaluating the soil plant atmosphere continuum is an important foundation to optimizing the “living system,” to not only improve crop production efficiency but also produce the food nee...

This RENEWables episode dives deep into the weeds of organic farming and how the continued spike of the organic industry is calling for increased soil health, soil fertility and growing better crops. Allen Philo, an organic farming expert with a vast knowledge in soil science, explains how BioStar’s SuperSix™ patented organic liquid fertilizer functions differently than others. Its all-natural for...