As another Earth Day rolls around, give yourself a pat on the back if you’re leading wellbeing by recycling, re-using rainwater, composting, riding a bike to work, driving an electric car, or otherwise embracing best practices when it comes to taking care of the planet. Congratulations for being part of an international movement to secure a sustainable future! In fact, the Earth Day Network would love you to record your earth-friendly moves on their site. They’re at over a “billion acts of green” and counting.
In addition to celebrating the best practices that are proven to help the planet, Earth Day is a fantastic time to look ahead to the “next practices” in environmental wellness. Next practices are all about innovation and rejuvenation (near and dear to wellbeing leaders’ hearts): What can be done differently and better to advance a larger wellbeing agenda for humankind?
I am fascinated and inspired by the cutting-edge strategies of these three companies below. Did you every think you’d see the day when drinking water could be created out of thin air, you could grow your own wardrobe, or turn food waste into power? Talk about an “earth” day!
Make Drinking Water Out of Thin Air
No wonder Water-Gen Ltd. is on Fast Company’s list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2014. The Israel-based company has developed a unique patented technology that produces drinking water out of air (it’s called atmospheric water generation), as well as a mobile contraption for purifying available water sources. Its products are currently offered to military markets (think troops who can’t always get to or transport enough water to supply their needs) … but can you imagine if the technologies were used for broader human good?
Grow Your Own Clothes
Biocouture sees a future where we actually grow materials from minimal renewable (or waste) resources. The pioneering design consultancy based in London is focused on bringing living and bio-based materials to fashion and other industries. In this fascinating movie, you can see how founder/creative director Suzanne Lee harnesses organisms like bacteria, yeast, fungi, and algae to produce biomaterials like cellulose, which she turns into actual garments. She has even made shoes using this process, and imagines a day where growing your own compostable wardrobe is an alternative to the high costs of traditional materials, labor, and disposal of clothes.
Turn Food Waste Into Power
Trash into power? No problem. Harvest Power, a clean tech company based in Waltham, Massachusetts, takes food waste and yard refuse and turns it into renewable energy and natural fertilizer. How? Through a process of anaerobic digestion and composting. In fact, in a suburb of Vancouver, the company transforms enough trash to supply power to 900 homes. A true wellbeing leader, Harvest Power CEO Paul Sellow is leading conversations about clean technology and the new path for organic materials. Harvest Power is also a member of Certified B Corps, a growing community of 32 countries and 60 industries working together to use the power of business to solve environmental and social problems.
What earth-friendly “next practice” wellbeing leaders do you think rock? Please share in the comments below. The more we inspire each other with environmental advances and success stories, the closer we get to making “earth” day every day.
READ MORE
• Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
• How Can We Make Sustainability Real?
• The Earth Says: What’s Your Hurry?
