Sailors for Sustainability
Seaweed to Improve the Soil – a New Zealand Success Story
When New Zealanders Jill Bradley and her partner Keith visited an organic farm that used seaweed to improve the soil, it changed their lives forever. They researched which seaweed had the best qualities, and started a business to supply farmers with natural biostimulants. Some twenty-five years later, Agrisea is a sizeable player in New Zealand’s agricultural sector. The Sailors for Sustainability, Floris and Ivar, speak to Tane and Clare Bradley, the company’s current directors, to learn more about their business model and their products’ environmental benefits.
Algramo Develops Refill Business with Unilever
In the outskirts of Santiago, inexpensive food is very hard to come by. There are only few supermarkets, and the food at local stores is typically priced 30-40% more expensive than normal. Chilean based startup Algramo has developed a solution to address this challenge. Founded in 2012, the company is solving economic and environmental issues through its vending machines. Algramo dispenses staple products, like grains, rice, beans, lentils, and sugar “by the gram” (al gramo) to low-income customers. Now partnering with Unilever and others, the company has developed a reusable packaging solution for household cleaners and detergents.
Cork: The Circular Material Par Excellence
As part of their round-the-world sailing trip in search of sustainable solutions, the Sailors for Sustainability have moored their boat in Portugal's Algarve region. It's not only popular among tourists, but also where the cork oak tree thrives. Their omnipresence has turned the country into the number one cork producer: it accounts for more than 52 percent of the global annual production of 350,000 tons of cork per year.
Renewable Energy Innovation on El Hierro
As part of their round-the-world sailing trip in search of sustainable solutions, the Sailors for Sustainability visited the Spanish island of El Hierro. Propelled by the northeast trade winds, the Sailors sail to the smallest of the seven main Canary Islands, which makes good use of the constant wind, too. Wind turbines generate a large part of the island’s electricity needs. Yet the Sailors come to see another element of the island’s energy system: the innovative way energy is stored to match supply and demand. How did the islanders manage to set a world-class example in renewable energy storage and what are the success factors?
Sardex: A Local Currency for a Thriving Community
As part of their round-the-world sailing trip in search of sustainable solutions, the Sailors for Sustainability visited Sardinia. During the financial crisis in 2008, the credit flow dried up and unemployment was on the rise, also in Sardinia. In response, five young men from the Sardinian village of Serramanna set up the Sardex, a local currency for businesses in Sardinia. How does it work?
How Copenhagen Realizes its Ambitious Climate Goals
As part of their round-the-world sailing trip in search of sustainable solutions, the Sailors for Sustainability visited Copenhagen last summer. The Danish capital has set the ambitious target of becoming CO2-neutral by 2025. This innovative policy objective makes Copenhagen the world’s leading capital city on climate change. Transformations in the construction, transportation and energy sectors will be required, which will not only have positive effects on the environment, but also create business opportunities.
Community Supported Agriculture at the Kattendorfer Hof
As part of their round-the-world sailing trip in search of sustainable solutions, the Sailors for Sustainability recently came ashore in Kattendorf, Germany. This is their report on a visit to Kattendorfer Hof, an organic farm that works on the basis of Community Supported Agriculture.
