Food Archives - Page 4 of 13

Aging US Water Infrastructure Wastes Massive Amounts of Water

May 26, 2014

by Derek Markham

Upgrading and modernizing our aging water infrastructure can be an incredibly effective method of conserving fresh water. In fact, cutting water losses and optimizing its use ought to be one of the very first steps in building a more sustainable world. However, because much of our water systems are virtually invisible to the average citizen, the water infrastructure may not be getting the attention, or the innovation, that it needs in order to be able to cope with the increased…

4 Huge Market Opportunities for Eco Entrepreneurs

May 2, 2014

by Derek Markham

We green types get accused of loving nature, the environment, etc., more than human beings a lot. But, from my perspective, an environmentally sustainable lifestyle is pretty human friendly: not only do we all need clean air, water, and soil to survive…

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Delivered by Parachute

April 28, 2014

by Derek Markham

The mobile food revolution seems to mostly involve food trucks, food delivery services, and bicycle food deliveries, but for a decidedly low-tech take on food service, this project uses gravity to get its sandwiches in the hands of its customers. Jafflechutes pairs a toasted grilled cheese sandwich (a jaffle) with a handmade parachute, which is used to float the sandwich down to street level, where the hungry customer awaits. Originally a “pop-up cafeteria” in an apartment in Melbourne, Australia, the…

One answer to food deserts might be this innovative greenhouse system

April 24, 2014

by Derek Markham

A group of environmentally conscious entrepreneurs wants to bring fresh, local, organic food to backyards and communities around the world, and they’re doing it with a specially designed greenhouse system described as a “self-contained, year-round, all-natural grocery store.” The lifePOD system is a moveable greenhouse structure with a full array of complementary growing technologies that allows for hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic growing, and can be used year-round to produce local food in quantities to feed many people, especially those in…

Fred Water Elevates Refilling Water Bottles with Stylish Water Tower Dispenser

April 23, 2014

by Derek Markham

Bottled water isn’t exactly a green product, because most of the time it’s not any better for you than tap water (and in fact the water inside the bottle is usually just municipal tap water), and because single-use products that generate more plastic waste is an idea that really needs to be rethought. So it’s encouraging when a bottled water brand encourages its customers to refill their bottles with tap water instead of buying another new one, and makes it…

GE + Saudi Aramco: Energy Efficient Seawater Desalination Open Innovation Challenge

April 21, 2014

by Derek Markham

Lack of access to freshwater is a major touchpoint of our times, as we require it for drinking, washing, and a wide variety of industrial processes, and one of the biggest challenges facing nations in arid regions is supplying fresh potable water in a cost-effective and energy-efficient manner. Because the largest source of water for many countries is the ocean, using seawater desalination plants to render the ocean’s water drinkable has become the focus for many countries, but the process…

Craft Beer Brewers Have a New Tool to Slash Energy and Water Costs

April 4, 2014

by Derek Markham

Every business, large or small, needs to keep a careful eye on energy and water costs, but for industries that use a lot of both, such as breweries, keeping those costs down can make a huge difference in the bottom line. And for a small craft beer brewer, working on tighter margins and a smaller scale, using both water and energy in the most efficient manner is key. One option that could help brewers keep energy and water costs in…

Watch the World’s Largest Rooftop Farm Grow in 3 Minutes

April 2, 2014

by Derek Markham

New York City isn’t exactly known for its agriculture, but thanks to the efforts of Brooklyn Grange, the city is now home to the world’s largest rooftop farm, with 65,000 square feet of growing space on the roof of Building no. 3 at the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard. This urban farm produced tens of thousands of pounds of fresh local food last year, and thanks to time-lapse photography, the entire growing season was captured and can be viewed in under…

She knows what goats like: Crowdfunding with a daring twist

March 28, 2014

by Derek Markham

One important component in the future of a more sustainable food system is increasing the number of smaller, independent, local food producers, and the rise in the number of aspiring farmers in both the country and in urban areas is a good indicator that interest in the agricultural and new food economy is growing, and with it, the number of food startups. And while food technology or packaging or marketing or app startups are sexier to the media than those…