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Top-selling Peruvian cement brand Cemento Sol partnered with ad agency Circus Grey to make the sidewalks of Peru more accessible. In collaboration with the countrys largest advocacy and service organizations for the visually impaired community, the Sightwalks project created cement tiles with coded markings detectable by an individual using a walking stick. The tiles feature tactile horizontal lines; the number of lines are associated with adjacent businesses, services, or venues. The project is both scalable and adaptable to any urban setting. Creativity can be a powerful tool, says José Luis Rivera y Piérola, creative chairman and CEO of Grey Peru. Explore the full list of Fast Companys World Changing Ideas, 100 inspiring projects that are making the world more accessible, equitable, and sustainable for everyone.
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E-Commerce
In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a policy statement warning that plastic foodware could potentially leach hormone-disrupting chemicals into childrens food. Seven years later, millions of children across the U.S. are still eating hot cafeteria lunches off plastic dishware. Manasa Mantravadi and her startup, Ahimsa, are working to change that. A board-certified pediatrician and mother of three, Mantravadi was spurred by the AAPs findings to launch Ahimsa in 2019 to make steel dishware for children. Having gained traction with direct-to-consumer sales to thousands of families, Ahimsa is now aiming to get into schools across the U.S. Through a partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative, the company launched a national pilot in 2024 called the Conscious Cafeteria Project, which saw 15 elementary schools (in California, Minnesota, Indiana, and New York) swap their plastic trays and utensils for reusable stainless steel over the course of a school year. The nonprofit Upstream claims that permanently eliminating plastics from these cafeterias can reduce their average annual CO2 emissions by 83%. The project displaced more than 1 million single-use items in total and decreased water usage by 78% (the difference between water used during production for single-use plastic and production for reusable steel). And, by making the swap, each school saved nearly $4,000 per year. One major challenge Mantravadi continues to face is that many school administrators are unaware of plastic dishwares risks. She shares educational content and research on Ahimsas Instagram account, and the companys website includes additional resources. Children cant advocate for themselvesthey dont have voting power, they dont make purchasing decisions, Mantravadi says. Its my job as a pediatrician, its parents jobs, its legislators jobs, its teachers jobs. Were the adults in the room, and weve got to make better choices to invest in the health of our children. Explore the full list of Fast Companys World Changing Ideas, 100 inspiring projects that are making the world more accessible, equitable, and sustainable for everyone.
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E-Commerce
Healthy soil is alive. Its full of insects, fungi, and microbes that break down dead organic matter and convert it into nutrients. Microbes are the most abundant: One teaspoon of soil contains more microbes than there are people on Earth. As all these organisms do their work of decomposition and nutrient cycling, they release energy. Milú Brunells Soli lamp turns that energy into light. The recent Savannah College of Art and Design grad designed the outdoor lamp to use microbial fuel cells, a type of battery that converts the chemical energy released by microorganisms (like those in soil or wastewater) into electricity. When Brunell, an industrial designer with a passion for sustainability, embarked on her senior project at SCAD, she wanted to design lighting with more than just function in mind. She says she was guided by the question, How can we create things that help us be in tune with our environment? Microbial fuel cells arent totally new, but they are still a nascent technology. Researchers have said they could be an alternative to fossil fuels, powering everything from biosensors to wastewater treatment and desalination plants. In research labs, the cells have powered small fans, LEDs, and calculators, and scientists have also conducted wastewater treatment pilots. But scaling up this electricity source is still a challenge because it produces relatively low power and isnt yet cost competitive. Brunell focused on designing lighting because she loves the way it can shift emotions or create ambience. Though mostly a conceptual project, the Soli lamp is now a functional prototype, powered by a microbial fuel cell Brunell built herself using the soil from her own garden. She sees Soli working one day for streetlights or in public parks, too. Soli is just the beginning of creating awareness, and asking ourselves, If we nurture soil and we give back, how can we explore this relationship further? she says. Instead of just exploiting Earth, how can we collaborate with it, respect it, and coexist with it? Explore the full list of Fast Companys World Changing Ideas, 100 inspiring projects that are making the world more accessible, equitable, and sustainable for everyone.
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E-Commerce
The oubli is an ultra-sweet tropical fruit from West Africabut its not full of sugar. Instead, it contains a type of sweet protein called brazzein. Recognizing the potential of sweet proteins to replace sugar, California-based food-tech company Oobli is using precision fermentation to make them at scale. Because they evolved along with us to trick us into thinking they were sugar, they hit our sweet taste receptors in a very similar way, says Jason Ryder, Ooblis founder and chief technology officer. But after that, they digest just like other proteins do. The proteins dont affect blood sugar, so they can avoid the health issues of sugar and sugar alternatives, such as heart attack and stroke. Ooblis fermentation-based approach avoids the difficulty of harvesting the fruit in its native tropical environment. For every 1% reduction in sugar production, the company estimates that it can save 525,000 acres of land, 88 billion gallons of water, and a million metric tons of CO2 emissions. In 2024, when the FDA reviewed the safety data for two of Ooblis proteins and raised no objections, other food-ingredient companies, such as Ingredion, ramped up their R&D with Oobli. The sweet proteins can replace up to 90% of sugar in most sweet food and drinks, and since the proteins can be as much as 5,000 times sweeter than sugar, only a tiny amount is needed. That helps the proteins compete on cost with sugar, which is cheap to produce. In products like baked goods, Ooblis alternatives leave room in recipes for other nutrients, such as extra fiber. They can also be used to reduce the aftertaste of sugar alternatives. The company now makes its own line of chocolates using the proteins. Multiple global brands, including Mexico-based Grupo Bimbo, the worlds largest baked goods company, are preparing to launch products with the ingredients soon.
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E-Commerce
Dairy farms account for about 2% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Manure in waste lagoons decomposes into methane, a major greenhouse gas. The Varcor system from Sedron Technologies recycles biosolids into carbon-negative ammonia and dry fertilizer. Varcor also processes dairy waste into certified organic liquid nitrogen and phosphorus-rich dry solids. Traditional nitrogen fertilizer production and wastewater treatment contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, but the Varcor system disrupts this cycle by capturing ammonia directly from wastewater, preventing unnecessary emissions and reducing reliance on petrochemical-based fertilizers. It costs less than current methods, says Stanley Janicki, Sedrons chief commercial officer, and it is solving incredibly large environmental issues. Explore the full list of Fast Companys World Changing Ideas, 100 inspiring projects that are making the world more accessible, equitable, and sustainable for everyone.
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E-Commerce
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