Biobased Radio

Joel Stone, President of ConVergInce Advisers and Executive Vice President of Lee Enterprises, the world’s premier bioeconomy consulting group. Denny and Joel discuss necessary investments within the bioeconomy ranging from monetary investments to feedstocks and human development.

Many things have led us to where we are in the emerging bioeconomy from the biofuels boom to feedstocks of the future and Joel has been there the whole way.

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Dave Schwantes, is the Founder & CEO of B4 Branding, providing consulting and marketing strategies for clients in multiple sectors. Denny and Dave discuss buying biobased products from the consumer’s perspective and how the demand for biobased products has grown.

It’s been a long journey for biobased products, but the demand grows day-by-day. Data and analytics show that more consumers are going to their local stores looking for products made from increasingly more sustainable sources. That’s a huge win! While there is a lot ot celebrate for how far these products have come, there’s still a long way to go.

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Don Scott, Director of Sustainability at the National Biodiesel Board, joins host, Denny Hall, to talk about a substitute for diesel fuel, the Renewable Fuels Standard, and the food vs fuel debate.

In this episode, Denny talks to Don about what biodiesel made from vegetable oil and animal fats, the biodiesel process, and what kind of biodiesel blend is available at retailers around the country.

Most retailers already sell diesel fuel that is up to 5% biobased. 5% is an achievement in itself, but there’s a long way to go to reducing emissions and promoting sustainability. A key debate in the production of biodiesel is food vs fuel. Should we devoting time and resources to producing biofuels that can be spent producing food? Don helps us break down key points and demonstrates why this argument isn’t as contemptuous as it seems.

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Jim Lane is the Editor & Publisher of BioFuels Digest, the world’s most widely read biofuels daily. Jim joins host, Denny Hall, to talk about the most exciting new companies in the bioeconomy. Listen in as Jim and Denny discuss body armor made from spider silk, biobased surfboards, and the real story behind the movie “21”.

Jim is well-versed in many facets of the bioeconomy and he displays his wealth of knowledge on the subject. During the discussion, Denny talks about CABLE, the Consortium for Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Education. CABLE is a project led by Denny at The Ohio State University that puts 20 students at 20 different universities through a year of leadership development in the bioeconomy. If you want to read more about CABLE, check out the website at u.osu.edu/cable.

You can subscribe to BioFuels Digest by visiting their website at biofuelsdigest.com. Each day you’ll get the latest news and information about the bioeconomy delivered right to your inbox.

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Brad Rogers is the Packaging Department Senior Manager with PepsiCo. He joins Biobased Radio host, Denny Hall, to talk about sustainability in packaging. A lot goes in to making your Lays and Fritos snack bags more sustainable. Denny and Brad will discuss a noisy launch of Sun Chips, the ideal characteristics of a snack bag, and the 37th largest economy in the world.

Designing a snack bag can be challenging. It needs to be durable, environmentally-friendly, and attractive to the eye. Brad clues us in on the thought process that goes into each layer of a snack bag. Yes, snack bags have layers. 10-15 layers, actually!

Hear about PepsiCo’s plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and their plan to decrease stadium waste not just in America, but around the world.

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Kate Lewis is a Deputy Program Manager with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) BioPreferred Program. She joins Biobased Radio host, Denny Hall, from Philadelphia where she’s attending BIO International, a convention dedicated to growing the global biotech industry.

In the episode, Denny asks Kate about her journey to the BioPreferred Program through a degree in communications and her early career at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) where she worked on the Energy Star program.

When Kate came to the USDA’s BioPreferred Program, one of the program’s biggest challenges was finding a way to educate the public on biobased products and creating a system that would certify those products. Thus, the USDA’s Certified BioPreferred label was born. Since the inception of the BioPreferred label, the program has certified 3,500 products in over 100 categories. To search the online catalog of certified products, check out the BioPreferred website at https://www.biopreferred.gov/BioPreferred/faces/catalog/Catalog.xhtml.

But, wait. What is a biobased product? Kate goes into detail about what makes a particular product biobased and eligible to receive the Certified BioPreferred label.

Haven’t heard of biobased products before? You’re not alone. According to a survey conducted by the Bioproducts Innovation Center at The Ohio State University, only 8% of the public are aware of biobased products. How can we change that? Kate has some advice for people who are interested in creating a more sustainable future and how you can get involved.

Music is Beyond The Line from Bensound.com

Biobased Radio is a podcast promoting a more sustainable future through conversations with industry, university, and environmentalists.

Delivered twice monthly, you’ll hear conversations around what it means to be biobased and what steps industry, university, and activists are taking to shape our world for years to come.

Biobased Radio is a production of OBIC, the Bioproducts Innovation Center at The Ohio State University in association with the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food & Agriculture (USDA NIFA). If you’d like to help our podcast grow, plant a seed with a friend and rate and review on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information, check out Biobased Radio at https://u.osu.edu/biobasedradio