Chasing Sustainability

"I came up with this idea like, I don't have to solve everything, I can just do whatever I can to make a difference"

Want to learn how to start your own sustainability campaign, but do not know where to start? Listen to our conversation with Yasmin, where she talks about her journey coming from Belgium to Canada and her reason to live in Vancouver. In this opportunity, Yasmin also talk about her journey starting her campaign called "buttwatch" and all the challenges along the way while initiating this campaign. She also shares her advice to the young generation on how to approach people and change people's behavior towards sustainable initiatives by spreading positive energy and persuasive methods. Are you excited to hear more about Yasmin? Tune in to our fifth episode of the season.

"Because a lot of the benefits that come out of these ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) implementation are cost savings"

Curious to understand how hotels and other hospitality businesses use ESG implementation to save costs in the long term. Join us in our conversation with Ian Lin from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. As an ESG analyst at Four Seasons, Ian will uncover the approaches that his company uses while implementing the ESG principles in their day-to-day business with their customers and partner vendors. In this opportunity, Ian will also explain how he got into this position and how his passion for sustainability developed during his undergraduate degree. Can’t wait to hear more from Ian Lin. Tune in to our podcast now!

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"NEW GREEN HORIZON"

According to Skift research, 83% of global travelers believe sustainable travel is critical. In addition, 73% of travelers would prefer accommodations that have implemented sustainability measures, according to Booking's Sustainability 2021 Report. Of those surveyed, 61 percent said the pandemic has made them want to travel in a more sustainable way in the future. But that's not all. According to new research by Futtera in the US and UK, 88% of consumers want brands to help them improve their environmental and social footprint.

These staggering numbers underscore how important it is for hotels to develop strategies around sustainability. As we move toward a more aware and environmentally conscious consumer image, hotels must be able to adapt by offering more sustainable travel opportunities.

In addition, the pandemic has raised environmental awareness and is seen as a catalyst for changing some consumption patterns that may impact the environment in the medium to long term. An example of this awareness can be seen in Venice today.

Before the pandemic, the Italian city welcomed as many as 80,000 visitors a day, according to CNN. Il Gazzettino, Venice's local newspaper, also reports that the number of tourists exceeds 50 percent of Venice's 50,000 residents. In the wake of the 2020 tourism meltdown, Italian officials have announced plans to charge tourists to enter Venice in an effort to curb the onslaught of tourists and day-trippers on the city. They have also banned large cruise ships from entering Venice's waters.

In addition, Google has recently launched a number of tourism sustainability initiatives for hotels to participate in. Starting in September 2021, hotels that meet the sustainability standards of independent organizations such as Green Key or EarthCheck will have an eco-certified badge next to their name in searches at google.com/travel.

“Stick to those things that you love because that's the thing that is going to keep you up if you don't”

Learn more about how Craig from ‘Trendi’ finding a solution to the food waste problem. In this third episode of the season, we will dive in with Craig Macintosh to solve this inevitable problem in our society, which is food waste. As a chef, Craig knows how much food has been wasted in the kitchen, while on the other side many people are food deprived. This ironic reality makes Craig realize that something needs to step up and make a change. ‘Trendi’ is a company that focuses on solving the food waste problem by offering various solutions which are, Biotrim technology, upcycled ingredients, and vending kiosks. Want to hear more about Craig’s journey and his tips for young entrepreneurs? Listen and join us in our conversation with Craig.

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"NEW GREEN HORIZON"

Do you Know: At a time when 811 million people go to bed hungry every night, a third of all food produced to eat is wasted or lost? The United Nations aims to halve global food waste by 2030, and technology solutions have shown promise in supporting that goal.

Food can be lost early in the supply chain, during production and processing, or later, when restaurants, supermarkets, and households throw it away. Rampant food waste worsens global hunger. It exacerbates the climate emergency, too, with an estimated 8-10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions being associated with unconsumed food. Solving the food waste problem becomes increasingly possible with the sustainability companies adopting the latest technology: 

US-based Winnow uses computer vision to help commercial kitchens around the world understand how food is being wasted, measuring the amounts discarded using smart sensors attached to waste bins. The app also proposes strategies to prevent waste while saving money. Wasteless, meanwhile, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to maintain dynamic pricing on items with upcoming expiration dates. The objective is to help supermarkets and online grocery stores in Europe and the US reduce food waste and extend the value of their perishable food items.

"Take jobs that are going to excite you, that are going to bring you learning opportunity, that going to allow you to utilize some of your tools"

Want to learn how to transform your class project into real business practice? Join us on our second episode with Marc Wandler from Susgrainable Health Foods. Susgrainable is an upcycling business that uses rescued grains from local craft breweries and use it to make a healthy baking mix. In this episode, we discuss how Marc and his friends were inspired by their class project in their MBA course to build a business called Susgrainable Health Foods. Marc also shares his tips on building our own businesses and becoming an entrepreneur. Last but not least, listen to Marc top poker’s advice as he was a huge poker player back then. Sounds like an exciting conversation, therefore, make sure you listen to our conversation with Marc.

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"NEW GREEN HORIZON"

When it comes to food waste, where do you think of first? Is it the profligate Middle East or developing Africa? Data shows that it has been the world's largest developing country, China, which takes the top of the list in terms of total food waste in recent years. With the increasing consumption power of the people, the Chinese people's demand for food and drink has increased. Statistics show that over 35 million tons of food is wasted every year, which is equivalent to 350 million people's food for a year. Not only is food consumption unethical, but it also creates food waste and damages the environment!

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection, the Mainland started to promote the "Clear your Plate Campaign" in 2013, hoping to reduce "waste on Bites of China". In Wuhan, for example, the local restaurant industry has introduced the "N-1" ordering model, encouraging the number of orders to be reduced by one by the actual number of diners. Restaurants will also reward customers for packing leftovers to reduce waste. In Chengdu, a restaurant has introduced "small portion" ordering, where the price is no longer calculated on a per-course basis, but on the basis of the weight of the food ordered. This change has successfully reduced daily food waste by more than 60%. In Shanghai, a staff canteen has introduced smart ordering, allowing staff to make reservations in advance for the next week's meals and thus reduce food purchases.

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Transcript link:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10imtR0bZ0a9mCYBT0BvvifccM5EC6ZP9nOE931On6KU/edit?usp=sharing

'I always look to students for innovation, I think you have the benefit of not having the blinders on ... so get engaged in community development'

Join us in our conversation with Marla Zucht, General Manager of Whistler Housing Authority. On this first episode of this season, we will dive in with Marla to learn more about how the local communities and government work together to build better housing for its people. Hear Marla talk about her career journey and how it feels like working in such a beautiful area in Whistler. In the conversation, she also mentions the short and long-term projects for Whistler Housing Authority and how students can contribute to its community development. 

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"NEW GREEN HORIZON"

Which city do you think of when you hear “garden city”?  Well,The term “Garden City” was introduced 50 years ago when Singapore, this second populated city-state, began a race to increase parks and green spaces within the city to transform a dirty and highly polluted city into a green and sustainable model. Today, as one of the cleanest and greenest cities in the world, it is no doubt a success story recognized the world over.

Walking on Singapore's streets, it’s not hard to see Vegetation starts out on the ground and reaches the very top of buildings, it grows on terraces and also inside houses and offices. These designs are called ECO-FRIENDLY BUILDING AND VERTICAL GARDENS and they has been mandatory since 2008 in Singapore.One of the finest examples of the union between architecture and nature on the island is the Jewel Changi airport within-door plant collections cover 236,806 Sq ft.

The green city in Singapore is truly an environmental achievement, but are there any green cities in Canada? Well, some may consider Whistler to be at the forefront of green architecture, as well as a nature lover's paradise. To learn more about how Whistler is combining advancements in small-town housing with environmental conscientiousness, we spoke with Marla Zucht, Head of the Whistler Housing Authority.

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Transcript link:

 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zckEgOJetYHv7FRKzh08V-UNal8tbxWX1_ii3kp_0vk/edit?usp=sharing

Tune into a conversation with Edoardo De Martin, the President and Chief Technology Officer of Cubic Farms. Cubic Farms is a company on a mission to create indoor farming technologies to feed a changing world.

Listen to our team talk about our sustainability tips. We got together to share a couple of ways we like to incorporate sustainability into our daily lives ranging from gift giving to eating more sustainably.

Listen to Marina Tran-Vu, the founder and CEO of Equo. Equo works to create sustainable solutions to everyday single use items. In this episode Marina discusses her passions and visions.

We had the opportunity to chat with Andy Chou, the co-founder and CEO of Drinkfill and Soapstand. These companies are creating zero-waste soap and drink refill stations. Andy is an entrepreneur with big ideas helping to improve our sustainable habits in everyday life.

Join in on the CUS podcast team's discussion on sustainable businesses. We will be introducing the businesses Chopvalue, Goodly Foods, Kind Cafe, and Susgrainable!