The Real Leaders Eco Innovation Awards honors the companies applying innovative environmental solutions for the greater good. It’s an annual global ranking of companies that drive environmental social impact in all major sectors of the economy. These companies have a new vision of what the world should look like and how the environment should benefit. They show what business can achieve when we align positive growth with responsible custodianship of the Earth. Below, we celebrate those contributing to a healthier planet — leaders that are helping grow and inspire the impact movement with game-changing ideas.
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11. Nature’s Logic
12. CarltonOne Engagement
13. Solberg MFG
14. Aspiration
15. HELPSY
16. ettitude
17. Green Plains
18. Flor de Caña Rum
19. AeroFarms
20. Clover Sonoma
31. Propagate
32. Smarter Sorting
33. Greenhope
34. Green Hammer
35. MPOWERD
36. Steelhead Productions
37. Hydropoint Data Systems
38. Groguru
39. Green Canopy Node
40. CubicFarm Systems
41. Green Badger
42. Bio Raw
43. Animated Insights
44. EcoLogic Solutions
45. Naturepedic
46. CH4 Global
47. BamCore
48. Pearl Certification
49. The Refill Shoppe
50. Florean
1. Sunwealth Power
Powering Green Jobs & Energy Savings for Communities
Sunwealth finances community-based solar projects that provide diverse communities with clean power, carbon reduction, cost savings, and green jobs. It partners with skilled local installers, community organizations, businesses, and investors to change who benefits from solar by changing the way it invests in it. Recently, Sunwealth partnered with the New York City Housing Authority to install the largest community solar project in NYC on the largest affordable housing development in the country: 1.8 megawatts of rooftop solar gardens on 27 buildings in Queens, New York. Sunwealth.com
2. Procter & Gamble
Keeping Forests Healthy for Generations to Come
Procter & Gamble is putting its purchasing power and clout behind efforts to increase the number of Forest Stewardship Council®-certified lands in the world. Through its Charmin, Bounty, and Puffs brands, P&G collaborates with suppliers, NGO partners and others who source from forests to promote responsible forestry. Its “Protect, Grow and Restore” strategy is designed to increase the number of FSC-certified forests, grow two trees for every tree it uses, and restore areas that have experienced damage through wildfires and other disasters. In three years, P&G doubled its use of FSC-certified fiber to 75%, with the goal of reaching 100% by 2030. us.pg.com
3. Arcelik
Fighting Microfiber Plastic Pollution Starts at Home
With synthetic microfibers being the most prevalent type of microplastics found in water and a major cause of plastic pollution in our environment, Grundig launched a new washing machine with FiberCatcher® technology that empowers consumers in the fight against plastic pollution — that catches up to 90% of synthetic fibers released during wash cycles, helping to protect waterways, oceans, and marine life. “To enforce a social and environmental transformation within the business community, we need effective and driven leadership,” says CEO Hakan Bulgurlu. “People are no longer interested in ‘star CEOs’ of the last few decades. The challenging social, economic, and environmental state of our world today shows that we need a leadership style that values social and environmental justice. ArcelikGlobal.com
4. Greatview Aseptic Packaging Company
Reducing the Negative Impact of Bottled Water
Elix Water replaces standard non-renewable oil-based bottles with paper-based bottles 100% sourced from FSC-certified forests. The company supplies paper bottles to the New World Group’s hotels across China, and then recovers and recycles post-consumer paper bottles. To date, New World Hotels have replaced plastic bottles with 314,664 paper-based packages, saving 1,990kg of oil and reducing 7,756kg in CO2 emissions. GreatviewPack.com
5. Just Salad
Using carbon labels on food to raise climate awareness
In 2020, Just Salad became the first U.S. restaurant chain to carbon label its menu — using carbon labels to create its in-store Earth-Friendly menu board, which features low-carbon, plant-based options, and the “Climatarian” lifestyle filter on its online menus, which creates a list of items with the lowest carbon footprints. After the menu launch, Just Salad saw a nearly 10% jump in sales of these items. “As a leader, it’s about finding talented people who buy into your mission and setting a high bar for successful execution,” says CEO Nick Kenner. “My advice to other business leaders looking to make a meaningful difference would be to prioritize the environmental impact that their business will have on future generations, in addition to being fully committed to doing things that are good for the planet across operations. JustSalad.com
6. Shared-X
Regenerative Agriculture at Its Best
Shared-X integrates its soil microbe-nourishing biotechnologies into an impact farming system that improves soil carbon sequestration, farmer income, and farm health. It has improved soil carbon concentration by 3.5x and smallholder farmer incomes up to 5x. Shared-X invents and licenses biology-based regenerative agriculture solutions covering a range of applications including bionutrients, biostimulants, microorganisms, and biofortification agents. It has conducted field trials in over 15 crops in over 10 countries with strong results. It goes beyond organic standards to improve soil-based microbial nutrition, which, in turn, more effectively nourishes crops and lifts smallholder yields. Shared-X.com
7. Gradiant
Developing and Deploying Cleantech Water Solutions
Gradiant used its Carrier Gas Extraction (CGE) technology to provide sustainable wastewater treatment services in Singapore for a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical brand. The goal was to install a zero-liquid discharge wastewater treatment plant to safely process the wastewater from pharmaceutical products affecting yields and waste disposal under unique COVID-19 restrictions. Gradiant’s CGE process effectively mimicked the rain cycle to treat the industrial wastewater via humidity and resulted in a 96% water recovery rate and up to 30% capital expenditures and up to 40% operating expenses savings compared to competitors. Gradiant.com
8. Roof Maxx
Keeping Shingles Out of Landfills
Roof Maxx is a national roof maintenance company that developed a plant-based formula to rejuvenate and strengthen aging asphalt shingle roofs. Its product and service protects homes and reduces construction waste from premature roof disposals in a safe and environmentally friendly way. It has treated an estimated 50 million square feet of roof, reducing the unnecessary fiberglass and chemical waste and keeping asphalt shingle roofs
out of landfills. “Transformational change comes from setting big audacious goals and leading without authority,” says CEO Mike Feazel. “Company leaders remind and motivate those within the organization and a network of dealers about the impact they have on families in their communities and the environment.” RoofMaxx.com
9. TerraCycle
Tacking PPE Waste
Globally, public recycling systems are in decline. As the industry is struggling to process the new influx of PPE waste due to COVID-19, TerraCycle, which specializes in the collection and repurposing of hard-to-recycle post-consumer waste, has developed recycling solutions to address this public health and plastic pollution crisis. Upon collecting PPE waste, it breaks it down and uses the material to create new items such as plastic shipping pallets, railroad ties or outdoor furniture. By providing these turn-key recycling solutions, TerraCycle hopes to demonstrate that recycling can be rewarding while being a win for the environment too. TerraCycle.com
10. Moleaer
Combating Hydrogen Sulfide with Nanobubbles
In October 2021, residents of Carson, California, and adjacent neighborhoods were impacted by an odor from the Dominguez Channel, as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels reached 7,000 ppb. Residents reported headaches, nausea, sore throats, and burning eyes; 3,200 were temporarily relocated. Moleaer was contracted by LA County Dept. of Public Works to use its patented nanobubble technology to increase oxygen levels and combat the H2S production. Moleaer installed 14 nanobubble generators along the Channel, treating up to 60 million gallons of water per day. The technology provides hyper-efficient gas transfer and injects air nanobubbles, 100 nanometers in diameter, into the water. Currently, H2S levels are near pre-incident levels and residents have returned home. Moleaer.com
11. Nature’s Logic
Plastic Neutral Pet Food Packaging
In 2020, Nature’s Logic™ premium pet food introduced the first Certified Plastic Neutral product in the plastic-hungry pet food industry. The company funds women-run micro-businesses in India to pull ocean-bound plastic out of the waste stream and recycle it — recycling at least one pound of plastic for every pound used. “There are a number of factors that impact change within an organization,” says CEO Greg Cyr. “A commitment to ongoing education, an openness to new ideas or new ways of tackling issues, clear lines of communication, and the cultivation of strong, positive corporate culture allow transformational change to be possible and impactful. NaturesLogic.com
12. CarltonOne Engagement
Funding the Planting of More Trees
With over 5 million users across 185 countries, CarltonOne Evergrow eco-action business model funds the planting of millions of trees every year, removing billions of pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere and fighting deforestation and poverty in Madagascar, Nepal, Mozambique, Indonesia and Kenya. This eco-action vision mirrors its product mission to help companies better engage their teams and customers with purpose. It is on track to plant 100 million native trees every year by 2023. CarltonOne.com
13. Solberg MFG
Reducing Harmful Pollution from Industrial Exhaust
Oil mist aerosols are pollutants, noxious to breathe, and create a dangerous work environment. Solberg MFG products are used to capture visible oil mist aerosols before they are freely exhausted. The aerosol goes through the different stages of filtration and in the process oil mist coalesces into a liquid that is drained into either a safe disposal container or back into the engine/equipment to be reused. The oil mist eliminator filters are designed to help ensure environmental compliance while keeping work spaces clean, safe and free of oil mist. Solberg MFG went from capturing 413,000 gallons of oil in 2010 to 739,000 gallons of oil in 2020. SolbergMFG.com
14. Aspiration
Making Change with Change
Aspiration Bank’s “Plant Your Change” initiative encourages consumers to use their spare change to plant trees. By rounding up each purchase on their linked accounts, any consumer with a debit or credit card can plant a tree, reducing their daily carbon footprint. This initiative — along with the new Aspiration Zero credit card that allows consumers to track their carbon footprint and plant a tree with every purchase — has helped Aspiration plant over 70 million trees in the past year, with a goal of planting 5 billion trees within the next 10 years. Aspiration.com
15. HELPSY
Making Recycling Clothing Easy as Recycling a Soda Can
By collecting, sorting, and supplying used clothing to second-hand merchants, HELPSY supplants the need for the production of millions of new garments a year. 95% of what it collects is reused, upcycled, or recycled. The higher grades are resold to thrift stores in North America and other second-hand markets. The lower grades get turned into rags for industrial use or things like stuffing and insulation. With over 2,000 collection partners across the Northeast United States, HELPSY currently collects and processes more than 29 million pounds of clothing a year and is on track to double this amount next year. Helpsy.co
16. ettitude
Sleep Sustainably with Bamboo Bedding
ettitude is a sustainable lifestyle brand offering bamboo bedding, bath, and sleep essentials that are gentle on the skin and the planet. Its CleanBamboo fabric is breathable like cotton and produced in a closed-loop system that recycles and reuses water up to 200 times. The bamboo comes from FSC-certified bamboo forests, which use only rainwater to grow. Based on a product life cycle analysis, the CleanBamboo sheet set uses 500x less water and creates 52% less carbon emissions. ettitude is Climate Neutral certified, and 1% of all sales are donated to environmental nonprofits. ettitude.com
17. Green Plains
Creating Low-carbon Ingredients For
a Growing World
Green Plains Inc. is a biorefining company that develops fermentation, agricultural, and biological technologies that make annually renewable crops more sustainable. To improve the energy efficiency at all of its biorefineries, it began implementing its Project 24 initiative in 2019. Three of its 11 biorefineries were already built with technology to ensure peak energy efficiency during round-the-clock operations. For the remaining facilities, it developed an engineered solution that increased beer column and reboiler efficiency, lowered operating costs, significantly reduced energy usage, and improved carbon intensity scores. The system reduces the energy consumption used in distillation. gpreinc.com
18. Flor de Caña Rum
Carbon-Conscious Rum
In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, Flor de Caña Rum implemented a series of projects such as capturing and recycling all CO2 emissions during the fermentation process and using 100% renewable energy during the distillation process. It worked alongside Carbon Trust to make sure that the entire lifecycle carbon footprint was measured and certified, that a carbon management plan was in place to reduce emissions, and that any remaining emissions were offset. In 2020, Flor de Caña was certified as a carbon neutral company, and is working toward becoming carbon positive. FlordeCana.com
19. AeroFarms
Growing Plants for the Betterment of Humanity
AeroFarms is an indoor farming company that utilizes the latest in vertical farming, artificial intelligence, and plant biology to improve how fresh produce is grown and distributed. It uses up to 95% less water than field-farmed food and up to 99% less land with zero runoff and zero pesticides. Currently, AeroFarms offers 11 varieties to over 500 retail stores in addition to online grocery platforms. Its indoor operation allows it to grow fresh greens 365 days per year, and turn its crop over 26x per year (vs.12x in high-tech greenhouses and 1-3x via traditional farming.) AeroFarms.com
Eco Innovation Allies
These organizations empower others to realize their mission and purpose through strategic business decisions that create positive environmental impact.
Arnerich Massena
Arnerich Massena’s intention investing initiative is focused on crafting unique, custom investment portfolios that align investors’ investments with their values.
ArnerichMassena.com
Ceres
The Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets educates and engages regulators, financial institutions, investors and other capital market influencers to act on the climate crisis as a systemic financial risk. Ceres.org
Ecotone Analytics GBC
Ecotone Analytics GBC helps corporations, nonprofits, and governments measure, model, and manage the impact they’ve had and the impact they have yet to create. EcotoneAnalytics.com
Guardian US
News publisher Guardian US leverages its global platform on behalf of partners and climate-related topics – such as its “Power of Green” renewable energy series with Ørsted. TheGuardian.com/us
Impak Finance
Impak Finance works to ensure that asset managers integrate transparent, comparable, measurable, and rigorous environmental and social data into their decision-making processes. ImpakFinance.com
Impakt IQ
Impakt IQ guides senior management teams through the ESG and impact journey, arming them with data-based insights and strategies to help them run more responsible, resilient and profitable businesses. ImpaktIQ.com
My Green Lab
My Green Lab develops internationally recognized sustainability standards for science laboratories and laboratory products. MyGreenLab.org
Quest2 Consulting
Quest2 Consulting, LLC developed the Clean Water Partnership’s Mentor-Protege Program that has delivered over $35M to small diverse businesses over the past five years. Quest2Consulting.com
20. Clover Sonoma
Fostering Sustainable Innovation in Dairy Packaging
Clover Sonoma is a third-generation, family-owned and operated conscious dairy based in Petaluma, California. This certified B Corp recently announced the first fully renewable plant-based milk carton and the first post-consumer recycled (PCR) gallon milk jug in the United States as part of its focus on sustainability and packaging innovation. Packaging will continue to be a big part of its focus as it tries to find sustainable ways to decrease the use of fossil fuels, utilize less plastic, and encourage recycling. Clover Sonoma’s fully renewable milk carton and PCR gallon milk jug will be transitioned to its entire organic fluid milk line by 2025. CloverSonoma.com
21. No Evil Foods
Plant Based & Plastic Negative
In 2020, No Evil Foods expanded its focus from what its products are made from, to what they’re packaged in. It became the world’s first plant-based meat brand to offset 200% of its plastic packaging and became Certified Plastic Negative. The new packaging is printed using 100% renewable wind power and uses vegetable-based inks that have 40% fewer volatile organic compounds than conventional inks and are composed of 100% natural and renewable oils. In 2022, it transitioned to Sustainable Forestry Initiative-certified paperboard. To date, No Evil Foods has diverted over 16,000 lbs of plastic from landfills and avoided over 10,000 lbs of CO2 emissions. NoEvilFoods.com
22. Power For All
Fast, Affordable, Clear Energy Access for All
Utilities 2.0 is Power for All’s strategic initiative that builds the case for the integration of centralized utilities and decentralized microgrid companies as an innovative and eco-friendly route to universal energy access. By catalyzing the research, engineering, regulation, and political will to realize the utilities of the future, the U.2.0 pilot will lead to Uganda’s first interconnected mini-grid. “We can’t change business-as-usual with more business-as-usual; if we want to transform systems, we must change the leadership of those systems,” says Skierka. “Leaders who concentrate power or focus on empire-building are limiting their organization’s impact. Transformational change — especially transforming a global energy system that has left millions without power — requires movement-building. Don’t get too comfortable. Challenge your assumptions, proactively expand your knowledge base, and regularly seek out opinions different from your own. PowerForAll.org
23. UBQ Materials
Tech that Turns Waste into a Resource
UBQ™ is a bio-based thermoplastic converted entirely from unsorted household waste, including all organics. The novel cost-competitive raw material is a sustainable substitute to petroleum-based plastics, concrete, and wood in the production of thousands of durable applications. It is a relatively small change — a material formulation — that can result in a significant carbon footprint reduction and enable manufacturers to meet their sustainability goals. “Transformational leadership is not limited to the Bezoses or Musks of the world,” says CEO Albert Douer. “Perhaps, there is no better example of impactful leadership than the immigrant family. What is more transformational than a family picking up their entire lives, leaving familiar surroundings, and building a new life in an unknown and unfamiliar place? True leadership is like leading the way through a dark and dank swamp. UBQMaterials.com
24. Green Antz Builders
Turning Waste into Construction Materials
Green Antz Builders Inc. processes almost all types of plastic, as well as organic, inorganic, construction, industrial and other types of waste. Utilizing its in-house innovation center, it developed over 20 types of proprietary solutions, which include bricks, pavers, pre-casts, plastic-infused roads, and many more. It has 40 community-based upcycling centers and hundreds of collection points across the Philippines. GreenAntz.com
25. PATH
Tackling Plastic Water Bottle Waste
PATH sells bottled water in a sturdy and refillable aluminum bottle, aiming to revolutionize the industry and lead it towards a more sustainable future. The bottle is meant to be refilled and reused by the customer multiple times. When it comes time to be recycled, the aluminum particles do not break down like plastic particles do. To date, PATH has prevented over 163 million plastic bottles from landfills and has set an ambitious goal to prevent 10 billion single-use plastic bottles from entering a landfill over the next few years. DrinkPATHWater.com
26. Beneficial State Bank
A Bank Watching its Carbon Footprint
To Beneficial State Bank, being carbon neutral in its operations is important for slowing climate change, but it is not enough. The majority of a bank’s carbon footprint does not come from its branches or other offices; rather, a bank’s contribution to greenhouse gases occurs indirectly, through loans and investments. Beneficial State Bank engages third-party evaluators to calculate its carbon footprint. In addition, it has begun using Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials methodology to measure and disclose the carbon footprint of its loans so that it can set targets to reduce its own portfolio’s emissions and achieve net-zero. It seeks industry-wide disclosure and radical transparency. BeneficialStateBank.com
27. VivoPower International
Sustainable Solutions for Hard-to-Decarbonize Sectors
VivoPower is an international battery technology, electric vehicle, solar, and critical power services company, founded by Arowana. Since January 2021, VivoPower has secured commitments for 7,825 electric light vehicle conversion kits. Furthermore, it partnered with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club to organize the world’s first net-zero carbon match in elite-level football. In addition, it was awarded a contract to complete all electrical works for the Blue Grass Solar Farm, creating about 400 local jobs and avoiding over 320,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Vivopower.com
28. Clear Blue Commercial
Saving Water through Turf Conversions
Clear Blue Commercial is a property management services company focused on making its buildings as sustainable as possible. It specializes in turf conversion, a process of replacing water-hungry grass with mulch-based, drought-tolerant landscaping as a way to reduce water usage at the buildings it manages. It calculates that its turf conversions save over 3 million gallons of water annually. ClearBlueCommercial.com
29. Logical Buildings
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Buildings
Logical Buildings’ GridRewards and SmartKit AI use smart meter data to provide energy savings. Clean energy conversations tend to focus on the supply side: replacing fossil fuels in our energy mix with carbon-free. Logical Buildings’ idea was to focus on one thing building owners and utility customers can control: their energy demand. By empowering people with the tools to monitor and respond to their energy data in real time, it enables action on the demand-side of the building emissions problem. As a result, in just two years, it has helped New York and Westchester residents prevent more than 200 tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere. LogicalBuildings.com
30. Scale Microgrid Solutions
Energy Microgrids That Rapidly Deploy in Emergencies
Scale Microgrid Solutions’ proprietary modular microgrid system, the Rapid Response Modular Microgrid, facilitates rapid access to cheaper, resilient, and sustainable energy by reducing project development times. Areas with a high risk of wildfires, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events can particularly benefit from this system because it can be deployed quickly. In 2019, Scale worked with Bowery Farming, a prominent vertical farming company in Kearny, New Jersey, to develop a more reliable renewable energy solution for its state-of-the-art facility, reducing their carbon dioxide equivalents by over 450,000 lbs per year. ScaleMicrogridSolutions.com
Top 10 Ones to Watch
These Eco Innovations are from old and new companies alike – with projects, products, or initiatives that are very recently or soon-to-be launched. Real Leaders looks forward to following their progress in the months and years ahead.
Ando
Digital banking that allows consumers to deposit money without having it used for fossil fuel investments. AndoMoney.com
Bioastra Technologies
Using its Smart Polymer Platform to produce all-compostable surgical face masks. BioastraTech.com
Climate First Bank
Provides central Floridians with financial resources to invest in cutting-edge clean energy solutions and proactive climate adaptation. ClimateFirstBank.com
eLeapPower
Tech solutions that will help electric vehicles go farther, charge faster, and be more cost effective. eLeapPower.com
NYC Plover Project
This all-volunteer effort was founded in March 2021 and partnered with the National Park Service to protect the Piping Plover and its habitat.
NYCPloverProject.org
Pali Institute
Educating students on the impact that food waste has on the environment. PaliInstitute.com
Relocalize
Seeks to eliminate the “chain” in our food and beverage supply chain through automated micro-factories that produce products hyper-locally. Relocalize.com
Rise
Online store of sustainability-focused products that allow homeowners to make planet-friendly choices. BuildWithRise.com
Vayda
Aims to increase the number of regeneratively farmed acres in the world. Currently farming on 3,500 acres in Missouri and Mississippi. Vayda.com
World Centric®Leaf+
An all-natural, 100% plant-based, fully compostable, alternative to fluorinated chemicals in disposable fiber tableware. WorldCentric.com
31. Propagate
Climate-Smart Solutions for Farmers
Through its analytics and project development platform, Propagate makes it easy for farmers and landowners to increase profitability while helping investors fund low-risk regenerative agroforestry projects. Its design and development product, Overyield, enables farmers and service providers to analyze farmland so they can plant faster–turning supply chains into carbon sequestering machines. Propagate currently advises nearly 20,000 acres of agroforestry in the United States, supporting 600,000 trees and shrubs, and also manages 480 commercial acres through its regional agroforestry hubs. PropagateAG.com
32. Smarter Sorting
Product Intelligence in the Hands of Retailers & Brands
Smarter Sorting’s Back of Store System (BOSS) displays the best way to dispose of unsold or damaged products, or whether they could be donated to charity. Employees scan the product barcode, weigh the item, and follow easy on-screen instructions. The BOSS accesses its cloud-based decision engine, the Product Intelligence Platform™, to provide instant and accurate answers on what to do with every product. Through its partners Costco and Wegmans, it has diverted 22,885 tons of waste from the landfill and is being deployed across Albertsons Companies stores in 2022. SmarterSorting.com
33. Greenhope
Addressing Plastic Waste and Improving Farmers lives
Greenhope manufactures biodegradable technologies to address hard-to-recycle items that are too small, contaminated, or not economically viable (i.e. snack bags, garbage bags). Its Ecoplas product sources cassava starch from local farmers and turns it into sustainable packaging for apparel, food, and non-food applications. Ecoplas is reusable, bio-based, and biodegradable. Naturloop was also invented using bio-based (cassava starch) material and is designed to be compostable in various commercial and home conditions. Greenhope.co
34. Green Hammer
Buildings that Promote Health and Protect the Planet
Green Hammer has led the design and/or construction of more than 70 residential homes, and three commercial buildings that have received and/or are pursuing Passive House, LEED, Living Building, Zero Energy and/or Earth Advantage certification. Many of its projects produce more clean energy than they consume, eliminate harmful toxicants, emit little-to-no carbon, and provide healthy interior environments. GreenHammer.com
35. MPOWERD
Harnessing the Sun’s Power for Safer Cycling
Biking in cities has become much more common to lessen dependence on fossil fuels and reduce transmission rates by avoiding public transportation during the pandemic. Amidst a looming climate crisis and the global pandemic, MPOWERD decided this was the perfect time to promote healthy and safe commuting practices. Its product provides consumers with a sustainable option to other products in the market–a solar-powered bike light. The Luci® Bike Light Set has helped contribute to the 250 million tons of carbon dioxide averted by MPOWERD’s solar powered products. Mpowerd.com
36. Steelhead Productions
Curbing Waste at Live Events
This year and next, the business world will begin to fully embrace the return to live events, conferences, and trade shows. Steelhead Productions seeks to significantly reduce the amount of trade show marketing waste that ends up in landfills. Its solution is to divert what would otherwise be landfill-bound waste and invest in structural environmental components which are reused/shared from brand to brand. “Leadership that places more value on the vision and where you want to be as a group, and is less specific about “how” you get there, opens infinite possibilities,” says CEO Sean Combs. ExhibitHappy.com
37. Hydropoint Data Systems
Conserving Water with Real-Time Leak Detection
HydroPoint provides onsite smart water management solutions to address systemic water waste. Its WaterCompass leak detection and water use analytics service provides customers with real-time visibility to their onsite water usage. Utilizing sensors, analytics, and a full-time team of water experts, WaterCompass enables customers from retail to multi-family housing, government entities and others, to achieve their water and sustainability goals. HydroPoint.com
38. GroGuru
Good for Farmers, Good for the Environment
GroGuru focuses on strategic water management for commercial farmers, helping them make more money by increasing crop yield and utilizing scarce resources, such as water, in a more efficient and sustainable way. With food security and water conservation in mind, it provides hardware-enabled software as a service. This software collects data from soil sensors at the root zone of the crop, passes that data up to the Cloud, applies machine learning and artificial intelligence, and then provides insights to farmers about when and how much to optimally irrigate their crops. Each year, farmers typically experience a 10-20% increase in crop yield and decrease in input costs. GroGuru.com
39. Green Canopy Node
High-quality, Sustainable & Healthy Homes
Green Canopy NODE focuses on reducing urban sprawl, decreasing vehicle miles traveled, increasing neighborhood resilience and inclusivity, and protecting surrounding wildlands. In partnership with the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, it built seven Net Zero Energy Ready, all-electric homes that are rented to families earning 60% to 80% of the area median income. These homes feature advanced building science and ultra-efficient systems and tools and earned the project a 4-Star Built Green Certification. Over a 20-year lifespan, the energy savings of these homes compared to a typical Seattle home is equivalent to 26,663 lbs of carbon. GreenCanopyNode.com
40. CubicFarm Systems
Developing Technology to Feed Our Changing World
CubicFarms is an ag-tech company founded by farmers. Its products enable farmers to maximize cubic square footage, minimize natural resource use, and support food security by maximizing crop yield. The CubicFarm System uses patented Crop Motion Technology for indoor growing of fresh produce. A new high-density FreshHub with 96 stacked modules on one acre of land will grow the same amount as 100 acres of outdoor growing. HydroGreen, a division of CubicFarms, produces a commercial scale Automated Vertical Pastures that allows farmers to grow fresh, nutritious livestock feed year-round. CubicFarms.com
41. Green Badger
Empowering Contractors to Build More Sustainably
Green Badger is a software platform that streamlines and automates green construction compliance — from jobsite ESG tracking to LEED certification. Its cloud-based platforms let project teams collaborate in the office or in the field while eliminating spreadsheets, instantly verifying green products, validating sustainable construction practices, providing transparency, and offering corporate data analytics. In April 2022, Green Badger registered its 1,000th project, averaging a 65% reduction in the labor hours which can be reinvested into constructing sustainable buildings. GetGreenBadger.com
42. Bio Raw
Plant Based and on the Way to Zero Waste
BIO RAW delivers plant-based, gluten free, certified organic, nutritionist-crafted meals in eco-friendly packaging across Toronto, Canada. Through its waste diversion project, it has partnered with a local waste collection agency to ensure that any waste produced in the production of its meals is responsibly diverted from landfills and transformed into resources whenever possible. Since it has started the project, it has increased its waste diversion rate from 41.35% in April 2021 to 85.18% in March 2022, and is working to become one of the first facilities in North America to be Zero Waste Certified. BioRaw.ca
43. Animated Insights
Helping Building Owners Increase Efficiencies
Animated Insights™ is an AI platform that helps building owners eliminate waste and increase operational efficiency. Its deployment can contribute to a 50% increase in sustainability and resiliency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint to lessen environmental impact. Animated Insights has deployed it platform in approximately five million square feet of commercial real estate, including New York City’s iconic Chrysler Building. “If a single human being can imagine just about anything, then a group of human beings can be assembled with the right talents and skills to come together and turn that vision into reality,” says CEO Luther Garcia. AnimatedInsights.com
44. EcoLogic Solutions
Cleaner Solutions for Cleaning
EcoLogic Solutions’ Electro-Chemically Activated (ECA) cleaning and disinfection technology is an alternative to everyday products that are polluting, toxic, and mass-used across many market verticals–from indoor hydroponic farms to cruise ships, food production to healthcare. Its clean-technology detergent and disinfectant decontaminate the air and surfaces while reducing plastics, toxics and carbon emissions. It uses an environmental calculator to deliver a metric of how many pounds of plastic, hazardous chemicals and emissions its program eliminates. EcoLogicSolutions.com
45. Naturepedic
Organic, Non-Toxic Bedding for Infants
Infants spend a large part of their days in contact with their crib mattress. Naturepedic manufactures certified organic kids and adult mattresses, without using toxic chemicals, while meeting the strict chemical standards from the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The inside of the crib mattress is coated with polyethylene made from sugarcane using its patented process, instead of toxic chemicals such as flame retardants and polyurethane foam. Naturepedic also works with environmental organizations to advocate for the elimination of toxic chemicals from consumer products and from the environment. Naturepedic.com
46. CH4 Global
Solutions for Decreasing Livestock-Linked Methane
CH4 Global™, Inc. provides seaweed-based Asparagopsis products to farmers worldwide so they can dramatically reduce the methane emissions of their livestock and realize significant value in the process. By supplementing up to 1% of daily cattle food intake with Asparagopsis, methane production can be reduced up to 90%. “Today’s leaders face the challenge of meeting high expectations while adapting to rapid change,” says CEO Steve Miller. “To make transformational changes, leaders must combine a vision of a new future that can inspire change, plus display optimism and action for progress with their own organizations and beyond. CH4Global.com
47. BamCore
Driven to Decarbonize the Built World
BamCore is pioneering climate-positive building materials, methods, and designs that reduce and remove greenhouse gases, turn buildings into carbon sinks, and also mitigate the housing crisis, skilled labor shortage, and global rural poverty — all while saving the builder cost, labor, and time. “Change is about moving us from where we are, to where we aren’t,” says CEO Hal Hinkle. “Transformational change will bring about uncertainty and discomfort. Your idea has to make fundamental sense for humanity (or at least portions of it), or it’s not truly transformational. You have to believe your idea is valuable enough that you’ll make huge life-sized sacrifices for it, or others won’t follow. And when doubt hits, you have to figure out how to press on, or vital momentum will dissipate. BamCore.com
48. Pearl Certification
Increasing Energy Efficiency and Value for Homeowners
Pearl certifies homes with efficient appliances, heating and cooling systems, insulation, solar and batteries, smart home devices, and other features that make them efficient, resilient, and healthy. Pearl incentivizes homeowners to make these improvements through its third-party certification, which helps them capture the value of these investments in a future appraisal. Its platform creates a network effect to drive scale and enhance relationships with contractors, real estate agents, appraisers, lenders, insurers, and utilities. The certification system and platform create a sticky relationship between homeowners and network partners, impacting the existing home, new build, real estate, and energy markets. PearlCertification.com
49. The Refill Shoppe
Reducing Waste in the Beauty Industry
The Refill Shoppe was founded on the premise that we should all be able to get just what we need without anything we don’t need – such as trash, waste, unhealthy ingredients, destructive ingredients, or synthetic fragrances. The Refill shop offers in-person refills or zero-waste bath, body, home, and beauty refills shipped directly to customers thanks to its Sudscription™ and refill program. It donates to environmental non-profits, and plants one tree for every order shipped. TheRefillShoppe.com
50. Floreon
Transforming the Engineering Plastics Industry
Floreon offers brands a low-carbon alternative to the materials they use today and allows them to move away from halogen-containing flame retarded materials by switching to its patented plant-based plastic. The plant-based plastic has a low carbon footprint, the durability necessary to compete with engineering plastics used today in the electronics and electrical industry, and meets the rigorous safety and performance criteria. The base material of Floreon (the polymer PLA or polylactic acid) has a carbon footprint that is up to six times lower than competing oil-based plastics such as ABS. Floreon.com
