Our Climate Ventures members are offering real climate solutions

A recent Globe and Mail editorial put forward an interesting thesis: While our political leaders have largely signed on to the existence of climate change, there is now a rampant denial of climate solutions:

Climate solutions are frequently attacked by politicians and media pundits who acknowledge the problem, but offer no alternative. Canada has not only entered a new era of climate policy – we’ve entered a new era of denial.

CSI, however, is taking concrete action. This autumn, we launched Climate Ventures, an incubator for climate entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders. Climate Ventures is all about climate solutions. From farming to fashion, our members are building the low-carbon economy and a better future for all.

Here are 10 great climate solutions in the works at Climate Ventures right now:

PROBLEM – FOOD WASTE
Climate Ventures solutions:
Feedback App Salad bars, bakeries, cafes, restaurants and food courts all throw out enormous amounts of delicious food each day! Not only that, but these restaurants are sitting empty for over half the day, making it impossible to predict how much food to prepare and keep fresh. Upon speaking to restaurateurs it became evident that there was no incentive or effective method to reduce this waste. Thus, Feedback was born.

Flash Food In speaking to hundreds of grocery employees and top level executives in the grocery industry, it was alarming to learn that food items that were not sold and approaching their best before dates by up to 2 weeks were simply thrown out! This is when the idea of Flashfood app was solidified. An app that allows shoppers to browse food items approaching their best before date, buy them at a discount, and pick them up in store.

PROBLEM – ELECTRIC VEHICLE ADOPTION
Climate Ventures solution:
ChargeLab Charging an electric vehicle should have as few barriers as possible. ChargeLab specializes in technology for managing EV charging infrastructure. They offer hardware and software solutions that are easy to use and adaptable for individuals, businesses, and governments.

PROBLEM – PLASTIC WASTE
Climate Ventures solutions:
Genecis Using biology to turn low value waste into high value materials, Genecis is developing packaging materials that can biodegrade in a single year.

RECYCL3D Using environmentally-friendly recycling and manufacturing methods, RECYCL3D uses 3D printers to convert waste materials into prosthetic limbs for those in need and solar panels. The company is also improving community well-being through associated programs in childhood education, female empowerment, and job creation.

PROBLEM – FOOD INSECURITY
Climate Ventures solutions:
Dunya Habitats Imagine a self-contained environment that is climate controlled and easy-to-assemble and ships anywhere in the world as a modular habitat for hydroponic farming. Imagine the transformational change that we can make to communities that will be empowered to grow their own crops in an environmentally conscious way, alleviating the devastating gap in access to affordable foods.

Ripple Farms From their farms to your forks, Ripple Farms is growing Toronto’s freshest greens and seafood 365 days of the year. Their Aquaponic Farms balance sustainability and innovation to produce some of the highest quality crops in Canada. These sustainable, high-tech vertical farms to provide Toronto’s top restaurants with hyper-local greens and seafood all year.

PROBLEM – GROWING ENERGY NEEDS
Climate Ventures solutions:
EM-ONE Having spent decades working in Nigeria’s power sector, EM-ONE has over 20 projects in conflict zones. They have provided contract-ready solar system designs for select general hospitals, primary health centres, and schools in the Northeast of Nigeria, an area suffering a major crisis due to years of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Regenerate The company was launched in 2009 as a biogas development company focused on local ownership models. Their specialty is developing biogas plants with as much local capital and organic waste as possible, maximizing the economic and environmental benefits to the community.

PROBLEM – WASTE CREATED BY THE FASHION INDUSTRY
Climate Ventures solution:
FreshRents Fresh Fashion Library is your neighbourhood hub where you can lend and borrow fashion items with other members of the community – waste free, hassle free and guilt free. Whether it’s a special look for a big event or rotating outfits for everyday, the library is your unlimited closet to always make you look and feel fresh.

PROBLEM – ELECTRONIC WASTE
Climate Ventures solution:
FreeGeek TO E-waste is a global problem, and many people require access to technology beyond their economic reach. But how do you best dispose of technology you are not using anymore? What should you do if you need a new laptop or printer but don’t have much of a budget? Free Geek offers answers to all of those questions.