The NatureBacked Podcast

In this conversation, Martin Villig, co-founder of Bolt, discusses his journey towards a sustainable lifestyle and the importance of urban planning that prioritizes people over cars.He shares insights on how his personal experiences led to a shift in his lifestyle and the mission of Bolt to create cities that foster independence and community engagement. Villig emphasizes the role of education in building strong communities and advocates for a society where everyone cares for each other and the environment.TakeawaysSustainable living can lead to a happier lifestyle.Urban planning should prioritize people, not cars.Community independence is essential for family well-being.Education is key to creating equal opportunities.Leadership in schools can significantly impact student success.Awareness of transportation choices can influence city planning.Scaling a company requires a mission-driven approach.Shared mobility can reduce the need for personal cars.Building a community can combat loneliness and mental health issues.A caring society is one where everyone looks out for each other.The episode was recorded live at Impact Day in Tallinn by Fiona Alston. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This podcast episode with Larry Selzer from the Conservation Fund discusses balancing economic development with environmental conservation. Larry discusses the Fund's mission to protect critical lands in the U.S. while supporting sustainable economic activities. "It's not an easy endeavour, because there's a long history, over a century, of keeping these two powerful forces, the environmental movement and the free enterprise system separate in the United States. Our mission is to bring them together to create a mighty river of action," Selzer said.The fund aims to protect five million acres of forest and contribute to the national goal of conserving 30% of U.S. land by 2030. The conversation highlights the importance of integrating conservation with economic vitality and the unique challenges and strategies in achieving these ambitious goals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this conversation, Kari Sinivuori discusses the significant health benefits of nature and the alarming trend of urbanization leading to a disconnect from natural environments. The discussion highlights a research study that emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with nature, particularly through innovative products that incorporate natural microbes. "We need to reconnect people back to nature," Sinivuori said. "Every second person has a disease caused by one's own immune system."Kari explains how urban living contributes to health issues and how their company, Uute, is working to bridge this gap by providing nature-derived solutions in consumer products. The conversation also touches on future aspirations for the company and the potential for their technology to revolutionize health and wellness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NuCicer is a startup focused on breeding better chickpeas to have a positive impact on the environment and the growing population. The founders, Kathryn Cook and her father, aim to connect the fragmented food and agriculture system by bridging the gap between ag technologies and food brands. "By understanding the challenges that consumer brands and formulators are having, we can take those challenges and bring them back to the seed level," said Kathryn Cook.NuCicer's promises its first commercial variety, NC1, has up to 75% more protein than a standard chickpea and offers strong yields and a shorter time to maturity. "Our long-term vision is to provide growers with a regenerative crop that can be grown on tens of millions of acres," Cook said.By increasing the adoption of chickpeas, NuCicer aims to replace animal-based products, improve soil health, and reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the episode, Clover Hogan discusses her journey from a nature-loving child in Australia to a climate activist. She emphasizes the need for systemic change and regulation to address climate issues, highlighting the limitations of relying on corporate goodwill.Hogan also stresses the importance of diverse approaches, including nonviolent direct action, to push for meaningful climate action.She reflects on the challenges of maintaining optimism in the face of overwhelming climate news and the importance of focusing on grassroots solutions and effective communication.Finally, she encourages a broad definition of activism, emphasizing that anyone who cares and acts on that care can be considered an activist.Clover will be a keynote speaker at Impact Day in Tallinn in October. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pat Hill from Mott Corporation discusses his background and the company's history. Mott Corporation, founded over 60 years ago, specializes in porous metal products used in various industries. Pat explains their involvement in green hydrogen production through electrolysis and their role in making traditional industries like oil, gas, and chemicals more environmentally friendly. He also highlights their water recovery solutions for different markets, including digestate and craft spirits. The company operates globally, with significant sales in North America, Asia, and Europe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erkki Kubber, co-founder of Impact Day, says that the festival aimed at making sustainability appealing and fostering B2B partnerships has grown significantly, attracting more attendees each year, and plans to expand internationally.Despite its growth, the festival emphasizes reducing environmental impact through various measures, such as using reusable materials and encouraging digital participation.The upcoming event in October will focus on the theme "less is more," aiming to minimize resource overuse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this podcast episode, Deyan Angeloev, founder of Organic Tee Star, shares with Tarmo Virki his journey of building a green future over the past 20 years, starting with recycling projects and moving into the organic market.He highlights the importance of certified organic products and the benefits they bring to the environment and human health.Dejan also discusses his efforts to educate people in North America about sustainability.He emphasizes the need for a mindset change towards sustainability and the long-term benefits of organic products. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The keys to unlocking climate financing in Africa lie in the digitalisation of records and the rolling out of new financing products, said Anete Garoza, co-founder of 1MTN, a carbon credit developer focused on restoring degraded lands in Africa using bamboo."We still see a huge investment gap in the climate financing," Garoza said. "And it's not because these projects at the moment operating in Africa would be uninvestable. It's because of the capital providers. I would say that they don't have so much insight about the operations, operation facilities and specifics in those countries.""Capital at the moment is the biggest need for all of us in this space. And now we need to unlock it. So, we need to work together with different stakeholders and just find a way how to do it. Where we need digitalisation, we need to bring it. Where we need different financing products, we need to find out and implement them," she said.Garoza explains the benefits of bamboo, including its various uses and impact on local communities. She also describes the process of selecting and preparing land for bamboo planting, emphasizing the importance of community involvement and public participation.The conversation touches on the challenges of land ownership and digitalization in Uganda, and the significant employment opportunities created by their projects.The speakers discuss the future goals and milestones for 1MTN, including their ambitious-sounding target of restoring 1 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.The conversation also touches on the challenges of carbon project certification and the need for more specialists in the field. Finally, Garoza emphasizes the importance of trust and open-mindedness in the voluntary carbon market, encouraging people to explore and understand its opportunities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Venturebeam focuses on raising funds for impact-driven companies with substantial revenue and proven market fit, says its head, Oli Harris.Harris highlights the importance of self-awareness and small actions in making a significant impact and introduces Venture Impact Score.Venturebeam's first funding round was for Xocean, an Irish company developing autonomous underwater drones. The company raised a total of 30 million euros last month.The episode concludes with a discussion of Venturebeam's future goals, including expanding its impact in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.The episode was recorded from nature, so apologies for the distracting sounds of wind and birds in the background ;) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices