The limited edition 85-gram bar, which is a joint venture between UK-based chocolatier Rococo and the Grenada Chocolate Company, is made from organic cocoa harvested and roasted at a solar-powered microfactory in St Andrews on the Caribbean island in February. After being turned into chocolate, the bars were shipped to the UK via the engine-less wooden sailing ship Tres Hombres, on March 24th, 2012, spending six weeks in transit. During the journey, the product was cooled using solar and wind-powered refrigerators. The Gru Grococo bar, which contains 66 percent cocoa and has tones of “tobacco and grass”, is now available in Rococo stores and online at a price of GBP 11.95. The hefty price tag, while ensuring a limited customer base, also raises awareness of what Rococo calls the “true price” of chocolate production. 100 percent of the profits are directed back towards the producers.

The Gru Grococo is a brave first step towards a chocolate bar industry which incorporates ethical values into each stage of the manufacturing of its product. However, this is by no means the only industry that could attempt to revise its practice for the good of society and the environment – one for inspiration?

Website: www.rococochocolates.com
Contact: www.rococochocolates.com/info/contactUs

Spotted by: Katherine Noyes

Duke Studios is a 7,000-sq-ft. renovation project in the center of Leeds that aims to create a new, open space for creative collaboration. Dufaylite’s Ultra Board, meanwhile, is manufactured from 100 percent recycled paper and 100 percent recycled cardboard. Tapping Dufaylite’s Ultra Board, Duke Studios now aims to give its space a new breath of life. “Duke Studios is a multidisciplinary office space with creativity at its heart, so it’s massively important to have a space that inspires, encourages and supports the companies within it,” explains cofounder Laura Wellington. “Ultra Board was the perfect material to use in the scheme, as our studio spaces needed to be flexible, interesting and sustainable to accommodate growth and encourage businesses to thrive in the environment.”

Of course, temporary walls are useful for a variety of purposes far and wide — if they can be sustainable as well, then all the better. Pop-up entrepreneurs: One to use in your next venture?

Website: www.ultraboard.co.uk
Contact: www.dufaylite.com/contact-us

Spotted by: Murray Orange

Nestled in the heart of the New Forest village of Brockenhurst in the UK’s Hampshire region, the Cottage Lodge bills itself as an “eco chic” bed and breakfast built with sustainability in mind. Nowhere is that focus more evident than in its solar-powered Standing Hat room, which was constructed from locally sourced Douglas Fir. Bamboo flooring, a handmade bed and a woodburning stove are also on hand, but perhaps most interesting of all is the room’s pedal-powered TV, which is “perfect for those who want to reduce their impact on the environment and get fit at the same time,” the hotel explains.

Is there any end in sight to the pedal-powered revolution? Hoteliers around the globe: this one’s for you!

Website: www.cottagelodge.co.uk/brockenhurst-standinghat.html
Contact: enquiries@cottagelodge.co.uk

Created by designer Chacha Sikes and programmer Anselm Hook during the Creative Currency hackathon in San Francisco recently, the game places local residents into three teams based on city – San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley. The cities are already home to lemon trees located in homeowners’ gardens, urban farms and public spaces. Users score points for their team when they add a tree to the map, add a tree that produces edible fruit, share lemons from a tree they own, offer to teach others how to aid lemon distribution and team up with a grocery willing to sell local fruit.

Those who don’t have access to lemon trees can still win points by offering their services in the form of fruit-picking or by turning the fruit into preserves and marmalades. The more users get involved with their local lemon growing projects, the more points they will earn throughout the two-month long game. There is no prize for the winner other than civic pride and the chance to get involved in local projects. Although the game doesn’t officially get started until July 4th, teams can prepare by listing lemon trees on the map in advance.

Lemonopoly aims to bring communities together with a shared goal, and at the same time highlights the availability of a natural local resource as a sustainable way to feed the population. Is your neighborhood host to natural goods or resources that could be gamified in a similar way, drawing attention to the wealth of local produce on offer?

Website: www.lemonopoly.org
Contact: anselm@hook.org

Based in Belgium, the company has developed a combined table and seat unit — made partly from salvaged waste materials — which features pedals in the optimal position to enable users to easily pedal as they sit. As well as providing moderate exercise for the user, the energy generated by the table is then used to power plug sockets for devices such as laptops and cell phones. The unit includes an interactive LED display which tells the user how much AC power they have generated, so they know when they need to start pedaling again. The tables come in two designs, one featuring a straight table-top surface and another coming with a curved surface. These can be fitted together in a modular fashion to create a straight row of pedal-powered tables, a circle of three curved units or a combination of the two. Purchasers have the option to include built-in wifi.

The tables promote sustainable energy, provide gentle exercise for the user and, as WeWatt claims, increases productivity. Could your office space benefit from pedal-powered furniture?

Website: www.wewatt.be
Contact: katarina.verhaegen@wewatt.be

The Makani Airborne Wind Turbine flies at between 800 and 1,950 feet above ground level, meaning that it stays well below normal commercial and civilian aviation. At the same time, it flies at an altitude above that of most birds, meaning that any potential harm to flying creatures is minimized, it says. Meanwhile, at these heights the wind is stronger and more consistent than that which terrestrial wind farms encounter, and 90 percent of the material used in conventional wind turbines can be eliminated. The video below illustrates the premise in more detail:

In 2011 Makani Power built and tested a 30kW prototype, known as Wing 7. So far, benefits it touts over traditional windmills include 50 percent cost savings, a 10 percent reduction in mass, 50 percent more energy production, and a lower environmental impact, the company says. Energy entrepreneurs: one to get involved in?

Website: www.makanipower.com
Contact: info@makanipower.com

Introduced in 2011, Alcoa’s innovation is the result of a process that applies a titanium dioxide coating called EcoClean to the prepainted aluminum surface of its Reynobond architectural panels. Utilizing natural sunlight, the coating then acts as a catalyst to break down organic pollutants on its surface and in the air around it; the harmless matter that results is then washed away by rainwater, the New York-based firm says. Some 10,000 square feet of EcoClean has the smog-eradicating power of approximately 80 trees, the company notes, which is equivalent to offsetting the nitrogen oxide created by the pollution output of four cars per day. The video below explains the concept in more detail:

We’ve already seen rooftop solar panels and wind turbines, but the addition of smog-cleansing capabilities to buildings could be a revolutionary one, especially in cities where smog is a recognized problem. Architects and builders around the globe: one to get involved with?

Website: www.alcoa.com
Contact: www.alcoa.com/global/en/general/contact_alcoa.asp

Green Product Placement is “committed to using the marketing platform of media product placement to promote products with a green, ethical, social enterprising and local entrepreneurial agenda,” in the company’s own words. Accordingly, it works to ensure that the products of its clients get seen and used as an integral part of the production design in a film, television program or web series. Green Product Placement aims to keep its own business operations as sustainable as possible as well, including using carbon neutral web hosting, a virtually paperless office, and minimal travel, it says.

There’s no doubt that today’s consumers are increasingly concerned about the environment. When purchasing products and services, in fact, roughly 50 percent look for labels regarding energy efficiency, are more likely to purchase the products and services of environmentally conscious companies, and are more loyal to these companies than other shoppers are, according to iKS. How could your company help eco-conscious shoppers and brands connect?

Website: www.greenproductplacement.com/us
Contact: info@greenproductplacement.com

Spotted by: Florent Lesauvage

Four wards in the district – Adams Morgan, Brookland, Fairlawn and Tenleytown – will be the sites for the piloting of the scheme, which will see new trees planted on the state’s streets tagged with a QR code. Passersby who scan the images with a smartphone will be automatically directed towards a form on the Department of Transportation website to register their interest in caring for the tree. Adoption involves applying ten gallons of water to the tree each week between the beginning of spring to the start of winter, clearing away weeds or litter and alerting the department to any larger maintenance requirements. Canopy Keeper registrants receive a slow-drip watering tub free of charge to help them carry out their task. According to the scheme’s organizers, although the department has its own tree maintenance staff, it relies on the help of citizens to keep the trees thriving.

The Canopy Keepers’ QR code scheme makes it easier for the residents and businesses of DC to help out in their local community. One to replicate elsewhere?

Website: www.ddot.dc.gov
Contact: john.lisle@dc.gov

Spotted by: Parul Rohatgi

Having started in March this year, the market will run every Sunday until the end of the year from Chapultepec Park in the country’s capital. Residents can visit the location with glass (clear, amber, green and blue), paper/cardboard, aluminum beverage cans, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles and tetrapak cartons, handing them over in return for ‘green points’ that can be used to purchase local farmers’ goods at the market. Market customers can exchange up to ten kilograms of waste and must separate and clean their rubbish. Organized by the Secretaría del Medio Ambiente (Ministry of Environment), the scheme aims to demonstrate how waste products can retain their value beyond initial use; the goods on sale are purchased with money received from the waste management companies receiving the recyclable goods.

The initiative benefits both farmers and waste management companies involved in the exchange, as well as residents who get to swap their rubbish for food, while simultaneously raising awareness of the importance of recycling. One to replicate in your part of the world?

Website: www.sma.df.gob.mx
Contact: www.sma.df.gob.mx/sma/index.php?opcion=7

In film farming, plants are cultivated not in soil but on a hydromembrane composed of water-soluble polymer and hydrogel. This hydromembrane absorbs water and nutrients from the culture medium; to access them, the plant itself develops a network of fine and dense roots closely attached to the hydromembrane surface. To promote the absorption of nutrition via osmotic shift the plant also increases its production of sugars and amino acids, resulting in sweeter and vitamin-rich produce, Agricel says. Pathogens, meanwhile, are unable to penetrate the hydromembrane, making film farming resistant to bacteria and viruses without the need for pesticides. Film farms also use 80 percent less fertilizer, according to the company.

With a cost comparable to soil-based agriculture and cheaper than hydroponics, film farming is expected to offer a return on investment of between 40 and 70 percent, says Agricel, which offers an online guide to building a film farm in 60 days. Agricultural entrepreneurs: one to look into?

Website: www.agricel.co
Contact: feedback@agricel.co

Spotted by: Hemanth Chandrasekar

Priced at USD 6,390, the Numi toilet features WaterSense technology designed to use at least 20 percent less water than a standard 1.6-gallon toilet while still meeting strict flushing performance guidelines. Among the unit’s many luxury features, meanwhile, are a built-in deodorizer, bidet functionality, an integrated air dryer, illuminated panels and a heated seat. If that weren’t enough, the Numi’s lid and seat are motion-activated, while a foot-warming system emits warm air from floor-level vents. What’s more, the toilet’s built-in speakers let the user play FM radio or a selection of tracks from the Numi toilet’s pre-programmed audio, or they can connect an MP3 player through the audio input jack in the remote docking station. A touch-screen enables interaction with the toilet’s features. The video below provides a brief introduction.

The Numi is available in white from registered distributors in the US, Canada, and Latin America. Retailers everywhere else: one to bring to high-end consumers in your neck of the woods?

Website: www.kohler.com/numi
Contact: NUMI@kohler.com

Merchants that find they have stock which is reaching its expiry date will be able to send Zéro Gâchis price reductions they are willing to make on the products. Consumers with the Zéro Gâchis app in close proximity to those businesses will then be alerted to the discounts in real-time. This will help grocers to reduce the amount of food waste they produce and offer savings to shoppers, while the likelihood of a purchase being made will be increased due to the immediacy with which customers can take action. What’s more, buyers will be able to gain points on the site each time they take advantage of discounts, which can be converted into cash directed towards food waste charities such as Restos du Coeur or Banque Alimentaire.

Zéro Gâchis won first prize at the Startup Weekend in Brittany in October, but there are no details of a launch date as yet. One to partner with early on?

Website: www.zero-gachis.com
Contact: contact@zero-gachis.com

Spotted by: Francois Lavaste

Developed by a teacher and students from the Polytechnic Institute of Beja, the project offers a 49 sq m plot of land for an initial payment of EUR 60, which is converted into 600 points to be used when controlling the activity on the farm via the internet. The monthly lease of the plot costs EUR 25 and users can purchase more points with cash (EUR 1 equals 10 points). The user interacts with the plot through a game-like interface — think FarmVille — choosing what seeds to sow, when to sow them, and how many to sow. Information is offered to help online farmers get the best out of their crops. When the user has designed their plot, details are sent to farm management teams, who set to work within three working days, weather permitting. Customers are sent a message whenever they need to make a decision, with technical help on hand for those without thorough knowledge of farming. Users enter a delivery address and receive a sample of their work once it is ripe for eating. MyFarm.com enables city dwellers to get a taste of running their own vegetable farm, while gaining knowledge of the process which has gone into making the food they receive at the end.

The project aims to engage consumers with the food they eat in an exciting and interactive way, as well as promote healthy living by offering organic vegetables for a low monthly cost. One to consider replicating where you are?

Website: www.myfarm.com.pt
Contact: geral@myfarm.com.pt

Spotted by: Alberto Sequeira

Available initially in a camp stove format, BioLite’s technology begins by converting a fraction of the fire’s thermal energy into electricity to power a combustion improvement system. By making combustion more efficient, BioLite’s stoves require less than half the wood an open fire does and can reduce smoke emissions by more than 90 percent, the company says. Excess electricity, meanwhile, is captured as well and made available to users for off-grid charging via USB of small electronic devices such as mobile phones, LED lights and GPS devices. The video below explains the premise in more detail:

Priced at USD 129, BioLite’s CampStove will be available this summer; its HomeStove version, meanwhile, is gearing up for large-scale pilot testing later this year in India, Ghana, Uganda and Kenya. Social and energy entrepreneurs: one to get involved in?

Website: www.biolitestove.com/BioLite.html
Contact: info@BioLiteStove.com

The brand has already established its eco-credentials by providing Australian grocers and supermarkets with homegrown Australian apples since 1922, and now it has launched Batlow Premium Cider, a 5.5 percent alcoholic beverage made from the apples it deems are not good enough for the supermarket shelves. The drink contains no concentrates or added sugars and is gluten free, which sets it apart from the majority of the commercial cider market. What’s more, Batlow Apples is already a well recognized brand in Australia, so producing the cider under the same name should require less marketing effort and spend than one would usually associate with the launch of a new alcoholic beverage.

Batlow Apples has identified a way to not only reduce the impact of waste on its overheads, but to turn it into a new marketable product. Could your business similarly make more from its throw-aways?

Website: www.batlowcider.com.au
Contact: info@batlowcider.com.au

Spotted by: Rich Coombes

To begin using CitéGreen, which is now in beta, consumers simply register for free and indicate what types of actions they’d like to have rewarded — carpooling or recycling, for example. Through its partnerships with local communities and relevant agencies, CitéGreen then accounts for each action automatically — for example, a microchip placed in participants’ recycling bins is used to track the volume of materials they recycle each week — and credits a corresponding number of points to users’ accounts. Participants can then compete with each other by comparing the number of points they accumulate. They can also convert those points into rewards in the form of discounts or exclusive gifts offered through Paris-based CitéGreen’s local and national partners. CitéGreen claims that, on average, it gives participants an extra EUR 200 of purchasing power per year. The video below (in French) explains CitéGreen’s premise in more detail:

There appears to be no end in sight to the gamification trend, whereby everyday chores are converted into tasks with rewards. What other activities could be gamified to encourage otherwise reluctant members of the public?

Website: www.citegreen.com
Contact: www.citegreen.com/site/ServiceUtilisateur

Spotted by: Florent Lesauvage