🌱 What do peas and silvopasture have in common? - 8.6.21
Also, vegan schnitzel may be going to the moon
One Big Thing to Chew On
This section is usually devoted to global updates, but this week I have some local news. Packs in just as many big ideas, though!
Marin County’s sustainability effort, “Drawdown: Marin,” has awarded grants to local projects dedicated to sustainability-related projects that engage communities of color.
Fátima Piña of Novato, who is leading a selected project that will create planetary health-related job opportunities for women of color, said her goal is to connect with other women, “to help them move forward, to help them with their economic experiences, help them to believe in themselves … so they can attain some healing in that work and contribute to the initiatives of Drawdown: Marin.”
Marin’s effort is named after Project Drawdown, a solution-oriented climate organization which published a very impactful (short!) book that’s well worth checking out.
Whether you work in climate tech or not, there’s lots to be done, and many meaningful routes to get involved.
More about Drawdown: Marin here.
Selected Deal Flow by Category
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Energy & Infrastructure
MGA Thermal, a nearly three-year-old, Newcastle, Australia-based startup focused on thermal energy storage, has raised $5.9 million in funding led by Main Sequence, a venture firm founded by Australia’s national science agency. They use shoebox-sized storage blocks to help utility companies utilize more renewable energy and transition away from fossil fuels, and describe the blocks like muffins with melty chocolate chips. (TC)
CPG
Creoate, a year-old, London-based startup that helps independent retailers buy sustainable and unique products from brands and wholesalers on a centralized platform, has raised $5 million in seed funding led by Fuel Ventures. (TC)
Planted, a two-year-old, Switzerland-based alternative protein company, has raised its second round of the year, a $21 million “pre-B” fundraise. The funding came from Vorwerk Ventures and others. I heard they make great vegan schnitzel. Vegan schnitzel to the moon, calling it now. (TC)
Refurbed, a four-year-old, Germany-based online marketplace for refurbished electronics, has raised $54 million in Series B funding led by Evli Growth Partners and Almaz Capital. (TC)
One Actionable Item
Try alt protein products
Eating beef 1-2x/wk instead of 3-5x/wk is roughly equivalent to taking 4 fewer cross-country flights per year. BBC News made a sweet carbon calculator that helps brainstorm what to reduce and estimates the impact of that reduction.
An easy place to start for my lifting fam out there: if you use whey protein powder, try pea protein. I’ve used Gainful, Vega and TJ’s white label, and honestly they’re all pretty much the same (and very similar to whey).
*A friend pointed out to me that only a few percentage points of the US’ total emissions are from livestock. Another friend pointed out that that’s because the US is really rich and we fly in planes a lot. Both true.
**As demand for meat inevitably grows in the coming decades, fostering sustainable agricultural practices will be another key lever to ameliorate climate change. Notably, the US is relatively highly efficient at producing meat and milk.
Green Theory
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Blending our way to Sustainable Food Systems
Worldwide, agriculture has been estimated to produce 14.5% of carbon emissions. Tens of billions of animals are raised and slaughtered every year to feed humanity. While veganism appears too austere or disruptive to many, transitioning towards a more plant-based diet is one of the largest positive individual impacts a person can make.
Before we can de-animal the entire food system, intermediate steps will help humanity bridge the gap to a globally plant-focused diet. Blending cutting edge solutions (or ancient ones) with current practices provides such a bridge.
Silvopasture aims to layer in trees and other flora to create healthier pastures that store more carbon, retain more top soil, and provide farmers with diversified income sources, both in type and timing.
Better Meat Company is striving to blend their meat alternatives with traditional beef for fast food, and other applications. While the Impossible Whopper comprises 2% of Burger King’s Whopper sales, imagine if each Whopper blended 50% beef, and 50% nutritious, high-protein meat alternatives--much lower total beef!
Purists are unlikely to sip either of these blends, but for the 1.3 billion people whose livelihoods involve livestock, these bridge solutions may be easier to swallow.
Green Meme
Thanks for reading to the end. As a thank you for your time, here’s a first look at our newest section idea.
Jack Schrupp's Drink Wholesome has a whole Vegan protein line. I'm not getting paid to say this, but I AM hoping for a free sample one day. Fingers crossed!