Month: December 2022

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Make The World Better Magazine

Enerkem: Repurposing Waste to Fuel Our Lives

Landfills often seem like a necessary evil as a result of our consumption of everyday products. But what if there was a way to reclaim waste from landfills and natural biomass waste and use it to power our lives?

Over the past 20 years, Montréal-headquartered Enerkem has developed and commercialized a unique chemical recycling technology to produce advanced biofuels and circular chemicals from non-recyclable waste and residues of forest biomass. We spoke with Valerie Gonzalo, Public Relations and Communications Consultant, to learn more about this disruptive clean technology company.

Enerkem Alberta Biofuels, located in Edmonton, Canada, is the world’s first major collaboration between a large city and an innovative waste-to-biofuels producer.

Tell us about Enerkem’s mission.

Our mission is to establish Enerkem as a world-class provider of disruptive clean technology to enable the production of biofuel and circular chemicals from waste that cannot be recuperated or recycled. In this way, Enerkem offers an innovative, sustainable solution for waste management, energy diversification, and the implementation of a circular economy.

What inspired you/your founders to start your organization? 

Enerkem’s breakthrough technology was initially inspired by the research and development led by Dr. Esteban Chornet, Professor Emeritus at the Université de Sherbrooke in Québec. In the 1940s, Esteban’s father ran sawmills in Mallorca, Spain; the country was then emerging from a long civil war with little access to energy sources. The electricity needed to power the sawmills was produced mainly from sawdust, using a rudimentary biomass gasification process. This was developed into what has now become Enerkem’s unique technology.

More than 1.3 billion metric tons of municipal solid waste is generated around the world every year. Enerkem’s technology provides a sustainable waste management solution which is complementary to recycling and composting.

What were some of the challenges you/your founders encountered?

Two of the most important challenges we faced were financing our operations and adapting our technology to market requirements. We have met both with great success.

To support our development, we have raised over CA$1 billion in mostly private funding since 2000. The list of our investors includes major businesses and organizations, such as Suncor, Repsol, Rho, Braemar, Monarch Alternative Capital, and Avenue Capital Group, to name but a few.  

Since our foundation, we have devoted great efforts to adapt our technology to the needs of the market. We have tested and validated several different feedstocks, from solid waste coming from several municipalities to dozens of other types of residues such as forest biomass. Our technology was rigorously scaled up from pilot to demonstration to commercial stage during a period of over 10 years of disciplined efforts. We clearly succeeded as evidenced by the fact that we are now involved in major industrial projects here and abroad.

What do you consider to be Enerkem’s biggest success?

Our biggest success is the deployment of our technology currently underway in Canada and Europe. We’ve emerged as a small local company from Québec to a world-class player in the field of waste treatment and biofuel production. 

Our first plant started its operations in Edmonton in 2016 and is the world’s first commercial-size facility capable of transforming waste into biofuels and circular chemicals. We are now involved in the construction of a second commercial-sized facility in Varennes, Québec. Varennes Carbon Recycling, carried out with a group of strategic partners including Shell as the lead investor, along with Suncor and Proman, will produce 125 million litres of biofuels from 200,000 tons of feedstock made up of non-recyclable waste and residues of forest biomass. Hydrogen and oxygen used in our process will be produced by electrolysis. Québec’s clean and renewable hydroelectricity is an essential component of this innovative industrial complex.

In Tarragona, Spain, Enerkem has joined with Repsol and Suez to create Ecoplanta Molecular Recycling Solutions, a partnership that aims to build a plant to convert non-recyclable waste into biofuels and circular chemicals. This large-scale facility will process approximately 400,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per year from the surrounding areas and is expected to be operational by 2026. It was recently selected by the European Commission to receive €106 million (CA$140 million) in financial support and Enerkem’s chemical recycling technology particularly impressed the European Commission.

In Rotterdam, Netherlands, Enerkem is now working with Shell and the Port of Rotterdam on a projected plant to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This project, currently under development, could process up to 360,000 tonnes of waste annually and produce up to 80,000 tonnes of circular fuel. 

Enerkem, whose head office is in Montreal, was established in 2000. Today it employs some 235 full-time employees and many external collaborators.

What makes Enerkem unique?

Enerkem is the first company in the world to design a technology that can, at a commercial scale, produce circular chemicals and biofuels from non-recyclable, non-compostable municipal solid waste. Our solution replaces the use of fossil fuel sources like petroleum and natural gas with sustainable biofuels and chemicals to produce and operate a broad range of everyday products. 

As well, our people make us unique. Throughout the years, we have built a dynamic team of specialists and researchers who are now recognized worldwide.

How do you feel your organization makes the world better?

Enerkem’s technology provides an alternative to landfilling waste that cannot be recuperated or recycled. From this feedstock, we can produce biofuels that considerably reduce the carbon footprint of hard-to-decarbonize sectors, such as heavy transportation and commercial air transport. 

Nowhere is this better illustrated than in The Sky’s the Limit Challenge, a competition organized by the Government of Canada, where the objective was to encourage research and development aimed at the difficult-to-reduce carbon footprint of air transport, which currently accounts for roughly 3% of total global GHG emissions, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Enerkem won this competition last April by producing a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) which lowers GHG emissions by 93%. What’s more, the produced biofuel comes from an iconic source in Canada: forest biomass residues which are discarded in large quantities every year.

With a dedicated innovation center in Westbury (Québec) and an affiliated research facility in Edmonton (Alberta), Enerkem has one of the most capable R&D networks of any waste-to-biofuel company.

Tell us about Enerkem’s goals.

Our long-term vision is to deploy our technology worldwide to help reduce up to 90% of waste currently produced by transforming non-reusable materials into biofuels to power vehicles or manufacture products.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

Our main focus will be the pursuit of our current deployment in Canada and in Europe through the projects in Varennes, Tarragona, and Rotterdam. With NOVA Chemicals Corporation, we are also conducting a very promising research project on plastics at our Edmonton research centre. The objective is to convert synthesis gas produced from used, non-recyclable plastics to feedstocks for virgin-grade plastics, a significant step toward a circular economy. 

What do you most want people to know about your organization?

We are currently in the right place at the right time; we have a unique technology and are developing projects at an accelerated pace in Québec, Canada, and abroad. We have the ability and the obligation to make a difference for the future of our planet. And we are working on it every day.

How can people help or contribute to Enerkem’s mission?

Everyone can play a role in building a circular economy. When consuming, think circular. Be aware that waste will be produced when a product is discarded and favour the one with the lowest environmental footprint.

Consumers can also contribute to our mission by staying informed about the impact current technologies can have on improving waste reprocessing and the production of circular materials such as biofuels. Technology has a major role to play to address the environmental challenges we face. People need to be aware of the evolution of this fascinating, promising world. 

This story was featured in the Make The World Better magazine:

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Impact Inspiration & Initiatives Work Life & Culture

Sparx’s CAMSC Certification: Gaining National Recognition as a Minority-Owned and -Led Organization

The Sparx team is excited to share that, this November, we were recognized by the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC) as a minority-owned and -led organization. 

This nationally recognized certification is a sign of our continued commitment to “walk our talk” when it comes to making the world better by supporting and adhering to diverse and inclusive business practices.

We are proud to celebrate this milestone and look forward to building new relationships with a community of like-minded organizations committed to leading positive change.

What is CAMSC Certification? 

CAMSC is a Canadian not-for-profit organization dedicated to growing Indigenous- and minority-owned businesses by “connecting them to procurement opportunities with companies and governments committed to a diverse and inclusive supply chain.” Through championing and advocating for BIPOC-owned businesses, CAMSC helps to create economic value, expand opportunities, and boost innovation. 

According to CAMSC, certification confirms that businesses “are 51% or more owned, managed and controlled by Aboriginal peoples and/or visible minorities,” operate in Canada, and are for-profit enterprises.  

Why We Pursued CAMSC Certification

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our vision of a better world. 

We saw CAMSC certification as a way in which to connect with and support a diverse group of mission-aligned organizations and individuals who are in pursuit of greater economic opportunity, especially for excluded and underrepresented groups.

Having a well-established, nationally recognized certification as part of our identity will also enable our existing and potential partners to feel confident that, by working together with Sparx, they too can help build a more diverse and inclusive Canadian economy.

Hamish Khamisa, Founder and President of Sparx Publishing Group, stated, “More than any one project Sparx has worked on, I am exceptionally proud of building an organization that prioritizes and practices diversity, equity, and inclusion. The quality of work we produce is directly tied to this diversity and something our clients benefit from every single day. The CAMSC certification, ideally, can help demonstrate that companies who choose to work with diverse suppliers can gain outstanding results.”

How CAMSC Certification Furthers Our Mission

Our mission at Sparx is to help purpose-driven and minority-owned and -operated organizations market their world-changing message, and an inclusive economy is a crucial step to achieving this vision of a better world. Participating in systemic change within Canada through CAMSC certification is just one of several steps we’re taking to advance our mission of inclusivity.

Through supporting Indigenous- and minority-owned businesses, as well as having a demonstrably diverse workplace, we’re following through on our commitment to the UN Global Compact’s Sustainable Development Goals Program. Specifically, this certification helps affirm our progress on SDG 8 and SDG 10, which aim to “promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all,” and to “reduce inequality within and among countries,” respectively.

Our CAMSC certification is also a large stride toward our goal of becoming B Corp-certified, as managing and creating inclusive workplaces and attaining procurement through a diverse and inclusive supply chain are two key factors in achieving B Corp certification.

Receiving CAMSC certification will also enrich our relationships with new and existing clients because it proves that we “walk our talk,” that we are mission-aligned with impact-driven organizations, and that we are truly committed to promoting and expanding diversity, specifically by supporting groups that have been systemically excluded from equitable economic participation.

Building a Better World, Together

Sparx is proud to be part of this like-minded community by having a nationally recognized certification, and we’re thrilled to support minority- and Indigenous-owned businesses as part of a more vibrant and diverse Canadian economy. We are eager to help build a world in which systemically excluded groups have greater opportunities to thrive. 

Are you on a mission to create tangible positive change? Reach out to us. We would love to work with your values-aligned organization and to help promote or achieve your supply chain diversity goals.

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Make The World Better Magazine

EcoMeter: Measuring Foodprints to Support Sustainability

There’s no doubt that the advent of take-out apps has furthered the convenience of at-home dining, especially during the pandemic. While the benefits are clear, the amount of wasteful packaging that’s often used can make us lose our appetites. 

EcoMeter, the 2021 winner of Brands for Better’s Brand Battle for Good competition, is helping Vancouver consumers find sustainable restaurants and restaurants find sustainable partners. We spoke with Jill Robinson, Project Manager at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and EcoMeter Project Co-lead, about this volunteer-led sustainable restaurant guide.

The EcoMeter decal is displayed in Metro Vancouver restaurants that have adopted practices to be more sustainable. Photo credit: Missy Shana

Tell us about EcoMeter’s mission.

EcoMeter is a community-based resource hub that highlights the most sustainable restaurants in Metro Vancouver. We make it easy for consumers to make better dining choices by supporting eco-minded businesses. As well, we help connect restaurants that want to make a positive change to industry partners with the expertise to help them. 

What inspired you to start your organization?

EcoMeter was the 2021 winning concept of the inaugural Brand Battle for Good, a zero-waste conference followed by an accelerated ideation and pitch competition. Our original inspiration was the compulsory restaurant health code ratings in New York City, where every establishment must display their rating from A – B – C based on their health inspection. We took this concept and applied to it a lens of sustainability and community support to ask, how can we educate consumers on the best places to eat that are mindful of their carbon “food” print?

EcoMeter volunteers proudly raise their reusable cups to celebrate the positive change realized through a big team effort. Photo credit: Missy Shana

What were some of the challenges you encountered?

When we started, none of our team members knew much about the food waste and packaging industry when it came to restaurant orders. That led us to consult and collaborate with some key partners who had been in the space much longer – industry partners like Ocean Wise, ShareWares, and Vancouver Food Runners gave us valuable advice that helped pivot our concept as it matured. We’ve learned to dream big and to listen to the experts in the field.

What do you consider to be EcoMeter‘s biggest success?

Our website, eco-meter.ca, officially launched in May 2022, just 12 months after the concept was born at the Brand Battle for Good. A lot of research was distilled into the four key categories that make up our restaurant grading system: food waste, supply chain, take-out packaging, and community initiatives. Already, more than 500 Metro Vancouver food establishments are listed on eco-meter.ca, so it feels great to spotlight these green-leading restaurants to consumers who care.

Take-out packaging is a factor on EcoMeter, and many restaurants have adopted ways to reduce single-use waste. Photo credit: Missy Shana

What makes EcoMeter unique?

EcoMeter addresses the elephant in the room when we’re talking about dining out or getting take-out. We’re experiencing a climate emergency, and local governments are stepping up measures to curb food waste and reduce single-use items. It’s a lot to consider when you just want to get some lunch before carrying on with your day, so we designed EcoMeter to highlight the food establishments that have adopted environmentally-progressive practices to make the decision-making process easier for consumers. The restaurant owners that we’ve connected with are extremely proud of their eco-friendly initiatives, and that sentiment gave us a lot of encouragement to see this project through.

How do you feel your organization makes the world better?

These days, everyone is ordering food from apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats – a number that has grown exponentially during the pandemic — but many of us aren’t thinking in terms of our carbon footprint when we choose the convenience of ordering from or experiencing a restaurant. We believe that knowing the impact of everything that goes into a meal will help us make better choices. EcoMeter exists to shine a light and educate our local community.

Supply chains are a factor on the EcoMeter that considers the entire food experience from farm (or ocean) to fork. Photo credit: Missy Shana

Tell us about EcoMeter’s goals.

We’re pushing back against the sobering statistics. According to the National Zero Waste Council, CA$49 billion worth of food is sent to landfill or composted each year in Canada, and in Vancouver alone, 82 million single-use cups and 103 million single-use utensils were thrown in the garbage in 2018, according to the City of Vancouver.

EcoMeter strives to change consumer behaviour and lower the carbon footprint of restaurants. We want to align with the City of Vancouver’s Zero Waste 2040 plan and help to create the greenest city in the world.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share?

We are openly exploring next steps to allow this project to blossom into its full potential as a driver of change. Conceivably, we could hand off this opportunity to an organization with an aligned mission and dedicated resources to harness the scalability and promise of the EcoMeter platform. Our team is so proud of what we’ve built, and it’s remarkable that it was all done through volunteers’ efforts. We will be looking for a partner with a similar passion.

Food waste, take-out packaging, supply chain, and community initiatives affect a restaurant’s EcoMeter rating. Photo credit: Missy Shana

What do you most want people to know about your organization?

We truly think that education can empower and ripple change throughout the industry. The facts of climate change and huge amounts of waste around the globe are both sobering and inevitable; however, EcoMeter is a resource for our community to make a positive and preventative change to support businesses that give a damn. 

We are privileged to work, live, and play on the ancestral and unceded Coast Salish territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations (commonly known as Vancouver), and we need to take care of this land for generations to come. 

How can people help or contribute to EcoMeter’s mission?

Visit eco-meter.ca to discover your next favourite restaurant and so many others that are taking steps to be more sustainable. Tag @ecometer on Instagram when you eat at a restaurant you found on our website. And when you spot the EcoMeter decal – a leaf pointer on a four-level scale – displayed on the windows and doors of a participating restaurant, let the owners know that you appreciate their efforts to be more sustainable.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better magazine:

Learn about more world-changing individuals and organizations:

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Impact Inspiration & Initiatives Sustainability Tips

Sparx’s Sustainable Gift Giving Guide: 25 Eco-Friendly and Zero-Waste Gift Ideas for 2022

‘Tis the season of giving, both to our loved ones and back to our communities. They say “it’s the thought that counts” when gifting, but for purpose-driven folks, seeing the 545,000 tonnes of annual waste generated in Canada during the holidays makes it hard to not feel like the Grinch.

Whether you’re looking for a zero-waste Secret Santa present or sustainable gifts for your family, we’ve researched a wide range of mostly Canadian eco-friendly products and other green gift ideas that will tie a ribbon on a year of circular efforts. Together, let’s go walking in a sustainable wonderland!

Candles 

Help make even the darkest evenings bright for your loved ones with these eco-friendly candles. 

EastVan Bees-Beeswax Candles: Crafted in Vancouver, these 100% beeswax candles are non-toxic and biodegradable. 

Mala the Brand Candles: Made of custom-blended coconut-soy wax, these paraben-free candles are biodegradable, toxin-free, come in recyclable packaging, and are hand-poured in Vancouver. Plus, for every candle purchased, a tree is planted. 

Siblings Candle Kits: Built on a “reuse, refill, relax” model, these candle kits enable you to repurpose and reuse containers by pouring candles yourself, again and again. Plus, these candle kits have 100% compostable packaging, are non-toxic and paraben-free, use coconut blend wax, and are carbon neutral.

Sequoia® Candles: Bring the outdoors in with these candles made from phthalate-free fragrance oils and essential oils in scents like sweetgrass and blackberry sage. Plus, they come in a reusable tin. Sequoia is a Proudly Indigenous brand that is 100% owned and operated by Indigenous women.

Stationery 

Rewrite traditional stationery gifts with these regenerative alternatives. 

Sprout Plantable Pens: Along with being sustainably made, sustainably sourced, non-toxic, and biodegradable, each of these pens contains seeds and can be directly planted in soil once the ink runs out. The seeds are drawn from an assortment of vegetable, flower, and herb seeds, making for a nice, zero-waste surprise.

Flowerink Greeting Cards and Paper: Illustrated and printed in Montréal, these unique greeting cards and paper products are made mostly from seed paper that is plantable/compostable, plus their packaging is zero-waste.  

Wisdom Supply Co. Weekly Planner: This zero-waste weekly planner is made from 100% recycled paper and plant-based inks and is shipped from a zero-waste, B Corp-certified fulfillment centre. 

Personal Care 

Gift these circular personal care products to make your loved ones feel pampered all season long.

Old Soul Soap Company Lip Balm: Canadian-made, these filler-free, all-natural lip balms are a zero-waste gift option that comes in plastic-free packaging. 

Etee Chewpaste Toothpaste: This chewable toothpaste ditches the plastic tube in favour of a reusable glass jar, providing a sustainable way to make smiles sparkle. 

The Yukon Soaps Company Soaps: Indigenous owned and operated, these handcrafted soaps are sustainably sourced and all-natural. With biodegradable plastic, reusable muslin, and other eco-friendly packaging, these soaps make for beautiful low-waste gifts. 

Nature’s Bodega Beard Care Box: Handmade in Vancouver, these beard care kits have all-natural ingredients, fully recyclable packaging, and no synthetic fragrances, making them a great eco-friendly gift option for the Movember participants in your life who opted not to shave come December.

Sisters Sage Bath Bombs: Made from all-natural ingredients, these delicious-smelling bath bombs from Sisters Sage, an Indigenous women-led company based in Vancouver, are vegan, palm oil/cruelty-free and come in reusable or recyclable packaging. 

Food & Drink 

These eco-friendly gifts are good for your body and good for the environment too.

Retea Sustainable Bubble Tea Kits with Reusable Cup: This Canadian company provides DIY bubble tea kits featuring a wide range of flavours, reusable bubble tea cups, straws and teaware, and recyclable and low-waste packaging. 

Susgrainable Banana Bread Mix: As seen in Make The World Better Magazine Issue 3, this banana bread mix is made from rescued spent grain produced by craft breweries, plus it’s low on sugar, full of protein and fibre, and loaded with flavour. 

Avanaa Vegan Chocolate: Canadian-made, this artisan chocolate is made from 100% natural and plant-based ingredients; supports farmers in Ecuador, Dominican Republic, and Colombia; and is packaged in recyclable paper. 

Salt Spring Coffee Holiday Bundle with Wooden Box: A featured company in Make The World Better Issue 1, Salt Spring Coffee is offering a holiday bundle that comes with sustainably shade-grown organic coffee, reusable mugs, and eco-friendly packaging, perfect for anyone who can’t live without their good cup of Joe. 

Pukka Teas: B Corp-certified and part of 1% For the Planet, Pukka teas are organically grown and fairly-sourced, come in sustainable packaging, and can be enjoyed in a plethora of flavours.

Stojo Cups: Portable, collapsible, and made with silicone that’s BPA-free and free of other toxic glues and chemicals, these reusable coffee cups and water bottles are safe and sustainable. 

Portable Collapsible Straw Kit: This metal straw kit is fully portable, reusable, and sustainable, keeping drinks plastic-free at home and on the go.

Apparel & Accessories 

Wrap someone you love in warmth with these sustainable clothing articles and accessories.

Hemp & Company Socks: Made from hemp, these socks are warm, sustainable, and produced by a BC-based brand. 

Anne Mulaire Fleece Clothing: Help the women in your life stay cozy with these fleece products from Anne Mulaire, a women-led, Indigenous business based in Winnipeg that puts sustainability and natural fibres at the forefront. 

GOGO Sweaters Zero-Waste Toques: This hand-knit, made-to-order toque is made from the scraps of sweaters in Canada. 

Kombi Balaclava: Have an avid ski or snowboarder on your list? This Canadian brand offers an adjustable balaclava made from 100% recycled polyester. 

rü Bags: Made from 100% recycled GRS certified fabric that’s OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, these lunch and tote bags are reusable, durable, and sustainable.

Rok Cork Leather Bags: Crafted from natural, sustainable, biodegradable cork, these bags are fashionable, functional, and good for the planet. 

While is great to buy eco-friendly gifts, it’s also important to think of the other parts of the gift-giving process. We recommend considering your environmental footprint while shopping — for example, walking or taking public transport to the store instead of driving — and wrapping your gifts in recycled, reusable, compostable, and/or upcycled materials.

Giftwrap Your Marketing with Sparx

Engaging in purpose-driven efforts to make the world better? The experts at Sparx can help package up your message and deliver it to your audience. Contact us for a free marketing consultation.