Green Grow Mushroom and Awards 2016
MUSHROOMING CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN SCOTLAND
Circular Economy is a fantastic opportunity to redesign businesses.
But what does it mean? Ten things that you need to know about it
Our main goal as sustainability mentors is to let people and companies understand things with practical examples and so we create and help to create pilots and showcasing to demonstrate that this model not just works, but it has a limitless potential.
In order to demonstrate what is possible with circular economy we have upgraded a blue economy remarkably multi awarded innovation: growing mushroom from coffee ground - SCAA's 2015 Sustainability Award Winner, CIWM's UK Sustainability & Resource Industry Awards 2014 - ISYS Award for Innovation (SME) Award.
So how to apply and implement this innovation for Scotland?
"Of course considering the strengths and the challenges of this beautiful country: we identified them in three main areas, whisky, reforesting and food security. So after designing the model we have started to involve partners to initiate "Green Grow Mushroom - growing taste from waste".
With this model, Aurora Sustainability won and has been shortlisted in two prestigious Scottish and International competitions, and it is proud to represent Scotland innovation in international contexts :
One of the three Scottish winners, plus public prize award of the Climate LanchPad, the world’s largest clean-tech business idea competition, 13th of July 2016 (European Final Tallinn Estonia 7-8 October).
Shortlisted at Food&Drinks Award Highland and Islands for 2 categories: innovation and environment (21st October in Inverness). The Awards complement the work of the Highlands and Islands Food & Drink Forum by encouraging food and drink businesses to be innovative, forward thinking and collaborative and by celebrating excellence and achievement.
Finalist for VIBES Awards 2016 for 2 categories Circular Economy and Micro Business. Final award ceremony which will be taking place on the 8th of November in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow. The VIBES Awards are held each year to recognise and showcase best practice of Businesses in Scotland, taking significant steps to improve or reduce their impact on the environment, often saving money in the process.
On July 10-13 the project has been presented with great success at the Singapore International Water Week, as honorer member of the
Aurora Sustainability founders, Scottish Iain Findlay and Italian Isabella Guerrini de Claire, pioneered since many years circular and blue economy.
Based in Moray, Scotland and spreading sustainability around the world, their work is focused on helping social, private and public enterprises, individuals, communities, C-Suite Managers, Boards and consultants to re-think and re-design their economic approach with a deep understanding of sustainability and scientific innovation.
Circular and blue economy are about applicability.
Yes, - applicable, not replicable - is their motto.
"Replicability, without consider the unique environment in which things are created, we know that doesn't work anymore." says one of the two founders - land restoration Ph.D. - Isabella Guerrini de Claire.
This new pilot they have created, Spey side based, is about to produce environmentally friendly, freshly harvested gourmet mushrooms grown on coffee grounds waste, using waste heat-water from distilleries to generate year round growing conditions. The pilot unleashes the potential to recover 4 tonnes of coffee per 45 day cycle - 2 shipping containers - 8 cycles per year = 23 tonnes of CO2 savings per year.
But Mycorrhizal networks for new and re-growth forests may be where the real deal is to be found.
Mushrooms in fact are the bricks of the forest and when introducing mushrooms in reforesting trees boost growing three times faster, absorbing co2 at a faster speed.
This project is not just a producing model but a solution for CO2 reduction, food security, to help communities grow their own food and creating new jobs. The mushrooms produced can go either to the food chain and to the forests. Moreover the end of the chain is not waste, because the mycelium left after the harvest goes to soil conditioning again, which increase again mycorrhizosphere effect, helping plants to grow better and healthier, animal feeding or biomass for heating.
"Do we sell the mushrooms then? Yes, but not just. You will discover it soon!
Because the applications are endless." The business model sells mainly the model, because the founders core business is to mentor in how to apply this and other innovations with the circular economy approach, analysing and work with the unique environment, economic and different conditions each bioregion has.
At the moment stakeholders are a local coffee shop in Moray, , a Spey side Whisky Distillery, the provider of the pellet machinery, Scottish charities for reforesting, local farmers, where the edible product goes at the end of the chain, local food retailers and distributors. If you want to know the progress watch this space ate At the moment stakeholders are a local coffee shop in Moray, , a Spey side Whisky Distillery, the provider of the pellet machinery, Scottish charities for reforesting, local farmers, where the edible product goes at the end of the chain, local food retailers and distributors. If you want to know the progress, watch the space Green Grow in the website.
Finger crossed then, for the Scottish company Aurora Sustainability and for a circular economy better planet! Stay tuned!
