by Komoneed | Mar 14, 2025
The second edition of the “Getting Transportation Right” scorecard from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has ranked all 50 states (and Washington, DC) in the U.S. based on their transportation policies. States with policies that emphasize greener, more equitable transportation ranked higher in the list, while those with policies that favor highway expansions or […]
The post New Scorecard by NRDC Ranks States by Transportation Policies appeared first on EcoWatch.
by Komoneed | Mar 14, 2025
Innovators from Melbourne and Bandung, Indonesia will join forces to tackle food waste and potentially accelerate the transition to a circular food system.
Applications are now open for the Melbourne-Bandung Food Waste Challenge, delivered in partnership between the City of Melbourne, Rocket Seeder and the City of Bandung.
“Our partner-city relationships are crucial to help us learn and tackle global issues on a local level — and with the City of Bandung, we’re giving some of our best minds the opportunity to collaborate on meaningful projects and ultimately make lives better for our residents,” said Lord Mayor of Melbourne Nick Reece.
“This challenge will leverage insights from both cities’ food systems and waste management strategies — ultimately offering major industries with guidance to reduce their environmental footprint.”
The program will connect early-stage startups, social enterprises and researchers from both cities with industry partners from the hospitality, food market and airline industries.
Through the 10-week program, participants will gain access to:
workshops and mentoring sessions led by food waste and circular economy experts
industry connections with investors, policymakers and food system leaders
networking opportunities to foster cross-border collaboration and idea-sharing
support to develop, validate and scale innovative solutions.
“At Rocket Seeder, we see startups as the heartbeat of innovation in food systems — their fresh ideas are cutting waste and sowing the seeds for a more sustainable future,” said Rocket Seeder Executive Director Piers Grove.
At the end of the program, selected participants will pitch their solutions to a panel of industry experts, with the winners to receive the chance to pilot their solution within industry partners’ business operations, as well as the potential for further support and investment.
“Melbourne and Bandung are both home to established ecosystems of innovators, entrepreneurs and leading universities — and this challenge gives them a platform to have a lasting impact through creative solutions to food waste,” said Innovation and Education portfolio head Andrew Rowse.
Food waste is a global issue, contributing to carbon emissions, economic losses and food insecurity. In Australia alone, over 7.6 million tonnes of food is wasted each year costing the economy $36.6 billion annually, while Indonesia faces similar challenges in managing organic waste and food supply chains.
This initiative builds on the partner-city relationship between Melbourne and Bandung, with both sharing a commitment to sustainability and innovation.
Mayor of Bandung Muhammad Farhan said, “I’m confident that this collaboration will generate ideas that can have a positive impact and bring benefit to the local businesses and communities in both Bandung and Melbourne.”
Applications are now open for entrepreneurs, startups, researchers and innovators working on food waste solutions.
Image credit: iStock.com/MachineHeadz
by Komoneed | Mar 14, 2025
If fashion brands are serious about slashing emissions, they must start with their suppliers, which need a lot of support.
The post How business can help fashion supply chains decarbonize appeared first on Trellis.
by Komoneed | Mar 13, 2025
The City of Casey in Victoria has commenced its Climate Action Living Lab, which aims to harness the collective expertise of a range of partners to address climate challenges for a safer, more sustainable future.
To address these challenges, organisations operating in the climate-ready space were invited to apply for a Climate Action Living Lab grant in August 2024. Following an extensive application process, six organisations have been chosen to partner with the council over the next 12 months to trial solutions for climate action.
City of Casey Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen said the Climate Action Living Lab will focus on three key areas: safety and climate resilience, sustainability and biodiversity, and renewable energy.
“These focus areas align directly with the priorities identified by our community, and we are excited to work with our partners to tackle these challenges head-on,” he said.
The following organisations were selected to be part of the Climate Action Living Lab:
Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub: empowering youth for climate action
Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne: Raising Rarity – City of Casey school outreach program
Federation University: using UV-C technology to reduce chemical weedicide
Equoia: clean mobile power for a sustainable future
Western Port Catchment Landcare Network: City of Casey a community of bandicoot buddies
Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve Foundation: Western Port Koala corridor project
“There are some amazing trials happening across the city and I am looking forward to seeing how they progress over the coming months,” Koomen said.
Image credit: iStock.com/laddawan punna
by Komoneed | Mar 13, 2025
The Toyota bZ4X gets an array of updates aimed at giving the electric SUV more showroom appeal
