#mindful businesses

62: Rhino Machines – Silica Plastic Blocks

As we start building our sustainable house we look for sustainable alternatives for bricks or pavers and other construction materials. Here is a very creative solution from India, made almost entirely of waste and 2.5 times stronger than regular brick! Let’s listen to the episode to find out more! This episode is a re-air from June 21, 2022
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When Manish Kothari, Managing Director of Rhino Machines and a second-generation entrepreneur involved in the casting and foundry industry in India, saw how dark, dusty and dangerous this industry was to the environment and the workers, he decided to do something about it. He is a social entrepreneur with a passion for innovation who decided to tackle the dust and sand waste that the foundry creates. He reached out to Shridhar Rao, a partner in the architect firm R + D studio to make a brick by combining the foundry dust with plastic to create the first Silica Plastic Block (SPB). The SPB tested 2.5 times stronger than regular brick and it was comparable in cost to the regular bricks in Indian metro cities. They have created a sustainable alternative to traditional brick.

Manish is adamant about not patenting his innovation and in fact, believes in assisting and sharing the know-how with other sustainable entrepreneurs. Learn more about these enterprising, creative and forward-thinking entrepreneurs on Mindful Businesses podcast.
https://www.MindfulBusinessespodcast.com

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Mindful Businesses
62: Rhino Machines - Silica Plastic Blocks
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62: Rhino Machines – Silica Plastic Blocks

Summer construction activity is at its peak in the US. And as we look for sustainable alternatives for bricks or pavers or other construction materials, we look Eastwards to one of our guests whose journey I have followed since our last recording. He is a very creative solution made almost entirely of waste and 2.5 times stronger than regular brick. This episode we felt definitely needed an encore.
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When Manish Kothari, Managing Director of Rhino Machines and a second-generation entrepreneur involved in the casting and foundry industry in India, saw how dark, dusty and dangerous this industry was to the environment and the workers, he decided to do something about it. He is a social entrepreneur with a passion for innovation who decided to tackle the dust and sand waste that the foundry creates. He reached out to Shridhar Rao, a partner in the architect firm R + D studio to make a brick by combining the foundry dust with plastic to create the first Silica Plastic Block (SPB). The SPB tested 2.5 times stronger than regular brick and it was comparable in cost to the regular bricks in Indian metro cities.

What makes this solution and entrepreneur special is Manish’s obstinance about not patenting his innovation. He in fact believes in assisting and sharing the know-how with other sustainable entrepreneurs. Learn more about these enterprising, creative and forward-thinking entrepreneurs on Mindful Businesses podcast.

This episode is a re-air from June 8, 2021

https://rhinospb.in/
https://www.MindfulBusinessespodcast.com

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Mindful Businesses
62: Rhino Machines - Silica Plastic Blocks
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106: The Buy Nothing Project – Buy Nothing, Build Community

Humans are inherently materialistic and seek happiness through objects, but what we get is enjoyment not happiness. Happiness tends to be more fulfilling and long term. Happiness often comes by connecting with your community, by sharing stories and creating trust. That is what The Buy Nothing Project does. We talk to the amazing Rebecca Rockerfeller, co-founder of The Buy Nothing Project, who started the movement with her friend Liesl Clark, as a way for community members to gift things that they don’t need any longer. But how are they different from donating, is the stories that they share with each other, that create bonds and communities. Spring is around the corner and if you are anything like me, I am overwhelmed with the clutter around me and making frequent trips to the donation sites. But maybe this Spring gift it through your neighborhood’s The Buy Nothing Project. Learn more from this amazing and truly authentic co-founder Rebecca Rockefeller on this episode of Mindful Businesses.

#Mindful Businesses
#TheBuyNothingProject
#sustainability
#eco-friendly
#communitybuilding
http://buynothingproject.org/
https://mindfulbusinessespodcast.com/

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Impact
106: The Buy Nothing Project - Buy Nothing, Build Community
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78: Thaely – Don’t Just Do It – Do It Right

We talk with Ashay Bhave, founder of Thaely, who as a middle-schooler dreamt of becoming a sneaker designer. His journey begins at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, where disenchanted within the first year, he returned back to Dubai to pursue a degree in business at Amity University. As a designer Ashay wanted to solve problems – the problem of plastic grocery bag waste – we consume 3 trillion of them annually. After some near fires in his kitchen, he developed a product Thaely Tex. Thaely is made with 100% recycled raw materials. Each sneaker uses ThaelyTex that’s made using 10 upcycled waste plastic bags. ThaelyTex is made in collaboration with TrioTap Technologies in Gurugram, India. The waste plastic bags are collected from housing complexes, offices, and stores from in and around Gurugram, India. The lining is made with rPET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate is a fabric made from recycling waste PET Plastic Bottles) using 12 Recycled waste plastic bottles. With their partnership with The Shoe Laundry, the sneakers are either refurbished or recycled. Each pair is also packaged in a reusable rPET. Every component of the shoe and its process is looked into great detail to achieve Thaely’s sustainability goals. Come along and learn more in this episode.

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Design and Innovation
78: Thaely - Don’t Just Do It - Do It Right
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62: Rhino Machines – Silica Plastic Blocks

When Manish Kothari, Managing Director of Rhino Machines and a second-generation entrepreneur involved in the casting and foundry industry in India, saw how dark, dusty and dangerous this industry was to the environment and the workers, he decided to do something about it. He is a social entrepreneur with a passion for innovation who decided to tackle the dust and sand waste that the foundry creates. He reached out to Shridhar Rao, a partner in the architect firm R + D studio to make a brick by combining the foundry dust with plastic to create the first Silica Plastic Block (SPB). The SPB tested 2.5 times stronger than regular brick and it was comparable in cost to the regular bricks in Indian metro cities. They have created a sustainable alternative to traditional brick.

Manish is adamant about not patenting his innovation and in fact, believes in assisting and sharing the know-how with other sustainable entrepreneurs. Learn more about these enterprising, creative and forward-thinking entrepreneurs on Mindful Businesses podcast.

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India
62: Rhino Machines - Silica Plastic Blocks
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58: UpMeals – Healthy Food Hotspot

Vending machines and sustainability seem to be diametrically opposite objectives, But Upmeals is bringing together these two objectives in its innovative. Drew Munro, a professional Vancouver-based caterer, and Ryan Angel, a Red Seal Chef and Registered Holistic Nutritionist. He saw a market need for an option that allowed businesses to provide healthy, ready-to-eat meals for their employees or customers, in a scalable, cost-effective way. UpMeals is a flexible alternative to costly traditional catering or meal delivery services. Freshly made meals are delivered weekly to each refrigerated vending machine that can be monitored remotely via an app to determine the popularity of menu items and reduce waste.

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Food
58: UpMeals - Healthy Food Hotspot
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57: Ceres Greenhouse Solutions – Designing for a Better Future

We have on our show Marc Plinke, founder/CEO, and Miriam Schaffer Marketing and Communications Specialist of Ceres Greenhouse Solutions. Inspired by the Roman Goddess of Agriculture, Ceres is a company devoted to growing plants. Their core team consists of engineers, architects, builders, plant experts, designers, and tinkerers. Founded in 2011, Ceres Greenhouse Solutions aims to reinvent the traditional greenhouse. They combine passive solar design principles with innovative heat-storage techniques to create the most energy-efficient and durable greenhouses for any climate in the world. The result is a smarter, ‘greener’ greenhouse design: one that regulates its own temperature, can grow year-round, withstands the harshest weather, and uses little to no fossil fuel energy.

Ceres greenhouse solutions can be found around the world, in climates as far-ranging as Alaska to South Africa for backyard gardeners, sustainable farmers, school administrators, and big industrial growers. Listen to Marc Plinke and Miriam Shaffer on Mindful Businesses.

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Agriculture & Farming
57: Ceres Greenhouse Solutions - Designing for a Better Future
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50: Dandelion Energy – Heat Without Fire

Whether it’s a winter cold snap or a summer scorcher, the ground five feet below the surface maintains a constant temperature year-round. This constant earth temperature is higher than average winter temperatures and lower than average summer temperatures.
Geothermal systems use this difference in temperature to transfer heat between your home and the earth with two key parts: A heat pump inside your home (usually in place of your traditional system) and buried pipe systems (called ground loops) circulate heat transfer fluid. During summer, the geothermal system draws heat from the air in your home and transfers it to the ground. During winter, it draws heat from the ground and transfers it to your home. Fascinated to learn how it works? Listen to our episode with Kathy Hannun, co-founder of Dandelion Energy – heat without fire.

For more information about this and other episodes go to www.mindfulbusinessespodcast.com and https://dandelionenergy.com/

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Energy
50: Dandelion Energy - Heat Without Fire
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48: Solar Panda – Transforming Lives with Low-cost Solar Home Systems

We chat with Brett Bergmann, COO of Solar Panda, Transforming Lives with Low-cost Solar Home Systems about the day when he visited a Solar Panda customer who for the first time had electricity in their home. It was one of the most rewarding days for Brett. How can we live lives and have jobs which are impactful? Solar Panda develops innovative solar energy systems to electrify homes and small businesses. Each upgradeable kit comes with lights, mobile charging, a radio, lantern, and torch, with options for premium appliances like a TV.
For more episodes go to our website:https://www.mindfulbusinessespodcast.com/podcast-1
To learn more about Solar Panda:
https://solarpanda.com/

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Africa
48: Solar Panda - Transforming Lives with Low-cost Solar Home Systems
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