Green Queen Media

🍄🎧 BILLIE EILISH AND THE LUMINEERS TO USE PLASTIC-FREE MYCELIUM FOAM EARPLUGS IN CONCERTS Last month, New York startup Ecovative - the mycelium technology company closed a $28M funding round for its mycelium-based food and fashion innovations, announcing that it would soon launch accessories under its Forager brand. Now, it is making good on that promise through a partnership with GOB, a new startup focused on planet-friendly wearables. Based in San Francisco, GOB is marking its brand launch with the debut of its first product, a single-use earplug called DFC-001. While single-use isn’t exactly what you’d think of when you think of sustainability, these earplugs are made from Forager’s mycelium foam – and nothing else. This means they can break down in weeks to months, as opposed to the decades to centuries that it takes for conventional, PVC-based foam earplugs. As a sign of confidence in its functionality, GOB has closed an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round of $1.2M led by Baukunst, alongside angel investors and creative syndicate Selected Works. It has also landed deals with the likes of pop superstar Billie Eilish and alt-folk band The Lumineers, plus leaders in the hospitality, aviation, and motorsports industries. “Mycelium is exactly what we need to tackle the problem of single-use foams polluting our planet,” said GOB co-founder and CEO Eben Bayer. “GOB’s approach hits the mark – it’s the right product at the right time.” More information in the full article: https://lnkd.in/eRGhyVHK #GreenQueen #mycelium #sustainability #innovation #plasticpollution #biodegradable

🌱🥩🏷️ AMERICANS DIVIDED OVER VEGAN MEAT & DAIRY LABELS, BUT SHOULD BRANDS WORRY? It was only last week that the European Court of Justice delivered a major win for the plant-based food sector, rejecting a proposed legislation by the French government that would ban companies from using terms like ‘veggie burger’ and ‘plant-based bacon’ on packaging. Such regulations are commonplace globally – in the EU itself, non-dairy products are still not allowed to use words such as ‘oat milk’ or ‘cashew cheese’ – as meat and dairy companies vie to protect their business and argue that these labels mislead consumers. It’s an argument that has been debunked time and again, with several studies finding that most people understand that plant-based means animal-free, so a vegan beef product will not, in fact, have come from a cow. But a new survey finds that in the US, more than half (54%) of Americans believe companies should avoid meaty terms on plant-based labels, while just under half (47%) say the same for vegan dairy products. However, YouGov – which conducted the 2,500-person poll – says this shouldn’t really affect the marketing strategies of vegan food producers. A majority of respondents who oppose meaty (65%) and milky (61%) terms are somewhat or very unlikely to purchase plant-based analogues, the survey found. "It’s doubtful that a new label would change these consumers’ minds," YouGov's Clifton Mark noted. So companies may not need to overhaul their terminology completely, but given that their target consumers are meat-eaters and dairy consumers – i.e., those who are more likely to oppose the use of such terms on packaging – they need to highlight the attributes that these shoppers care about the most. Learn more in the full article: https://lnkd.in/eg7aQs3X #GreenQueen #altprotein #futurefood #plantbasedmeat #sustainability #health #nutrition

🌎⚖ BIDEN ASKED FOR OPINION ON PUSHBACK AGAINST BIG OIL CLIMATE LAWSUITS In yet another recent display of what’s at stake in this year’s U.S. presidential race, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday requested that the Biden administration weigh in on a case intended to thwart climate lawsuits against fossil fuel companies. The justices invited U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar—an appointee of Democratic President Joe Biden who represents the federal government in court—to file a brief “expressing the views of the United States” regarding Alabama v. California. In May, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and 18 of his Republican colleagues launched their bid to block lawsuits that several Democrat-led states including California have brought against energy giants for deceiving the public while fueling the global climate emergency. Multiple U.S. municipalities have filed similar suits against Big Oil. Although justices have rejected the oil and gas industry’s efforts to shift those suits from state to federal court, six of them are right-wingers with a record of anti-environment rulings. A spokesperson for Marshall told Reuters that the new request of Prelogar is “an encouraging sign that the justices are taking seriously the complaint of 19 states.” Meanwhile, Richard Wiles, president of The Center for Climate Integrity, took aim at the Alabama-led case, saying in a statement that “this meritless, politically driven request is an obvious attempt to shield fossil fuel companies from facing accountability for their climate lies and the monumental damage they’re causing.” “It should be a no-brainer for the solicitor general to oppose this petition and for the Supreme Court to reject it,” he added. “Communities deserve their day in court to hold Big Oil accountable.” Reuters pointed out Monday that Prelogar has not yet filed a brief in that case, but has some history with these suits: “The Democratic-led states have noted that the Supreme Court has previously rejected bids by oil companies to move several such lawsuits to federal court, after numerous U.S. appeals courts said the claims are not preempted by federal law. Read the full article, written by Jessica Corbett, here: https://lnkd.in/edQ8NAgJ #GreenQueen #climatechange #climateaction #fossilfuel #bigoil #emissions #sustainability

🌎👑 FULL INTERVIEW WITH CLIMATE QUEEN STEPHANIE DOWNS! Stephanie Downs is CEO & Co-founder of UNCAGED Innovations, a biomaterials company based in New York that is combining the power of nature and technology to reimagine leather. 💬 What drives you to do what you do? I’m driven by my passion for animals, making the world a better place by creating innovative solutions that align with my values and inspiring others to adopt a compassionate lifestyle. 💬 What does your average day look like? As the CEO of Uncaged Innovations, there’s is no "average" day. My schedule is highly variable but typically includes working from home or in our White Plains office and lab, meeting with the executive team to review project progress, and conducting meetings with investors to discuss funding opportunities. I also participate in industry conferences and events to stay up to date on the latest trends, review financial reports, plan budgets, and meet with prospective clients to ensure we meet their needs. I develop and implement marketing and sales strategies while managing day-to-day operations, including overseeing manufacturing and production processes. 💬 What's your go-to plant-based food brand? gardein™ Ultimate Plant-Based Chick’n Filets. We clean out the grocery store every time they get stocked. 💬 The most important thing we need to do to fight the climate crisis is… ...be innovative and determined to fight for change. The most important thing we need to do to fight the climate crisis is to make changes, prioritizing progress over perfection. Find out more about Stephanie here: https://lnkd.in/eE4birGq #GreenQueen #innovation #sustainability #climatechange #climateaction #emissions -------- Love sustainability stories? 💚 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eG25dcNw

♻️🧑🏻🍳 Sustainability is at the forefront for Marriott Hotels! The world’s largest hotel group has enlisted the help of Winnow in 53 kitchens to tackle food waste. With a 25% reduction achieved in the first half of 2024, Marriott is setting its sights on a 50% decrease by 2025. Every small step counts in the journey to sustainability! 🌱 Visit our website to discover more food innovation: https://lnkd.in/eqEx5DT #GreenQueen #sustainability #foodsystems #futurefood #altprotein #innovation #foodtech

🚀💡 Biotech innovation just got a major boost! The USDA, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and FDA have teamed up to launch an online tool for navigating the regulatory path. This is great news for startups in cultivated meat, precision fermentation, and molecular farming, helping them bring their products to market faster and safer. 🌱 Visit our website to discover more food innovation: https://lnkd.in/eqEx5DT #GreenQueen #sustainability #foodsystems #futurefood #altprotein #innovation #foodtech

🚨⏳ Cultivated meat showdown in Florida. After a two-hour hearing, the judge in UPSIDE Foods’ lawsuit against Florida’s cultivated meat ban is expected to deliver a ruling by November. Will Upside Foods make it to Art Basel with their chicken? Only time will tell... 🌱 Visit our website to discover more food innovation: https://lnkd.in/eqEx5DT #GreenQueen #sustainability #foodsystems #futurefood #altprotein #innovation #foodtech

🐄💨 BIG MEAT RIVALS BIG OIL’S METHANE OUTPUT – GOVERNMENTS NEED TO STEP IN At COP26 three years ago, leaders from around the world came together to adopt the Global Methane Pledge. Now featuring the signatures of 158 countries, the target is to reduce emissions by 30% by the end of the decade. But the pledge only focuses on drastic methane reductions from the fossil fuel sector, not the agriculture industry, which is the largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions. Within this, meat and dairy production is the biggest culprit, responsible for 31% of the output. As things stand, the road to 1.5°C is virtually a dead-end. If you ask some climate scientists, even limiting post-industrial temperature rises to 2°C is wishful thinking. Without addressing the food system, there’s no way we’re meeting our climate goals. That is because the methane emissions from 29 major livestock producers rival those of the fossil fuel industry’s 100 biggest emitters, according to a new report by Greenpeace Nordic. The analysis, which comes a month ahead of COP29, suggests that if we don’t take action to curb this impact, meat and dairy alone could lead to a temperature rise of 0.32°C by 2050. But if we cut our production and consumption of animal products in line with the Eat-Lancet Planetary Health Diet, we could prevent 0.12°C of warming in that period. The report found that the methane emissions of the five largest meat and dairy companies – JBS, Marfrig Global Foods, Minerva, Cargill and Dairy Farmers of America – are higher than those of the combined emissions of ExxonMobil, Shell, TotalEnergies, Chevron and bp. “Governments have to step up to the plate and drive the investments and rules that will get us on this hopeful pathway,” says Shefali Sharma, calling on policymakers to “support farmers and workers in a just transition” and give the world “a fighting chance to limit global heating while saving millions of lives and livelihoods”. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ew2ZrAsB #GreenQueen #climateaction #emissions #sustainability #climatechange

🍔🌱 PLANT-BASED GIANTS TEAM UP FOR FIRST INDUSTRY CAMPAIGN Do not ingest plant-based food… if you enjoy the taste of average to mediocre food. That is the call to action of a new, first-of-its-kind ad campaign backed by some of the leading companies in the US vegan sector. The marketing drive is coordinated by the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), and aims to highlight the benefits of plant-based eating in a quirky, deliberately contradictory way. Devised with marketing agency AKQA Bloom, the first activation is called ‘Plant-Based May Cause’, featuring a 60-second spot with a 10,000-word leaflet that was present all over Climate Week NYC last month. The fast-paced, playful narration challenges the misconceptions and underlines the benefits – some obvious, some ‘unexpected’ – linked to a vegan diet. It’s the first time leading brands in the industry have joined forces for a commercial campaign at this scale, with partners including The Kraft Heinz Not Company, Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, TiNDLE Foods, Bel Brands USA Foodservice, Daiya Foods Inc, Prime Roots, Mellody®, Stockeld Dreamery, Armored Fresh, milkadamia, and more. “For years, the Big Meat and Dairy industries have been planting misinformation, so we’ve chosen to plant joy and deliciousness instead,” said AKQA Bloom co-founder and executive creative director Jean Zamprogno. “A better future for us and our planet begins with a shift in consumer behaviour, and no industry is better than ours to lead the way.” The campaign ad comprises footage from a branded food truck the PBFA organised with chef Nina Curtis and the 15 companies at Climate Week NYC, where New Yorkers were offered free samples of plant-based dishes. UK-based Vegan Food Group’s Matthew Glover (who is also the co-founder of Veganuary ) and Indy Kaur, founder of vegan consultancy firm Plant Futures, are spearheading this initiative. “We are looking to level up with this, consolidate funding and create a campaign which can fairly compete and give consumers a reason to choose to eat plants and not animals,” Glover told Green Queen in February. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eY3A3R9H #GreenQueen #altprotein #cultivatedmeat #foodtech #futurefoods #foodsystems #sustainability 

🇯🇵🌿🍔 NEXT RESTAURANT: WAYBACK BURGERS ASIA OPENS ALL-VEGAN CHAIN IN JAPAN Fast-casual chain Wayback Burgers is going all-in on Asia’s hunger for plant proteins, establishing an all-vegan restaurant concept championing plant-based meat in Japan. Wayback Burgers Asia, the Japanese master franchisee of the US hamburger chain, has opened Next Restaurant in Tokyo, which it describes as a first-of-its-kind concept in the city designed to overcome the ever-changing barriers of the foodservice sector. The chain operates mainly as a takeaway and delivery site, with only limited seating for dine-in options. The restaurant operates a shared kitchen to prepare dishes from different restaurants, with visitors able to choose items from multiple menus at the same time. At Next Restaurant, customers can order from a range of vegan bento boxes, with options like foie gras kalbi, short ribs, pork and ginger, and a beef bowl. The eatery also keeps to its parent company’s hamburger legacy, with menu items like short rib or pork-ginger rice hamburgers, as well as a minced meat cutlet. Moreover, Next Restaurant offers gluten-free pasta and doria (a type of rice gratin) tossed in tomato, bolognese or carbonara sauce, alongside entire menus for cheesesteaks and pizza (with flavours like tuna mayo, bulgogi, curry, and Margherita). Wayback Burgers Asia has further created a vegan and gluten-free smoothie brand called Niseko & Smoothie, which uses fresh produce from farms in the town of Niseko, Hokkaido. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/em8yH3TF #GreenQueen #altprotein #plantbasedmeat #sustainability #foodsystems #nutrition #vegan