MBA: MASTERS OF BEAUTIFUL ACHIEVEMENTS

In this case flies (and more specific Black Solder Flies) are the main actors. I will use the black solder fly to explain why insets are the nature’s most effective and efficient composting transformers. Understanding the why and how of the different insects lifecycles will provide insights in how insects have adapted to stay alive as the most sought after food (protein) source of the planet. Interesting enough understanding the role of insects in the web of life will lead to a better understanding of the role of amino acids (there are 20 amino acids which are essential to the animal kingdom) as building block for proteins, fatty acids and life in general. And understand amino acids will help to better understand the need of reducing the human consumption of animal protein and why we need to increase the protein intake of the other 4 kingdoms. And it will become evident how changing the existing (animal) protein intake will mitigate all the negative impacts associated with the animal protein rush (more about this later) into positive ones.

 The invention of Fair Trade, a concept where consumers and traders pay higher prices of the products as premium on top of the global economic market system, is in its intention an inspiring concept. A higher price so that the farmer can pay better wages to its employee and can have better living standard compared …

Fair Production should be the standard not Fair Trade Read More »

Las Gaviotas is a leading example how to reverse climate change within a 10 year timeframe through an extensive and large scale reforestation effort based on agroforestry principles. Their approach has challenged the scientific community in and outside Colombia as most of their achievements was thought impossible. This community has been able to restore biodiversity in an inhospitable and horrendous place and turning the land into a restorative business model. Their business model shows the way forward to start implementing business models, which supports local communities (education, skills and jobs), supports the biobased economy and supports nature in its driver for growth of biodiversity.

This case explores how a new fossil fuel industrial system is able to produce environmental better forms of plastics and additives using living biomass resources. It offers a transition path for fossil fuel based industry and rise as a new phoenix from its ashes. In this case it shows who the Italian industrial giants are waking up to the new reality and taking action under the visionary leadership of a biochemical scientist. And it shows how this new industrial system can at the same time offer an alternative solution how to solve global soil degradation. It will help understanding how to systematically connect agriculture, refineries and soils in creating profitable business models.

Each brewery must be seen as a part of a larger value chain in which all nutrients are cascaded. It is only then when it becomes evident the brewery has a much larger responsibility in how it produces and transforms its nutrients. The brewery shares its responsibilities with its farmers in how they produce the barley and hop. The brewery has responsibility how it extracts, uses and restores fresh water supplies. And finally the brewery is responsible in how it takes care of the precious content of the leftover seeds (spent grains). Only through a systemic approach it is possible to cascade and valorise all remaining 70% secondary product flow (water and spent grains) into high value added products. On average it is estimated these types of breweries can produce seven times more food, fuel, and fertilizer than a conventional operation and four times as many jobs.