The Blue Economy is about doing business better. By implementing a zero-waste philosophy along with innovative business models inspired by nature, we can create jobs and stable economies that are 100% sustainable.
The Blue Economy evolved out of research at United Nations University in the mid-1990s spearheaded by Gunter Pauli. Today, there are more than 200 cases where the Blue Economy has been implemented in practice. These self-sustaining projects range from the regeneration of 8 hectares of rainforest in the Colombian savannah to  the transformation of waste rock into paper that can be recycled for thousands of years.They offer strong business models that generate jobs and strengthen local economies while being 100% sustainable.

As promised, I’ve prepared for you, an array of resources that accompany the introduction to the Blue Economy workshop you attended recently.  I ask that you do not share this page with others or post its contents. You are welcome however to use and or share the individual resources provided you credit the source.

To view the introductory video on the Blue Economy click here.

The Rise of the Circular Economy in Asia – Eco-Business Magazine March – April, 2015

Is Blue the new Green?  Opinion Piece – Eco-Business and Singapore Development Board. This is a great introduction to the concept of the Blue Economy.  This is one item that can be reposted publicaly.  To re-post this in a newsletter, please contact Jessica Cheam <jcheam@eco-business.com>- Editor Eco-Business Email: jcheam@eco-business.com – otherwise share with your networks.</jcheam@eco-business.com>

SustainAbility insight into new business models  Behavior: 20 Business Model Innovations for Sustainability

Vortex Process Technology inspired by the Water Vortex developed by Watreco can be used to:

  • Eliminate the need for chemicals in Cooling Towers allowing for water re-use
  • Enhance yields, reduce water and fertlizers use in Agriculture
  • Reduce the water required for golf courses
  • Enhance or eliminate algae growth in ponds and river systems
  • Improve aquaculture outputs
  • Aid oil production and recovery
  • Separate metals from water
  • Prevent lime scale in homes, restaurants, hotels, agriculture etc
  • Irrigation and much more.

Watreco Technical background highlighting various applications of this important, game changing technology inspired by nature, that replaces something with nothing.  Please share this freely.  A U.Tube video on it’s application in Cooling Towers can be can be found here.If you would like to receive a quote on using this application in your cooling towers – complete this form and we will let you know a price, overall savings, payback period etc. Note the average payback is less than two years – for some such as Heineken who used the plug and play technology in their cooling towers with government subsidy, payback period was less than a year. For quotes on VPT’s for use in agriculture, in river systems etc – just give me a call.

Case Study – Gunter Pauli share details on the Vortex Technology and how it is being applied in the Blue Economy

Case Study – Silk as a substitute for Titanium

Case Study –  Interface The untold story of Mission Zero in Europe. The Net-Works video can be found here.

Case Study – Natural Evolution Green Banana Flour, FNQ

Case Study – Why use sound waves when we can use light waves. A look at the innovation of LiFi.

Case Study – Using what you have locally to add value rather than cut costs. Lisbon Farm.

Case Study – Waste Waters in an Italian Abattoir.

Case Study –  How Ian and Vanessa got mud-crabs, chickens and pigs from Coconuts and Vanilla in Tonga.

Case Study – Growing Food in the desert with no fresh water and close to zero fossil fuels. Growing vegetables and fish on Smart Floating Farms.

Case Study – Uses for Coffee such as growing mushrooms and much much more.  For those who want more information on growing mushrooms get the webinar with ZERI mushroom specialist Ivanka Milenkovic.

Case Study – Green Chemistry BioRefinery using Thistles.

Case Study – Black Soldier Fly.  See the original story of how the maggot is being used to heal and grow protein in the 100 innovations –  its case no 2.

Case Study –  El Hierro, Canary Islands –  How a small Spanish island became a renewable energy pioneer.

For more about Stone Paper – Check out Rockstock – Stone Paper that rocks

Blue Economy Clusters and Autopoiesis – Case Study Detroit Reuse Opportunity Collaboratory (ROC) and Slides on ROC and Autopoiesis. Details on the Eco-Town Research and Development Centre in Kitakyushu, Japan  can be found here.

Recommended Reading:

The Blue Economy – 10 years, 100 Innovationand, 100m jobs Report to the Club of Rome by Gunter Pauli.  Available from MOSS for $50 + postage.

Systemic Design by Luigi Bistagnino (aim for the PDF version – be careful you get it in English though).

The Upcycle – Beyond sustainability, designing for abundance by William McDonough and Michael Braungart.

The workshop you attended was just the beginning as the Blue Economy can help support business, industry and community deliver a more sustainable future for us all.  We all know there is no silver bullet, but with systemic thinking and game changing innovation inspired by nature with zero waste – it will go a long way to delivering food security, jobs and economic stability.   

If there is anything I can do to help support your journey, that of the organisation you represent / your industry or community please call or drop me a line – other wise I will be back in touch as we progress the Blue Economy Institute.  

Until then, all the very best.
Anne-Maree Huxley
Blue Economy Expert

PS A special thanks to the organisations who have supported our workshops.