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GreenBiz 350 Podcast

Episode 184: Coca-Cola's packaging pledge, Organic Valley gets creative

We chat with Bruce Karas about water brand Dasani's new bottles, cans and "package-less" containers. Plus, perspective from the dairy coop's energy manager, Stanley Minnick.

Week in Review

Tune in around 10:53 for commentary

Features

Cooperation was central to Organic Valley's clean energy milestone (23:18)

Organic Valley, the U.S. dairy collective, got creative to meet its goal of being powered by 100 percent clean energy thanks to a series of community solar deals it helped spearhead through municipal utilities. Sarah Golden, GreenBiz Senior Energy Analyst and chair of VERGE Energy, recently spoke with two people involved with Organic Valley’s unique arrangement: Stanley Minnick, Organic Valley’s energy services and technology manager, on the company’s priorities, and Darcy Schiber-Knowels, the senior quality, sustainability and innovation manager at Dr. Bronner's.

Carbon 180's mission to cultivate carbon-removal tech (29:25)

Carbontech Labs is a startup accelerator initiative nurtured by Carbon 180, the nonprofit dedicated to advancing the field of carbon removal technology. "The carbontech products that we support have to be better, faster, stronger than their incumbents and ideally cheaper," said Dvorit Mausner, who co-created the labs but is moving onto another role. Tune in for more about the types of products and technologies it's nurturing.

Dasani goes aluminum, talks up water coolers (34:45)

Coca-Cola's water brand Dasani disclosed several packaging innovations this week, including HybridBottle, which mixes plant-based renewable and recycled PET. Dasani also will introduce aluminum cans this fall, and it's expanding on pilots with water dispensers in places such as universities on corporate campuses or institutional food service organizations. We spoke with Bruce Karas, vice president of environment, sustainability, safety and technical information, about the developments.

*Music in this episode by Lee Rosevere: "Knowing the Truth," "And So Then," "Thinking It Over," "Curiousity" and "Here's the Thing"

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