This summer, we launched our Sustainable Earth Small Business Awards (SESBA) and selected 15 winners who showcased outstanding sustainability commitments. Our new podcast, The Green Scene, dives into conversations with SESBA winners about their journey as sustainable business owners.
In our ninth episode, we interviewed our next SESBA winner, Dr. Amir Varshovi, from GreenTechnologies. GreenTechnologies is a nutrient recycler and fertilizer supplier in Gainesville, Florida.
Nutrient runoff, primarily from fertilizer use, is a big problem in agriculture, leading to harmful algal blooms. Algal blooms are overgrowths of algae caused by excess availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. This blocks out the sun and exhausts the oxygen content of the water–killing plant and animal underwater life. This process is also called eutrophication. On top of eutrophication, rampant over-use of fertilizers supports climate change: An estimated 1-2% of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions come from fertilizer production.
Although the use of fertilizer creates a significant impact on the earth, we still need it. By 2050, we will need to increase food production by 60% in the same amount of space to feed one billion more people. There are no projections on how we will do that without fertilizer; Therefore, developing a system to maximize fertilizer use and prevent its disposal into bodies of water is critical for sustainable development.
That’s where GreenTechnologies come in. In 1999, while completing his Ph.D., Dr. Varshovi founded GreenTechnologies and began “developing processes of nutrient recycling, finding sustainable alternative sources for the nutrients plants need.” By creating fertilizer from waste, GreenTechnologies is making an impact on land and in water.
Hear More About GreenTechnologies
If you want to hear more about how Dr. Varshovi started a nutrient-recycling company that’s improving water quality and supporting sustainable agriculture, including some retail-specific insights, make sure to listen to the newest episode of The Green Scene.
