Blink:

In a recent post, I referenced a LinkedIn comment to make my point regarding TMI. Today, I am going to reference another comment I read recently to recommend sustainability advocates start engaging in English. To my point; Subject: Upcycled innovation. LinkedIn comment: BOTTOM LINE: ERoEl. Excuse me; English please!

Read On:

A year ago, I posted Save the Planet Lingo. In the past two months thanks to COP28 and discussions at Davos centered around the universal metric ESG (environmental, social, and governance), I have noticed a proliferation of environmental jargon online. As a food futurist advocating/supporting the transformation of our current global food system, I follow upcycling which is the process of transforming by-products like waste materials, otherwise useless, into new materials/products with value. Last week I read about a creative, innovative upcycled product breakthrough. Researchers developed a method to employ the wastewater of Scottish whisky distillation and produce green hydrogen (renewable energy). For the record distillation is a highly polluting industry. The researchers believe this new approach would not only lower the waste produced by distillation, but also reduce the freshwater footprint associated with green hydrogen production. After reading the article which piqued my interest since I am a big fan of single malt scotch, I read the following LinkedIn comment BOTTOM LINE: ERoEl. What? I had to ask. The individual who posted responded: “Glad you asked. Energy Recovered over Energy Invested.” At least his response was in English, but being a marketer, not an environmental scientist, ERoEI is still a foreign language to me. English please!

Two concluding thoughts:

1. I believe, to get humanity (especially the average Joe) to adapt to sustainable lifestyles, it will take more consumer education. Educational content written in English please!
2. Upcycled wastewater from Scottish whisky distillation – I will drink to that.

Opinions Welcomed!