Introduction

As a part of business internship, it was a nice opportunity to learn about project management, start-up (business initiative), team management, and a new communication tool Debategraph as well. My views on our idea Green Tech will include reason behind this idea, possibility of solution for losing biodiversity, protection of environment which will result in saving this planet for survival of human beings along with other hundreds of species.

Start-up has never been an easy task, however, it provides an opportunity of unlimited learning. Social entrepreneurship creates a green industry, which helps to solve environmental problems through the development of innovative solutions. Some companies go green either to reduce environmental harm or to gain consumer support.

Reason behind our idea “Green Tech”

Being a polymer and process engineer, I fully acknowledge role of polymeric materials in making life easier on this planet, especially in terms of availability of products for daily use and leisure as well. However, there is another side of polymeric materials (here I will refer term Polymeric Materials for synthetic polymers only) which has affected life of every specie on this planet badly. Unfortunately, that dark side of such materials have been neglected since couple of decades. Industrial revolution has provided us a lot of revenue on the cost of environmental destabilization (disturbing life under water and life on earth). There should be no doubt that it is such a serious matter that cannot be solved by efforts of one or two research groups. It’s a matter which needs cumulative efforts on large scale. People have started thinking about this, and in some cases a few start-up based on green technologies/processes have been initiated. Green startups seek to leverage technology to create environmentally-friendly products and to encourage social good.

Green startups face unique challenges in attracting the right investors and competing with traditional growth-only focused entrepreneurs. Green startups face additional challenges brought on by their inherent triple bottom line, social responsibility, economic value, and environmental impact. However, these ventures typically have founders with the passion and drive to rise above challenges, and they can grow fast while helping to protect the health of humanity and Earth. Green startups are attracting venture capitalists and are gaining new support from socially responsible investors, green investors, and popular crowdfunding platforms.

Our main objective was to propose either unique idea for saving biodiversity or value addition in existing start-ups based on green technologies. Idea of eco-bag sounds interesting, it’s not new but still it has broad market across the borders. As Massaki Aoki (CEO) mentioned in his report that “If non-woven fabric is produced by electrospinning, it is likely to be difficult except for cellulose. (Cellulose can already be mass-produced. May be Prof. Kim is specialized. Sana Ullah knows details??)”. In addition, there is a big problem in terms of cost. It could be possible to develop some materials or new products from scraps and waste materials of natural fiber materials. (like silk sericin. In the past, sericin produced during degumming was discarded, but in recent years, its moisturizing properties or etc. are focused and it is used in cosmetics and research is also underway actively.)

Lignin as green material

I would like to comment on this statement. Electrospun nanofibers have wide range of applications however as you mentioned that it will not be affordable for public (who are our actual customers/consumers). Also, cellulose cannot be electrospun without several modifications, which will alter chemistry and physics of cellulose and it will not be “Green” anymore.

During group discussion, I suggested one of the most neglected material named “Lignin” which is almost 35% wood (cellulose is about 45%). For those who are not familiar with lignin please read following paragraph.

Lignin is a class of complex organic polymers that form key structural materials in the support tissues of vascular plants and some algae. Lignins are particularly important in the formation of cell walls, especially in wood and bark, because they lend rigidity and do not rot easily. The utilization of lignin for fungible fuels and products represents one of the most imminent challenges in the modern biorefinery because most of the bioprocesses for lignocellulosic biofuels results in a lignin-containing waste stream. The primary aim of modern biorefineries is the efficient conversion of lignocellulosic materials into valuable products. Sugars and oils can be converted into valuable chemicals, but processing of lignin is still a challenge. A vast amount of lignin is incinerated to produce process steam and energy, and only a very small part is used for the production of value-added products. Technical lignins are isolated as by-streams in lignocellulosic refineries, e.g., as kraft, soda, organosolv, and hydrolysis lignins, as well as lignosulphonates. They have a modified structure and contain impurities that are dependent on the processing method. The structure and the composition of technical lignins restrict their subsequent applications.

I suggested lignin as a potential material for eco-bag because of two reasons. 1. Lignin is obtained from natural source (wood) and our product will be green (eco-friendly), and 2. Applications of lignin are limited because of its complex structure, and most of lignin is burnt to get energy while leaving a large amount of carbon contents in environment. By utilizing lignin as composite with suitable matrix, there will be significant decrease in air pollution. Though it is very complex procedure to breakdown lignin for useful products but it will have impacts which will lead towards a unique world safe for all habitants living on.

As many of us have already suggested good ideas, especially composite materials for eco-bags, recycled clothes (firefighters’ clothes), recycled fibers, natural fibers, and others. All of suggested materials have potential to be used as raw material for Green Tech start-up. However, as assigned duty of technical officer, I would like to consider composite materials containing natural fibers as basic raw material for eco-bag.

In conclusive remarks, I would like to thank all of the participants for healthy discussion about possibilities of startup for making this planet as better place for living (considering biodiversity), and also I would like to thank Prof. Iwata for teaching us many new things in a short period of time. I hope, it will be useful learning for future projects regardless of field of study and place of study.