climate good news Tag

November 13, 2025 In Blog

Shapiro’s Dutch Climate GoodNews

13 November, 2025

Every year the Netherlands – the tiny NL! – puts 300 million kg textiles into the recycling bins. Only 15% is actually recycled… Not for long? Here are 3 Dutch startups changing the game.

Saxcell

Saxcell in the Dutch town of Enschede focuses on cotton. They take cotton clothing, dissolve it into a pulp, and then they create a replica of virgin cotton to make industrial scale fabrics. For virgin cotton, every kilogram requires an average of 6000 liters of water to become fabric. Saxcell’s cotton recycling process takes only 10 liters.

[So far so good, BUT what about synthetic fibers?]

BrightFiber

Amsterdam’s BrightFiber Textiles focuses on blends, such as cotton / polyester or acrylic.

In April 2025, BrightFiber brought a new facility online in the Amsterdam harbor – with 3 machines.
1 – a cleaner that removes zippers, buttons, labels.

2 – their smart sorter machine that separates materials.

3 – is the key: the fiberizing machine. The process produces high-quality fibers ready for the spinning mill. Currently, the machines can process 2.5 millon kg of textiles per year. Long way to get to 300million.

But they may have help soon, from:

BioFashionTech

This Rotterdam startup enables bacteria to do what humans and machines can’t. First, the textiles are ground into granules. Then, they use a patented fermentation technology, in where bacteria separate the plastic fibers from the natural ones. The separated plastic can be reused as new plastic or polyester yarn. And the organic material then becomes bioplastic or biofuel.

CEO and founder Fabiola Polli imagines a future where major fashion brands and retailers have their own in-house recycling plant.
The future could also hold her biotech solution being used for waste streams of plastic and paper food packaging.

(Tune in for tomorrow’s episode where fossil fuel companies buy up all 3 startups and shut them down.)

😉
…
This episode is largely based on reporting from Change.inc. Video includes images from Saxcell, BrightFiberTextiles and BioFashionTech.

More CGN Climate Good News? Here are 3 Dutch Agri-Business Game-Changers:
https://gregshapiro.nl/blog/shapiros-orange-going-green/

September 8, 2025 In Blog

Shapiro’s Orange Going Green

Greg Shapiro Presents: ‘ORANGE GOING GREEN’ Climate Good News from the Netherlands

8 September, 2024

Want a quick mental health boost? I’ve got a secret: Not all climate news is bad. I’ve been collecting all kinds of examples of CGN: Climate Good News. And now there are so many… Big Oil can’t possibly kill ALL of them, right?

And these are ONLY examples from the Netherlands. It’s time for: ORANGE GOING GREEN.

DUTCH STARTUP ‘COWMANAGER’ USES EAR SENSORS AND AI TO HELP REDUCE ANTIBIOTICS AND HORMONES IN COW MILK

I did a keynote speech at Cowmanager last week, and I was inspired. This Dutch startup makes sensors for cows’ ears that help predict fertility, illness, etc. THIS MEANS that if you can predict a cow’s fertility, you don’t need as many hormones. AND if you can predict a cow getting sick, you don’t need as many antibiotics in cow milk. Finally, a health solution where Bernie Sanders would approve – and RFK jr.

https://www.cowmanager.com/

MORE Dutch Green agribusiness news?

‘NORTH SEA FARMERS’ FIRST-EVER HARVEST FROM SEAWEED FARM BETWEEN OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES.

No, it’s not enough that the Netherlands runs its entire rail network with offshore wind energy. Now, the space between the wind turbines is being used to cultivate the amazingly nutritious seaweed, thanks to “North Sea Farmers.” See? Amazon isn’t all bad.
https://www.northseafarmers.org/news/first-ever-harvest-at-pioneering-north-sea-seaweed-farm-funded-by-amazons-right-now-climate-fund

Pretty soon this Dutch startup might be contributing to Samuel L. Jackson’s Vattenfall-brand seaweed snacks.

“Mother F***ing Windfarms.” AND finally,

DUTCH VERIDI TECHNOLOGIES PROVIDES SOIL ANALYSIS GIVING MAJOR HARVEST BOOST FOR FARMERS WORLDWIDE

Do you know how many times the experts have predicted mass starvation due to human overpopulation? And yet somehow we humans keep getting more efficient at growing food. Thanks to wonky Dutch tech nerds like Delft startup Veridi Technologies. Farmers thrive on having quality soil analysis, but it’s usually terribly expensive. Until now. These Dutchies offer automated microscopy and AI – as well as training – for farmers to use their technique all over the world. Climate scarcity, make room for Food Security.
https://www.change.inc/advies-en-dienstverlening/nederlandse-start-up-maakt-bodemonderzoek-sneller-goedkoper-nauwkeuriger-en-toegankelijker-41604

I’ve been working on a solo comedy show called GREG SHAPIRO SAVES THE CLIMATE, with 60 minutes of Dutch Climate Good News. Coming soon to a theater near you…

See Greg Shapiro’s Upcoming Comedy Shows:
https://gregshapiro.nl/greg-shapiro-upcoming-comedy-shows/

June 7, 2023 In Blog

Greg Shapiro Saves the Climate

GREG SHAPIRO SAVES THE CLIMATE – 60 minutes of Climate Good News

Netherlands Tour 2024-25

In the Netherlands alone, there are solar-powered cars, wind-powered trains, garbage-powered trucks – and homes heated by cow poop (warning: contents are not vegan). Comedian Greg Shapiro shares an hour of uplifting environmental game-changers and asks “Why aren’t we ALL doing this?”

TALES FROM THE EXPERT

Shapiro’s day job is hosting events for Dutch green startups and leaders in sustainability. Greg has hosted events for: offshore wind, lab-grown meat, garbage-powered trucks, a sustainable chicken farm, the European Sleeper train, Extinction Rebellion – and even for Shell. Come hear the stories from the front lines – and behind the scenes. Warning: audience members may include activists and innovators such as Mark van Baal (Follow This), Olivier Wegloop (Kipster), or David Rossati (Climate Law, VU).

“Yes 90% of climate news is bad. But if you ignore the 10% that’s good, you’ll go 100% crazy.” – Greg Shapiro

Preserve your mental health and come see GREG SHAPIRO SAVES THE CLIMATE.

AUDIENCE REVIEWS:

“Important and Inspiring.”

“Climate news stories making you realise it’s not all bad. Amusing and uplifting.”

“Climate theme is great. Also the ‘look out for greenwashing’ angle. Appeals to the sceptic in me.”

Greg Shapiro (Boom Chicago, Comedy Central, ZDF) is best-known as the voice of the ‘Netherlands Second’ video. Meanwhile, he has written and performed 6 solo shows including Leaving Trumpland and How to Be Orange. As author, Greg has written books such as How to Be Dutch: the Quiz and his latest The American Netherlander: 25 Years of Expat Tales. He is a proud contributor to Boom Chicago Presents the 30 Most Important Years in Dutch History.

Reviews for Premiere GREG SHAPIRO SAVES THE CLIMATE:
https://gregshapiro.nl/blog/shapiro-premieres-climategoodnews-show-2/

For more of Greg’s Solo Shows, see the ARCHIVE
https://gregshapiro.nl/greg-shapiro-web-archive/