Social Entrepreneurship for Environmental Sustainability!
What is the CEC’s Youth Innovation Challenge?
The 2020 Youth Innovation Challenge hosted by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation invites North American youth aged 18 to 30 to propose innovative solutions to address environmental challenges and opportunities for communities in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
What is the theme of this year’s challenge?
This 4th annual challenge focuses on social entrepreneurship for environmental sustainability.
Why should you join the challenge?
Should you win, you will:
- Receive CAD $5,000 in seed funding
- Present your innovative solution to North America’s top environmental officials at the CEC’s Council Session in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on 25 & 26 June, 2020
- Visit an innovation center at an academic institution in North America in collaboration with the CEC EcoInnovation Network
Winners of the 2020 CEC Youth Innovation Challenge Announced
Bruized
Monique Chan
Bruized is a women-run food enterprise created from a passion project to combat food waste through education and yummy eats.
Bruized
Monique Chan
Bruized is a women-run food enterprise created from a passion project to combat food waste through education and yummy eats. We source second grade produce or by-products like juice pulp from grocery retails, wholesalers and juiceries to create healthy plant-based snacks. We want people to feel good about what they fuel their bodies with while disrupting the current food system by diverting food from the trash. Through this, our ultimate goal is to remove the stigma associated with imperfections in our food; bringing education and empowerment to our community members that they themselves can help reduce waste as individuals! We also strive to do this by promoting a zero waste lifestyle and offering all our products in up-cycled or reusable materials.
NoPlastic
Karime Guillen
NoPlastic is an innovative 100% biodegradable compostable bioplastic, based on Nopal cactus, agro-industrial fruit waste including peels and leaves, as well as natural additives.
NoPlastic
Karime Guillen
NoPlastic is an innovative 100% biodegradable compostable bioplastic, based on Nopal cactus, agro-industrial fruit waste including peels and leaves, as well as natural additives. NoPlastic aims to act as a substitute material for products made of synthetic plastic to manufacture truly ecological and quality products. Thanks to its total content of organic and biological materials, its disposal generates a positive environmental impact, with a rapid degradation in a matter of months under normal environmental conditions. In addition, it has the great property of functioning as composting material once it is discarded. It can also function as an additive to be added to plastic, thus increasing the percentage of organic matter of certain products already on the market to accelerate their biodegradability.
Rebundle
Ciara May
Rebundle is a plant-based synthetic hair brand that eliminates skin rashes and single-use waste.
Rebundle
Ciara May
Rebundle is a plant-based synthetic hair brand that eliminates skin rashes and single-use waste. Our hair products are made from a renewable banana tree stem that is completely compostable at the end of its life. Once women are done wearing the hair, they can either mail it back to us and we’ll dispose of it at industrial composting farms, or compost it themselves. Women are demanding chemical-free beauty products that are better for our skin and better for the environment. By switching to plant-based manufacturing, we provide hair products that are safer to use and environmentally friendlier than any other product on the market.
Other Challenges
For more information, contact:
Georgina O’Farrill
Head of Unit, Communications, Outreach and Engagement
(514) 350-4336