Typha Co : s’investir dans l’environnement

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The environmental movement is gaining momentum, especially among young people, who are always looking for new ideas for improvement. Young people like Alec Massé and Julien Koga, who teamed up to create their own business, Typha Co. Their goal: to solve the environmental crisis in Lake Winnipeg.

Alec Massé explains: “I graduated in business in April 2020. Creating business strategies is really something that interests me and that I love doing. Talking with Julien, we realized how we complement each other. We are both interested in the environment. Julien is studying botany. We thought about it a lot and set our sights on Lake Winnipeg. ”

Using Waste as the Solution

“We take an innovative approach to design that sees waste as the solution. Buying a bag made by Typha Co. makes a difference. “

The two young men use the Typha plant, also known as cattail. “This plant contains phosphorus and nitrogen which contribute to the eutrophication of Lake Winnipeg. Sustainable harvesting traps these nutrients before plants decompose and prevents their release into the water system.

“Fibers are extracted from this Typha and transformed into materials, which then make up our products. We follow our footprint every step of the way. Our bags are 100% biodegradable and without plastic binder. Whatever we take from the earth, we are sure to put it back. ”

So how will Typha plants actually help Lake Winnipeg? Alec Massé says: “Due to the overabundance of nutrients in Lake Winnipeg, there is an overgrowth of algae, and these algae cause the death of fish and the production of neurotoxins. This creates dead water areas. However, Typha plants are very good at absorbing nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen which are the main causes of eutrophication.”

“So the fact that we harvest them at the end of their growing season, when they are full of nutrients and before they break down, helps prevent them from releasing those nutrients into the water system.” This is how the elimination of Typha plants benefits the aquatic ecosystem of Lake Winnipeg.

CDEM’s Support

To carry out their large-scale project, Alec Massé and Julien Koga sought help from CDEM. The business graduate continues: “A friend told us about CDEM. We did some research and decided to go see them for help.

“We received a lot of information from them and some important advice. They have been a great help to us. In addition, we received funding to help us get started. But what has been most valuable to us is the advice and help we have received from professionals thanks to CDEM. ”

Website : https://typhacompany.com/

Photo : Typha Co.