EP #148: Sustainable Food Practices with Elysabeth Alfano

Written By Robert DePasquale

What if we could change the world’s food supply chain?

This is not a question we hear often but it’s becoming more popular.  This episode includes some alarming stats about the existing systems and how inefficient they are.   

Elysabeth Alfano is a thought leader in sustainability who has been working in the industry for much of her career.  She’s spent years speaking with organizations about how to take care of the planet.  More recently, she co-founded VegTech Invest and launched EATV, the world’s first-ever plant-based innovation exchange-traded fund.  Get ready for a fascinating conversation about investing to make a difference.

What You'll Learn In Today's Episode:

  • About the world’s first and only plant-based innovation Exchange Traded Fund (ETF)

  • How to have a more efficient food system

  • How we can feed more people

  • How to grow meat from cells

  • What prompted the start of VegTech invest

  • About new types of food technologies

  • How you can invest to make a difference

  • About carbon neutral status

  • About buying credits

  • How carbon status is measured

  • How countries with a large carbon footprint are going to pay

  • About investing in food supply innovation

  • About fermented protein

  • What some of the new food technologies are producing

  • The importance of clean supply chains

  • Elysabeth’s journey to her role as an investor and speaker

  • The celebrities Elysabeth has worked with

  • How Elysabeth avoided eating meat when she was younger

  • About Elysabeth’s nephew who was told not to eat meat or dairy by his coach

  • Elysabeth’s vision for mass adoption of plant-based products

Ideas Worth Sharing:

“I think it’s how you move the needle.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“If not you, then who?” - Elysabeth Alfano

“41% of tropical deforestation comes from animal agriculture.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“If your focus is to feed people, then stop feeding animals.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“Who should have clean water?  Everybody.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“Business loves efficiency.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“We wanted to invest in the technologies that are going to make the global food supply system more sustainable.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“Many are working on fermented proteins.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“That must have fiver because it’s fibrous.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“What if you replace it with fermented foods.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“Markets are interested in large secular trends.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“Invest in the change that you want to see.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“We are the first ETF that they have certified as carbon-neural without buying credits.” - Elysabeth Alfano 

“Do you want a planet that's 3.2 or 1.18?” - Elysabeth Alfano talking about the carbon-neutral status of EATV (her ETF)

“Countries that make the damage are going to have to pay for the damage.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“16 and a half percent of all greenhouse gases come from animal agriculture.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“We’re working on courses to help teach financial advisors about the global food supply system.” - Elysabeth Alfano 

“Most people are interested in bringing down the global warming temperature but they didn’t know they could do it through food innovation investing.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“For my one outlay of energy, I get the benefit of doing good by all these systems.” - Elysabeth Alfano

“It’s the closest I could find to a silver bullet.” - Elysabeth Alfano 

“I took all my business skills and all my journalism skills and focused only on plant-based innovation..” - Elysabeth Alfano

“Then, I started hiding the meat everywhere.” - Elysabeth Alfano speaking about her challenges in eating meats as a child

“I’m only going to use my skills to do what I've been longing to do since I was five years old, so, bring it!” - Elysabeth Alfano

“If they’re eating and you’re eating them…” - Bob DePasquale

“A lot of it is reactionary.  Here’s the quick fix.” - Bob DePasquale talking about dietary habits

“You’re not purchasing “I’m sorry’s”. - Bob DePasquale

Resources In Today's Episode:

 
 
 
 
 
Robert DePasquale

Lover of Stewardship

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