Innovate Magazine takes a walk on the wild side

In the latest edition of Marketing Derby’s Innovate Magazine launched this week, we look at efforts being made to make Derby a UK top 10 green city.

It is a challenge that has been laid down by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, an organisation that develops ambitious, transformational projects designed to undo decades of damage inflicted by society on the natural world.

According to research conducted by the University of Sheffield, which analysed 68 places across England, Scotland and Wales and ranked them based on tree cover, vegetation and parks in their city centres, Derby currently sits 22nd in a league table topped by Exeter and dominated by areas in the south.

In the winter edition of Innovate, we meet Jo Smith, the trust’s chief executive, who outlines the environmental challenge facing Derby – and what needs to be done to achieve that top 10 goal.

An organisation that is helping to bring nature back to the city centre is Down to Earth Derby.

We catch up with founder Jamie Quince-Starkey, who has recently brokered an agreement with Sir Tim Smit’s Eden Project to carry out a feasibility study into a nature-led regeneration of Derby city centre.

The Eden team has reached the agreement with Derby City Council to explore, in practical terms, how a radical, green transformation could be delivered.

Jamie talks about how Down to Earth Derby is getting people on board with the vision, particularly through its new community garden in the heart of the city, which is called Electric Daisy.

There are many innovative businesses in the city who are already switched on to making not just Derby, but the world, more environmentally friendly.

Reducing our reliance on single-use plastics is one of the biggest challenges.

Circulayo is a company which harnesses digital smart technology to track a product right the way through its lifecycle, encouraging reuse and then, ultimately, ensuring it can be successfully recycled.

Initial roll-out has concentrated around reusable plastic drinking cups, which have already been introduced at, among others, Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium and events run by Derby LIVE.

We meet Circulayo’s Andy Flinn, who explains how technology can help power the green revolution.

Hydrogen is seen as an important tool in helping us reach the holy grail of net zero.

Innovate finds out how Derbyshire and the East Midlands are forging ahead with plans to put hydrogen at the heart of the region’s decarbonisation efforts through the launch of organisations such as East Midlands Hydrogen, as well as the development of innovative hydrogen-powered new products by Rolls-Royce and Toyota Manufacturing UK.

And carrying on with the green theme, in this edition’s Talking Business segment, a panel of experts come together to discuss whether it is possible to turn Derby into a green and pleasant land.

Derby and Derbyshire’s reputation for fine food is on the up – and in this edition of Innovate, we meet one of its stars – chef George Bloor, the founder of The Tasting Club.

The winner of Restaurant of the Year at the most recent Marketing Derby Food & Drink Awards, George shares his recipe for success with us.

And we meet the team at Precept, the HR and employment law specialist, who are bringing a perfect blend of personality and professionalism to their clients.

Finally, in his latest column in Innovate, Marketing Derby managing director John Forkin, addresses what he describes as “metropolitan snobbery” – prompted by comments made about Derby by a rather ill-informed, London-based broadsheet columnist.

A digital version of the latest edition of Innovate magazine is now available on the Marketing Derby website at https://heyzine.com/flip-book/e95ffdaf1d.html .