Episode 285 explores how one woman's personal wake-up call transformed into a mission to improve the air we breathe 🌿💨. After witnessing her father's early-onset dementia and recognizing the hidden impact of environmental toxins, former environmental lawyer Sue Blanchet founded Origen Air 🌎✨.
The conversation dives into innovative plant-based technology that helps remove harmful toxins from indoor air, the connection between toxic load and chronic illness 🧠❤️ and how following a bold vision can create meaningful change. From cleaner air to educating children in Cambodia 📚🌟, this episode is a powerful reminder that purpose-driven action can improve lives on a global scale.
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Episode Summary: Founder's Journey & Motivation
- Background:Blanchet, a former environmental lawyer, felt the legal system was too slow to address air quality issues.
- Catalyst:Her father's early-onset dementia, linked to his work in toxic environments (e.g., aluminum smelters), highlighted the health disconnect between conscious intake (water) and unconscious intake (air).
- Inspiration:A CBC report on University of Washington research into genetically modified plants provided a non-legal path to make a direct impact.
- Action:Blanchet secured an initial co-exclusive license for North America, then later the exclusive global license, and founded Origen Air in 2019.
Origen Air: Technology & Impact
- Core Technology:Genetically modified pothos plants containing the P450-2E1 liver enzyme.
- Lab Results:Removed up to 99% of common toxins (benzene, chloroform, acrolein).
- Field Results:NRC IRAP-funded tests showed ~50% VOC removal, with higher rates in new, sealed buildings.
- Note:Standard pothos plants showed zero VOC removal in tests.
- Product Design:
- Aesthetics:Designed to be elegant and placed near users, not hidden in a corner.
- Sustainability:Units use wood, glass, and recycled plastic.
- Ease of Use:Hydroponic system with water and filter sensors.
- Health Connection:
- Mechanism:The liver stores toxins in fat when overloaded.
- Impact:This storage is linked to rising rates of chronic illness (dementia, breast cancer).
- Solution:Reducing airborne toxins lowers the body's overall toxic load, enabling it to heal more effectively.
Philanthropy & "Wake-Up Call"
- Origen Air's Mission:A B Corp donating 2% of revenue to provide clean air to vulnerable groups (e.g., care homes).
- New Dream Cambodian Children School:
- Origin:Founded after a trip to Cambodia following her father's death.
- Goal:Provide English education to create economic opportunities and protect children from exploitation.
- Growth:Started with land purchased for $25k USD; now serves over 600 students.
- "Wake-Up Call" Philosophy:
- Definition:The urge to follow one's passion for meaningful work.
- Action:Act boldly and trust the universe will provide.
- Benefit:Leads to spiritual and emotional wealth, even if financially challenging.
About the Guest:
Sue is a B Corp CEO, Founder, lawyer, and international speaker with a deep commitment to uplifting and empowering the underrepresented. Her efforts have been recognized by the industry, with several accolades to her name, including being named a finalist for WBE Excellence Awards' Top Rising Star, second in TiE Women, top 30 in Canada for Herstory by The 51 and Alberta Innovates, semi-finalist KPMG Tech Titans, WE Empower United Nations SDG Challenge Awardee for NA and Europe, Stevie Awards Women Thought Leader of the Year and UVIC President's Distinguished Alumni Award.
Her team's commitment to innovation and excellence has led Origen Air to receive the Natural Products Canada Game Changer Award 2023, Victoria Chamber Innovation Award and Douglas Magazine Ten to Watch Award 2022. Her determination to expand internationally has taken her on numerous trade missions, including Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and to the top ten Women in Cleantech in Palo Alto.
Susan is committed to providing clean air for all, and her patent-pending technology is making significant progress towards this goal. Using genetically enhanced golden pothos plants validated to metabolize volatile toxins in the air, premium MERV filters, and IoT sensors, Origen Air's self-sustaining chamber, the Pinnacle, represents one of several products set to drastically improve indoor air quality. Origen Air is currently bringing an affordable commercial desktop or home air purifier to market, which includes our genetically enhanced plant in a potted plant air purifier with indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors to report IAQ in real-time. Origen Air has Pinnacles installed in BC and Ontario, with plans to scale to the USA. R&D underway to scale the technology to integrate with building HVAC systems to deliver a circular economy of safe, clean air for building occupants. Susan has raised $4M+ in funding support.
Prior to founding Origen Air in 2019 Susan practiced as legal counsel for 14 years, ran a commercial real estate practice, a renovation company, and an elite soccer school as a provincially licensed coach. In 2018 after a volunteering trip to Cambodia, she donated and raised funds to purchase land and build an English school in Siem Reap.
Contact:
Website: https://origenair.com
Website: https://www.ndcco.org/ (To volunteer at the school in Cambodia)
Socials:
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/susanblanchet
https://www.instagram.com/sueblanchet
https://www.tiktok.com/@susanraeblanchet
https://origenair.com/
https://www.instagram.com/origenair
https://twitter.com/origenair
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCavbG_AcZp7VVfJamB4NXRA
https://www.linkedin.com/company/origen-air
