VOICES OF VOW

Growing up in Montreal, Canada, she has found her way to Tønsberg, a small city in Norway. Engineer, former skiing champion, farmer, and schoolteacher: we call her our very own “tree hugger”. Meet Catherine Lussier.

A zero-waste lifestyle

All the decisions we make every day – however big or small – have an impact on the world around us. That is why I aim to eat organic and buy packaging-free products, I read all ingredient labels, and strive for a zero-waste lifestyle. Easier said than done. Yes, I’m a bit radical, and at work they call me a tree hugger. I’m totally comfortable with that title – the environment is really close to my heart.

Perfect match with my values

That is also why I made the decision to work at Vow. The company is a perfect match with my values. Throughout time, people have created a way of living on this planet that is not sustainable. What we do in Vow is to contribute to change this. After I had my first interview, I was sold. I packed my belongings and moved to Tønsberg.

Lowering carbon emissions

In Vow, I work as a Project Lead Engineer. My greatest passion working with this technology is connected to lowering carbon emissions. However, in addition to replacing fossil fuels, the biochar we produce can be used as soil amendment. Because the biochar is a porous organic material, it does two things; it increases water retention, and it makes room for the microorganisms that keep the soil alive and fertile. So as our “modern” agricultural methods cause soil depletion, the addition of biochar helps reverse this and increases soil fertility. Sweet huh?

More sustainable lifestyles

I like to imagine small villages, each with their own Vow plant to transform local waste streams, providing heat and biochar to greenhouses and power to homes. When we individually become aware of the waste we produce or contribute to through our consumption, we tend to aim for more sustainable lifestyles. When the scale is large and global, I think people tend to forget their impact and feel like waste is someone else’s responsibility. Like the microorganisms in the soil, like the trees, we all are gardeners of this planet, as long as we consume and produce waste. Every single one of our decisions as human beings makes an impact. All we really need, in order to make a difference, is to give a damn about tomorrow.