Vancouver company uses mushroom roots to tackle global protein demand

A Vancouver-based company is betting on mushroom mycelium as a sustainable protein source, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of traditional meat production.

Inder Nirwan and Pippa Norman report for The Tyee.


In short:

  • Maia Farms developed a mycelium-based protein that takes just seven days to produce and emits 84% less carbon dioxide than chicken.
  • The company is partnering with food manufacturers to incorporate the protein into various foods, with products appearing at major retailers like Costco.
  • Plans include expanding globally by 2030, with facilities on five continents to meet both Earth’s growing protein needs and space exploration demands.

Key quote:

“It’s arguably the most efficient form of agriculture that will ever exist.”

— Gavin Schneider, Maia Farms founder

Why this matters:

With global meat demand rising, sustainable protein alternatives like mycelium could help mitigate the environmental impacts of meat production, including greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.

Related: Turning mushroom waste into a resource for sustainable farming

A view of a forested ridge with a wildfire burning in the background

Tribes hit hard by wildfires face health effects, cultural losses

Tribal leaders across Washington and Oregon say this year’s record-breaking wildfires burned timber that they rely on for income, threatened food sources and waterways, and harmed the health of their communities.

A closeup of a roof with a sprinkler system installed on it

Rooftop rainwater sprinkler systems could help cool warming cities, study says

Researchers have designed a model to simulate how widely distributed rooftop rainwater collection tanks combined with smart rooftop sprinkler systems could help moderate urban heat island effects.

A housing tract with a house with solar panels on the roof

Judge says EPA illegally canceled $7B solar program

A federal judge in Rhode Island has ruled that the Trump administration illegally terminated a $7 billion Solar for All program intended to make solar power accessible to more than 900,000 lower-income Americans.
A green plant in a row of crops

Scientists developing new soybean to store carbon, withstand drought

Researchers are engineering soybeans with deeper, larger root systems that could help crops withstand drought while storing more carbon underground.

Glaciers hanging over an alpine lake formed by glacial meltwater

How climate change worsened Nepal's deadly mountain collapse

A glacier and rock collapse in Nepal killed nearly 1,400 people and left thousands missing. Scientists say decades of warming helped set the disaster in motion.
‘Forcing a reckoning’: How Asia is preparing for a ‘supersized’ El Niño

‘Forcing a reckoning’: How Asia is preparing for a ‘supersized’ El Niño

From Sri Lanka to South Korea, governments are preparing for droughts, wildfires, typhoons and floods – with climate plans facing their biggest challenge to date.

From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.