Presentation at the 2022 Impact & Innovation Days · November 16, 2022 · Presentation by Thibault Lamarque
At the 2022 Impact & Innovation Days, Thibault Lamarque, founder of Castalie, shared his perspective on water as a fragile resource and on ways to promote more sustainable consumption. From drought to agricultural pollution, including the AGEC law and the concept of “happy frugality,” his presentation links environmental challenges with entrepreneurial commitment. It serves as a call to action to preserve water and rethink our relationship with plastic bottles.
Key takeaways
- In light of the 2022 drought, which forced more than a hundred French villages to rely on water tankers for their water supply, Thibault Lamarque points out that water—which is often perceived as abundant in Europe—is a fragile and finite resource.
- According to Thibault Lamarque, the main threat to water is pollution: in France, 25% of municipalities have, at least once during the year, been supplied with water rendered undrinkable by pesticides or their residues.
- For Castalie, preserving water resources means reducing agricultural inputs and banning consumer products that do not break down naturally in the water cycle.
- As early as 2019, Castalie proposed that the government ban plastic water bottles smaller than 50 cl, as the proliferation of these small sizes is increasing the volume of waste—a proposal that was rejected at the time.
- Castalie model Castalie with the AGEC law, which calls for the phase-out of single-use plastic by 2040, even as the 2022 heat wave paradoxically led to record sales of plastic bottles.
- 1 liter of Castalie water Castalie 88% fewer GHG emissions per liter (carbon footprint, Quantis LCA certified to ISO 14040/14044) ( Castalie data).
- Thibault Lamarque advocates for a “joyful simplicity” that he links to Castalie “peasant common sense,” emphasizing that simplicity, when chosen, can be experienced in a positive way.
- To steer its course, Castalie conducted two life-cycle assessments and is aligning its climate strategy with the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Source: Impact & Innovation Days 2022, November 16, 2022 — remarks by Thibault Lamarque. See the original remarks
