Month: January 2026

FREMONT, Calif., Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Power Knot, the market leader in onsite organic waste management solutions, announced the successful installation of a fully integrated food waste processing system at a catering facility at one of the world’s busiest airports. The system includes the SBT-140 bin tipper, BCG-315 grinder, FSC-500 screw conveyor, and an LFC-2000 biodigester. This new system enables efficient handling of the facility’s high volume of food waste.

The catering facility is one of the world’s largest catering operations and serves hundreds of thousands of meals daily, generating significant quantities of organic waste from the preparation of all these meals. To address this challenge, Power Knot deployed a comprehensive system that automates and accelerates food waste handling from end to end.

At the center of the installation is the high-capacity LFC-2000 biodigester, capable of digesting thousands of kilograms of food waste per day. The SBT-140 bin tipper safely tips the waste into the BCG-315 grinder. The grinder chops up the waste which is then sent 5 m through the FSC-500 to the digester.

“This project highlights Power Knot’s ability to deliver integrated solutions for major food service operations,” said Iain Milnes, President of Power Knot. “With our technologies, catering facilities can process food waste more sustainably while at the same time reducing costs and improving operations.”

Since its installation last month, the customer typically deposits 80 bin loads a day and the machine is digesting an average of 3000 kg per day. The integrated food waste management system supports long-term environmental goals by reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills and lowering greenhouse gas emissions associated with conventional disposal methods.

About Power Knot

Power Knot LLC designs, develops, and manufactures innovative on-site waste management solutions that help organizations reduce their environmental impact. With a focus on sustainability, Power Knot’s products are used globally across various industries, including hospitality, food service, and industrial sectors. Our technologies, including nine biodigester models processing from 10 kg (25 lb) to 6000 kg (13,200 lb) of food waste daily, are reliable, proven, and offer a payback period typically under two years. All products are designed and manufactured in Silicon Valley, California.

For more information, visit powerknot.com.

CONTACT: Cecillia Wong, Power Knot, 4088898433, cecillia.wong@powerknot.biz

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SOURCE Power Knot LLC

ATLANTA, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Captain Planet Foundation today announced the launch of the 2026 Green Heart STEM Challenge, welcoming its largest cohort to date with nearly 5,000 students, 132 educators, and 71 schools across 11 states participating.

The Green Heart STEM Challenge is delivered through a hybrid model, with in-person programming in metro Atlanta, Houston, and Miami, alongside virtual participation that enables schools in additional states to engage fully. This structure supports deep, place-based learning in core communities while expanding national access.

Designed for students in grades 6–9, the Challenge blends STEM learning with real-world problem solving, guiding students to identify environmental challenges in their communities and develop practical, implementable solutions. It follows a rotating, four-year cycle focused on EARTH, WIND, FIRE, and WATER, ensuring students explore a broad range of environmental systems and solutions over time.

The 2026 Challenge features EARTH, with students exploring issues such as soil health, tree canopy, composting, and food waste. Educators onboard students to the Challenge platform, where teams form, research, and begin building solutions rooted in local needs.

“What sets this Challenge apart is that students are mentored and funded to implement their winning ideas!” said Leesa Carter-Jones, President and CEO of Captain Planet Foundation. “They’re not just learning about environmental challenges; they’re designing solutions and being held accountable for real outcomes.”

Since its launch, the Challenge has shown growing, measurable impact. In recent cycles, hundreds of student teams have progressed from ideas to formal project plans, with an increasing percentage advancing to implementation. Past winners have secured additional funding, expanded beyond their schools, and built long-term community partnerships, including teams in Atlanta and Houston continuing work well beyond the Challenge timeline. Across cohorts, student-led projects have tackled composting and food waste, erosion control and reforestation, water quality, repair-and-reuse systems, and circularity efforts reducing fast fashion and single-use waste.

The Challenge is supported by Accenture, Amazon, Delta Air Lines, Georgia Natural Gas, Green Mountain Energy, and Susan J. Klein, among others. Accenture employees also serve as volunteer mentors and project managers, helping student teams refine ideas, develop budgets, and prepare for implementation through the Challenge’s Idea Incubator.

Entering its fourth year, the Green Heart STEM Challenge continues to show what’s possible when students are trusted with real responsibility and supported to turn ideas into action.

About Captain Planet Foundation
Captain Planet Foundation is an award-winning U.S.-based nonprofit that empowers young people to be problem-solvers for the planet. Over the past 35 years, more than 1.7 million children have directly participated in CPF programs, supporting more than 3,700 projects and impacting 11.4 million young people worldwide. Founded in 1991 by Ted Turner and Barbara Pyle, CPF advances environmental education through programs including Project Learning Garden, Planeteer Alliance, and the Green Heart STEM Challenge. Learn more at www.captainplanetfoundation.org.

Media Contact
Laura Henson
HVM Communications
917-539-7812
407861@email4pr.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/green-heart-stem-challenge-launches-2026-program-engaging-nearly-5-000-students-in-community-driven-climate-solutions-302664471.html

SOURCE Captain Planet Foundation

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is celebrating 10 years of employing hundreds of people with disabilities

WILMINGTON, N.C., Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, a nationally recognized coffee company built on the belief that everyone belongs, will celebrate its 10-year anniversary on Sunday, January 25, marking a decade of influence on how people with disabilities are seen and employed in the workplace.

Founded in 2016 by Amy and Ben Wright in honor of their two youngest children, Bitty and Beau, who have Down syndrome, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee was created to place people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in highly visible, customer-facing roles. What began as a single coffee shop has grown into a national brand with locations across the United States, employing hundreds of individuals and challenging long-held assumptions about disability and work.

The mission was shaped by a stark reality: nearly 80% of people with disabilities in the United States are unemployed. Rather than operating as a charity or program, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee functions as a for-profit, customer-facing business where people with disabilities are employed in visible, everyday roles.

Over the past decade, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee has received national recognition for advancing inclusive employment and shifting public perception around disability in the workplace.

To commemorate the anniversary, Bitty & Beau’s will host a 10 Year Celebration from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at its flagship Wilmington location, 4949 New Centre Drive. The event will feature live music and a DJ, a dance floor, complimentary coffee, and opportunities to meet the team members who bring the brand’s mission to life.

“Ten years ago, we were simply trying to build a place our kids could belong,” said co-founder Amy Wright. “We didn’t know what it would become. This anniversary reminds me that when people are trusted with real work and visible roles, it doesn’t just change a business—it changes how people see one another.”

Over the past decade, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee has become a reference point in national conversations about employment, dignity, and the future of work. While the January 25 celebration will take place in Wilmington, the milestone reflects a growing national movement. Supporters can support the business online at www.bittyandbeauscoffee.com.

Event Details 

What: Bitty & Beau’s Coffee 10-Year Anniversary Celebration
When: Sunday, January 25, 2026 | 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Where: 4949 New Centre Drive, Wilmington, NC
Details: Live DJ and dance floor, complimentary coffee, meet the team

Media Contact: Amy Wright, pressinquiry@bandbco.com, (910) 232-5376

About Bitty & Beau’s Coffee

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is a specialty coffee company with locations across the United States. Founded in 2016 by Amy and Ben Wright, the company employs hundreds of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and operates as a for-profit business. Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina.

For more information, visit www.bittyandbeauscoffee.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bitty–beaus-coffee-celebrates-10-year-anniversary-advancing-disability-inclusion-in-the-workplace-302664121.html

SOURCE Bitty & Beau’s Coffee

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is celebrating 10 years of employing hundreds of people with disabilities

WILMINGTON, N.C., Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, a nationally recognized coffee company built on the belief that everyone belongs, will celebrate its 10-year anniversary on Sunday, January 25, marking a decade of influence on how people with disabilities are seen and employed in the workplace.

Founded in 2016 by Amy and Ben Wright in honor of their two youngest children, Bitty and Beau, who have Down syndrome, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee was created to place people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in highly visible, customer-facing roles. What began as a single coffee shop has grown into a national brand with locations across the United States, employing hundreds of individuals and challenging long-held assumptions about disability and work.

The mission was shaped by a stark reality: nearly 80% of people with disabilities in the United States are unemployed. Rather than operating as a charity or program, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee functions as a for-profit, customer-facing business where people with disabilities are employed in visible, everyday roles.

Over the past decade, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee has received national recognition for advancing inclusive employment and shifting public perception around disability in the workplace.

To commemorate the anniversary, Bitty & Beau’s will host a 10 Year Celebration from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at its flagship Wilmington location, 4949 New Centre Drive. The event will feature live music and a DJ, a dance floor, complimentary coffee, and opportunities to meet the team members who bring the brand’s mission to life.

“Ten years ago, we were simply trying to build a place our kids could belong,” said co-founder Amy Wright. “We didn’t know what it would become. This anniversary reminds me that when people are trusted with real work and visible roles, it doesn’t just change a business—it changes how people see one another.”

Over the past decade, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee has become a reference point in national conversations about employment, dignity, and the future of work. While the January 25 celebration will take place in Wilmington, the milestone reflects a growing national movement. Supporters can support the business online at www.bittyandbeauscoffee.com.

Event Details 

What: Bitty & Beau’s Coffee 10-Year Anniversary Celebration
When: Sunday, January 25, 2026 | 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Where: 4949 New Centre Drive, Wilmington, NC
Details: Live DJ and dance floor, complimentary coffee, meet the team

Media Contact: Amy Wright, pressinquiry@bandbco.com, (910) 232-5376

About Bitty & Beau’s Coffee

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is a specialty coffee company with locations across the United States. Founded in 2016 by Amy and Ben Wright, the company employs hundreds of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and operates as a for-profit business. Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina.

For more information, visit www.bittyandbeauscoffee.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bitty–beaus-coffee-celebrates-10-year-anniversary-advancing-disability-inclusion-in-the-workplace-302664121.html

SOURCE Bitty & Beau’s Coffee

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is celebrating 10 years of employing hundreds of people with disabilities

WILMINGTON, N.C., Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, a nationally recognized coffee company built on the belief that everyone belongs, will celebrate its 10-year anniversary on Sunday, January 25, marking a decade of influence on how people with disabilities are seen and employed in the workplace.

Founded in 2016 by Amy and Ben Wright in honor of their two youngest children, Bitty and Beau, who have Down syndrome, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee was created to place people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in highly visible, customer-facing roles. What began as a single coffee shop has grown into a national brand with locations across the United States, employing hundreds of individuals and challenging long-held assumptions about disability and work.

The mission was shaped by a stark reality: nearly 80% of people with disabilities in the United States are unemployed. Rather than operating as a charity or program, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee functions as a for-profit, customer-facing business where people with disabilities are employed in visible, everyday roles.

Over the past decade, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee has received national recognition for advancing inclusive employment and shifting public perception around disability in the workplace.

To commemorate the anniversary, Bitty & Beau’s will host a 10 Year Celebration from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at its flagship Wilmington location, 4949 New Centre Drive. The event will feature live music and a DJ, a dance floor, complimentary coffee, and opportunities to meet the team members who bring the brand’s mission to life.

“Ten years ago, we were simply trying to build a place our kids could belong,” said co-founder Amy Wright. “We didn’t know what it would become. This anniversary reminds me that when people are trusted with real work and visible roles, it doesn’t just change a business—it changes how people see one another.”

Over the past decade, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee has become a reference point in national conversations about employment, dignity, and the future of work. While the January 25 celebration will take place in Wilmington, the milestone reflects a growing national movement. Supporters can support the business online at www.bittyandbeauscoffee.com.

Event Details 

What: Bitty & Beau’s Coffee 10-Year Anniversary Celebration
When: Sunday, January 25, 2026 | 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Where: 4949 New Centre Drive, Wilmington, NC
Details: Live DJ and dance floor, complimentary coffee, meet the team

Media Contact: Amy Wright, pressinquiry@bandbco.com, (910) 232-5376

About Bitty & Beau’s Coffee

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is a specialty coffee company with locations across the United States. Founded in 2016 by Amy and Ben Wright, the company employs hundreds of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and operates as a for-profit business. Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina.

For more information, visit www.bittyandbeauscoffee.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bitty–beaus-coffee-celebrates-10-year-anniversary-advancing-disability-inclusion-in-the-workplace-302664121.html

SOURCE Bitty & Beau’s Coffee