Green.org sat down with George Boyajian, Chief Executive Officer at Mussel Polymers, Inc. to learn about his entrepreneurial path and how he is utilizing nature to create environmentally friendly technology. Mussel Polymers works with coral restoration, ship repair, and has medical to military applications. In their labs in Bethlehem PA, Mussel Polymers develops, tests, and produces innovative adhesive and with a technology access agreement with Lehigh University, they have a full range of analytics and testing capabilities.
George, thank you for being here. Tell us a little bit about you and your background:
I grew up watching the Apollo launches and was a bit of a tech geek, reading Popular Mechanics and Scientific American. After a short career as a professor of geology/paleontology, I started my first technology company in 1995 and have been bringing new tech to the market since.
What is a fun fact about you?
At the start of COVID, my daughter and I got ourselves 6 chicks and built a chicken coop, it has been a wonderful experience.
Why do you think climate change and sustainability is such an important topic today?
The quality of life in the Western World and industrialized nations is so high, that there are enough people with the comfort and resources to afford to sit back and see just how much their quality of life impacts the planet. When you are struggling to make ends meet, environmental impact matters much less. Low cost airfare, disposable fashion and electronics, and amazing automobiles all have an enormous impact on the environment. The globalization of the economy has expanded ones footprint beyond what previous generations could imagine. Combine that with unprecedented access to information, there is no longer any excuse for ignorance or inaction.
What do you envision your industry looking like 10 years from now?
The innovative materials space is very exciting. Whether it be new rare earth technologies, new smart materials, novel polymers, or new battery chemistries, we are going to see an explosion of novel materials as a result of AI that will make a greener economy.
What can the average person do to make a difference?
Plant a tree (or more than one), buy a low impact car (or none at all), recycle and VOTE.