Arizona Tribune - Ball State University Students Explore Sustainable Innovation with Land Betterment, ekō Solutions and anu(TM)

FISHERS, IN / ACCESS Newswire / March 19, 2025 / Land Betterment Corporation, a certified B-Corp committed to fostering positive impact through up-cycling former coal mining and industrial sites into sustainable community developments, recently facilitated an immersive learning experience for students from Ball State University's Environmental Storytelling course. Through its portfolio company, ekō Solutions, and its partnership with anu™, students visited the Pure Produce® Container Farm in Evansville, Indiana, where they engaged with ekō Solutions' up-cycled shipping container structures and the anu™ innovative indoor growing technology.

The class, led by Professor Andrea Bruce, focuses on media effectiveness and storytelling in sustainability and environmental impact. Through this visit, students captured firsthand insights into how modular farming solutions are reshaping agriculture and food security.

A Hands-On Learning Experience
During the visit, students had the opportunity to:

• Attend a presentation led by Scott Massey, Founder and CEO of anu™, which provided an in-depth look at the anu™ origins, the challenges they aim to solve, and how their partnership with ekō Solutions is bringing innovative indoor farming technology to market.

• Tour the Pure Produce® Container Farm and learn about the anu™ Rotary Aeroponics® technology.

• Hear from an anu™ AI technology expert, who shared insights into how artificial intelligence is optimizing the growing process within the Pure Produce® Container Farms.

• Hear from industry experts about the role of modular farming in sustainable food production.

• Participate in a photography workshop, documenting their experience and the technology behind the farm.

Student Perspectives
"Documenting the developments at anu™ and learning about their mission alongside ekō Solutions was truly inspiring. Seeing how they transform shipping containers into sustainable, habitable spaces for innovative agriculture opened my eyes to the possibilities of modular farming and sustainable design," said Braelyn Cooper.

Kylee White added, "Having hands-on experience at the Pure Produce® Container Farm, photographing the innovative product jointly created by ekō Solutions and anu™, and engaging with the people behind the work-gave me greater confidence in my journalism skills."

Leadership Insights
Reflecting on the collaboration, Scott Massey, Founder and CEO of anu™, shared, "Engaging with the next generation of storytellers is invaluable. Demonstrating how our Rotary Aeroponics® technology, in partnership with ekō Solutions, transforms up-cycled shipping containers into sustainable farming units showcases the practical applications of innovative agriculture. It's inspiring to see students capture this fusion of technology and sustainability through their lenses."

Professor Andrea Bruce added, "It was great to see the students witness the anu™ process, think critically about problems and solutions through the eyes of anu™ as a partner of ekō Solutions, and experience hands-on research for both PR and journalism."

This visit is part of a broader collaboration between Land Betterment, ekō Solutions, and Ball State University's College of Communication, Information, and Media, bringing real-world sustainability challenges into the classroom while providing fresh perspectives on environmental communication and storytelling

About Ball State University
Founded in 1918 and located in Muncie, Ball State University is one of Indiana's premier universities and an economic driver for the state. Ball State's 20,000 students come from all over Indiana, the nation, and the world. The 790-acre campus is large enough to accommodate first-rate facilities and 19 NCAA Division I sports, but our welcoming and inclusive campus is small enough to ensure the friendliness, personal attention, and access that are the hallmarks of the University. Destination 2040: Our Flight Path establishes Ball State's ambitious goals for our second century. We Fly! Follow Ball State University: X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Ball State Magazine.

About anu™
Anu™ is a health and wellness brand advancing Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) technologies to empower consumers and communities to sustainably grow their own Pure Produce®, growing healthier food on-site, nurturing minds and bodies through accessible nutrition education. Using its Rotary Aeroponics® system, anu offers a "Keurig for plants" model with compostable, Self-Nurturing™ seed pods designed for both home and commercial environments. Supported by USDA NIFA SBIR, USDA SBIR grant and NSF SBIR grants, anu™ aims to transform food production and access across diverse settings, from urban communities to remote locations. Follow them on social media: Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram.

About ekō Solutions
ekō Solutions is a Land Betterment portfolio company focusing on sustainable development utilizing innovative, low-cost, up-cycled shipping container structures to provide durable, high-end solutions to the building marketplace while also maintaining the ability to be utilized in a mobile environment. ekō Solutions uses innovative ecological structures to replace legacy inefficient and ineffective methods of living, growing and working. The sustainable craftsmanship of our up-cycled shipping container structures is what separates us from the alternatives. Our structures are suitable for farming, residential, crisis recovery, commercial, and recreation use. To stay up to date on our innovations and get an insider's view of our daily operations visit our website ekosolutionsllc.com and follow us on our social platforms - Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram.

About Land Betterment Corporation
Land Betterment Corporation, an Indiana Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corporation, is an environmental solutions company focused on fostering a positive impact through up-cycling former coal mining and industrial sites to create sustainable community development and job creation. The Company utilizes a complete solution-based lifecycle program to restore and rehabilitate the environment and revitalize communities in need of change and opportunity. Land Betterment accomplishes this by identifying un-reclaimed, run-down and neglected coal mining sites, fixing the environment through reclamation and remediation, and then repurposing the land to support a sustainable business that serves the community. Land Betterment firmly believes that with real solutions it is possible for restoration of impacted areas to live side-by-side long term employment, while building sustainable and safe surroundings for communities and our planet. For more information visit landbetterment.com or connect with us on our social platforms - Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.

Contacts:
Mark LaVerghetta
317.537.0492 ext. 0
Chief Governance Officer, Corporate Finance
[email protected]

Stephanie Conzelman
207.205.0790
Stakeholder Engagement Director
[email protected]

SOURCE: Land Betterment Corporation

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